Day #25: Information and Warm Lines
by: Patricia Seaver, L.M.S.W. COVID-19, being the unprecedented pandemic that turned all of our worlds upside down, had significant impacts on many individual’s mental health. An increase in symptoms of depression or anxiety, for example, in response to sudden social isolation, added responsibilities such as home schooling, and the economic impacts both in micro and […]
Day #24: Self-Compassion
Compassion Offers Comforts in Times of Needby Scarlett Lewis “Being there for another is the essence of compassion.” Compassion has a unique ability to bring us together during the loneliness and isolation of ‘social distancing.’ Compassion is identifying with the pain and discomfort of another and then actively doing something to help ease the suffering. […]
Day #23: Visual Arts
The Key to Unlocking the Door to Your Creativity by Amy Smith, MHC Mending Art Coordinator Picture this, you have just seen a door swing open and before you lies a place where anything you can imagine, you can create! You hold the key to this illuminous place and you enter. On the other side […]
Day #22: Endurance
The Optimism of Endurance by: Michael Lo-Presti “You’re doing what?” That’s often the reaction I get when I tell a friend or coworker about my plans to run an ultramarathon. What sometimes follows is a conversation about the nuances of such an adventure — What do you eat? Do you run by yourself? Don’t you […]
Day #21: Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to help someone who is facing a mental health challenge or experiencing a mental health crisis. The training helps you identify, understand, and respond to signs of addictions and mental illnesses. As a self-care tool, it also teaches how to take care of your […]
Day #20: Animal Companions
Happy National Rescue Dog Day by Jacquilyn Davis According to nationalrescuedogday.com, “Rescue dogs often overcome extreme obstacles and yet provide comfort, security, and friendship as family pets… [They] provide a variety of therapeutic benefits. Children, teens, and adults with autism may benefit from services provided by trained rescue dogs. As emotional support companions, rescue dogs […]
Day #19: Faith
by: Jackie Davis Throughout spring I had the privilege of talking with staff from across the state about their favorite self-care tools and ones they’ve seen used by our program participants. Many of these conversations have been weaved into #31DaysofWellness and one in particular stood out for me. In March 2021, Brayden Ransom and I […]
Day #18: Therapy and Counseling
by Melanie Kucko, MHC Board of Directors Member I first started seeing a therapist when I was in high school for anxiety. Over the years I have seen several different therapists for that, as well as other reasons, at various points of my life. While I fortunately never thought to feel ashamed for seeing someone, […]
Day #17: Inviting Peace
by: Dr. Brandon Nappi We practice mindfulness for our own mental health AND we practice for the world. We practice so we can see clearly what is happening in our lives and in our communities. We practice being with the joys AND the sorrows of life so we don’t need to numb ourselves to life’s […]
Day #16: Movement
by Jackie Davis Dr. Srini Pillay, a contributor to the Harvard Health blog stated in a piece entitled, How simply moving benefits your mental health, “When you feel tired and sad, you may move more slowly. When you feel anxious, you may either rush around or become completely paralyzed. But recent studies show that the […]
