May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

May is mental health awareness month and is a very important part of ZENlightenment’s mission and purpose. Not only do we provide mental health therapy but many of our other services contribute to relaxing the mind and aligning it back in center with the body. Today’s blog is going to highlight awareness of individual mental wellbeing, ways you can receive care and how you can direct others in need of care to resources.

Mental awareness has taken centuries to get to the point we’re at now and it has not always been understood to the degree it is currently. Many horror stories have been curated around the early 1700 & 1800’s mental asylums that ended up being a cruel misunderstanding of mental health and illness that led to patient wellbeing to cripple over time. Since then, organizations and universities have been built and dedicated to studying and advocating for mental health awareness and proper care of an individual. Therapy has grown to provide specialized care around the world for any unique client, support groups continue to inspire and connect others with similar goals and struggles and movements such as Mental Health Awareness month help contribute to the pursuit of understanding and caring for our minds, emotions and lives.

Taking the steps to address and nurture one's mental wellness can feel impossible or just not worth the hassle. Consider your comfortability and remember that your care comes first. Whether you go into talk therapy first or explore other forms of specialized therapy, many platforms exist for both in person and virtual care. Or maybe you find you’ve found that your mind makes progress with movement, which in that case many different forms of movement therapy exist as well, at home or with a certified instructor! Different forms of yoga, such as trauma sensitive yoga, fitness and meditation have been crafted for mental health and stress release. If you don’t have a local energy worker or fitness and yoga studio, many different instructors have tutorials and guides on youtube or social media to follow at home! Remember you never have to go through hardships alone. Finding help in loved ones and putting trust in those who want to see you in a better place is a great start to taking healthy steps towards your personal care.

Though significant breakthroughs in mental health have been made, we still have not reached a point where mental health care is accessible to everyone or even the majority of the population. In some areas, mental health struggles are still seen as a weakness or something to be ashamed of. For some communities, there aren’t many services or resources being provided locally. Adding those variables of longer travel time and smaller communities makes it clear how challenging it can be to find support; however not impossible. Staying hopeful and continuing to reach out and openly speak up about struggles is a big contributor to breakthroughs and where we are now.

Need Immediate Help in A Crisis?

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Dial or text 988 if you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis and get connected to a trained crisis counselor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Crisis counselors listen empathetically and without judgment. Your crisis counselor will work to ensure that you feel safe and help identify options and information about mental health services in your area.