Mind Your Mind News Issue 5

MIND YOUR MIND NEWS July 2022, Issue 5

MYM NEWS

Table of

Contents From the Desk of Irene Barton Page 3 April Page 5 National Child Abuse Prevention Month Page 6 PACES Page 8 Mindful Self-Compassion: Finding and Savoring the Positive Page 10 May Page 11 Mental Health Month Page 12 Starting to Think About Mental Health Page 14 Mindful Self-Compassion: Sticks and Stones Page 16 June Page 17 Family Connection in Summer Months Page 18 DECAL Children’s Mental Health Page 22 Thank You to our Sponsor Page 21 Resources Page 22

MYM NEWS

FROM THE DESK OF IRENE BARTON Dear Readers and Community Leaders: Thank you for taking time to review our 2Q Mind Your Mind magazine.

Feel free to use the infographics and other resources in your own communications so that we work together to raise awareness, promote resiliency and reduce stigma around mental health. Our social media channels are another great source of information. And did you know we have a podcast called Mind Your Mind Speaks? You can find episodes on our website https:// www.cobbcollaborative.org/category/news/podcast We also are pleased to share that our MYM Digital Toolkit is now available in Spanish! We want to thank Cobb Douglas Public Health for underwriting that project. Please visit our website to view that resource.

Let us know if you would like more information about any of our traumacredentialed trainings like Connections Matter, Community Resilience Model and Darkness to Light. We would be pleased to bring those to your organization or agency and will work with your schedule.

Enjoy the rest of your summer and don't forget to "mind your mind".

Warmly,

Irene M. Barton Executive Director

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“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.

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MYM NEWS

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Cobb Collaborative is proud to have much of our programming align with other upstream prevention efforts. The theme for this year’s observation is “Children and Families Are Our Greatest Natural Resource” We ALL have a stake in preparing children to grow up to be healthy, thriving members of our community But what is “child abuse prevention?” Simply, anything that helps to strengthen families and helps children thrive. Food box giveaways, spring festivals, story times, walks to the park, prayer, out of school activities mentoring, and more. Prevent Child Abuse Georgia notes that “the prevention of child abuse and neglect cannot be achieved with one program or one strategy.” Programs that only target caregivers are shown to improve parentchild interactions, but don’t account for other root causes of maltreatment such as social isolation, poverty, community violence, and other stressors.

It requires a comprehensive approach with strategies at many different levels and with multiple sectors working together. This is why our work at the Collaborative is not only in the mental health space but also in early education and civic engagement and why the collective impact of all of our efforts to improve outcomes for children and families in Cobb is critical Wondering how YOU can play a part in protecting and nurturing the next generation? CLICK HERE to read the rest of the article.

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In light of Child Abuse Prevention Month, it is important to note that both Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences can play a role in long term mental health outcomes. ACEs (which includes abuse) can change brain development and affect how the body responds to stress and are also linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance misuse in adulthood.

Thankfully, that doesn't have to be the end of the story.

Research has identified a common set of factors that leads children to positive outcomes in the face of significant adversity. Read below to learn more about how you can mitigate risk and improve outcomes for children and families near you.

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MYM NEWS

FINDING AND SAVORING THE POSITIVE Our brains are not particularly well adapted to m o d e r n l i f e . F o r e x a m p l e , t h e y a re conditioned to respond to stress by focusing on the negative. In the primitive world, our brain’s job was keeping us alive as long as possible. People who are hyper-aware of every threat, worry, and danger tend to survive longer than those who focus on the good things in life. Today we call this our brain’s negativity bias.

we are grateful for can be a powerful practice.

A few tips as you begin a gratitude practice: 1) Focus on small things first, you can be grateful for how comfy your couch is or how soft your cat’s fur feels; 2) Try to avoid comparison, try not to frame your gratitude in terms of ways you have more than others; 3) Try to get in touch with what really makes you feel grateful, not the things you think you should be grateful for. This list is just for you (it’s ok if your kids aren’t on it everyday.)

When we feel stressed and overwhelmed our brain responds by narrowing our focus, scanning for every danger, and pouring mental energy into identifying problems rather than finding solutions. This is negativity bias in action.

Another way to counter our negativity bias is with savoring. Savoring just means focusing on, and extending as long as possible, the good feelings we have throughout the day.

Most of us have small moments each day when we experience joy or pleasure. It can be something simple like biting into a delicious strawberry or letting chocolate melt on your tongue. It can be feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin or the smell of blooming flowers. When such moments arrive, we can try to savor them as much as possible. Again, our brains naturally want to rush past the good things and dwell on the negative, but if we can learn to savor each positive moment a bit longer it can have a real impact on our overall happiness. Maybe begin by trying to find three times each day when you can savor something good. The practice may expand with time, but even a few moments of savoring will begin to balance out our negativity bias over time.

But once we become aware of our brain’s natural tendency to respond this way, we can discover ways to interrupt the negativity cycle.

We can redirect our own focus and energy toward the more positive aspects of life. This doesn’t mean we live in a fantasy world where everything is great, but rather that we recognize the bias at work in our own brain and choose to notice that our lives are also filled with good things. Two practices that can help us balance out negativity bias are gratitude and savoring.

Stopping to focus on the things in our lives we are grateful for allows us to notice things our negative brain might miss. Creating a regular gratitude practice helps our brain see the whole picture of what is happening in our lives, not just the bad stuff. Taking time each day to write down ten things

Diane Hilleary, LCSW, CEDS - S Atlanta Center For Self-Compassion

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month and as we close out the month, we are here to remind you to Mind Your Mind, no matter the month! Mental health knows no bounds and can affect all of us regardless of ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, circumstance, or background, which is why it is so important to know and recognize the signs and symptoms. While it is common for many people to experience mental health problems at some point in their lives, help is available and recovery can be possible. Whether you are dealing with mental health issues personally or caring for a friend or family member, it’s important to know that asking for help is okay. For more resources and information on mental health visit our Mind Your Mind Digital Toolkit.

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STARTING TO THINK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH Mental health refers to our emotional and social well-being and impacts how we think, feel, and behave. It plays a role in connecting with others, making decisions, handling stress, and many other aspects of daily life. Everyone has mental health, and it deserves your attention just as much as your physical health does.

TERMS TO KNOW

WHAT IS A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION? A mental health condition, or mental illness, refers to a set of symptoms that have been identified by the mental health community. Mental health conditions are described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), or by people with lived experience.

People with mental health conditions deal with changes in emotions, thinking, and/or behavior. For some, this means extreme and unexpected changes in mood – like feeling much more sad or worried than usual. For others, it means not thinking clearly, pulling away from friends and activities you used to enjoy, or hearing voices that others do not. No matter what kind of mental health condition someone is facing, it's always possible to recover.

IS POOR MENTAL HEALTH THE SAME THING AS HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION?

SYMPTOMS:

physical or mental features that indicate the potential existence of a concern, condition, or diagnosis

LIVED EXPERIENCE:

first-hand, personal experience dealing with a mental health or substance use challenge

STRESS:

a feeling of emotional or physical tension in response to being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure

TRAUMA:

an emotional response to a disturbing, scary, or shocking experience that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope

COPING SKILLS:

No. We all have tough days and weeks and struggling with your mental health doesn't automatically mean you have a mental health condition. To be diagnosed, the changes in your thinking and emotions must be seriously hurting your ability to do the things you want to do; and sticking around longer than they should – weeks or months, depending on the condition.

a strategy to help you deal with difficult situations and lessen unpleasant emotions, thoughts, or behaviors

MENTAL HEALTH SCREEN:

an evaluation of your mental health and wellbeing through scientifically validated assessment tools

You can have times of poor mental health without having a diagnosable condition – just like you can be generally physically unhealthy without having a particular illness.

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Sticks and Stones As a kid when someone called me an unkind name, I would sometimes respond with the familiar adage, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This saying has a nice ring to it, but as an adult I know it’s a lie. The truth is that while most of our scrapes, bruises, and broken bones will heal, the harsh words we hear about ourselves often stay with us forever. The names other people call us, or we call ourselves, sometimes get stuck deep inside and can make it hard for us to know our own worth and value. The harsh words we should let roll off our backs instead harden into a story about who we are that is difficult to escape.

Over time self-compassion practices can help us resist and quiet the negative stories we have internalized about ourselves. One important tool in this process is loving kindness phrases. A loving kindness phrase is simply an affirmation we repeat regularly to reinforce a deeper truth about ourselves. An example of a loving kindness phrase is: “I am good enough just as I am.”

Sometimes, though, it may be easier to begin by expressing the sentiment as a wish or a hope, like: “may I know that I am good enough just as I am.” The best loving kindness phrase is one that comes from you and responds to exactly what you need to hear and know as the deepest truth about yourself. You can craft and refine your own phrase until you get the wording just right.

By repeating your loving kindness phrase to yourself day after day, week after week, the truth of the words slowly sinks into your consciousness. At first you may just be saying the words, but as you continue the practice you will find their deeper meaning emerging. Repetition is the key to knowing the truth contained in your phrase. As your loving kindness phrase penetrates your heart, it begins to push out some of the negative words and stories you have been telling yourself. The names we call ourselves and the stories we tell ourselves are powerful. Changing those names and stories can take a long time, but loving kindness phrases are a powerful way to start believing something new about yourself.

Diane Hilleary, LCSW, CEDS - S Atlanta Center For Self-Compassion

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MYM NEWS

Summer is in full swing and while it can be a time of fun, adventure, and quality time for many, it can also increase stress and frustration for many parents, caregivers, and children. Read below for a few ideas to keep health and well-being at the top of your summer to-do list!

Keep a routine Transitioning from the school year into summer can be triggering for some children and caregivers as the shift from a predictable routine takes place.

While some families may need a more strict routine than others, keeping things like a consistent bedtime, wake-up time, and meal times can create safety and stability within the home. You may even want to have a calendar visible for the whole family!

Make time for rest Exhaustion and overstimulation are very real things! When discussing our mental health, we know how deeply our physical health is linked to it. While activities and trips can be a nice perk to summertime for some, it's imperative to make sure the family is having enough down time to take care of bodies and minds.

Set boundaries with screen time We know that screens can sometimes be necessary, but too much screen time has been associated with lower psychological well-being, including less curiosity, lower self-control, more distractibility and less emotional stability.

Use screens in moderation.

Spend time outside The sun is shining, weather is warm, and days are longer. Vitamin D can be a great mood booster, just make sure you wear your sunscreen! Studies have also shown that spending time in nature can benefit our mental health. For example, it can improve sleep, reduce stress, and also boost things like creativity and attention, according to the National Institute on Mental Illness (NAMI) California.

Lean on your community Lastly, we know many parents and caregivers balance work and family life in unique ways during the summer and burnout can certainly happen. Plan ahead with people in your life and community who can provide support during these summer months.

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DECAL Children’s Mental Heath Click the image to play video

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MYM NEWS

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR

Resilient Georgia's mission is to lead a state-wide coalition to develop a closelyaligned and traumainformed public and private network working toward a united vision to create a birth through 26 year old integrated behavioral health system. Key components to be implemented by their partners include prevention, early intervention, research, advocacy and policy, and System of Care implementation and coordination.

Click here to learn more

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MYM NEWS

RESOURCES

“Discovering the Basics of Mindful Self-Compassion” is an online course presented in two-modules, plus an introduction. This course explores the basic concepts of Mindful Self-Compassion and the empirical science that supports its effectiveness. You will discover how your own physiology provides the means for you to comfort yourself in times of stress and pain. But this class is not just theoretical. You will also gain experience with the concrete practices of Mindful Self-Compassion that you can make a part of your regular routine. When used over time, these practices have the ability to transform your relationship to yourself in powerful ways. CLICK HERE to learn more and get signed up today!

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The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 access to trained counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. And there is tremendous need, given: In 2020, the U.S. had one death by suicide every 11 minutes.

• For people ages 10–34, suicide is a leading cause of death.

• From April 2020 through April 2021, over 100,000 people died from drug overdoses.

• Behind each of these data points, there are people, families and communities who have been impacted. Yet, in the face of these urgent realities, there is hope. The 988 Lifeline helps thousands of struggling people overcome suicidal crisis or mental-health related distress every day.

People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. 988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the United States, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help.

The federal government and partners from across many industries in the public and private sectors are working together to provide guidance to make our work a little easier.

Notably: The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and its messaging task force developed the 988 • Messaging Framework to provide guidance on developing 988-related messaging. We encourage you to closely review these guidelines. The framework provides strategies related to the timing of messaging related to 988. It also discusses the importance of understanding how 988 works locally, following communication best practices, and tailoring 988-related messages for specific audiences.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) created a one-stop shop, the 988 • Partner Toolkit, at samhsa.gov/988. The toolkit is intended for SAMHSA’s 988 implementation partners— including crisis call centers, state mental health programs, substance use treatment providers, behavioral health systems, and others—and provides key messages, FAQs, logo, brand guidelines, social media shareables, wallet cards, magnets, media end cards, and other resources that educated on the basics of 988.

SAMHSA will add resources to this toolkit over time.

SAMHSA has worked with partners across several critical industries to create a holistic view of readiness for • the implementation of 988 for states, territories, tribes, crisis contact centers, public safety answering points (PSAPs) and behavioral health providers. Through these collaborative efforts, SAMHSA created guidance documents (e.g., “playbooks”) for these critical groups to support implementation of 988.

There are several existing federal resources that can be leveraged to support 988 implementation. Examples • from SAMHSA include the crisis set-aside through the Mental Health Block Grant as well as funding through the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) program. States are also able to leverage Medicaid dollars and State Opioid Response grants. States can find descriptions of these funding sources in the 988 Convening Playbook for States, Territories, and Tribes While this is an exciting time to reimagine how we provide crisis services in the U.S., the full vision of a transformed crisis care system with 988 at its core will not be built overnight. Transformation of this scale will take time, and we must all work together to make it happen. It is important that we speak with one voice about 988 to ensure clear understanding about what it is and how it will work. As SAMHSA continues updating its partner toolkit and providing guidance on 988 implementation, we look forward to working with all of you to bring these critical services to our community.

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MYM NEWS

Check out our podcast series where guests can share valuable insights to raise awareness, share mental health resources and inspire action throughout our community. tinyurl.com/mymspeaks A Crisis Has No Schedule. That is why the MyGCAL App is designed to help young people in the state of Georgia access the Georgia Access and Crisis Line (GCAL) via chat, text, or phone call 24/7/365.

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