Mental Illness Misconceptions: What We Still Get Wrong

If a pros and cons list were to be made about the COVID era, I think we all know which side of the list would be longer. But as we reorganized our routines and adapted to new ways of doing life, one tangible development for the “pro” column would be the deliberate strides made in spotlighting mental health. In addition to destigmatizing the conversations once considered taboo among family, friends, and coworkers, COVID helped make it OK to admit you weren’t OK. Read More

Mental Benefits of Sports Teams

Sports are continually and globally popular. We sign our kids up for them, gather with friends to play them, and are ready to watch when our favorite teams compete. So what’s the draw, and are they worth it? And are there mental benefits of team sports? Read More

Failed Adoptions: Mental Health Aftermath

All of us know someone who has navigated the adoption process. In fact, according to a study published by the Children’s Bureau at the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF), nearly 59,000 children were adopted in 2020. Consequently, the number of children waiting to be adopted also fell in 2020 to 117,000. By all accounts, the system appears to be working. What you don’t hear about, however, is the number of failed adoptions every year. American Adoptions, one of the country’s leading domestic adoption agencies estimates the failed adoption rate to be anywhere from 15-20% for domestic placements. This disruption can be devastating not only for the adoptive family, but for the adoptee, proving traumatic for all involved. Read More

7 Ways Pushing Yourself Physically Benefits You Mentally

Exercise has been proven to have many benefits for physical and biological health. But it turns out that exercise — from a mild walk to physical challenges like rock climbing — can measurably improve your mental health as well. Pushing yourself physically may in fact help you push past mental hang-ups in your life. As you pursue a healthy lifestyle, it’s worthwhile to learn how to become strong physically and mentally through recreation and exercise.  Read More

Laughter: A Natural Therapy

Maybe it’s a popular meme or a witty pun. An outrageously hilarious scene from a favorite movie, or comedian Jim Gaffigan riffing on the ups and downs of parenting five kids in New York City. It may even be that funny thing that happened to you or a friend on the way to work, at the grocery store, or while on a date. Read More

The Importance of Inclusivity

Here in the US, we pride ourselves on the acceptance and celebration of the LGBTQ community. There are parades and parties and entire channels on television programming to support this important part of our society. With all the celebration, it’s easy to conclude that we as a culture understand the importance of diversity and inclusion for our LGBTQ friends. But recent research shows we've still got a long way to go. The pursuit of acceptance, understanding, and inclusion is a lifelong struggle for this community. And the struggle impacts not only mental health, but essentially every area of their lives, including education. Read More

Grief and Aging

Grief is an inevitable part of life. Throughout our lives we all experience loss and sorrow. And as we age, grief, loss, and sorrow become even more likely. Yes, we lose more of those we love as we grow older, but grief is not reserved for the loss of loved ones. There is so much we take for granted that we begin to lose as we age, and grief is the natural companion to loss. Read More

Success and Suicide

By Christa Banister Let’s be real. Who among us hasn’t daydreamed about how much happier life would be had we only bought the winning Powerball ticket? Or walked the red carpet at the Academy Awards, made partner at the firm, qualified for the Olympics, made a significant scientific discovery? As… Read More

Combat Mental Health, Trauma, & Suicide

It may be shocking to discover that the deadliest threat to active U.S. military members and veterans is not combat — it’s suicide. The United Service Organizations (USO) and other organizations are taking steps to prevent suicide among our soliders, especially those who are at higher risk due to military trauma, stress, or mental health concerns. If you have a friend or family member who is a current or former member of the armed services, it’s important to know the risk factors and how you can help prevent tragic outcomes.  Read More

Why Are Co-Occurring Disorders So Common?

“Co-occurring disorders,” sometimes referred to as “dual diagnosis,” or “comorbidity,” is a term used to identify when a person has both a substance use disorder and a mental health condition. The incidence of co-occurring disorders is fairly common because of the way that a person’s physical condition and their mental and emotional state affect each other. Addiction and mental health disorders often perpetuate each other; people may seek out substances to self-medicate mental health symptoms, or they may develop a mental health condition due to the effect of substances on the body. Both conditions need to be treated so that a person can live a fulfilling life in recovery. Read More