May is Mental Health Awareness Month. First observed in 1949, this national campaign was established by Mental Health America to bring attention to the importance of mental health and to advocate for accessible, compassionate care for all. Each year, organizations, communities, and individuals share resources, tell stories, and foster open conversations about mental health. By raising awareness, we take an important step toward building a culture where seeking help is celebrated and where everyone knows they are not alone.
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Articles to Read & Share
You’re More Anxious Than You Think, and It’s Not As Bad As You Fear
How do you keep anxiety at bay? Perfectionism, procrastination, people-pleasing, overthinking, repeatedly checking your phone, and stomach issues can all be symptoms that anxiety is hiding under the surface. Although many people experience anxiety, it’s not normal. At the same time, our negative emotions, like anxiety, are not bad – they’re just pieces of information that something important is going on. Insight therapist, Joshua Medeiros, points a spotlight on anxiety and shares encouragement for how to use it to benefit our lives.
Six Book Recommendations from Therapists
Celebrate National Book Lovers Day by reading books recommended by Insight's therapists! Check out the list for books on belonging and connection, trauma, and how to deal with anger, anxiety, and grief.
Real Talk About Mental Health
How to Get Help and Why People Don't: Discover the struggles many people face around getting help for mental health. Uncover the different types of help and where to get it, especially for people who might not know where to start. Address the common reasons people feel unsure about seeking help and how we can all help change that. Watch until the end for a mental health exercise!
What does success in therapy look like?
A client experiencing emotional dysregulation due to life transitions seeks help. Struggling with anger, sadness, and fear, the client feels stuck between responsibilities at home and dissatisfaction at work. Through compassionate dialogue, they discover alternative coping strategies and resources, enabling them to explore new paths forward.
Look Around, Look Within
Where a person lives, as well as their economic stability and social connections, are part of what is called “social determinants of health." While many parts of your environment can be out of your control, there are steps you can take to change your space and protect your well-being.
How to Start Therapy
Beginning counseling can feel like a big undertaking, and without some guidance, almost impossible for someone who is already overwhelmed. In this post, I would like to discuss some steps that may help you begin the process of finding a therapist that is right for you and entering a therapeutic relationship that is meaningful and healing.
How Gratitude Improves Mental Health
Gratitude is all about the expression of appreciation. We appreciate people, things, and experiences that we come across in our lives; and, as it turns out, this expression of gratitude can benefit us mentally, physically, and emotionally. Several studies over time have shown the benefits that come along with openly practicing gratitude. People who are grateful are happier, sleep better, and even live longer. We don’t practice gratitude because we live happy lives; we live happy lives because we practice gratitude.
Finding Gratitude, Even in Grief?
When things don’t go as we expect or prefer, the experiences we have instead can be life-enriching. We can even have gratitude for those experiences. It’s all in how you look at it.
Good Friendships Improve Your Mental Health
I will never forget the moment my best friend Cassie looked at me and said, “You are depressed, and I’m tired of us not talking about it.” I was shocked. I had spent the last several months trying to portray the positive, upbeat person that most of my friends knew me to be. Everyone around me thought I was having a great time! Everyone except for Cassie, who somehow had the ability to read me like a book.
Recovering from Trauma
It's likely that trauma has touched all of our lives, whether through our own experiences or the experiences of people we know. Over 70% of adults in the United States have experienced trauma at some point in their lives. The biggest question, though, is how do we cope with the trauma we go through? Once we have made it through our experiences, we must then take a look at what the healing process looks like, and how we move forward.
Owning Your Feelings
It can be easy to get caught up in your emotions as you’re feeling them. Most people don’t think about what emotions they are dealing with, but taking the time to really identify what you’re feeling can help you to better cope with challenging situations.
Leaning into Your Strengths & Resources
When life gets difficult, where do you find peace and hope? What sustains you? Is there anybody who truly understands your situation? All of us have strengths and resources we use to get through hard times, to feel good, and to flourish. Taking time to identify and remember these resources will benefit your mental health!