Mental Health Talk Magazine - Issue 3: Winter 2023

MENTAL

Enter 2023 with a Fresh Start, Clear Mind, Clean Slate

Dr. Leslie Rogers

It’s Okay To Not Be Okay

Learn to Heal From a Different Perspective

INSIDE: National Resource Listing

Vets Corner

EMDR as a Treatment for PTSD and Other Conditions

In Memory of Matt Harrison

Test Your Test Your Knowledge Knowledge

So far, what have you learned from reading the Mental Health Talk magazines? Our dedicated team of writers have come together to spread awareness around mental health and other related topics, that, there is plenty of knowledge to be gained. Let’s test your knowledge of this past Fall's issue!

1. In the Kids Mental Health column, 3 steps are provided as an initial guide to helping children with trauma. What are these steps and why are they important?

2. In his article, Dr. Nicholas Lambrou offers valuable information about cancer and available preventative measures. a) What are some ways that common cancers can be prevented? b) At what age should breast exams start for women?

3. In the Men Suffer Too! column, in 2019 alone, ________% of suicide deaths were men. Further, Men are less likely to exhibit symptoms of depression; but more likely to show signs of what?

4. What are the 4 bodies of meditation? How did you feel after the meditative exercise? (Or was this done? Looks like you have homework to do!)

4. Physical, Emotions, Mental, Spiritual

3. 80% Decreased quality of mood, substance abuse, risky behavior, physical complaints, irritability, and violence.

b) 25

2. a) Screening tests, vaccines, and in some cases, knowing in advance who is at risk due to genetics/heredity.

They potentially help children feel comfortable when speaking about traumatic events with you as parents and others, such as ntalme health professionals.

3) Seek Support

2) Brainstorm with Them,

1) Relate and Regulate,

1.

Answer Key

Winter 2023

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Dr. Leslie Rogers

Branding and Marketing

Renee Lowe

Cover | Main Feature Photography

M.JadeVisuals

mjadevisual@gmail.com

Graphic Design

Corporate Imagination

Contributing Writers

Dr. Philip Agrios

Maria Campbell

Lieutenant Colonel Corey Carnes

Dr. Jackie Darby

Dr. Mekel Harris

Dr. Dial Hewlett

Jarred Denzel Keller

Dr. Isa Mohammed

Rachel Neff

Dr. Gina Orton

Jean-Paul Pham

Senior Master Sergeant Rob Redziniak

Dr. Leslie Rogers

King Siu

Dr. N. Karen Thames

Dr. Lowell Wightman

© 2023 Mental Health Talk Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

Printed in U.S.A. Published four times a year by Mental Health Talk, LLC.

Mental Health Talk Magazine and Mental Health Talk, LLC neither endorse nor take responsibility for products or services advertised herein. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. Mental Health Talk, LLC makes no warranty, representation or guarantee as to the accuracy or timeliness of its content. The publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertising at any time.

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Publisher’s Note

The winter edition of the Mental Health Talk Magazine is dedicated to a dear friend of mine, Matt Harrison, who recently succumbed to metastasized head and neck cancer. Matt was a SAG-AFTRA Actor, Photographer, and Producer who lived in Los Angeles, CA. He and I met via social media back in March 2022, when I read a blog post of his about his journey with cancer. I immediately became intrigued by his hope, courage, and will to live. Over several conversations on-line between Matt and I, it was inevitable that a friendship was developing. Matt had such a big heart and bright spirit that seemed to shine every time we communicated. I often asked, “How’s my pen pal doing?” and he’d chuckle. I recall vividly when the day finally came where he and I spoke for the first time on the phone; we laughed together, and then I finally lost words for what to say next. Well, the only thing I could say was, “Matt, I’m booking a flight to visit you.” His response, “Let’s do it!” I surely did just that. I purchased a flight to California to visit Matt for the weekend of Friday November 11, 2022; only later to receive news that on Friday, October 28 he had passed. “Ugh, how could this be?”, I thought to myself. He and I just spoke on the Tuesday prior. My heart was shattered. My dear friend Matt had transitioned on.

There has been much grief and loss over the past several years, none of which I imagine anyone could prepare for. Whether sudden or expected, the emotional outcome is often similarly the same.

To the Harrison Family and friends of Matt Harrison, I offer my deepest condolences to you, and wish for healing and recovery during your time of loss. As memories of Matt linger on, may they do so with warmth in your hearts. Your son, brother, friend, and so much more that he was, is shining down on you smiling, knowing that he is now at peace.

Research: A diagnosis of distant metastases of head and neck cancers are present in about 10% of cases with an additional 20-30% developing metastases during the disease (Paolo, P., Airoldi, M., Lllais, A., et. al, 2020).

On behalf of the Harrison’s family, donations can be made to the Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) foundation, which is a charitable program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). SU2C aims to raise significant funds for translational cancer research through online and televised efforts.

Dr. Leslie Rogers Publisher

Resources: Paolo, P., Airoldi, M., Lllais, A., et. Al (2020). Metastatic Disease in Head & Neck Oncology. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 40(Suppl1) S1-S86.

MISSION STATEMENT: The Mental Health Talk Magazine is an established platform and well-rounded publication that creates awareness of mental health, mental illness, and other issues that potentially impact one’s overall well being. We promote ongoing discussions around mental health with the goal of validating and normalizing experiences and decreasing myths and stigmas. We are also committed to the wellness of individuals, their families, and the community through creating awareness around prevention, intervention, treatment, and education. Our goal is to encourage engagement with mental health professionals as a means of addressing untreated mental illness.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being and influences how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Mental health mediates how we handle stress, relate to others, and decision making. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood (CDC, 2002). Mental Illness is a subset of mental health and involves treatable diagnoses.

Meet the Writers

Dr. Leslie Rogers

Dr. Leslie Rogers, is the host of Mental Health Talk on YouTube and Publisher of Mental Health Talk Magazine. She completed 25 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as an Intelligence Analyst and Employee Assistance Program Coordinator for the Counterterrorism Division. She is also a former Psychologist with the VA, where she specialized in treating a wide range of mental health disorders.

Maria Campbell

Maria Campbell, MBA is a respected chef-by-trade, educator at Delaware County Community College (DCCC) and co-founded Cooks Who Care (CWC) with chef-by-trade, photographer and husband Scott Campbell. A goal-getter at heart, Maria uses her dynamic energy & drive for community-powered solutions to produce digital media materials and design memorable experiences with actionable care.

Dr. Jackie Darby

Dr. Jackie Darby is a Licensed Psychologist and Certified Group Psychotherapist in the Washington DC area. She is the owner of The Unconscious Shift, a wellness consulting agency that focuses on providing workshops on mental health wellness to community organizations.

Dr. Mekel Harris

Dr. Mekel Harris, a licensed psychologist with a long-standing career in mental health. More importantly, I’m a perfectly imperfect woman who understands the value of focusing on holistic well-being! She has more than 20 years of experience helping others navigate, as well as thrive, in the midst of life’s imperfect moments.

Dr. Philip Agrios

Dr. Philip Agrios has transformed the trials and hardships of his own business and life experiences into a positive vision and important roadmap for the rest of us. After working with thousands of people from all walks of life and ages for over three decades, his discovery of a hidden sabotaging trait and how to switch it off instantly, has helped people worldwide to make everlasting changes and discover their true power for long-lasting results.

Lieutenant Colonel Corey Carnes, LCSW

Lieutenant Colonel Corey Carnes, LCSW Board Certified Licensed Clinical Social Worker US Air Force Integrated Resilience Office (Pentagon)

Jarred Denzel Keller

Jarred is a content creator and media specialist that utilizes his social media to help people improve their mental health. He often shares his personal journey with depression and anxiety. He is also a voice for the LGBTQIA+ community and encourages anyone struggling with their mental health to share their story, because you never know who needs to hear it.

Dr. Dial Hewlett

Dr. Hewlett is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, The Infectious Disease Society of America and the New York Academy of Medicine. He currently serves as a consultant in Infectious Diseases and Chair of Infection Control at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, New York.

Jean-Paul helps self-operating business owners reduce stress, overwhelm while increase revenue by balancing their mindset to focus on one-step action plans. He also helps individuals live inspiring, purposeful and impactful lives by transformation their worst challenges into meaningful opportunities.

Rachel Neff graduated from Murray State University in 2010, where she received a B.S.A. in Agribusiness and minored in both Equine Science and Spanish. Rachel was the Center Director and Farm Manager at Great and Small, a PATH Premier Accredited Center, for nearly ten years before joining Promise Landing Farm. She has previously held the roles of treasurer and secretary for the Maryland Council of Equestrian Therapies

Senior Master Sergeant

Rob Redziniak, MS

Rob Redziniak, MS

E8 Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt)

United States Air Force

Organizational Development and Leadership Focus

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Certified

Dr. N. Karen Thames

Dr. N. Karen Thames is the Founder and Executive Director of Empowering People with Invisible Chronic Illness (EPIC) Foundation AKA The EPIC Foundation. She has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Karen earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2005. She specializes in trauma, marital therapy, personality disorders and chronic illness.

Dr. Isa Mohammed

Dr. Isa Mohammed is an ophthalmologist with additional subspeciality training in Cornea and Refractive Surgery. Born and raised in Maryland, he graduated from the Johns Hopkins University with a degree in Biomedical Engineering. He then earned his medical degree at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2017.

Dr.

Dr. Gina Orton is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in helping individuals to overcome the negative and destructive thinking that often results from a lack of caring. relationships and traumatic experiences. She encourages everyone to face the challenges. thrown at them, to blossom and live their best blessed life.

King Siu

King Siu is a social media strategist and travel influencer who has visited over 30 countries and has lived on four continents! Besides being a bit of a nomad, he also loves food! Some may call him a foodie or a connoisseur, but the bottom line is that he loves a good meal as much as he loves to travel.

Dr. Lowell Wightman, who is often referred as Coach Wightman, has dedicated over 30 years to the study of defining positive mindset and applies practical methods to improve leadership style. In the 80’s and 90’s Lowell worked with legal, medical and accounting practices to develop training curriculums.

Jean-Paul

Dr. Lowell Wightman

Rachel Neff

Gina Orton

Grief and Loss

Why does it hurt so bad?

By Lieutenant Colonel Corey Carnes Board Certified Licensed Clinical Social Worker, US Air Force Integrated Resilience Office (Pentagon)

Why does it hurt so bad? Will the emotional flooding ever stop? When we have bonds of love with another person and they are seemingly broken, it can feel like we are stuck. The point isn’t to move on without, it is to move on with. The relationship has changed. Your loved one isn’t physically with you anymore.

I believe that the reason for the pain is directly related to the meaning and connection of the relationship. By memorializing and remembering what that person and that relationship means to you, you can take it forward and let it be a grounding and guiding motivation to honor the loved one. You can move forward with them while taking the insight gained, the memories shared, and the inspiration and wisdom lent, to forge similar connections with others.

Below are various experiences and ways of coping with grief and loss:

STAGES OR CYCLES OF GRIEF

Many theorists have presented various stages of grief cycles. One in particular is that of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (Retrieved from http://grief.com/the-five-stages-of-grief/, 12/20/2022).

According to Kubler-Ross, during the loss of a loved-one, individuals tend to pass through a series of stages prior to achieving acceptance. These stages are as follows: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance. The grief cycle is simply a framework for the most common emotional reactions to change or trauma. We do not always experience the five stages all at once or in a sequential order, and we may transition or cycle between stages at different moments of time. That’s ok. You don’t have to do it alone. There are many resources offered in the community to help you through the process of grieving. Family support and peer support groups are two:

FAMILY SUPPORT – Family support is when people use family members to help them cope with the loss of a loved-one. This can be done as a group, or individually. Family support systems are good systems to use for engagement and can often be seen as ones that are trusted to listen without judgement and provide emotional empathy when needed.

PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT – Peer support is when people use their own experiences to help each other. The engagement is to help folks with similar incidents to overcome struggles. It might involve talking/discussion or even activities. Some support options are face-to-face, but there are lots of online resources. Interactions could be one on one or even in a group. Having someone to lean on who may be in the same struggle or even more experienced with the issue can be helpful. It may provide for the sense of belonging you’re struggling to find.

An internet search may also yield some results, but make sure to be selective. For example, the Dougy Center for Grieving Children and Families has a wealth of resources and toolkits for helping youth understand and express their grief experienced before and after a death (https://www.dougy.org/ ). A few other options are: www.griefshare.org ; www.meetup.com/topics/ grief-support/ ; or a quick internet search for “How to find a grief support group meeting near you.”

COPING STRATEGIES

1. Memorializing those we love is a way of preserving our relationship with them. The act of memorializing can provide a healthy conduit for channeling emotions. Plant a tree, etch a stone, make a quilt out of old t-shirts/clothing, jogathons, candle vigils, pieces of jewelry, write a song or poem, get a tattoo, host an annual dinner, create a photo album, make an online blog for others to share fond memories too. Bring meaning to the life that has passed.

2. Ask yourself who, if anyone, is actually to blame? Mourning the loss is very different than trying to take on culpability for the loss. We often misrepresent who is at fault and this leads to a distorted assessment of responsibility. This is a false sense of control.

3. Remind yourself that you can handle sadness. Sometimes we only need to give ourselves permission to grieve. By trying to avoid, we intensify the pain and the pressure builds. You don’t have to handle it alone. You can lean on friends or seek out a therapist.

4. Do something meaningful for someone else. You may think of guilt as regrets about the past, but it can help you look forward to the future.

Lastly, check your frustrations as grief lingers, because it will. Grief and bereavement are not a singular event. If we were able to “just move on” we would not be holding the life and memories of our loved one as precious. As we grow with shifting loss, we can have deeper appreciation for the past relationships and the new ones we are forming. •

Publisher’s note: For those of you who are struggling with, or have experienced, a loss over the past year(s) of a loved one, friend, or even a pet, my deepest condolences to you and your family

– Dr. Leslie Rogers

I believe that the reason for the pain is directly related to the meaning and connection of the relationship.

Ask Dr. Gina

QUESTION:

Dear Concerned,

You are asking an extremely important question. Can I prevent a suicide? This is a subject that all of us should ponder seriously. The rate of suicide has been rising steadily in America (and across the world) over decades. Although America is a land of opportunity, freedom and prosperity, no one is free of adverse experiences and disappointments. In the US, more persons die by their own hand than by the actions of a perpetrator. Often, we do not consider that mental health concerns, medical illness, trauma, abuse, substance use struggles, poverty, aging and loneliness can impact any individual and drive them to desire death. Furthermore, wealth does not guarantee wellness or peace of mind. Military service, first responder and other front line employment duties such as teaching, law enforcement and direct medical care can expose dedicated individuals to constant duress, burn out, weariness and thus push a person to consider dying. For some of us, it is very difficult to comprehend the urge to end one’s own life. We would rather not think about it or know about it, much less take action to prevent such behavior.

The good news is that helpful information and research is available to us. As a society, we are having more honest conversations about mental health, suicide, trauma, sexuality, and other challenging issues. The more we shine light and truth into dark places, the more likely we are to prevent the loss of a precious life. Yes! You can prevent a suicide!

Suicidal actions can result from a desire to end emotional or physical pain. Some suicides are due to sudden impulsive, out of control responses, perhaps fueled by the toxic effects of alcohol or other drugs. In some instances, suicide is a type of

self-directed violence, a form of anger, punishment or a way to stop bad thoughts. Suicidal thinking sometimes coexists with homicidal ideation. Together, such thinking may drive an individual toward murderous rage. However, suicide is always the result of numerous interrelated factors and is never the consequence of just one thing, such as an argument with a loved one or being fired from a job.

There is a long list of risk factors and warning indicators that are informative. However, the best course of action is for all of us to take time to be kind, thoughtful and supportive of family, coworkers, friends, and neighbors. If we are aware that someone is suffering from an illness, emotional distress, tragedy, disgrace, toxic circumstance, the loss of relationships or possessions that meant a great deal - then it is time to double our efforts to be supportive and engage that person in dialogue. With genuine concern, ask, How are you doing? Ask the person if you can assist in some way, but do not enable unhealthy behavior such as alcohol abuse. Do not meter out judgment or condemnation. If someone mentions wanting to die or hints at “giving up” on life, take the comment seriously! Encourage them to seek help. Involve their family members or caregivers and don’t keep dangerous secrets. Earlier this year, “988” went live. Much like “911”, this 3-digit emergency number will connect the caller to trained interventionists who can speak with the troubled person directly. They can also provide the concerned person with helpful guidance. Together, we can prevent suicides!

If you have suicidal thoughts, please seek the help you need right away! Call “988”. •

Dr. Gina What are signs that a person is suicidal? Can I really prevent suicide? Concerned. To

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Promise Landing Farm

By Rachel Neff, Executive Director of Promise Landing Farm

Churchill was right. There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a person. Science calls it the humananimal bond and is only barely beginning to understand how and why it works. But the participants, staff, and volunteers at Promise Landing Farm see the evidence in themselves and each other every week. People may arrive tense and frazzled from work or school or DC’s notoriously bad traffic, but you can see the stress melt away as they come into the barn – Rachel Neff,

Executive Director

Dr. Leslie Rogers, Founder of Mental Health Talk, LLC, and Promise Landing Farm has formed a new collaboration that will further the mission of enhancing engagement and dialogue around mental health. Services offered at Promise Landing Farm are, in part, geared at decreasing anxieties associated with mental illness, medical illness, and physical disabilities; while at the same time, using our animals to uplift spirits to all who visit. Building awareness around mental health and the many resources available, such as those offered at Promise Landing Farm, can empower individuals to take control of their overall mental health. This is important for one’s well-being, while at the same time, increasing self-esteem, self-confidence, and instilling a sense of hope that is needed to live a happy and meaningful life.

Promise Landing Farm is a nonprofit inclusive equestrian community, where

people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities come together to learn from each other and the horses. On any given day, you might find a retired military veteran volunteering in a lesson with a young woman who after months of working together now jokingly calls her “Grandma.” You might see a child in a wheelchair giving her horse a bath. Or you might see a teen showing the ropes to an adult who has just started volunteering. Each person who arrives at the farm learns the “teach and be taught” philosophy, where anyone can contribute and everyone can learn.

Promise Landing Farm opened its doors briefly in early March 2020 before immediately having to shut down to ride out the stay-at-home orders. By June, local conditions and careful planning allowed for a second opening and the doors have remained open ever since. In November 2021, PLF expanded to a second location thanks to a collaboration with fellow nonprofit Melwood. The pandemic highlighted community needs for social connection, a stable routine, time in nature, and a break from endless screens. PLF helps to fill that need with year-round opportunities to volunteer, ride, and connect. Visitors often comment on how peaceful the farm is and how far away the stress of life feels when they are greeted by the PLF horses.

Teams of volunteers and riders get to know each other through their weekly lessons and then take those connections off the farm, grabbing coffee after a lesson or attending a local horse show together. Star, a rider and volunteer, says, “I’ve been a part of the PLF community for two years. My participation has helped keep me physically active, mentally stimulated and socially engaged. Spending time with the horses always brings me a sense of peace and calmness. I love PLF because it’s a happy place where I’m included and valued. I think every person deserves to be a part of a community like this.”

If you are in southern Maryland, come and join the Promise Landing Farm community! Please visit www.promiselandingfarm.org for more information. To locate equine-assisted services in your area, PATH International’s Center Search feature (www.pathintl.org/find-a-program) is a useful resource. •

Children Have Feelings Too: Creating Safe Spaces for Expression

By Mekel S. Harris, Ph.D., NCSP, PMH-C, CAGCS

Prior to the 17th century, many viewed children as “little adults,” resulting in their voices not being heard or their emotions being valued. Today, however, we know that children have feelings too and that their voice matters. Because of this, it is essential that adults create supportive and safe environments for children to express themselves – Dr. Mekel S. Harris.

Mental Health Talk interviewed Dr. Mekel Harris on ways to create “safe spaces” for children of all ages. According to Dr. Harris, it is very important for parents, caretakers, and others to model healthy coping skills. She explained, this is done by demonstrating how to release tension by encouraging the children in your life to participate in physical activity, relaxation exercises, and/or self-care breaks when needed. In addition, she continued, share your own challenges with them – as is developmentally appropriate – and tools used to help yourself. Doing so teaches children that feelings are normal, arms them with strategies to handle challenging emotions, and helps expand their vocabulary surrounding feelings.

• Paying attention . Be mindful of what’s typical for the children around you. While some emotional and behavioral changes are normal, know that significant shifts from their norm may indicate they’re struggling emotionally. Consistently check-in to let them know you’re available and ready to offer support.

WHILE WE CANNOT CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS IN CHILDREN’S LIVES, WE CAN CONTROL HOW WE SHOW UP FOR THEM IN TIMES OF NEED. CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION GOES A LONG WAY IN BOLSTERING CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH.

• Maintaining healthy limits and boundaries. Children crave boundaries, which make the world feel less scary and overwhelming. Communicate what is acceptable and not acceptable across environments, and then be consistent. This will help minimize feelings of frustration for everyone involved.

Dr. Harris went on to offer a few other excellent ways adults can support children, both in the short- and long-term. These include:

• Keeping lines of communication open. Be honest and factual about the reality of life challenges. What’s most important is that children know they can come to you about anything without fear of judgment or punishment. Providing a loving and supportive space for them to be heard will increase the likelihood of them approaching you with their own concerns.

• Sticking to familiar routines and schedules. As much as possible, maintain structure and engage in familiar routines. Children will appreciate and be drawn to comfort and predictability. In addition, they will feel increasingly safe to share their thoughts and feelings with you.

• Being available to listen. Be ready to simply listen to the children in your life, especially if they initiate conversation. Consider creating spaces to simply sit and be present with them. Celebrate their openness, reinforce that you are there, and remind them that they are not alone.

• Offering a creative outlet. Know that all children do not express themselves in the same manner. Consider ways to help the children in your life release emotions through drawing/ painting, writing, singing, and other imaginative ways.

• Making sure daily needs are met. Ensure that children’s eating, as well as sleeping habits, remain intact, both of which support overall physical and emotional well-being.

• Seeking professional support, as needed. Situations may arise when the children around you might benefit from another person and/or environment to address their feelings. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

In conclusion, Dr. Harris explains that while we cannot control what happens in children’s lives, we can control how we show up for them in times of need. Creating safe spaces for emotional expression goes a long way in bolstering children’s mental health.

•

Sports Performance & Mental Health

Mental Toughness

Your resilience influences your mental wellness

By Lowell Wightman, MEd, PhD, CEO, Mental Performance Coach

In this article, I will be discussing mental toughness and what it consists of. Basically, I address mental toughness on a weekly basis with answers to the below questions as I prepare elite businesses and sports champions for greatness.

When I wake up each morning do I have a plan?

Do I know who I am at this early moment of the day?

Do I have a clue about why I am present at this moment?

The answer to these questions emotionally prepares me for the day, and on some days prepares me to just get out of bed and into the bathroom.

Professional athletes should start the day by evaluating the degree of mental toughness that they may require while

performing at their most optimal levels. Mental toughness is a trait, perhaps a skill that can be ignited, refreshed, and improved on. To activate these behaviors you must first swing your feet over the edge of the bed, while acknowledging that you come first before you can support and engage with others.

I ask that you pause and take account of these two focused questions:

Why am I here?

What do I need to do for myself so that I am prepared for others?

As you answer these questions at the start of each day, think about generating optimistic thoughts and positive energy that is centered on the skills and traits that define the best of who you are.

Discovering your positive energy is a strong effort toward answering the first question, why am I here/present? If you answer this question first, in my opinion, your energy and focus on actionable steps will clearly define how you prioritize your plans for the day.

Mental toughness is influenced and may be strengthened in the following ways:

• Define and prioritize your daily schedule.

• Take inventory of the people and things that are required to accomplish your best outcomes.

• What do you expect from others that will enhance your performance outcomes.

• What are obstacles or challenges that interfere with my mental toughness?

• During the day who are the people and things that will renew or improve my mental toughness?

Maintaining Mental Toughness

FIRST – Taking an inventory of the above checklist is essential toward maintaining mental toughness. Everyone has a level of mental toughness that will waiver due to prior and current experiences. It is important to know that your minimum level of mental toughness is uniquely yours and may or may not be equal to anyone else.

SECOND – Mental toughness can be improved when your awareness and preparation are planned and practiced. For example, when finding that answering the above questions are difficult, try NOT TO JUDGE yourself. Any answer to the questions will get you started and on your way to greatness; and, practice will only provide you more confidence.

THIRD – Surround yourself with people and things that meet your expectations and will support your actions and level of mental toughness. Sharing your expectations with those you trust will reinforce your practice and efforts delivering results that align with the plans you make.

Here is a checklist to help you maintain your unique level of mental toughness:

• The only definition for mental toughness is the one you choose to define for yourself.

• Mental toughness is used when you are challenged by a given stimulus requiring you to think, select and deliver a specific response. Your response could be both physical and non-physical.

• The most common way to measure your mental toughness is by accounting for what you learned from each experience and then applying what you learned. The application process keeps you whole and encourages you to prepare for the next experience.

• Growing the strength of your mental toughness is realized after each application, even when others perceive you have lost. The experience of winning, losing, and making mistakes are all opportunities to learn more about yourself, so you can manage your emotions.

When you are in the zone to manage your emotions, your mental toughness kicks in and often yields a response that is positive, controlled, and considerate of others. This helps to condition your mind to be resilient and focused on creating an atmosphere for selfcare.

LASTLY – At the end of each day, find a place and time you can quietly reflect on your accomplishments. As you do this, remember accomplishments have degrees of success. For example, low success to some is failure. Reflect on moments in the day so you may apply your mental toughness toward your low success outcomes and learn from those moments. Error and failure are experiences to learn meaningful lessons while galvanizing your mental toughness. •

Enter 2023 with a Fresh Start, Clear Mind, Clean Slate!

5

Tips to Entering the New Year Stress Free

Have you ever set New Year’s resolutions or goals that fell through and never happened? Sometimes, trying to meet certain resolutions can be just as much of a headache as setting them. Like, losing weight, for example…that has NEVER worked for me. Or, going cold turkey and giving up a bad habit. Sometimes, we simply set unrealistic goals and expectations for ourselves that more times than not, end in disappointment. Well, below are some tips for the new year that you can do without having to worry about whether they will be met or not.

Address any lingering or outstanding issues that are preventing you from moving forward, or that are causing you unnecessary distress…and then, let it go! Leave it behind in 2022!

Do you ever hold onto stuff that makes you angry? Do you often walk away from discussions without having an opportunity to express your true thoughts and feelings? Do you ever feel dismissed or invalidated? Or do you ever feel stuck in situations that are beyond your control? If you’ve answered YES to any of these questions, trust me, you are not alone!

Dr. Leslie Rogers, Publisher

For whatever reason, many of us often walk away from situations wishing we had done or said something differently in that moment. Then, we ruminate (or think constantly) on what we should have done or said. I don’t know about you but having missed the opportunity to speak my truth is very stressful for me.

A mentor of mine once told me, “The past is in the past and what’s been done has already been done; so, there is no need to constantly think about it because it can’t be changed.” She continued, “What you can do, however, is communicate how

the event has made you feel, set boundaries going forward, and leave it behind.”

TIP 1: Communicate with others any outstanding or lingering thoughts and emotions about events or actions that has caused [or is causing] you distress

Try using the Emotions Wheel (Retrieved from: https://uca. edu/bewell/files/2020/11/Feelings-Wheel-Learn-How-toLabel-Your-Feelings.pdf), to label your feelings that may

Dr. Leslie Rogers

help elicit an understanding of what you are feeling when communicating with others. Labeling emotions can also promote self-awareness, self-confidence, and self-esteem as it puts you more in control of your feelings.

Try writing down what you’d like to say, before communicating with others, so not to forget important details that express how you are, or felt, during the event that triggered anger, or negative mood. [bulleted points are always a good idea]

Once you have communicated your feelings and emotions, reflect on how the release has made you feel. Praise yourself for all efforts made; despite how small it may appear. Remember, practice is key.

It is important to note that, even if the feedback [response] received is not what you had anticipated, the idea here is to allow yourself an opportunity to Release and Let Go meaning, speak your truth, and then leave it behind.

TIP 2: Establish solid and concrete boundaries for yourself and others

Believe it or not, I have such a difficult time saying, “No”, and as an executive level manager, communicating my standards and expectations to others. My issue is, and has been, I do not want to hurt others, or let others down. Looking back on my younger self, I was afraid to say “no” in fear of losing friendships or other interpersonal relationships. It takes a lot of self-reflection and self-awareness to be able to admit this.

Many of us do not have solid boundaries in our lives; or if we do, they are not consistent or are penetrable. We are often unwilling to set boundaries in fear of abandonment or loss; I mean, let’s be real. As humans, most of us seek validation from others, and setting strict boundaries can potentially interfere with establishing relationships that tend to validate who we strive to be.

The negative side of this is, having loose or penetrable boundaries can interfere with personal growth and development, can keep us stuck in unhealthy spaces (e.g., relationships), and can directly influence medical and mental health conditions. For example, high stress that can accompany lose boundaries can result in health conditions as, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and gastrointestinal issues, and mental health conditions as, anxiety, depression, irritability or anger, and substance use concerns (Retrieved from: www.mayoclinic.org, 2023)

Boundaries are different for each person and are based on individual experiences and needs. For example, a boundary for me may be simply to say “No” when asked to take on tasks that exceed what I can handle in a single workday. Or, to establish standards for personal relationships that are non-flexible, such as, behaviors that I will not tolerate in a romantic relationship and feeling confident enough to walk away when these standards are not met.

Practice: Try writing down 2 to 4 boundaries (on a spectrum of easy to difficult). For example, two boundaries will be something that you know without a doubt that you can stick to, or, that you are at least willing to try with little effort or thought put into it (e.g., two hours every Sunday are for self-care only), and the other two being something that may take more effort and practice (e.g., “I will not bring work home with me”, “I will no longer allow him/her to disrespect me or speak down to me”).

Reference: https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-are-personalboundaries-how-do-i-get-some

Take-a-ways: Establishing boundaries are important as they 1) increase self-confidence and self-esteem by reinforcing power and control over our lives, 2) allow us to develop insight into why we react to certain events as we do, and 3) Boundaries allow us to set standards for how we’d like to be treated and respected.

Once you have established boundaries that you are comfortable with and have had an opportunity to integrate them into your daily habits, reflect on how having boundaries have made you feel. Praise yourself for all efforts made; despite how small it may appear. Remember, practice is key.

TIP 3: Give yourself a Fresh Start, Clear Mind, Clean Slate!

Leave it behind! Enter 2023 with a fresh start, clear mind, and clean slate! This is sometimes difficult. Again, if you are like me, I tend to ruminate on negative stuff, or, hold on to negative stuff. When I hold on to stuff, it impacts my total self; the way I think about events and process information, my behaviors, and my overall mood. Yes, by the time that you are reading this article, we’ve already entered 2023! It’s okay, it’s not too late. Work on the above steps now and let January be your guide to how the year will begin and end! You have complete driving power and are in control of your life and how you choose to handle events in your life. Set standards for yourself that will afford you opportunities that will promote positive medical health and mental health.

on Progress Made

Over the course of the year, reflect on what has worked and what has not worked. Are improvements or modifications needed? If they are, no worries at all, it is okay and sometimes expected. Remember, communications and boundaries may often change based on our personal experiences. Strict boundaries may become less stringent as both you and others gain insight and understanding into your personal requirements. While at the same time, loose boundaries may become more tougher and demanding when communicating your expectations to others.

TIP 5: Make self-care a regular habit or routine to improve medical and mental health

Consider developing habits that include self-care. According to the National Institute of Mental Health-NIMH (2023), self-care is setting aside a designated period of time to engage in an activity(s) that help promote healthy living; this includes improved physical health and mental health. For example, self-care can help reduce risks for medical conditions and mental illness.

Speaking about mental health; did you know that mental health includes our emotional, phycological, and social well-being and influences how a person thinks, feels, and behaves? Mental health mediates how we handle stress, relate to others, and decision making. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood (CDC, 2002).

Below are a few tips offered by NIMH to help you get started with self-care:

• Get regular exercise. Taking a daily walk can promote a positive mood and improve health.

• Eat healthy and stay hydrated. A balanced diet and plenty of water can improve your energy and focus throughout the day.

• Make sleep a priority. Ensure that you’re getting enough sleep.

• Try a relaxing activity. Explore relaxation or wellness programs or apps, which may incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Schedule regular times for these and other healthy activities you enjoy such as journaling.

• Set goals and priorities. Decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say “no” to new tasks if you start to feel like you’re taking on too much. Try to be mindful of what you have accomplished at the end of the day, not what you have been unable to do.

• Practice gratitude. Remind yourself daily of things you are grateful for. Be specific. Write them down at night or replay them in your mind.

• Focus on positivity. Identify and challenge your negative and unhelpful thoughts.

• Stay connected. Reach out to your friends or family members who can provide emotional support and practical help.

Self-care is different for everyone, should be something that you enjoy doing, and most importantly, should help you achieve balance in different areas of your life to promote your overall wellness. For example, in SAMHSA’s step-by-step guide to wellness, eight aspects of wellness are offered to help improve your quality of health: emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, environmental, financial, occupational, social. When considering self-care options, use these eight dimensions as a guide toward developing a self-care regime that fits your lifestyle and meets your needs. (Retrieved from: https://www. mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2022/03/how-and-why-to-practice-selfcare/ , 2023; https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/ sma16-4958.pdf , 2023).

Freebee: Love yourself and Love who you are!

“Be Yourself, everyone else is already taken” – Tatiana Griffin

Last, but not least, love yourself and who you are. As my niece so eloquently put it, “Be Yourself, everyone else is already taken.” Believe it or not, the above steps will guide you toward self-love. With practice and consistency, you will start to love yourself more than ever. Learning how to communicate your thoughts and emotions to others while at the same time setting boundaries, not only gives you power and control that (you believe) may have been lost over the course of life’s experiences, but it promotes self-awareness and a newfound identity that is filled with self-advocacy, self-confidence, assertiveness, strength, and belief in yourself!

Leave it behind! Enter 2023 with a fresh start, clear mind, and clean slate! Enter 2023 with a new identity! It is not too late. It is only too late when you tell yourself it is too late. Take charge and control of your life and use your power to navigate through life’s challenges with tools geared toward creating a healthier road ahead.

Happy New Year! May this year bring you a newfound you.

Setting Boundaries for a Year of Yes By Saying No

By Dr. Jacky Darby

Do you know why boundaries are important?

Developing healthy boundaries can make this year not only a year of “no” but also a year of “yes.” The journey of wellness begins with safety. Healthy boundaries means developing a safer emotional/ mental space, which leads to more stability which gives you the freedom to engage in your wellness practice. Consider developing healthy boundaries as part of the circle of health.

Let’s take a deeper dive into this concept. Let’s think of boundaries as a garage door protecting a house. A door that is left wide open allows the owners to go in and out; however, the open door puts the items in the home at risk of being stolen. A door that is left permanently closed protects the owner’s items from thieves; however, it prevents the owners from reaching out for help. The best practice is for the owners to have control over the door rather

than the door having control over the homeowner. Just like with the garage door, your boundaries need to be amenable and under your control. If one’s boundaries are too loose, one will give too many people access to you. If your boundaries are too closed, you cannot get support if and when you need it.

So how do you gain control of your boundaries? The key aspect of boundary setting is to know how those boundaries are related to the relationship with the person you are setting a boundary with. Relationship dynamics are not a one size fits all, but rather relationship dynamics are a spectrum where the range is closed/ withdrawn to open/trusting. Not every relationship or situation deserves the same type of boundary setting. Understanding how open or closed you want to be should be determined by how close or away you want to be towards the other person. To help aid in this reflection, think of three things: reason, relationship, and respect.

Reason: What is your reason for this interaction?

Thinking of the reason for interacting with another person helps you make an informed decision about the type of boundaries you will want to use. For example, If you are just interacting with the person for a specific purpose (ex. Asking a stranger for directions), you probably will treat them differently than the person who you are pursuing a romantic future with. For the stranger, your emotional garage door would be all the way down, whereas, for the person you are pursuing a romantic relationship with, you may have your emotional garage door to be a bit more open.

Relationship:

Is this relationship important? If the relationship is valuable, you may be more flexible with your boundaries because the relationship means something to you. Keep in mind that the value of the relationships can be re-evaluated. Just because the relationship was important to you in the past does not mean it will have the same weight in the future. Relationships take work, and having an occasional review process will protect you and the other person.

Respect: Do you feel respected?

This is the most important question as you think about the relationship. Every interaction should leave you feeling respected, emotionally validated, and heard. The more respect you feel in the relationship, the more evidence you have that your emotional garage door can be raised. If at any point you do not feel respected in a relationship, you can close that garage door. Remember, safety first, even in relationships.

One last thing. Readjusting your emotional garage door will take time, so give yourself grace as you try out new boundaries. Treat each boundary-setting attempt as an experiment. Try out a new way of interacting, observe the reaction of the other person, and then re-evaluate the situation without judgment. If you get favorable results, then find ways to replicate it. If you do not get favorable results, see where you could have improved the interaction.

2023 is not just a year of wellness but also a year in which you can readjust your own emotional garage door. Developing healthy boundaries is a practice, and the more you practice, the easier it will get. What you allow in your space will help you not only say “no” to unhealthy things but it will also allow you to maintain your “no” for a more fulfilled life.

During the early phase of the (COVID 19) pandemic, it was generally believed that the disease was primarily a respiratory illness much like influenza, only more severe. Hence the name (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2). We rapidly and painfully learned however, that this unique new virus (SARS-Cov-2) caused inflammation and in some patients injury to blood vessels. We now clearly understand that blood vessels large and small, arteries and veins, throughout the body can be injured by SARS-Cov-2 (COVID 19) including the blood vessels within the brain. It became known that in some severe cases patients with COVID 19 developed strokes or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and that these resulted in permanent neurologic deficits among survivors. More often, patients who survive infection may be left with more subtle neurologic manifestations termed “persistent impairment in sustained

Health & Wellness

COVID 19

Potential Long Term Neurologic Complications, Psychiatric Manifestations & Implications For Patients & Families

By Dial Hewlett Jr, MD FACP FIDSA

attention’’ or “Brain Fog.” The term “brain fog” has been used to describe a wide array of deficiencies in cognitive function observed in patients who recovered from COVID 19 (Zhou et al., 2020; Budson, 2021.)

In a small study, 29 patients who recovered from COVID 19 were compared with 29 age, gender and education matched healthy controls. Zhou and colleagues demonstrated that the recovered COVID 19 patients exhibited cognitive dysfunction in what they termed “Sustained Attention” and that there was a potential correlation with a commonly used inflammatory marker known as C Reactive Protein (CRP). According to the authors, this deficit has apparently also been shown in patients with long standing Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

In August, 2021, an article by Williams (2021) appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled Confronting Our Next National Health Disaster, — LongHaul Covid. In this editorial the authors estimated that between 10-30% of those who recover from COVID will experience prolonged debilitating symptoms which may include cognitive deficits. They mention the challenges faced by patients due to “widespread ambivalence” within the medical community and the failure among some physicians to recognize “Long COVID “ as a legitimate disease based syndrome. For example, the authors discuss the existence of two camps within our medical community:

One group believed that Long COVID had a pathophysiological basis which could likely be explained on the basis of inflammation, injury or blockage of small blood vessels within the brain.

The other group had characterized Long COVID primarily as a “Mental Illness” that is not likely to have a physiological origin.

More recent studies involving brain imaging have indicated the presence of abnormalities supporting a “pathophysiologic basis” for Long COVID. For example, using a special type of imaging known as Susceptibility Weighted MRI, Mishra and colleagues (2022) uncovered brain changes in patients up to six months after recovery from COVID 19. This study was presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. This study involved 46 patients and 30 controls. The recovered patient group reported neurological symptoms which included fatigue, difficulty sleeping, lack of attention and memory issues. The study reported that recovered patients had what the researchers termed “Higher Susceptibility Values” in the frontal lobe and in the brain stem compared to the 30 healthy controls. The regions of the brain involved are linked to fatigue, insomnia, depression, headaches and cognitive difficulties.

In another study, 236,379 patient survivors with COVID 19, the incidence of neurological and psychiatric disorders at 6 months was 33.6%. Many neuropsychiatric conditions have been described after infection with SARS-CoV-2, including chronic malaise, diffuse myalgia (muscle pain), headache, anosmia (loss of smell), ageusia (loss of taste) cognitive impairment, depression and anxiety (Gaddes et al., 2021).

Implications

It is abundantly clear that there is a physiologic and medical basis for the persistent neurologic, and in some cases, psychiatric like complaints reported by patients who have recovered from COVID 19. Fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia and inattentiveness are vague symptoms which are challenging for most

physicians who lack training in Psychiatry to recognize or quantify. Because roughly 60% of patients with long COVID are women and disproportionately persons of color, it is not surprising that legitimate debilitating symptoms associated with Long COVID are being trivialized or dismissed by medical practitioners.

Moreover, it may also be the future basis for research funding requests on a national level to be denied by conservative policy makers. Frequently, individuals impacted by long COVID are unable to perform required tasks linked to cognitive / executive and organizational functions. In the absence of laboratory tests to define the syndrome, insurance carriers will be unwilling to cover services and physicians will be unable to bill and in many cases ultimately unwilling to provide services for patients with Long COVID. The impact which Long COVID is exerting on jobs, careers and educational pursuits particularly among families and members of the African American community will be enormous and may be ignored in our present society

Awareness of Long COVID both on the part of the medical establishment, patients and families is currently lacking.

Conclusion

It should be emphasized that although overall survival for those with COVID 19 has remained steady at roughly 98%, it is now estimated that up to 20 % or one in five who develop COVID 19 are likely to

experience manifestations of Long COVID. It is well known that the COVID 19 vaccines and new bivalent boosters are highly effective in the prevention of severe illness, hospitalization and death related to COVID 19. There also have been anecdotal reports of potential beneficial effects on previously unvaccinated persons with Long COVID. Unfortunately, COVID vaccine hesitancy among members of the African American community remains significant. The recent reports of abnormalities on imaging studies of the brains of persons with neurologic symptoms including depression, fatigue, persistent inattention (Brain fog) and other neurologic conditions including long term loss of taste and smell should prompt reasonable individuals to revisit decisions related to COVID 19 vaccines/ boosters and take immediate steps to complete the primary COVID 19 vaccine series and to make certain that children over 6 months are also vaccinated. •

Resources

Budson A. (2021). What is COVID Brain Fog and How can you clear it? Harvard Health Blog. Harvard Health Publishing, March 8, 2021.

Geddes, T. M, et al. (2021). 6 month neurological and Psychiatric outcomes in 236,379 survivors of COVID 19: A retrospective study using electronic medical records. The Lancet Psychiatry Lancet Psychiatry Vol 8(5), Issue 5. pp 416-427

Mishra, S. (2022). MRI Reveals Significant Brain Abnormalities Post COVID. Radiologic Society of North America. November 21, 2022. Chicago.

Williams, P. S. (2021). Confronting Our Next National Health Disaster, — Long-Haul Covid. MA N Engl J Med Aug 12, 2021 DOI;1056/NEJM p 2109285.

Zhou, et al. (2020). The Landscape of Cognitive Function in Recovered COVID 19 Patients. Journal of Psychiatric Research Vol 129, pp 98-102

Medical Director-Westchester County Department of Health-White Plains, NY

Chairperson National Medical Association Vaccine Task Force

Adjunct Associate Professor of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology New York Medical College Valhalla, NY Infectious Disease Consultant Calvary Hospital, Bronx, NY

Dial Hewlett Jr, MD FACP FIDSA

ravel & Leisure

Dishes You Need To Try At Least Once From Each Continent

By King Siu, President and Founder of Travel, Eat, Drink Media

My name is King Siu and I’m a social media strategist and travel influencer who has visited over 30 countries and have lived on four continents. Besides being a bit of a nomad, I also love food! Some may call me a foodie or a connoisseur, but the bottom line is that I love a good meal as much as I love to travel.

For me, travel is not just about visiting monuments or seeing natural wonders. I also look forward to discovering local cuisines that make my taste buds dance. These dishes I’m about to share with you have a special and delicious place in my heart. To keep this list manageable, I’ve restricted myself to just one dish from each continent.

Please come along with me as I take you on a world journey of international cuisines.

Me enjoying Feijoada with some friends at Bar de Laje in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Fried chicken at Willie Mae’s in New Orleans, Louisiana

Europe

Icelandic Lamb Stew: There are so many amazing things to eat in Europe, but I finally settled on this stew. The meat is tender, the broth is delicious, and the combination is like a warm viking hug! The best places I’ve found to have this dish are at truck stops. I know that sounds odd, but trust me on this one.

North America

Fried Chicken: It is found in many different countries, but I think it’s one dish that needs to be experienced in North America. There is nothing that replicates the love you feel when you bite through the crispy skin of the chicken and into its juicy deliciousness. One of my favorite spots for fried chicken is Willie Mae’s in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Asia

BBQ Pork Bun: This can be found in Chinese bakeries and restaurants all over the world. The best example of this seemingly simple item, I have found in Hong Kong, at a dim sum restaurant called Tim Ho Wan. It has earned a Michelin Star and is recognized as the cheapest Michelin-Starred restaurant in the world. I feel that star was awarded solely for this magical and delicious bun!

South America

Feijoada: The official dish of Brazil is a black bean stew with salted and smoked pork and beef. It’s served with rice, kale, orange slices and toasted cassava flour (farofa). My most memorable meal of Feijoada was at Bar de Laje, in the Vidigal

favela, in Rio de Janeiro overlooking Ipanema Beach. Note: I do not recommend visiting a favela in Brazil without a local guide. It can be dangerous for visitors unfamiliar with the area.

Australia

Barramundi: This is the fish for those who are afraid of fish. It’s meaty, flavorful, and not fishy. I would proclaim it as the chicken of the sea, if that title didn’t already belong to tuna. It’s found on many menus in Australia, but if you’d like a recommendation, check out Fish at the Rocks in Sydney.

Africa

Koshari: The national dish of Egypt is on its surface, a very simple dish of chickpeas, lentils, macaroni and rice, but when combined with tomato sauce, vinegar and spices, it transforms into the food of the Pharaohs! You can find this popular street food everywhere in Egypt. I don’t have a specific spot to recommend, but I would suggest any place that isn’t in the heart of the tourist areas.

Antarctica

Duck: Sadly, Antarctica is the one continent I haven’t crossed off my list yet, but I’m told that duck is served for hearty lunches and is the most popular poultry in the region.

How many of these dishes have you already tried? What dishes would be on your list? Let me know at @TravelEat.Drink on Instagram. Can’t wait to see your suggestions! •

Koshari in Egypt

Men Suffer Too!

The day I considered taking my own life started relatively normal, especially since consuming dangerous amounts of drugs had become my new normal . However, this time felt different, and as I began to come down from my high, previous ideations of suicide became increasingly difficult to ignore. Due to my depression, I had struggled with suicidal thoughts before, but in the past, it was just a cryptic thought; there wasn’t a voice telling me to do it. Unfortunately, when drugs are involved, your mind goes to dark places. I didn’t know at that moment, and perhaps it was the confusion of grappling with several emotions at once, but that night would drastically change the trajectory of my life.

I was introduced to my depression in high school, but because mental health wasn’t yet mainstream, I didn’t identify as being depressed; I thought I was going through a period of sadness and assumed everyone silently dealt with the same thing. To me, depression was like what you see in commercials; people sitting in dark rooms, crying, and unable to leave their homes because of their crippling mental state. My circumstance didn’t seem as extreme as the people in the commercials, so I couldn’t be depressed, or at least that’s what I thought.

As a kid, growing up, I often felt ostracized – like I didn’t fit in anywhere. I’m biracial, which came with its own set of challenges, and to add to that, in middle school, it became very apparent that I was attracted to boys. Because of this, I became the brunt of many cruel taunts. However, it was the treatment at home that affected me the most. Although my parents loved me, that love sometimes came with conditions, and unfortunately, being gay was a condition they couldn’t condone. Feeling judged at home, school, church, and basically every other aspect of life caused me to hate myself, making depression nearly inevitable.

It’s OK to Not be Ok

By Jarred Denzel Keller

Despite being aware of my mental health struggles, I didn’t realize how much I carried childhood trauma with me into adulthood, but when the pandemic hit, I would soon find out. I was on a Lexapro regimen and attended regular therapy sessions, but still buried my head in the sand regarding what was causing the depression in the first place – because of that, I continued to put a band-aid on an open wound. The pandemic forced me to sit alone with my thoughts, and truthfully, the thoughts scared me to the point that I began using an endless stream of drugs to distract myself. Until that point in my life, drugs were recreational only, but I became a full-blown addict during the pandemic, which caused my depression to spiral further.

When you come down off a drug as intense as crystal meth, you don’t return to your baseline – you become overwhelmingly depressed and every traumatic moment you’ve experienced reemerges. That night, there was a voice in my head telling me life was too much, that I couldn’t do it anymore, and that killing myself would make all the pain go away. I recall saying out loud, “but I don’t want to die,” as if I was trying to convince myself that it was actually true, that I wanted to live even though deep down, a part of me did not believe it. I’m not sure if I really wanted to live or was too scared to go through with killing myself, but thankfully, the part of me that wanted to live prevailed that night!

Even though I still struggle at times, after that experience, I was forced to be honest with myself about my mental health. It was one of the scariest nights of my life, but it’s what I needed to begin my healing journey. I am now on a mission to use my social media platforms to help other people improve their mental health, and I share my personal journey with depression and anxiety to do so.

I encourage anyone struggling with their mental health to share their story because you never know who needs to hear it. •

MISSION STATEMENT: Men Suffer Too! is a growing movement that is established by Dr. Leslie Rogers to create awareness around men and mental health/illness. The purpose of the Men Suffer Too! Campaign is to encourage open dialogue around mens medical and mental health without fear of judgement, and to use these discussions as safe platforms to reduce stigmas. Normalizing communications around mental health has many benefits, to include engagement in services when needed and aiding in building healthy relationships. Our end goal is to serve as models and voices of both men and male youth toward recognizing that, "It's Okay To Not Be Okay"; and, more importantly, it's okay to speak up and out about mental health experiences.

THE VETS’ CORNER

A Collaborative Approach to Understanding EMDR

Sponsored by Mental Health Talk, LLC

Welcome back to the Vets’ Corner! The below article is geared toward eliciting awareness around a relatively new therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), that was originally created to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-PTSD.

What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a type of therapy that focuses on the individual’s present concerns. It is an approach that updates disturbing experiences by alternating between sets of eye movements and brief reports about what the individual is noticing in that moment. This alternating process helps the person update his/her memories to a healthier present perspective. Retrieved from: https://emdrconsulting. com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2020EMDR-Brochure.pdf (December 11, 2022)

Is EMDR an effective treatment?

While many theorists deem EMDR a safe and effective evidence-based approach to treating PTSD, others contend that there is simply not enough long-term research to support its effectiveness (Retrieved from: https://alphamindbraincenters. com/why-is-emdr-therapy-controversial (December 11, 2022).

In addition, and according to the Alpha Mind Brain Center, there are also potential side effects of EMDR that include vivid dreams, heightened sensitivity to emotions and physical sensations, lightheadedness, anxiety, and headaches that tend to subside after a few sessions into treatment.

Individuals are encouraged to notify their clinician if side effects occur so that modifications can take place if needed.

Supporters of EMDR and its usefulness postulate its benefits for not only PTSD or other trauma related disorders, but bipolar disorders, psychosis, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and eating disorders (Retrieved from: https://www. healthline.com/health/emdr-therapy, December 11, 2022).

Who should I seek for EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is facilitated by licensed mental health professionals who are trained and approved by the American Psychological Association (APA), or other approved mental health licensing organizations to use as a therapy treatment.

What does EMDR involve?

There are eight phases of EMDR therapy that involve the following:

History & Treatment Planning: Therapist interviews the client in detail to understand the client’s readiness for therapy and determines if EMDR is an appropriate therapy.

Preparation: Therapist helps the client understand the process of EMDR, define terms, prepares for trauma reprocessing by teaching preparation visualizations, and helps the client set reasonable expectations.

Assessment: Therapist works with client to identify a target memory for the session

Desensitization: Therapist works with client to target identified memories during desensitization

Installation: Client works to integrate positive beliefs into mental schema

Body Scan: Client scans body for any residual stress, tension, or residual disturbance, which are then reprocessed.

Closure: Client leaves target memories behind and reprocessing is complete. Therapist works with the client to return to a state of calm without lingering traumatic thoughts or sensations.

Reevaluation: Client and therapist evaluate therapeutic outcome. The reevaluation phase is an integral part of EMDR therapy and considers the client’s progress and ongoing treatment needs.

In conclusion, although there is some debate about EMDR, it has been shown to be a safe and empirically effective approach to treating a number of concerns. There are also other evidenced-based approaches to treating Trauma-related disorders that include, Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). •

Resources:

Mental Health Talk (Retrieved from: www.mentalhealthtalk.live (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=tLrmZXheY5c (December 11, 2022)

EMDR Consulting, LLC. (Retrieved from: https://emdrconsulting.com/wp-content/ uploads/2020/09/2020-EMDR-Brochure.pdf (December 11, 2022)

Psychology Today (https://www.gov.gg/CHttpHandler. ashx?id=121334&p=0 (December 11, 2022) Retrieved from: https://alphamindbraincenters.com/whyis-emdr-therapy-controversial (December 11, 2022)

MISSION STATEMENT: Mental Health Talk was established to create ongoing discussions around mental health with a goal of decreasing myths and stigmas. We are committed to the wellness of individuals, their families, and the community through creating awareness around prevention, intervention, treatment, and education. Our end goal is to encourage engagement with mental health professionals as a means of addressing untreated mental illness.

A Personal Story of Mental Adversity, Healing, & Recovery: MY STORY

By Rob Redziniak, Proud Veteran

Acouple of years ago I wrote an article titled, Leadership Survival Tips on Compassion Fatigue, Time Management, and SelfCare. This article was about my personal experience with compassion fatigue and burnout, and how I was able to recognize that I needed to take a knee. At the time, I had noticed that there were many people that were in the same boat as me, so I wanted to openly talk about the experience

in order to help others. Fast forward a few years, I’ve decided to share more because even though I was on the right path, there actually turned out to be more to the story. In the closing of that article, I ended on the note of encouraging the use of Military Family Life Counselors (MFLC), Chaplains, and Military OneSource as resources. Although all were helpful resources, I realized that I needed more intensive help. As my story continued, my family and I concluded that they weren’t the right resource for me in getting well again.

I wrote the above article in 2020 after having panic attacks, depression, high anxiety, sleep issues, and all the symptoms of stress that you could ever imagine. My ability to function as my normal self was diminished so badly that I was in survival mode for a couple of years.

Here is my story

I have been through a lot of hardships, but I’ve always found a way to bounce forward. However, my shared experiences below were

more of a challenge due to what I endured on a daily basis in all areas of my life, including issues with relationships, work, finances, health, social, and more. To say that when it rains, it pours and I needed clinical help to become unstuck and move forward.

At the time, I was a first Sergeant in the United States Air Force. I learned that being an empath severely impacted me and my natural reaction was to internalize everything; the good, the bad, and the ugly, which was unhealthy. If you are familiar with an Air Force First Sergeant, the majority of the job is responding to really difficult life situations of your members and families and helping them to better days. I had found that 5 years of this and countless traumatic situations resulted in me being a shell of my former self as I bounced from one emergency to another, multiple times a day while neglecting myself.

One of the best things I did for myself during that time was to get a pup, who I named Benny the Jet after both my favorite movie, The Sandlot, and one of my wife’s favorite songs, Benny and the Jets by Elton John. Benny has been a wonderful companion and has honestly been a life saver, helping me through really rough patches due to his Vizsla [Dog breed] nature. He and I would spend countless hours hiking and having fun together while living in the moment. Benny would even accompany me to work for Benny Fridays and cheer up the folks in my unit as he grew up around the heroes of the flightline, our Maintenance community. Benny is the best friend anyone could ask for. Although Benny played a huge role in stabilizing me and keeping me in a healthy routine, it wasn’t enough help that I needed during that time frame of my life.

“To say that when it rains it pours and, I needed clinical help to become unstuck and move forward.”

“I decided to get the help I needed…

It wasn’t until I was triggered during a work situation that I knew I had to make the call”

The Call

In 2021, I decided to get the help I needed and when I say, I decided, I can say it had been suggested to me about 500 times by friends and family. It wasn’t until I was “triggered” during a work situation that I knew I had to make the call. I had it in my head that I could recover on my own, but I couldn’t, and am thankful that I did make the appointment with Mental Health. Looking back, the hardest part of this was calling for the appointment. It wasn’t telling them I needed an assist; it was just picking up the phone and surrendering myself to the help I needed and admitting I had an issue that I couldn’t solve alone. Immediately following the phone call to Mental Health, I felt a massive weight was being lifted off of my shoulders.

This isn’t working…or, at least I thought

The first 3 medications didn’t work out for me, and the Cognitive Therapy approach was taking longer than we had expected. But I was determined to not give up! It was then that the psychologist realized I was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and decided to switch to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I was officially diagnosed with PTSD and felt massive relief because I had a name to what I was experiencing, and knowing that I would be able to work better days with my Mental Health team and family. Changing medication while beginning EMDR therapy also turned out to be helpful while on my road to recovery.

EMDR

I remember the first day of EMDR therapy. The psychologist brought out this light bar and asked me what color and speed I wanted for a preference for each session going forward. I chose green because it reminded me of nature. From there, we went through creating and defining my happy place. To be frank, the first thing that popped up was the movie, Happy Gilmore. However, I knew I had to create something of my own, so I chose the mountains that I’ve explored around the world and internalized the breathtaking views from the top while surrounded by all of my loved ones. Once we dialed into my “happy place”, we would focus on using that to bring me from a 10 to a 0 on a scale that helped me remove a lot of mental barriers that were preventing me from truly being in my happy place.

I remember the first appointment like it was yesterday, showing up in uniform on edge and stressed, filling out forms that I wasn’t sure about, and waiting patiently to be seen. My first appointment was with a psychologist who was to serve as my case manager while I went through treatment. I went through an hour-long meeting with him and tried to tell him everything that was going on; but, looking back, I was in such a bad state that it came out like a messy story from a 4-year-old. In my mind, I was on a continuous loop and couldn’t get off it no matter what I did. I shared with him my sleep issues and how my body was reacting. I even shared the article that I wrote for added context of what I was going through. At the end of the appointment, I agreed to try individual therapy with a psychologist, and for a psychiatrist to prescribe me medication to help stabilize my symptoms, and to begin the process of reeling myself back in.

As we went through the process, the psychiatrist wrote down barriers as we reduced them to a minimal effect that they were having on me. It was extremely difficult because in some cases, it would bring me to some dark places that I would share. For example, like having morbid ideations or suicidal thoughts. Dark places that I’d experienced were immediately addressed with EMDR and counseling.

Healing and Recovery

What I had found to be true during the 27 intensive counseling sessions with both a psychologist and psychiatrist, was that it was a roller coaster (extreme highs and lows) but eventually turned into hills that allowed me to file the thoughts I had in my head in the appropriate internal mental folders. I remember going in and being vulnerable on all of the assessments to ensure I was on the right track, no matter how embarrassing I thought it was. Over time the marks on the assessment would go up or down depending on my situation but trended in the positive direction over the course of 8 months. I credit this to the Mental Health team, family, supervisor, and myself for digging in and not giving up on myself.

“I had to be open minded and be willing to learn how to do life differently. This meant that I had to possess a growth mindset and focus on self-care in every aspect of my life”

For me, I had to be open minded and be willing to learn how to do life differently. This meant that I had to possess a growth mindset and focus on self-care in every aspect of my life. I changed my diet and reduced alcohol intake, started taking group fitness classes for accountability, read my bible daily, went back to school for another master’s degree, shared more with the people around me, scheduled much needed medical appointments, and more. For work, I had to relearn how to handle myself better in situations and apply everything my counselors coached me to do.

Overall, all the skills applied together improved my quality of life and I am very happy that the work paid off. I am grateful for all the help I received along the way from friends, family, and the Mental Health professionals, to include my stubborn self. The team approach brought me back to life. Looking back, my only regret is not asking for help sooner, but I know to give myself grace as we are human and go at our own pace.

My words of wisdom to anyone reading this is, if you are in a tough spot and feel like you may lose something important by going to get help when you’re struggling, you may lose more by not going to get the help you deserve. Listen to your friends and family and trust that they really do care for you. After going to get this much needed help, I realized that I was important, and that the world was not better off without me. In the military, there are plenty of folks postured to help you out before a minor issue becomes a life changing event for many.

Be brave, make the call, and don’t give up! •

CHEF MARIA CAMPBELL

Food Food & More Food!

Mental Health Talk had an opportunity to catch up with Chef Maria Campbell. A Chef and Chef Educator, based out of Philadelphia, PA, she describes her culinary style as Sweet & Savory. Maria is a mental health advocate in the Food & Beverage sector, helping hospitality and creative professionals with project and logistics management. She and her husband Scott cofounded Cooks Who Care (CWC), which is an organization dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of people working in the Food & Beverage industries. The Cooks Who Care Community Cookbook is a compilation of recipes shared by chefs, beverage professionals and health experts who are committed to supporting mental health advocacy. It is available on Amazon.com.

MHT: What was your inspiration behind becoming a chef?

Chef Campbell: I was seeking a career where I could think creatively and outside of the box. I’ve always felt that I had a creative spirit. What I didn’t know is how much I’d love culinary; that is, until I found a program in Catskills, NY at Delhi College. It wasn’t until my second year of the associates program that I fell in love with the art of culinary. So, I stayed with it and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management.

Later, I honed my culinary techniques, explored the world through food, and learned innovative preparations developed by generations of people around the globe. It was a career filled with opportunities for creative problem solving. I encountered the many obstacles that occur when you cater to guests and work in a variety of dining spaces; but, I was eager to constantly learn and grow as a culinarian.

MHT: What steps were involved in accomplishing this goal?

Chef Campbell: A chef encouraged me to get more involved in extracurricular activities, culinary clubs and study groups. I also connected with a traveling 5-person competition team through the American Culinary Federation. I practiced techniques, mise en place and menu planning outside of full-time classes, working 3 days a week with a team to learn how to prepare a 4-course meal. I loved the challenge. I loved the climb. I had a great chef and mentor as I learned everything; from how to set up mobile kitchens in a tradeshow setting to how to improve my knife skills.

MHT: Were your family (i.e., parents, spouse, friends) supportive during this journey?

Chef Campbell: When I was heading into my first year of college, it was a difficult time. Just around high school graduation, I was kicked out of my home. At the time, I was unaware of the emotional challenges I had experienced as a teenager when I interacted with my mother. She was a single parent and had custody rights for my sister and me. All I knew was that my home life was inconsistent and tumultuous at times, and back then disconnected. I felt I didn’t have a place to call home. I was searching for a purpose, a positive way to express myself to give my energy to something meaningful that brought joy. I made friends along the way who were incredibly fun and understanding.

MHT: Is the process of becoming a chef challenging?

Chef Campbell: Some say training in school isn’t how you earn the title “chef.” It’s a hybrid of built experiences through exposure to different places and leaders with their unique style. It’s through time and repetition that skills become automatic. Then, you can build upon the foundations of what you learned from everyone. You determine what you want to keep and what you want to shed. It’s through this experience you learn more about yourself, how you care about food & beverage, and how you care about living your life. It’s then that your own values shine. It’s a refining process to develop your creativity with attention to detail.

MHT: Were there struggles or experiences with mental health? If so, how did you cope?

Chef Campbell: I discovered that I do not have a stop button when it comes to working. When you are in the industry, you’re praised for eternal ambition. What I didn’t realize until I was pregnant with my son, was that pushing through would determine a different result. I was coaching a student to pay forward mentorship I received in college, and found out I had pneumonia (for the 2nd time) and it was a danger where I had to be on bedrest.This was the first time that I had to stop and consider not only myself, but the baby I was carrying. This was not the first or the last time that I ignored my needs, so much that it had affected my health. This experience also made me consider what was behind my emotions. For example, what was the true reason behind me needing to work so hard and not allowing myself to rest. Needless to say, my choice to engage in therapy helped me to uncover a lot of questions and answers about myself. At the same time, it also taught me how to self-reflect on my thoughts and emotions to further this new found understanding.

MHT: How do you create a work-life balance as a spouse and mother?

Chef Campbell: Balance feels like too much pressureespecially for working parents and spouses/partners. I prefer the idea of work-life harmony. It’s more realistic, considering the “do it all” mentality, how we are “always on” juggling tasks, obligations, responsibilities, expectations of ourselves and others. Our lives are complex.

After my father died of a sudden heart attack 6 months after I was married, I learned quickly at 26, time is finite. You can never get it back. I like to be mindful of how I harmonize my energy with my BHAG [Big Hairy Audacious Goal] and plan quality time with my family. It’s important to design impromptu activities even if it’s to and from obligations. Some days I am taking play breaks when I can’t peel away from the computer or Zoom calls to be with Jaden, my son, while I’m working remotely from home. I find ways to include my son as I travel to appointments with restaurant clients. He has helped us stage food & beverage photoshoots and I am happy to give him independent, creative tasks to assist, instead of sitting in a corner. I ensure I talk directly to him when he’s around me and other adults. As a mom, I have conversations in small and big ways. Sometimes it’s in the 40 minute car ride sharing [silly stories], making up characters or taking turns picking songs on my Music app so I can learn what he likes. Sometimes we just make up totally different words to sing melodies of songs. He loves that one! Believe me, I have visions to do life in different ways with my family, but I invest my energy where I can and be present

when I can. Once the other time frees up and projects and work lessen, I plan different activities that are more involved or learning explorations, and put less guilt on myself for not balancing as the world says I should.

MHT: Were there times when you and your spouse had to sacrifice goals for each other? If so, did this cause relational conflict? How was the conflict resolved? (i.e., compromises, etc.) Chef Campbell: My husband and I are both chefs. We had an off-premise catering business together and I loved working with him, and my father-in-law. He later wanted to lead a Country Club and I wanted him to jump on the opportunity. I was working at a culinary school as a chef educator on nights and weekends to help round out our experiences, joy and lifestyle. At first, I just found things to invest my time in, attended family events on his behalf and filled him in on what he missed. Five years into our marriage, we decided to have a child. It did grow more challenging and finding ways to work full-time and be present grew harder. I stepped down to part-time for a while to not miss my son’s youngest years. Once he was school age it became easier to work again and I resumed full-time positions. I also started my own consulting business, Imagine Impact LLC, to allow flexibility, creativity, project management and collaboration.

Scott (my husband) and I were able to work together again with our mental health and food industry advocacy group, Cooks Who Care. Also, my husband stepped down from being the chef of another country club so he could get to know our son, who was six at the time. It was a challenge for sure. My son told him “mommy tells me what to do, not you,” when he tried to add firm input. We had to make a values list to put on the fridge so we could share the parenting duties, guidance and boundary setting.

MHT: What kind of chef do you identify as? (i.e., pastry, savory, vegan, personal, etc.).

Chef Campbell: I am a chef educator who likes to do savory and pastry preparations. I enjoy creating events, and designing memorable experiences for all to enjoy and feel great about. My heart has always been in teaching and mentoring. I am obsessed with helping others.

MHT: Lastly, what advice would you give rising chefs?

Chef Campbell: Get to know yourself for the rest of your life. Learn your desires, what’s behind them, your needs, how to express them then build a life filled with social connection and exploration of food and drink. Grow through each experience, and when things are hard, reach out to others because you are never alone on this journey. •

During a drive home from Nashville, TN in May [2022], my BFF and I decided to stop through Knoxville, TN at a pet store that we saw from the highway. “Only to take a look,” she said. Well, needless to say, she walked out with an 8-weekold Pomapoo, and I walked out with an 8-week-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi. As I walked toward the car, I thought to myself, “What on earth was I thinking?” But I could not resist those adorable eyes…could you?

Please allow me to introduce Chaise, my now 9-month-old fur baby. Chaise is the sweetest little thing. He is so cute, cuddly, and adorable! Before now, I had only heard of the Corgi breed being owned by the late Queen Elizabeth.

I must admit, I was a bit nervous about what I had gotten myself into. One of my hesitations was purchasing a pet from a pet store. I’ve heard a lot of horror stories. “Would he become ill?” or “Would I have issues in the future?” These were only a few of

Special Topic

My Pet, Your Pet, Our Pet

My personal journey as a new puppy owner

By Dr. Leslie Rogers

my concerns. Welp, unbeknownst to me, he was very ill when we arrived home. He had a hoarse cough that persisted during the day, throughout the night, and he could hardly move. He looked very ill. During his first visit with the veterinarian, I found that he had a severe case of kennel cough.

According to the American Kennel Club, Kennel Cough (also known as canine infectious tracheobronchitis) is a highly contagious respiratory disease. Dogs commonly contract kennel cough at places where large amounts of canines congregate, such as boarding and daycare facilities, dog parks, training groups, and dog shows. Dogs can spread it to one another through airborne droplets, direct contact (e.g., touching noses), or contaminated surfaces (including water/food bowls). It’s highly treatable in most dogs but can be more severe in puppies younger than six months of age and immunocompromised dogs. (Retrieved from www.aka.org , 12/02/2022)

He was quickly treated with an antibiotic, and soon recovered. According to the veterinarian, if I had not purchased him when I had, he likely would not have survived.

Another concern of mine was, as a business owner, I travel often and could see this potentially interfering with me being able to spend quality time with Chaise. However, this has not been the case at all. An advantage of being an entrepreneur is that he can travel with me…and he travels with me everywhere!

Temperament

• Active, playful, high energy

• Spoiled rotten

• For sure a lap dog

• Very obedient, loyal

• Mild tempered

Potty Training

Very easy to potty train to mats, and then outdoors. I think he was trained to the mat about two to three months into me bringing him home. Transitioning to the outdoors was a breeze. Not to say that accidents did not happen; especially, when he would be upstairs, and the matts were downstairs.

Behavior

He is a chewer, and chews on everything!

Diet

• I chose to cook meals for Chaise that consist of chicken, turkey, pork, white rice, Green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and other things that I’d research would be good food options.

• Multivitamin

• Salmon Oil

Grooming

• High shed dog

• Should brush daily

• Easy to bathe

Overall care: 5 stars

Mental Health – I can easily understand why animals, especially dogs, are considered good companions. Since Chaise became a part of my family, I see significant improvements in my overall mood. I am less anxious, and my tolerance level has greatly increased. For example, when I am overwhelmed with work, or something doesn’t go exactly as planned, I am not immediately consumed with sadness or frustration. I am more mentally calm and relaxed; especially, when I am around Chaise. He wakes me up in the mornings, he checks in on me every chance he gets, and he shows unconditional love. He is the absolute best!

Although I have no regrets about bringing baby Chaise home, caring for him is a lot of busy work and takes dedication. It is like starting over as a parent and having to raise an infant, to now a toddler, and so forth. Luckily, I have a partner who loves him as much as I do, and Chaise splits his time between both of our homes. This has been a tremendous help. Funny, yet true story; My friend would always say, “I would never get a small dog and have never been interested in raising one.” Now it’s, “Why don’t you just let him stay here full time?” After seeing this picture, what do you all think?

If pets are your thing, or you are considering becoming an owner, I encourage you to do research to determine what animal would be a good fit for you and/or you and your family. Owning a pet should be a long-term commitment. Unfortunately, many owners purchase pets without fully understanding what is involved. This often results in abandoning the pet or giving the animal away. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA; December 2022), nearly 3.1 million dogs are abandoned each year in America (Retrieved from: https:// healthyhomemadedogtreats.com/how-

many-dogs-are-abandoned-each-year/ Did you know that Pet problems are the most common reason that owners rehome their pets, accounting for 47% of rehomed dogs and 42% of rehomed cats? Pet problems were defined as problematic behaviors, aggressive behaviors, grew larger than expected, or health problems the owner couldn’t handle. (Retrieved from: https://www.aspca.org/helpingpeople-pets/shelter-intake-and-surrender/ pet-statistics, 12/02/2022).

Lastly, each year, approximately 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized (390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats). This being said, please be sure you have a complete understanding of the breed that you are considering, characteristics of that breed, and the reason behind purchasing or adopting a pet that may also help with decision making. •

Healing for the Mind Body & Soul

The World is Our Mirror

By Jean-Paul Pham, Pham Consulting International LP, General Partner

We aren’t always willing to admit that the world we perceive tells us so much about ourselves. Have you ever thought, “If only I could do what they did …” or “I have never done that and never will …”?

If memories rush to your mind like me then understanding and applying the Law of Reflection or the Law of the Mirror will open your awareness to perceive a whole new world right before your very eyes.

The Law of Reflection basically states:

Everything we perceive that we admire or resent in others or the world, are reflections of the parts of ourselves that we have disowned and don’t recognize, appreciate and love.

When I hated my neighbor for calling me names, it’s me seeing myself in the mirror that I call people names too. But I disown that and pretend like I never or rarely do it.

The deeper truth is:

I too call people names to the same degree in my own way. The intensity of my hatred matches the intensity of how I ignore and reject my way of calling people names.

When I admire a mentor of mine for his amazing communication skills, it’s me seeing myself in the mirror that I too communicate well. But I disown that and pretend like I never or rarely communicate.

The deeper truth is:

I too communicate skillfully to the same degree in my own way. The intensity of my admiration matches the intensity of how I ignore or reject my way of communicating.

So when we fully own our reflection by recognizing when, where, and how we express the same behaviors, we stop putting people above us, or below us. We’d recognize that they, beyond our perceptions, are just human beings, journeying through life on their own path.

One practical way of using the Law of Reflection is appreciating oneself and loving oneself. The behaviors we perceive

in others and that we are triggered by, are invitations to look at ourselves through people. When we fully reflect and recognize how we use those behaviors too, we learn to love that part of ourselves. After all, how can we truly, deeply, and meaningfully love ourselves, and at the same time ask the world to love us for who we are when we spend most our time trying to get rid of half of ourselves?

Another practical way to use the Law of Reflection is to better understand the people around us. Listen carefully how they describe, praise or complain about you, others or the world. Especially when they are charged. You can replace who they are talking about by their name.

For example, John says, “Jack is a …”. You can also understand “John is a …” and now you’ll know how John perceives himself unconsciously in the depth of his inner world.

Either way, we grow in self-awareness, self-worth and selflove. With that growth, we are spontaneously inspired to invest our energy and effort to tackle the struggles and challenges to shape our authentic dreams, visions, and missions into our reality; and thus, live a more fulfilling life.

To learn more, you can contact International Coach Jean-Paul Pham, General Partner of Pham Consulting International LP at https://linktr.ee/phamconsulting. •

Personal Experience

Living with Cushing’s Disease

By Dr. N. Karen Thames, Licensed Clinical Psychologist Founder & Executive Director, Empowering People with Invisible Chronic Illness - The EPIC Foundation

Life was good! In fact, life was great! I got married to the love of my life on October 20th, 2001. Then we had a beautiful little girl in 2002. My husband and I both earned our graduate degrees in 2005. My husband earned a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. I earned my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and was growing my clinical practice specializing in trauma. I loved my work and life!

In October 2006, my life was turned upside down when I gained 30 pounds in 30 days! I knew this was not normal at all, but all of my doctors kept insisting that it must be something that I was doing to myself. In January 2010, to my surprise, I learned that I was miraculously pregnant with our second daughter. I was so sick during that pregnancy that my OBGYN told me that “my only job was to sit still and wait to have the baby.” I gave birth to a healthy baby girl four weeks early. Little did I know then, how much of a miracle she was.

During the latter part of my pregnancy, while flipping through channels on television, I came across a Cushing’s disease episode on the health TV show, Mystery Diagnosis. I knew right away that this diagnosis fit everything I had been experiencing. The symptoms of Cushing’s almost took my life. Cushing’s Disease is caused by a tiny, microscopic tumor that is located on the brain’s pituitary gland, producing excess Cortisol that wreaks havoc on the body. Cortisol is your fight or flight hormone, and we need Cortisol to survive. However, too much of it can and will kill you! I gained 150 pounds in one and a half years; I had an onset of diabetes, high blood

pressure, high cholesterol, loss of strength in my arms and legs, and ultimately became bedridden. If left untreated, Cushing’s is fatal! So, I was grateful to have brain surgery in Seattle, Washington, at their neuroscience institute on November 16th, 2011. Recovery from surgery took one year and I am grateful to have survived!

One year after my brain surgery, a recurrence of Cushing’s was confirmed. For several reasons, another brain surgery was not a viable option. As a last resort, both of my adrenal glands were removed on August 21st, 2013, essentially trading one disease for another on the opposite end of the spectrum. I am now adrenally insufficient for life, which means that my body cannot produce the life sustaining hormone, cortisol, at all. Now, on a maintenance dose, I still have to take extra cortisol during times of physical or emotional stress, to prevent my body from going into shock. Many people have tragically lost their lives to adrenal crisis so every day, I fight to live!

I made the empowered and conscious choice to take my adversity and turn it into an opportunity to walk in my purpose and to give back. The mantra in our household is “Never Give Up!”

In November 2016, I founded a 501C3 nonprofit organization called Empowering People with Invisible Chronic Illness (EPIC) Foundation also known as The EPIC Foundation.

I am thrilled and excited to be a voice for those who feel that they do not have a voice! I was once told that visualization is ten times more powerful than will power! I always had the will to start a nonprofit. The VISION, though, is the reason why I finally gave birth to The EPIC Foundation because I believe that Together, WE are EPIC! •

A note from Dr. Philip Agrios

Your Business Breakthrough Specialist

Is Winter Burning You Out? For some, winter is a time for joy, outdoor sports and cozying up in front of the fireplace with loved ones. For others, it’s three months of living hell dealing with the flu, shorter and colder days with less sunlight. I see some of my clients get down on themselves during these months. However, I tell them that their decrease in productivity may not be solely behavioral, but also chemical.

This article is to create awareness of emotional and behavior changes that may be affected by chemical imbalances within your body, such as with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), serotonin deficiency, and vitamin D deficiency. This article will also create insight on the importance of sunlight at reducing SAD symptoms, and toward creating a chemical balance within your body.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a well-documented disorder that occurs with the change of the season usually beginning in autumn and winter and is relieved in spring and summer. It’s considered to be a sub-type of depression because the symptoms closely mimic depression. Symptoms of SAD

can involve a disruption in sleeping patterns, low motivation, irritability, difficulty in concentration, anxiety, feelings of worthlessness, and even suicidal thoughts. Sunlight is one of the solutions to reducing SAD symptoms as it helps to modulate melatonin (a hormone in our brain that naturally enhances sleep), and serotonin levels.

Did you know that low serotonin levels can be exacerbated by a lack of sunlight? Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that also affects memory, mood, emotions, digestion, and appetite, and low levels of serotonin has been linked to leaky gut syndrome and stress.

Fun fact! About 95% of serotonin and more than 50% of dopamine are synthesized in the gut. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that’s involved in pleasure, thinking, focus and many other functions.

Sunlight is not only an important aspect of serotonin, but it stimulates the production of vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin that is responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of

calcium, magnesium, and phosphate. Vitamin D is found to be significantly decreased in the winter months, especially in the northern latitudes. Chronic inflammation can cause many devastating conditions and can run rampant with vitamin D deficiency. According to Zhou and Hypponen (2022), the correction of low vitamin D status may reduce chronic inflammation.

Take-a-ways

1. Sunlight is vital for our medical health, mental health, and total well-being as it reduces symptoms of SAD, helps to stabilize serotonin levels, and stimulates the production of vitamin D.

2. Low levels of serotonin can affect memory, mood, emotions, digestion, and appetite. Low levels have been linked to leaky gut syndrome and stress.

3.Chronic inflammation that potentially results from a vitamin D deficiency can be decreased by limiting intake of sugary foods and drinks. Research tends to support that sugary foods and drinks are unhealthy and cause changes to the microbial make-up of the gut.

4. Sunlight and vitamin D deficiency can impact mood and behavior, especially during winter months. It should be noted that medications can also affect mood and behavior so check with your doctor to see if these may also be a source of your symptoms.

It is always a good idea to consult with medical providers to assess vitamin levels and make recommendations to support good medical and mental health.

Whether it is in winter or other seasons, consider both chemical and behavioral implications if your emotional or physical states are not optimal. These need to be addressed by qualified health practitioners for you to be successful in having different experiences in your next winter months. •

Resource: Zhou A, Hyppönen E. (2022). Vitamin D deficiency and C-reactive protein: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study. Int J Epidemiol. 2022 doi: 10.1093/ije/ dyac087.

DID YOU KNOW

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness for people over age 60? Blindness from glaucoma can often be prevented with early detection and treatment. Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve, which connects your eye to your brain allowing you to see. Some people have a higher risk of developing glaucoma such as those with family histories, and those of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage. Talk to an Ophthalmologist about your risk for getting glaucoma.

Dr. Isa Mohammed, M.D. Ophthalmologist Kalyani Eye Care Hanover, MD

NATIONAL RESOURCE LISTING

RESOURCE LISTING

Practice: Absolute Counseling Services, LLC (Psypact: No)

Provider: Veronica B. Mejia MA, LPC-S

Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor - Supervision

Specialty: Adolescent | Adult, Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ADHD, Autism), Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar, OCD, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Substance-related and Addictive Disorders, Eating Disorders, Life Transitions, Trauma | PTSD (Contact us for additional services offered)

Language(s): English, Spanish

Location: Uvalde, Tx (Remote | Telehealth for Texas residents)

Phone: 210-284-3544

Email: absolutecounseling180@gmail.com

Website: https:headway.co/providers/veronica-mejia

Practice: Antonio Rosales – LPC-S (Psypact: No)

Provider: Antonio Rosales – LPC-S

Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor - Supervision Specialty: Child | Adolescent | Adult | LGBTQ+, Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ADHD, Autism), Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorders, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Marriage & Family Counseling, Trauma | PTSD, SubstanceRelated and Addictive Disorders, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Anger Management, Career Counseling (Contact us for additional services offered)

Languages: English, Spanish

Location: Remote Only (Texas)

Phone: 915-218-1510

Email: arcs54@aol.com

Website: https://headway.co/providers/antonio-rosales

Practice: Ari Lowell, PhD (Psypact: TN, NY, AL, AZ, AR, CO, DE, WDC, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MD, MN, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, OH, OK, PA, TN, TX, UT, WA, WV, & WI.)

Provider: Ari Lowell, PhD

Credentials: Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Specialty: Individual | Couples, Trauma | PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Military | Veterans | First responders, Life Transitions (Contact us for additional services offered)

Location: Telehealth only | Self-Pay Only

Phone: 901-609-5967

Email: drarilowell@gmail.com

Website: www.drarilowell.com

Practice: Flores Counseling Services (Psypact: No)

Provider: Branda Flores, NBCC, LPC

Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor

Specialty: (Contact us for additional services offered)

Languages: English | Spanish

Location: 866 Willow Tree Circle, Cordova, TN 38018

Phone: 901-410-6466

Email: FloresCounselingServices@gmail.com

Website: www.FloresCounselingServices.com

Practice: Frontlines Wellness Center (Psypact: No)

Provider: Multiple Licensed Providers - LPC | LCSW

Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor | Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Specialty: Child | Adolescent | Adult, Individual | Couple | Family | Group, Depression, Anxiety, Trauma | PTSD, Military | Veteran | First Responder (Contact us for additional services offered)

Specialty Populations (DELETED)

Location: 2865 Summer Oaks Drive, Suite 101, Bartlett, TN 38134 (Virtual | Office)

Phone: 901-249-0792

Email: frontdesk@frontlineswc.com

Website: www.frontlineswc.com

Practice: Gihon Counseling Solutions (Psypact: No)

Provider: LaTraci Aldridge, PhD, NCC

Credentials: Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Specialty: Adolescent | Adult, Individual | Coupes, Depression, Grief Counseling, Life transitions, (Contact us for additional services offered)

Location: 4646 Poplar Ave, Ste 325, Memphis TN 38117

Phone: 901-303-8716

Email: laldridge@gihoninc.com

Website: www.gihoncounselingsolutions.com

NATIONAL RESOURCE LISTING

Practice: The Juniper Center (Psypact: AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, DE, DC, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NV, OH, OK, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV)

Provider: N. Karen Thames, PsyD

Credentials: Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Specialty: Depressive Disorders, Anxiety, Trauma | PTSD, Marital Therapy, Personality Disorders, Chronic Illnesses, Women’s Empowerment, Faith based counseling (Contact us for services offered)

Location: 1440 Renaissance Dr., Suite 320, Park Ridge, IL 60068

(Telehealth only)

Phone: 847-759-9110 Ext 1

Email: karenthames@thejunipercenter.com

Website: https://www.thejunipercenter.com/our-staff/n-karenthames/

Website: www.epictogether.org

Practice: Reed Counseling and Consulting, LLC

(Psypact: MS, TN)

Provider: Jessica Reed, LPC-MHSP, NCC, Ed.S, BC-TMH

Provider: Tammy Synder, LPC-T

Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor – Mental Health Service Provider

Specialty: Child | Adolescent | Adult | LGBTQIA+, Individual |

Couples | Family, | Group, Anger | Stress management, (Contact us for additional services offered)

Location: 5699 Getwell Rd, Ste 3, Bldg. E, Southaven, MS 38672

(Virtual | Office)

Phone: 910-610-1720

Email: info@reedcounseling.com

Website: www.reedcounseling.com

Practice: Speaking of Your Success (Psypact: No)

Provider: Michael Towers, CAC-AD

Credentials: Certified Associate Counselor – Alcohol and Drug

Specialty: Mental Health | Addictions

Location: 3203 Hilltop Ave., Halethorpe, MD 21227

Phone: 443-540-5109

Email: michael@speakingofyoursuccess.com

Website: www.speakingofyoursuccess.com

Practice: Tampa Therapy and Wellness (Psypact: No)

Provider: Dr. Rosana Marzullo-Dove, PsyD

Credentials: Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Specialty: Couples and Adults: Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, LGBTQ+, Relationships (Contact us for additional services offered)

Location: 900 W Platt St S. 202 Tampa, FL 33606

Phone: (813) 530-5180

Email: tampatherapywellness@gmail.com

Website: www.TampaTherapyWellness.com

Practice: True North Counseling (Psypact: No)

Provider: Jim Schlinsog, PhD LPC-MHSP

Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor – Mental Health Service Provider

Specialty: Depression, Anxiety, Marriage and Family Counseling, Relationships | Parenting | transition, Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders , Career Counseling (Contact us for additional services offered)

Location: 2932 Altruria Road, Bartlett TN 38134 (Virtual | Office)

Phone: 901-451-9809

Email: drjimcounseling@gmail.com

Website: https://truenorthheals.com

Practice: Willed by Wellness Counseling and Consulting LLC (Psypac: No)

Provider: Courtney Williams, PhD

Credentials: Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Specialty: 13+, Black Girls | Women, Athletes, Depression, Anxiety (Contact us for additional services offered)

Other: DBT, EMDR

Location: 1410 17th Ave South, Nashville TN 32203

Phone: 615-601-2175

Email: courtney.williams@willedbywellness.com

Website: https://willedbywellness.com/

Disclaimer: Mental Health Talk does not affiliate with, or endorse, the hiring or use of any service, entity, or individual listed in the National Resource Listing. Resources are provided for informational purposes only, Readers are encouraged to do their due diligence when selecting mental health services to ensure that proper services are received.