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Mental Health and Well-Being

This group serves as a community of practice for Extension personnel and their community partners who share a commitment to improving mental health through a focus on social and emotional well-being. Members are encouraged to create blog posts, publicize upcoming events, share resources, and engage with other members on issues of common interest.

Tagged With "coming out"

Blog Post

Consider a socio-ecological approach to mental wellbeing

Cari Michaels ·
We often focus on the individual-level risk and protective factors that influence mental wellbeing, but wellness is affected by circumstances far beyond the individual. Consider a socio-ecological approach to mental health that includes a person’s family, workplace or school, housing and neighborhood, and larger society. This approach illuminates the many influences on a person’s health, all also points out all the ways we can intervene. In Extension, we all have a role to play. Review a...
Blog Post

Finding Appropriate Professional Help for Yourself or Others

Lakshmi Mahadevan ·
Have you been wondering how you can obtain mental health services for yourself or others? A web search for the words “professional care for mental health”, though can yield a plethora of results making the world of mental health services particularly difficult to navigate. Here are a few tips, to get you on the road to finding the appropriate support you or your loved ones may need: Look up your local hospital’s website and search for doctors who specialize in Psychology and/or Psychiatry –...
Blog Post

Stress is not a Badge of Honor

Anna Scheyett ·
( The original version of this post was written for farmers, on my blog Thriving on the Farm...but I think it can apply to just about any of us.) I was reading an article from University of Minnesota Extension on farm safety today ( https://extension.umn.edu/farm-safety/being-stressed-can-compromise-farm-safety ), and this phrase jumped out and hit me over the head. “There is no award for who suffers the most.” Ouch. How often do we brag about how long our workday is, or how little sleep...
Blog Post

September is National Suicide Prevention Month

Anna Scheyett ·
(Note: Today I’ll be talking about suicide, which can be a really painful topic. I’ll be focusing on suicide prevention.) September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Prevention means doing something before the crisis happens. We’ve talked about all sorts of ways to manage stress and be SAFER ( S leep, be A ware of your stress levels, F ocus on positives and gratitude, E at well and drink water, R each out to talk to someone)—these are all ways to reduce the risk of emotional distress and...
Blog Post

Celebrating National Coming Out Day

Courtney Cuthbertson ·
National Coming Out Day is October 11, 2023. How can you celebrate LGBTQ+ people you know, and why does it matter?
Comment

Re: Celebrating National Coming Out Day

Wonderful Article, Courtney! Thank you for gifting extension with your talent!
Blog Post

Feeling Depleted? Refuel Ahead of the Holidays and Upcoming Stressors

Lakshmi Mahadevan ·
The pandemic and its aftermath have brought about new and intensified stressors for many people. Coping strategies that have worked in the past might not be as effective in the current situation. Self-assessment and self-care are essential in times like these. Here are some steps you can take to address these challenges: Self-Assessment: Take time to reflect on your current state of well-being and baseline resilience. Ask yourself how you're feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Comment

Re: Celebrating National Coming Out Day

Calandra Lindstadt ·
Thank you, Kourtney! This is a great article and resource. I'm curious about thoughts on gender-inclusive training in Extension. We have so many opportunities to bring inclusivity into our work, I would think the better trained we are, the better we can serve our communities.
Blog Post

The Science of Gratitude: How Thankfulness Can Change Your Brain and Life

Calandra Lindstadt ·
Have you ever stopped to think about the power of saying "thank you"? Gratitude is more than just good manners. It's a science! Explore the fascinating world of gratitude and how it can affect your brain and life. So what is gratitude? Gratitude is that feeling of thankfulness and appreciation for the good things in our lives. Recognizing when something good is happening can have a measurable impact on our brains when we articulate it to ourselves or others. Let's learn how gratitude works...
Blog Post

Understanding and Minimizing the Impact of Mental Health Stigmas

Lakshmi Mahadevan ·
What is mental health stigma? Are there different types of mental health stigmas? Are you aware of the specific type of mental health stigma you experience and its potential impact on you? Kalichman (2019) defines mental health stigma as “the disgrace, social disapproval, or social discrediting of individuals with a mental health problems.” Additionally, research has identified four types of mental health-related stigma (Subu et al., 2021), Self-stigma – Often referred to as internalized...
Blog Post

Make a Dopamine Menu and Keep Yourself Full(filled)

Bobbie Bensaid ·
If you’re like me, you may spend your free time scrolling through social media whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Reddit,… There are so many virtual portals that suck us in! That’s not a bad thing, but at some point, between always working and taking care of others, I’ve forgotten what I enjoy doing for fun! I also look for those quick brain boosts that don’t exactly fulfill me. When we are mentally satiated and releasing dopamine due to healthy and meaningful...
Blog Post

Raising awareness for teen mental wellness

Calandra Lindstadt ·
Well darn--I made a mistake scheduling this blog post so we missed the day: March 2nd is World Teen Mental Wellness Day. However, I have been trying to celebrate mistakes and not let good work go to waste over something small like a deadline. And now I know you have to hit "publish" to schedule your upcoming posts! Read on to learn about World Teen Mental Wellness Day...in preparation for next year! World Teen Mental Wellness Day was established in 2020 to bring awareness and attention to...
Blog Post

A raw and honest account of my therapy journey

Calandra Lindstadt ·
Guest pot by Jane Schuchardt, Executive Director (ret.), Extension Committee on Organization and Policy What do you do when your handsome, talented, and accomplished son in his early 20s, one you thought you had a close relationship with, suddenly pulls away, acts in ways that seem out of the ordinary, causes you immense concern? Seek help — someone who will listen without judgment, skillfully take you down a path of discovering insights and ways of coping, and walk beside you to celebrate...
Blog Post

Engaging the Mental Health and Wellbeing Community of Practice at NHOC

Calandra Lindstadt ·
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Community of Practice (MHWB CoP) had a significant presence at the 2024 National Health Outreach Conference (NHOC) in Greenville, NC, held from May 13-15. Both presentations submitted were accepted and received strong engagement at the conference. A team comprising Jennifer Park-Mroch, Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin Madison), Bobbie Jo Bensaid, M.A. (Mississippi State University), and Calandra Lindstadt, Ph.D. (Colorado State University), with assistance from...
Blog Post

Helping Loved Ones Through Crisis: Using Support Strategies and 988

Lakshmi Mahadevan ·
September is Suicide Prevention Month . If you suspect someone may be considering suicide, watch for signs such as substance abuse, frequent discussions about death, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, impulsive or destructive behavior, changes in sleeping and eating habits, excessive shame or guilt, intense emotional swings, withdrawal from daily routines, unexplained disappearances, or changes in communication patterns. As a parent,...

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