Archive

The holiday season is often a time of year for social activities, holiday shopping, and quality time with loved ones. This year, however, COVID-19 threatens to make those activities more difficult. Keeping up with activities, staying positive and — especially...

As we approach the end of the year, it’s important to stay grateful despite the stress and uncertainty we have all faced. Being grateful and showing gratitude are more than nice things to do; they help you appreciate your life...

“It was crushing to try to manage it all by myself,” Cera Flynn shared in a recent Cleveland Clinic article. “When you’re in quarantine, you’re limited. My mom and other people couldn’t come in and help to take the kids...

When thinking about trauma, many of us immediately think about mass traumatic events like terrorist attacks, mass shootings, torture, combat, or severe weather events. Trauma includes these things, but also so much more. According to the Mental Health First Aid...

Mental health and substance use challenges look different for each person affected. No challenge or diagnosis is exactly the same, and some mental health challenges can be difficult to recognize. It can be easy to generalize or make assumptions, but...

In times of need, we all need someone to turn to. Talking with someone who really listens and supports us can make us feel encouraged and reassured that things will change for the better. Supporting a colleague who’s showing signs...

We spend one-third of our adult lives at work, and the extra stressors and challenges that often come with a job can negatively impact mental health. Left unchecked, they can even lead to feelings of depression and anxiety. Recognizing when...

Our community is experiencing stressors like we haven’t seen in our lifetime. — and we can become stronger as a result. As we collectively grapple to get the pandemic under control right now, here in 2020, understand that we will...

“Really, another mental health program?”  “We all know none of these make any difference anyways.”  These were the common grumbles of my Jefferson High School (JHS) classmates and me as we walked into the library to begin yet another mental...

Since I came out as transgender in seventh grade, I’ve worn the same black boots — black, thick-toed, lace-up. (Not the same pair, though, although not for lack of trying. My last pair became more duct tape than boot, and...

SMP offered Mental Health First Aid at Work (MHFA) training on February 13, and the timing was fortuitous. The workshop built a foundation for ongoing, critical mental health conversations in response to COVID-19. Perhaps more so than ever, it is...

“This is an unusual time.” “This is an uncertain time.” “We are living in unprecedented times.” I never anticipated hearing these phrases during my lifetime. Never did I imagine that I would live in a time where I would be...