Watershed Voice columnist Steph Hightree writes about mental health and parenting in this week’s #MomLife.
Anxiety
In order to better understand the local impact, the support systems that are available, and the gaps in the system in the greater Kalamazoo community, the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative’s Mental Wellness Project held a forum with experts in the field.
In this episode, Shan & Hogey discuss the main villain for the upcoming MCU movie Thor: Love and Thunder. This episode is also part 1 of a 3 part series on various mental health disorders tied to different Marvel Comics characters. Lisha McCurry of Screen Tea Podcast joins us to discuss trauma, depression, PTSD, and anxiety.
Doug and Alek are joined by Watershed Voice Columnist Haley Hogoboom (Haley Homemaker) to discuss Lady Gaga‘s recent harrowing experience, how to gain confidence in the kitchen, do it yourself remodeling, their favorite cooking and baking shows, and the art of being your spouse’s brand manager.
WSV’s Steph Hightree writes, “This past summer I finally started letting my daughter stay home by herself. I would be lying if I said I don’t think of every possible thing that could go wrong before I leave the house though. When does protecting them too much start to hinder their growth process? Has worry and fear taken over my life? Am I putting my child’s happiness in a bottle and locking it up until they are old enough to move out of the house? Am I taking away their ability to become risk takers or confidant adventurers all because I let my fear and worry take over my life? I think the answer is yes, at least a little bit.”
The U.S. had a mental health professional shortage before the pandemic, and Southwest Michigan was no exception. Every county in Southwest Michigan had been designated as a mental health professionals shortage area by the Healthcare Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
WSV’s Steph Hightree writes, “I am a big supporter of taking medication to help with one’s mental health and other health related issues. I wouldn’t be able to function without mine. But my daughter is feeling some shame with hers. She feels like something is wrong with her because she has to take medicine. So how do we end this stigma? Unfortunately society has not helped with this. Mental health is still not considered a health problem even though it has the word health right in its name. It is considered taboo to be depressed. People don’t like discussing or dealing with it. I’d like to end that now.”
WSV columnist and licensed psychotherapist Charles Thomas writes, “Sometimes, in the midst of a crisis, a tiny dose of compassion, and a little help keeping things in perspective can be very powerful medicine.”