Perspectives
SCG Staff Articles
National Depression & Mental Health Screening Month
As mental illness further establishes itself within the public consciousness, more and more people have begun feeling comfortable sharing their stories. One of the most common mental health challenges that people face is depression. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in 2020, about 21 million adults in the US or 8.4% of the population experienced a depressive episode. Surely many of us resonate with difficulties coping with challenges that have arisen as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Reflections On Wellness
After two years of pandemic life, it feels easy to focus on what is going wrong in the world. “I’ve got a runny nose this morning: is it allergies or the plague?” is a thought I’ve had many times of late. That pervasive sense of needing to question our safety is exhausting. Maybe we’re feeling like nothing is going “right” and all the places where we seek solace are crumbling. Sometimes there is a discernible cause such as the death of a loved one or rejection from a school we applied to, but other times the cause of our “unwellness” seems less clear. Difficult seasons are part of life and that’s okay, but they sure get exhausting after a while.
Mental Health for Men in Modern Society
Mental health is still very much a taboo topic in the year 2022. In this most recent decade, a lot has been done to make mental health issues more accepted, acknowledged, and understood. However, as a society, we are still very much in the dark when it comes to issues regarding mental health. I see evidence of this everywhere I go, whether it’s on Tik Tok where pop psychology misinformation mongering is rampant, or in the news where horrible acts of violence are frequently misattributed to mental illness. We need to talk about these issues and keep talking about them until they are fully understood, mental illness is fully acknowledged as an illness in its own right, and treatment is no longer stigmatized.
Men In Therapy
Our workplaces, churches and homes are full of men struggling to recognize their own wants and needs. Often it is because men misunderstand themselves or are unable to accurately articulate what they want. Society places demands on everyone, but I have learned that men may often be ignored or overlooked when it comes to dealing with emotions and relationships.
Peace
There is just something beautiful about springtime. Seeing all the flower buds spring forth signaling the beginning of exciting new life and hopefulness that it will soon blossom into something beautiful. These sights and gentle sounds of nature implore me to relax, slow my pace, and enjoy God’s creation. I feel, “THIS. IS. PEACE.”
The Impact of Racial Discrimination on Latino Women’s Mental Health
The Latino/a population encounters one of the most direct and cruel stereotypes in the United States. For Latinos in particular, it is very difficult to establish a credible reputation in American society despite all the efforts, the education, and the hard work put into these tasks. American-born individuals have the erroneous belief that Latinos, in particular, drain the country of its economic resources and do not contribute to a balanced economy. Some of them have even developed a racist ideology, prejudice, and nativist sentiments against this population.
A Moment of Mental Health
I stand at the city bus stop waiting for that cold metal box to transport me to the office. I tick off tasks to complete when I arrive. Adjusting my mask, I review the line items marked through in my mental mead notebook. A woman smiles from six feet away. I thank God for this moment of mental health.
Why Self-Care?
Self-care is something most women did not grow up learning about. We weren’t taught it or modeled it. No wonder most of the women who show up in my counseling office have not developed good self-care strategies. Most of them admit they feel selfish when they put their own needs or wants before those of their family, even in something like pursuing counseling.
Depression in Women
Many women struggle with depression, and oftentimes it goes unnoticed and untreated. Check out this article from NIHM about depression in women. If this resonates with you and you want to talk to someone, reach out to us for counseling.
Honoring, Celebrating, and Caring for Women
In honor of Women’s History Month, several of our staff clinicians will be sharing their perspectives on women and mental health throughout the month of March. Women have been essential to the development of counseling as it exists today.
Surviving Covid-19
Like the simple protective steps to physical health, steps in protecting our mental health are not rocket science but ordinary. Below are some suggestions you might try if you are emotionally struggling like so many others at this difficult time.
The Reality of the Latino Population’s Mental Health
Our own experiences have touched our souls and those of generations before us so intensely that sometimes we conform with less than we deserve
World Mental Health Day
On Saturday, October 10th we invite you to join Sanctuary Counseling Group in observance of World Mental Health Day.