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Mental Health

Preparing for Your First Telehealth Session

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Preparing for your first telehealth session

Telehealth or a telehealth session may also be known as online therapy, virtual therapy, or teletherapy when treating mental health disorders and substance use disorders. While telehealth has been around for several decades, it has recently taken significant leaps in all areas of health care. Telehealth is defined as the use of any technological device to engage in therapeutic services. For example, video conferencing with your doctor to discuss medication-assisted treatment, telephone therapy sessions, couples therapy chats, individual therapies, and messages or assignments sent through emails and texts. The best telehealth programs utilize multiple online systems. How to Prepare for a First Telehealth Session If you are preparing for your first telehealth session, you can take some essential steps to ensure it is successful. Because video chats are often chosen as the initial forms of contact, the following preparation steps will focus on that type of online communication. 1. Prepare …

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LGBTQ+ Mental Health 

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By Ashley Barnes The LGBTQ+ community. Before understanding LGBTQ+ mental health, we must understand the community and their needs. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersexed, asexual (LGBTQIA+) community describes a diverse range of identities and expressions of gender and sexual orientation; oftentimes, this larger community is also referred to as the LGBTQ+ community. There are many sub communities which have unique experiences and challenges. In addition to these various identities and expressions, a person’s intersectionality (the overlapping aspects of a person’s identity such as race, ethnicity, nationality, and religion) impacts how they experience the world. LGBTQ+ mental health. It is important to note how different aspects of our identities relate to our mental health; for those belonging to the LGBTQ+ community, gender expression and sexual orientation may greatly influence mental health. Though not all identities’ mental health has been researched, studies have found that LGB adults are more …

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9 Mental Health Tips for a Brighter Summer

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9 mental health tips for a brighter summer

Summer is a season that reminds many people of fun outdoor activities like going to the beach, walking in the park, swimming, and picnics with family and friends. However, it reminds others of getting overheated, battling insects and bugs, and feeling overwhelmed with trying to accomplish everything on your to-do list. It also reminds them of vacation planning, traveling, finding childcare, more running around, and less time for themselves to care for their mental well-being, mental health conditions, or implementing mental health tips and strategies to alleviate some of the pressure. Pressure and Exhaustion Speaking of pressure… Pressure by peers to join activities, pressure by the boss to work later since the days are longer, and even pressure on yourself to get outdoors, even when you are exhausted, can bring on feelings of summertime dread. Before you know it, you are struggling with a anxiety and depression. This summer, make …

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2022 AAPI Month: Celebrating Mental Health, DEI

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Mental Health and Asian American and Pacific Islander Month

Mental Health + AAPI Heritage Month Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States during the month of May, recognizing the incredible ways that Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans have contributed and influenced the culture, history, and achievements of the United States. California has a significant and diverse AAPI population. “AAPIs are the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the U.S. and an immensely diverse group of people in terms of income, ethnicity, migration status, and education.” Why Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month? As readers may be aware, the AAPI community was subject to a rise in hate crimes with the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The most effective response to harmful rhetoric and attacks against the AAPI community is for our government and industry to collaborate in promoting a diverse, inclusive environment that is reflected in the policies we implement, our workforces, and …

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National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week

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children's mental health awareness

What is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week? National Children’s Mental Health Awareness week spans May 1st through May 7th, seeking to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health while urging that positive mental health is imperative to a child’s healthy development. Positive mental health refers to good functioning in individual and social domains as well as the presence of positive emotions. Children’s mental health. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “ADHD, behavior problems, anxiety, and depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children” (2021). In fact, approximately 9.4% of children ages 2-17 have received an ADHD diagnosis; 7.4% of children ages 3-17 have been diagnosed with a behavioral problem; 7.1% of children ages 3-17 have an anxiety diagnosis; 3.2% of children 3-17 have been diagnosed with depression (CDC, 2021). Mental health in childhood means meeting emotional and developmental milestones, learning healthy …

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