In recognition of National Mental Health Awareness Month, we asked some of our valued colleagues and friends with interest and expertise in the field to share their own best practices in mental health.
I feel like we’re working with our brains all the time, so to decompress, I do something that doesn’t require a lot of thought: Laughing, talking to people, getting stuff out of my brain so I can actually process it.
Brittany Bland, Clinical mental health counseling, graduating 2018
I make sure that I have time outside of the city. I try to go outside once a month, get fresh air, and not be distracted by reality. I’ll either go on a day trip or spend a weekend camping in the woods.
Brianna Wilson, Clinical mental health counseling, graduating 2019
Music. I’m a musician. I sing, play guitar, and several other instruments. I like all music, but Jewish music is my favorite.
David Listhaus, Clinical mental health counseling, graduating 2019
There are a lot of things I do to try to stay mentally healthy, but the most important: talking about my mental health. The more I talk about it, the less burdened I feel by the stigma of mental health. I also take a mental health day every now and then—a day just for me to disconnect, unwind, and regroup without the day-to-day distractions and stresses.
Jeremy Hornberger, MS in Clinical Community Counseling 2012
I like to go on walks and listen to a podcast. I call them my mental health walks. My favorite podcast is Terrible, Thanks for Asking (TTFA). It’s mental health-centered and listening to it is therapeutic—especially while outside, walking my dog.
Lauren Rivers, Clinical mental health counseling, graduating 2019
