Celebrating Light at Times of Darkness
We are living during a period of history that is testing people’s coping skills, resilience, and spirit. I have heard many people say that we have yet to see the “light at the end of the tunnel” when it comes to this global pandemic. That may be true, which is
Mental Health in our Gardens
Like many of you, I have been spending more time in the garden this year. Planting lavender everywhere, giving tomatoes one more try, and even experimenting with corn. I am not sure about the corn since our dog, Nike, has decided the leaves make for a delicious afternoon snack, but
Happy Interdependence Day
Tomorrow is Independence Day in the United States. Signed in 1776, the Declaration of Independence put forward a bold vision on a profoundly flawed foundation that included only white male property owners. This vision and exclusion set the future for what would become the United States of America. In 2020,
#RaiseTheFlagForSarah
Last week, the United States Supreme Court decided a landmark civil rights case. In a 6-3 ruling, the court determined that federal anti-bias law, already on the books for decades, covers millions of gay, lesbian and transgender workers. It is being heralded as another milestone for the gay rights movement.
Men, Mental Health, and Tech Meet Ups
With this Sunday being Father’s Day and June being Men’s Mental Health Month, I have been thinking about men and mental health. Often, the discussion about men and mental health focuses on how bad things are – high rates of mental health problems, particularly substance use disorders and suicide – and low
Trouble Sleeping?
I never have trouble sleeping. Well, almost never. During this pandemic, I have actually been able to sleep pretty well, but I have also had some restless nights, some nights that I have been up until the wee hours to get extra COVID-related work completed, and some mornings that I
Blue
With the start of the new year and new decade, the color company Pantone has named classic blue (Pantone 19-4052) as its 2020 color of the year. With 1867 colors to choose from, Pantone says that classic blue has “a reassuring presence instilling calm, confidence and connection.” Isn’t it interesting
Find Your Seat at the Table for Suicide Prevention
Last Thursday, October 10 was World Mental Health Day. An international day for mental health education, awareness, and advocacy. This year’s focus was suicide prevention. We participated in various advocacy initiatives, including raising awareness that someone dies by suicide every 40 seconds. In addition to our advocacy efforts, this week, my
Know My Name
Trigger warning: sexual assault, sexual abuse, PTSD, suicide Chanel Miller, the victim of the now-infamous sexual assault case at Stanford University in 2015, has decided to share her name. She was known as Emily Doe when she read her searing victim impact statement in court, and in newspapers she was called ‘unconscious
What did America’s Founding Fathers Know about Mental Illness?
Beyond the fireworks and grilled burgers, July 4th is a day to celebrate America’s Founding Fathers. We all know that they were an exceptional bunch who led the War of Independence from Great Britain and drafted the Declaration of Independence among other things. But what did they know and do
Super Bowl Mental Health
With over one hundred million viewers, the Super Bowl is one of the most widely watched American broadcasts of the year. It is the quintessential sports spectacle of strategy and strength. Football players are famous for their size and muscle, but some are making headlines in another important way. These
Dark Days; Dark Mood
Friends of mine just left for two weeks of vacation to someplace closer to the equator where they went to soak up some sunshine. For many of us, we experience a visceral desire to go where it’s warm and sunny during the winter. We often say we want to get
