Who Is Helping the Helpers? Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Illness

By Christa Banister As social distancing, COVID pods, masking, the “new normal,” and regular reminders to wash your hands and not hug or high-five people became part of our pandemic vernacular, another message also began trickling into the mainstream: We’re all in this together.  Piggybacking off that idea, the… Read More

5 Ways to Practice Self-Forgiveness in Recovery

By Wesley Gallagher Forgiveness is a powerful act. If you’ve ever been forgiven for something you did that hurt someone, you know just how effective forgiveness can be. And if you’ve ever been deeply hurt by someone, you also know how hard it can be to extend forgiveness. But… Read More

If Mental Health Issues Are So Common, Why Are We Still Afraid to Talk About Them?

By Melissa Riddle Chalos Given all the advances of modern medicine, greater access to education, and all the benefits of living in the digital age, it’s hard to believe that centuries of confusion still exist in the public’s mind when it comes to mental health and mental health disorders. 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

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

Marking Recovery Month 2020 at The Meadows

For more than three decades, we’ve been celebrating Recovery Month, an important national observance introduced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). All these years later, the goal is the same: increasing awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders while… Read More

Will COVID Cause a Mental Health Crisis?

By now we all know the drill: Wash your hands, wear a mask, keep your distance, stay home. Has our country ever been more health-conscious? The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to focus on our physical health in order to avoid getting sick or passing on the virus unsuspectingly. But now health experts are warning about a new crisis heading our way. Read More