Demystifying the path to mental health and healing

“Self-care” and “mental health” have become part of our modern-day vernacular. Mostly, this is a positive thing! Companies have made efforts to support the wellness of their employees, and the stigma around mental health is slowly lowering. Like anything, though, as the popularity of such terms grows, the meaning can become diluted. It also has become a catchy slogan, feeling more like a justification to abstain from necessary things we don’t enjoy doing and a marketing tactic to sell goods and services. 

So, what is self-care? The World Health Organization states it is: “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker”. Ugh. Like going to the doctor? That’s not fun! I’d much prefer a massage to an appointment with my gynecologist. No offense; gynecologists save lives, but I’d prefer brunch with my friends over lying bare a** on a table with stirrups. 

Truthfully, your doctor appointments are part of self-care and an important one. The other pieces of that definition, however, include the involvement of others in our everyday lives: families and communities. And not just to prevent disease but to promote health. Health is the entire person’s quality of life. Mind, body, spirit. If this sounds too woo-woo, stay with me. This shows up in endless, everyday ways you’re already doing, either with intention or on autopilot. Rituals, traditions, communities, lifestyles, and obligations are all held here. 

In the posts to come, I will dive into self-care/mental health/wellbeing topics and ways to improve them with little time, money, and patience. Tools siphoned from experts' literature and distilled into everyday life strategies. 

Full disclosure: my perspective is just mine. I come from a corner of the world that is privileged, cisgender, white, heterosexual, and able-bodied. I also hold the lens of someone who has lived in deep poverty and endured chronic childhood trauma. I’ve been a client in therapy sessions as many times as I’ve been a therapist. I’m also experienced in being an exhausted, isolated parent to which I would have responded “HA!” to any mention of “self-care” in the past. I’ve had crippling anxiety - accompanied by very flattering panic attacks. I’ve slogged through depression and lost family members to the depths of psychosis. I hope to hold all those pieces of me as I bring meaningful, applicable tools to anyone who comes across this read or into my therapy space. I may not know you, but I will do my best to see you, hear you, and help you recognize your unique, irreplaceable value on this earth.