Now more than ever, we’re fortunate enough to see technology effect the availability of therapy. Several insurance carriers are beginning to offer virtual healthcare as an essential value-added benefit, but lack of awareness is causing some policy holders to miss out. If you have employer sponsored healthcare – check your policy or ask your HR department to go over those benefits with you.
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Kristen Northup, MSW, M.A.
Our team was fortunate to have coordinated with an awesome mental health professional. Kristen is a doctoral student specializing in clinical psychology. Show support by following her Instagram pages. |
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Psychology Today offers a great search tool for individuals looking to connect with a therapist. You can search by type of insurance and zip code to find qualified professionals in your area. In addition, a brief bio for each therapist and a list of their specialties is included.
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As we continue to pursue better mental health care for everyone, we understand that therapy can be expensive. For those that cannot afford it or are unable to connect with a therapist, we’ve gathered our favorite resources to promote mental health.
Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash
MOBILE APPLICATIONS
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ON-THE-GO MINDFULNESS EXERCISES
4-7-8 Breathing
Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds and then exhale your breath slowly and deeply through the mouth for 8 seconds. Focus on deep belly breaths. Repeat as many times as needed.
The following article by Women's Health outlines the exercise in more detail. You can find it here.
Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds and then exhale your breath slowly and deeply through the mouth for 8 seconds. Focus on deep belly breaths. Repeat as many times as needed.
The following article by Women's Health outlines the exercise in more detail. You can find it here.
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding
Focus on slow deep breaths. Then, notice 5 things in your environment that you can see (like a tree or a book). Next, notice 4 things that you can touch (like your feet pressed against the ground or a pen in your hand). Next, notice 3 things that you hear outside of the body (like birds chirping or a running fan). Next, notice 2 things you can smell (like food cooking or an object near you that you can pick up and smell). Lastly, notice 1 thing you can taste in your mouth (like coffee or something you just ate). Focus on slow deep breaths throughout the exercise.
The following article by Zencare outlines the exercise in more detail. You can find it here.
Focus on slow deep breaths. Then, notice 5 things in your environment that you can see (like a tree or a book). Next, notice 4 things that you can touch (like your feet pressed against the ground or a pen in your hand). Next, notice 3 things that you hear outside of the body (like birds chirping or a running fan). Next, notice 2 things you can smell (like food cooking or an object near you that you can pick up and smell). Lastly, notice 1 thing you can taste in your mouth (like coffee or something you just ate). Focus on slow deep breaths throughout the exercise.
The following article by Zencare outlines the exercise in more detail. You can find it here.
CRISIS LINES
- Crisis Text Line: Free 24/7 support via text with a crisis counselor - Text HOME to 741741
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Suicide prevention network that provides 24/7 service | 1-800-273-8255
Lastly, a list of helpful websites offering resources to individuals of various backgrounds can be found here. Take a moment to go through the sites and become familiar with the resources. If not for yourself, for someone in your life who may be in need.
Most importantly, be there for your loved ones. HUG your family, HUG your friends and take a few moments each day to spread kindness in the world.