June is PRIDE Month
June is PRIDE month. Pride is defined as having “feelings of deep pleasure and satisfaction derived from qualities that are widely admired; consciousness of one’s own dignity.” Pride should belong to each and every person. So why do LGBTQ+ people have to fight for something that should be a universal
Making Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority
High-income country, Low-income country; Northern hemisphere, Southern hemisphere; East, West. Regardless of where you call home, mental health is core to the well-being of individuals, families, communities, and nations. Each year on October 10th – World Mental Health Day – The World Federation for Mental Health leads a global campaign
The Human Library
I love libraries. Growing up, I was a regular at our local library, and my college work-study job was in the library reserve room. This summer, I had the chance to visit one of the greatest libraries of all time: The Long Room at Trinity College Dublin. Built between 1712
From Local to Global: Mental Health at Every Turn
I am a bit breathless. This has been a week chock full of public news and life events that push mental health to the forefront of our attention. The variety of topics reminds us that mental health is linked to stories near and far, joyful and painful, universal and particular.
World Mental Health Day – Focus on Youth
October 10th is World Mental Health Day. Every year this date calls our attention to a particular mental health priority. This year’s focus is Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World. The focus on young people is fitting given that half of all mental disorders begin by age 14
Mental Health Parity & Reality
Imagine being diagnosed with breast cancer and being told that treatment services were not covered. Or maybe that half of the necessary chemotherapy sessions would be covered. The rest must be paid out of pocket. Or maybe that treatment is covered on paper but when you go to the list
Breaking the Glass
The most iconic moment of a Jewish wedding follows many beautiful and symbolic prayers and gestures that culminate in the much anticipated crescendo when the couple standing before their community break a glass – stomping on it and shattering it to pieces. It is then that their marriage is sealed.
A Life’s Work
Two kids grow up in the same home or same neighborhood. How is it that only one develops major depression? One kid grows up exposed to violence the other not. Who is more prone to anxiety? Poverty? Loss? Education? What do such circumstances and experiences mean for risk of mental illness? These
“Wow! That’s about all I can say – Wow!”
When I had the opportunity to travel to Ukraine with Project Kesher, I found myself recalling the magical children’s book by Kevin Henkes, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. The lovable Lilly is so awed by the world around her that many times her only words are, “Wow! That’s about all I can say
Graduation Junkie
It is that time of year in the United States again. Mortar boards and tassels, tossed in celebration, dance in the sky. And, as I have shared previously, I am a graduation junkie. So, you can imagine how disappointed I was when I woke up yesterday morning too sick to attend
The Black Swan, Turkey, and Butcher
This week’s Five on Friday was slated to focus on something else altogether. But as I sit down to prepare today’s blog, Santa Fe High School is still an active crime scene, emergency medical care is underway in the hopes of saving lives, and ten students are already reported dead.
Healthy NY Summit and Awards 2018
What: Healthy NY Summit and Awards 2018 When: Yesterday, April 18th Where: National Geographic Encounter in Times Square Who: New York City and State Health care researchers, policymakers and providers Why: New York City and State are facing serious health challenges and opportunities to improve the health of all New Yorkers What
