Encourage Mental Health

Feeling all of the feelings after seeing this in my memories from seven years ago. At this point, I was over a year out of my last hospitalization but was nowhere near the level of confidence I had once had. I was in intensive therapy, still undergoing drastic medication changes, receiving disability and unable to work, and on a medical leave from college. What kept me going was my support system and my hope. I didn’t know when I would be ready to pursue this career, but I held onto hope that I could still reach my goals and make a difference. Seven years later, I have my LMSW, an incredible job working with children, and aim to begin my clinical training to become the kind of therapist who had helped me recover. You may not feel ready today, but having hope changes everything 🦋 

Mental Health Reset's Favorite Resources This list of resources for promoting mental and physical health are recommended and used by the members of the Mental Health Reset open group on The Mighty! The Mental Health Reset is a free group meeting online every Sunday at 7:00pm/ET. Please join our group to develop and practice self-care and coping skills to begin your week with hope and positivity: https://events.themighty.com/mental-health-events/ Books and Authors: The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer Toni Bernard's books Within These Four Walls by Mindfly Evie The Art of Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff, PhD and Christopher Germer, PhD DBT Skills Training Handout and Worksheets by Marsha M. Linehan The Feeling Good Handbook by David D. Burns, MD   Podcasts and YouTube channels: Yoga with Adriene https://www.youtube.com/c/yogawithadriene Unintentional ASMR videos Tiny house diorama tutorials Lo fi music playlists Invisible Not Broke

Today I completed my 6-month long specialist MSW internship at an adolescent partial hospitalization program. Nothing in my whole education has been more meaningful than this experience. All of the kids I’ve worked with have shaped my future goals as a social worker and how I see the world. What was most impactful for me to witness was that when youth are in a safe and comforting environment, they offer each other the most genuine and authentic support. No matter the circumstance, diagnosis, or trauma history, I have had the privilege to see some level of self-growth and encouragement for others in EVERY kid I’ve worked with.  My takeaways:  1. Mental health in schools is a requirement in New York, and meeting the minimum quota is not enough. Skills for anger management, emotion regulation, and self-respect can be implemented at any age or grade-level. This can only happen with a combination of meaningful training and the cooperation of administration and faculty.  2. We all need to li

Tomorrow night was supposed to be my induction ceremony (thanks Covid), so I’m celebrating instead by telling my story. When I was a junior in college, I began having mental health symptoms which I tried to ignore; I was too busy. Days after my semester ended, I had a complete mental break which left me panicked, paranoid, and unable to leave my house or stay home alone out of fear. Within weeks, I went from writing a 25-page paper on The Enlightenment to my mind racing so fast that I could not drive, read, or write. It was devastating. Over the next 6 months, I was hospitalized 5 times, spending nearly 3 months total inpatient. The most painful day of my treatment was when I needed to withdraw from my senior year.  During my intensive treatments and medication changes, I pushed myself to re-enroll. However, I became more symptomatic and overwhelmed. I wasn’t ready. I ended up taking a medical leave to focus solely on recovery.  After several years of treatment, I felt more confident a

While some people thrive on New Year's resolutions, I do not. When I developed my mental health condition in 2013, I realized the importance of taking life day by day. While I do have goals, and I am thrilled to be completing graduate school this August, I take early January to remind myself of what brings meaning to my life and reassess what I can do to show kindness to myself and others. This year, I am not setting a New Year’s resolution, but I am instead vowing to do something each day to better someone’s life. Whether I am taking care of my own needs, or helping my family, my neighbor, or a stranger, I want to make the world a better place, and that begins with simple kindness. Reminding someone, even yourself, that there is still good in the world is the first step in perpetuating hope, appreciation, and community. While we may try to eat cleaner, walk further, and go to sleep earlier this year, I encourage everyone to choose kindness in 2021.

  Break-up letter to 2020 Dear 2020,   You taught me…   We had some good times…   I will forever appreciate…   But now it’s time to say good-bye.   I’m leaving behind…   I look forward to…   I have hope for…   This new year will bring more memories, friendships, insights, obstacles, and opportunities for growth. I will begin this next chapter with more wisdom and resilience than the last.   Sincerely,

  Mental Health Schedule   Day Morning Afternoon Night Monday       Tuesday       Wednesday       Thursday       Friday       Saturday       Sunday       Try to fill in each space with a self-care strategy or coping skill! They could be as simple as deep breathing for one minute to longer like taking a walk outside. Always remember to forgive yourself if you don't fill in every box. Suggestions from The Mighty community Stretching and deep breathing Spending time with a pet Pray Have a cup of tea Listen to music Reflecting and journaling Dream journaling and bullet journal Wake up on time Sit outside with coffee Take a shower Buddhist medi