Ryan Brunty is the founder of Depressed Monsters, a lifestyle brand and mental health advocacy group that donates a portion of proceeds to mental health agencies across the country. Affected by depression/anxiety himself, he has utilized his character Yerman and clothing line, Depressed Monsters to depict the face of depression in an approachable way to alleviate the stigma surrounding mental health. Brunty has worked with mental health agencies across the country including Jed Foundation and Project UR OK. His clothing has been worn by rock stars such as Bert McCracken of The Used, actors such as Blake Anderson from Workaholics and has been referenced by actors of such hit cartoon shows as Adventure Time and Regular Show.
His journey with depression has been made into motivational talks that have been shared as keynotes across the country at colleges and events with The Moth, Jed Foundation, Clinton Foundation and more. Recently, psychotherapists have been using the Yerman Method to treat their patients by having them draw their own monsters to give a face to their symptoms. His art has been shown at festivals such as Life is Beautiful & Coachella along with appearances on America’s Next Top Model. He has painted murals throughout Las Vegas and various other locations.