Category: Health and Wellness
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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…
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The History of the Peer Support Movement
An explanation of what it means to be a peer from a PEERS coordinator By Heather Riemer What is a peer in the world of mental health? In general terms, a peer is a person whom we identify with in some capacity, whether it’s through sexual orientation, race, or age. In mental and behavioral health,…
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A Primer on our PEERS’ Support Groups and Programs
Get to know our programs before they start back up By Alejandro Ramos As the month of July winds down, so does our summer break here at PEERS. That means one thing for us: the return of our support groups! With that in mind, here’s a quick primer on our support groups so you can…
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July is Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Also known as BIPOC Mental Health Month, this month carries on the famed author’s legacy By Leah Harris Bebe Moore Campbell was a journalist, author, and advocate whose work explored history, policy, race, and mental health in America. Her 2005 novel 72 Hour Hold was based on her family’s lived experiences, illuminating the challenges and…
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Get Ready for Summer with These Playlists
With the days getting longer, it’s time to keep those feel-good jams going longer as well By Kimberly Marquez-Cortes As we enter a semi-post Covid world I know that I am taking a special look at my wellness tools for this summer. In the spirit of collaboration and mutual learning, I’d like to share a…
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Home is Where the Heart Is
An ode and a guide to the beauty of making your living space your own By Heather Riemer Our home is so much more than a roof and walls, It is a place where we explore the possibilities of who we are. Whether we have a place that’s a tiny studio or something larger, it…