*Deep breaths.* Wherever you are, whoever you are, chances are you may be feeling heightened anxiety, stress, or depression, or maybe you’re struggling with feeling burnt out or isolated, navigating uncertainty, overwhelmed by the news…the list goes on. Research shows that at least 53% of adults in the U.S. reported negative impacts on their mental health caused by the pandemic. And that’s likely just scratching the surface on the real mental health crisis we’re living in.
The bottom line? No matter what you’re feeling, know that you’re not alone. At Maven, mental health is core to our mission to empower women and families to take care and take on the world. In Maven’s virtual clinic, we saw a 300% increase in telehealth appointments with specialized behavioral and mental health providers in the first few months of the pandemic. And this has remained elevated since. This means more individuals are turning to licensed professionals ranging from social workers to therapists to counselors on Maven who specialize in key areas like parenting and children’s behavioral health, postpartum depression, coping with grief from miscarriage or loss, or just the everyday stress of managing work and family.
For World Mental Health Day, marked by the World Health Organization on October 10th, we reached out to a few Maven Providers—all of whom are available for appointments in our virtual clinic for therapy sessions and emotional and mental health support—to gather their messages and tips based on what they have been hearing from Maven members.
This World Mental Health Day, take a pause, soak these words in, and share them.
Meaghan Sherman, M.Ed., LMHC, helps our members manage their mental health during pregnancy and postpartum:
"I like to encourage clients during times of increased stress to be mindful of what you are consuming. Reflect on what you are eating, drinking, watching, listening to, people you are surrounding yourself with. It's important to control what we can in times of stress and increased anxiety. Focus on increasing positive talk and influences in your day and removing the negative. Let yourself set those healthy boundaries."
Cynthia Coffelt, LCSW, MPH, is all about helping members achieve emotional well-being, and specializes in helping those dealing with trauma and grief:
"It's important to discern those things we can and cannot control. Focus time and energy on aspects of your life you can manage—such as self-care, physical activity, journaling, or reaching out to loved ones. Be mindful of the present moment and try not to ‘thought spiral’ too far ahead into the future. It will only heighten anxiety and fear. Be kind to yourself in acknowledging this time as a collective experience and know you are not alone."