Category: Health and Wellness
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PEERS Impact Report FY 23-24
Our latest impact report is now available! It features an overview of our work and impact in FY 23-24. Check it out!
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“Blooming Hope” Event Brings Healing, Free Wellness Activities, and Raffles to East Oakland
OAKLAND, CALIF — Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS) is proud to present Blooming Hope: Nurturing the Seeds of Peace, Love, and Forgiveness, a free, family-friendly event on Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Arroyo Viejo Recreation Center in East Oakland. Held in honor of Mental Health Awareness…
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Finding Peace in the Battle: Strategies for When the Body Impacts the Mind
By Steve Hayes “Hey! Why do you walk like that?” “Do you have boomerangs in your pants?” “Can’t you be Normal?” Growing up, I was plagued with questions like this all the time due to my disabilities. While it made things difficult for me, it has also allowed me to learn some strategies for my…
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Three Keys to Coping with Uncertainty while Staying Engaged
By Leah Harris These chaotic and uncertain times, punctuated by a frantic 24-hour news cycle and constant access to information via social media, are having a profound effect on Americans’ mental well-being. A new paper published in Social Science and Medicine studied the effects of the political climate on 148 women in Georgia between 2023…
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New Study Finds that Anxiety Relief may Lie in the Gut
By Leah Harris Feeling anxious? A new study in EMBO Molecular Medicine found that the introduction of probiotics, live microorganisms known as “good bacteria,” might be a salve for anxiety. Talk about going with your gut! Scientists have long-explored what is known as the “gut-brain axis”—a bidirectional communication network between the nerves in our digestive…
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Psychologists Sound the Alarm on AI Chatbots for Mental Health
By Leah Harris CN: mention of suicide In a time where generative AI is increasingly permeating our day-to-day lives, young people are seeking support from chatbots representing themselves as “companions” and even “therapists.” Now, the American Psychological Association is warning that these AI therapy chatbots may be detrimental to our mental health. In a December…
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Realistic Goals: Transform Your New Year’s Resolutions
By Kivi Neimi Every January, we are assailed with articles about resolutions, “new” trendy resolutions, weight loss resolutions, quitting just about anything that is perceived as a “bad habit” resolutions, anything that could be seen as a “lifestyle change” resolutions. It seems that people “resolve” to do all sorts of things. Eat better, exercise more,…
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Keys to Breaking the Bedtime Procrastination – Anxiety Cycle
By Leah Harris Bedtime procrastination, also sometimes known as revenge bedtime procrastination, happens when people delay going to sleep to carve out the needed personal time they didn’t get during their day. Whether it’s work, caregiving, or studying, people who feel overburdened with responsibilities may try to practice self-care by taking “revenge,” stealing back the…
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Ringing in 2025 with Kindness: A Powerful Force for Personal and Community Healing
By Leah Harris January is National Mental Wellness Month, and it also happens to be the time of year when many people make New Year’s resolutions. While these resolutions typically involve individual acts of self-improvement such as going to the gym or reading more often, research suggests that taking a vow of kindness for 2025…
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Coping with Holiday Stress: The Importance of Alone Time
By Leah Harris The holiday season is filled with expectations of joy and cheer. But between increased time with extended family, other social obligations, and the cost of gift-giving, it can also be a time of significant stress for Americans. According to a 2023 survey by the American Heart Association, 63% of respondents considered the…