Category: Health and Wellness
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Getting Through the Holidays With an Estranged Family
Photo by Sandra Seitamaa on Unsplash By Stephen Bitsoli, Sunshine Behavioral Health Year after year, December after December, it’s like “Groundhog Day” is playing over and over in your head. You cannot get out of the holidays. They come around like a bad record. If you avoid going to visit family, they are worried and…
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4 Keys for Navigating a Second Covid Holiday Season
Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash By Leah Harris Though they can bring so much joy, the holidays have long been a source of stress for many people, even in the “Before Times.” So very much has happened between the 2020 holiday season and this one. Importantly, the approval of the Covid-19 vaccine for ages…
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Program Spotlight: Lift Every Voice and Speak
By Members of LEVS This month, we’re shining a light on a program that’s built on sharing one’s story in order to empower others. Read on to learn about this amazing group and their work. What is Lift Every Voice and Speak? The Lift Every Voice and Speak speakers bureau is a community of individuals…
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Dia De Los Muertos Offers Us a Chance to Mourn in Community
Photo by Carlos Aranda on Unsplash By Alejandro Ramos It goes without saying that the past year was long and difficult for all of us. We all lost something because of the pandemic. For some, it was peace of mind. For others, it was a sense of community. For me, it was a loved one.…
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Social Security Resource For Those with Debilitating Emotional Wellbeing
There are many medical conditions that can make it too difficult for someone to work. Most people assume that only physical health conditions like cancer or arthritis qualify someone to receive Social Security disability benefits but that’s not the case. While not all mental health conditions are disabling, Social Security disability benefits are available to…
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Three Keys to Mental Sustainability Amidst Climate Change, Disasters
Photo by Holly Mandarich on Unsplash By Leah Harris The rapidly intensifying effects of climate change have begun to take a toll on the mental health of people globally. In a new study surveying 10,000 youth age 16-25 from 10 countries around the world, 75% of respondents agreed with the statement, “the future is frightening.”…
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How You Can Help Support the Mental Well-Being of Afghan-Americans and New Arrivals
Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash By Leah Harris The world is watching in horror as the crisis in Afghanistan unfolds. But for the over 60,000 Afghan-Americans currently residing in the East Bay Area, the humanitarian catastrophe could not hit closer to home. Local Afghan-Americans report experiencing multiple forms of trauma. “I can tell…
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What Simone Biles Taught the World about Putting Mental Health First
Photo courtesy of Danilo Borges/brasil2016.gov.br By Leah Harris Simone Biles, widely considered to be the world’s G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time) gymnast, made international news last month when she decided to pull out of the women’s team gymnastics final at the Tokyo Olympics. “I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health…
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Eating for Energy, Moving for the Mind
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash Our Senior Programs Manager shares how she found a balanced lifestyle that works for her By Bre Williams I have been on a weight management journey for a while now, really what feels like my entire life. Being happy and confident in my body has always been my main…
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On T-Pain and Masculinity
The singer’s attempts to share his mental health story reflect the progress we still need to make when it comes to men’s mental health By Alejandro Ramos Last month, singer T-Pain made headlines by revealing that he fell into a years-long depression after Usher made negative comments about his music. “Usher was my friend,” T-Pain…