The Power of Words – Day #27
“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” – Yehuda Berg Do […]
Telling Tales: Sara – Day #26
Contributed by: Janet Reynolds Sara defined herself as a writer before she joined Write On! An experienced poet, she performed her works and had been writing regularly for years. But Write On!, she says, opened her eyes to a different way of writing and a new way to look at her own life story. “I […]
Memorial Day – Day #25
The origin story of Memorial Day goes back over 150 years and is still unclear to this day. Several communities across the nation may have independently started memorial gatherings yet one of the earliest commemorations was organized by a group of nearly 10,000 freed slaves in Charleston, South Carolina in 1865. Less than a month […]
“Everything in writing begins with language. Language begins with listening.” – Day #24
Jeanette Winterson once said that “Everything in writing begins with language. Language begins with listening.” Throughout Mental Health Awareness Month, we have been discussing the power of storytelling, the healing it can provide to both the storyteller and the StoryKeeper, and the various methods of telling a story (a voice, a pen, a sketchbook, a […]
My Story: by Sean Smedley – Day #23
Contributed by Sean Smedley, MHC Board of Directors COVID – when the world came to understand the importance of mental health. It caused all of us to deal with something we had never dealt with before or could have conceived. Imagine feeling like the world could finally appreciate the perspective and position of those of […]
My Nervous Breakthrough – Day #22
Contributed by Laureen Guerriero, MHC Development Committee Co-Chair At 28, I battled a mental health challenge, a big one, it landed me in the psychiatric floor at Hartford Hospital for six weeks of my life. My family, friends and the public would judgmentally refer to this as a “nervous breakdown”. What does that even mean, […]
Zen and the Art of Spiritual Maintenance – Day #21
Contributed by Suzi Craig, Chief Strategy Officer How can a spiritual practice support your mental health? That’s the question we asked some local Connecticut spiritual leaders and they also shared how this work impacts them personally. As we are exploring in our #31DaysofWellness, there are multiple paths to supporting your wellbeing, from art to gardening […]
“The Healing Power of Storytelling”: An Interview with Matthew Dicks – Day #20
Storytelling is a powerful art form that every culture has utilized since their creation. Tales of generations before us have helped to shape who were are today. We all have a story to tell and by sharing it, we are in control of the narrative. “Taking charge of your story, or rewriting its central themes, […]
Telling Tales: Deidre – Day #19
Contributed by: Janet Reynolds Deidre credits God and her faith with helping her in her daily life generally and in her mental health journey particularly. “My faith has helped me by giving me something to hold on to,” she says. “Even at my lowest point, I’ll pray, listen to gospel music. I always hear from […]
Making Whole Health Care a Priority in CT – Day #18
“We are different industries but have very similar values between our organizations,” said Luis Perez, President and CEO of Mental Health Connecticut during a special virtual conversation with Eric Galvin, President of ConnectiCare, a community partner and the top sponsor of MHC’s #31DaysofWellness campaign. We are pleased to share the below in-depth conversation between two […]
