Gathering a Mental Health Toolkit — before you need it! BY DA R I N HOL L I N G SWO RTH
What happens when you have worked all your life to build a coping skills toolkit and then the toolkit seems to disappear? Much of my adult life, I have managed my mental health – grief, depression, and anxiety – with a variety of tools. At times, the support and encouragement of good friends and family has been enough. Being attentive to my nutrition and physical health and fitness has been stabilizing. Sometimes the journey has required the assistance of professionals – various good therapists and medical providers who were adept in working with me to medicate when necessary or just help me stay committed to therapy. Additionally, I have read and studied some of the greatest teachers and thought leaders in mental health, positive psychology, personal development, and gratefulness. My toolkit is full. I even shared many of my tools with others. I have coached
executives and spoken to organizations to share insights about my tools and how I use them. In late May of 2018, it was as if my toolkit vanished. I was under the care of a good therapist and nurse practitioner managing some ongoing depression and anxiety issues. I had a pretty consistent gratitude practice blended with some meditation and other tools that were keeping me functional – helping me to survive. I was surviving, albeit not thriving. I was committed to my career and worked for a mission that was inspiring and kept me focused. I had friends and family near and far who were walking alongside me on the journey. On May 31, 2018, mental health turned to mental health crisis – a disabling illness that caused me to shut down, uproot my world, and keep me off work for nearly six months. Where was my toolkit? The things
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