During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Mental Health Connecticut (MHC) invites Connecticut residents, businesses, and communities to invest in preventative measures that increase resiliency and wellness.

We are bringing back #31DaysOfWellness this May with the theme of #31Tools2Thrive. The goal is to help individuals build their personalized self-care toolkits while helping to build MHC’s facility reserves by raising funds for the MHC@Home Fund.

We at MHC recognize that self-care looks different for everyone. However, one thing is universal; the more tools you have in your toolkit, the better prepared you will be to access those tools as a means of prevention and intervention before reaching the point of distress. That’s why this year, we are leveraging our expertise and focusing our efforts on curated information from our staff, participants, and community partners. In solidarity with our national affiliate, Mental Health America (MHA) and their theme of #Tools2Thrive, we are highlighting a unique self-care tool each day in May that can help support wellness and create resiliency.

Today, MHC’s President & CEO, Luis Perez, was interviewed by WTNH-News Channel 8 to discuss the importance of mental health and how Mental Health Awareness Month in May provides an opportunity to make health and wellness a priority.

A global pandemic and social unrest has provided the collective experience of traumatic events and the need to elevate mental health as a priority. Particularly pressing is the need to help individuals identify the difference between common daily ups and downs vs. signs of a more serious mental health condition.

MHC is sharing its knowledge and expertise from the community-based mental health recovery world, as well as working with ConnectiCare and other community partners such as Copper Beech Institute, Jiffy Journal, and Imagine Float to feature 31 tools for self-care, such as journaling, reading, movement, simplicity, meditation, humor, nature, and much more. Collaborations include #MindfulnessMonday sessions hosted by Copper Beech Institute. For the entire list of MHC events and activities for #31DaysofWellness, visit: www.mhconn.org/31days, follow MHC on social: @MentalHealthCT , and check back here to view our blog for daily updates throughout May.