Addiction & Suicide Rates Spike During COVID

By Wesley Gallagher As we come up on a whole year of COVID-19 drastically altering our daily lives, we’ve all probably gotten used to many of the changes. However, we can also probably all look back and say that our mental health has been negatively affected by the pandemic. Especially… Read More

New Year, New Mindset

By Wendy Lee Nentwig  As you said good riddance to 2020 and welcomed 2021, your first instinct may have been not celebration, but hibernation. Last year was so traumatic that it’s understandable if you were wary of making bold declarations or resolutions in a world that feels increasingly out of control. Read More

How Traditions Build Self-Esteem and Belonging

By Anna McKenzie We all have traditions that we take part in year after year. We may be more aware of them at the holidays — they’re often what we look forward to as we celebrate the season­ — but we actually observe rituals year-round. They can be common, like decorating… Read More

Tapping into Resiliency: How to Be Okay With the Holidays in the Age of COVID

By Christa Banister It’s no secret that 2020 has been one for the history books.  In addition to being an election year, which is certainly eventful enough all by itself, we’ve all been forced to adapt in unimaginable ways.  Now with the holidays rapidly approaching, many traditions will be forced… Read More

Beyond Words: How Expressive Arts Help Heal

By Christa Banister Mention the word “therapy” and for many people, a very specific image springs to mind. An overstuffed couch. Someone dutifully taking notes. Questions about your childhood. Lots and lots and lots of talking.  Thankfully, therapy can be about much more than talk. For those who may find… Read More

Being Thankful: The Effect of Gratitude on Our Emotional and Mental Health

By Anna McKenzie It’s natural that Thanksgiving inspires an attitude of thankfulness. But can this attitude actually improve our well-being? What is the longstanding effect of gratitude on our emotional and mental health, and is it significant? Is it worth practicing gratitude throughout the year versus just the holiday… Read More

Post-Election Mental Health

By Anna McKenzie On top of the stress of a global pandemic, our country has been dealing with the chaos, rhetoric, vitriol, and political divide hovering around our presidential election. Peaceful protests have been interrupted by violent agendas. Distrust of the media and the perpetuation of extreme viewpoints have worsened feelings… Read More

The Importance of Emotional Checkups

By Clint Fletcher October is National Depression Education and Awareness month, and there couldn’t be a more important time for an emotional checkup than the latter half of 2020. With all the turmoil this year has brought, an inevitable wave of mental health issues followed for Americans. According to a… Read More

The Importance of Mental Health: On World Mental Health Day and Every Day

By Anna McKenzie The topic of mental health is deeply important and has gained more attention in recent years. In addition to affecting other areas of our lives (physical, emotional, and spiritual), our mental health also impacts our ability to have positive social interactions, form healthy relationships, maintain our… Read More

My Mental Health: An Affirmation

“I have always believed, and I still believe that whatever good fortune or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something else.” -Hermann Hesse Just as I wear a mask to protect myself and others from an airborne virus,… Read More