Watershed Voice columnist and psychotherapist Charles Thomas writes, “There is ample scientific evidence that being in a healthy relationship is associated with less anxiety and stress, better general mental health, a lower risk for depression, and even longer life span.” But what constitutes a healthy relationship? Charles has answers.
Mental health
Michigan is repaying student loans for some mental health workers, a financial boost that keeps mental health workers on the job, caring for children.
Demand is high for mental health services across many agencies in Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties, and many peer supporters are ground zero — serving communities that are marginalized, diverse, and in high need.
In order to get the most from mental health care, patients need counselors who can fully understand them – from language, to culture, to the experiences of members of a marginalized community.
Teletherapy is more common than ever after the COVID-19 pandemic practically made its use a necessity. But as with most things, online therapy comes with both benefits and drawbacks.
Editor’s Note: This story includes strong language and references to suicide.
As mental-health concerns for youth rise, behavioral health consultants provide onsite counseling services to students in Battle Creek schools and across Calhoun County.
WSV columnist and limited licensed psychologist Charles Thomas writes, “While there weren’t many silver linings to the pandemic, one good thing that did happen as a result of it was that our culture developed a fresh appreciation of the importance of mental health care. But a large block of Americans has been left behind. This is in spite of the fact that they make up nearly 80% of all suicides, have fewer friendships and social connections than other groups, and are also more likely to binge drink and have substance use disorders than other groups.”
What type of support does a child need to recover from the trauma of being shot? A Kalamazoo mother is on a lonely search for that answer.
In Marianne Joynt’s new role as mental health initiatives coordinator for the district, she’s able to go wherever support is needed for staff and students and put together plans to meet their needs as best she can.
It can be hard for a kid to navigate the pitfalls of adolescence. The staff at Three Rivers Middle School wants to help. That help comes in many forms, one of which is a program called TRAILS – Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students.
This article is part of Overloaded and (Often) Unpaid, a joint solutions journalism project on caregiving and mental wellness between the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative (of which Watershed Voice is a member) and the New York and Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative, a partnership of news and community organizations dedicated to rigorous and compelling reporting about successful responses to social problems. The groups are supported by the Solutions Journalism Network.
Alek and Doug welcome poet, community activist, voice actor, author, and Watershed Voice columnist and board member Aundrea Sayrie. The long awaited interview with one of Watershed’s founding members doesn’t disappoint as Aundrea talks the origin story of Three Rivers Open Mic, her Black History Month series on WSV and why she decided to change the format this year, her ongoing health concerns and how they have changed her outlook on life, and an upcoming book she’s written about professional voice acting.
Watershed Voice columnist Aundrea Sayrie writes, “Never one to fold and knowing I am not the only one holding mixed emotions about what it means to be proud and Black, this year my focus is on highlighting sources of racial based traumatic stress, and their negative impact on the mental health of the Black community.”
A holistic approach to mental health may bring in medical, social, psychological, psychiatric, behavioral, and spiritual aspects as well as consider the lifestyle of the person. While some of these approaches may have a financial cost, many do not.
Western Michigan professors and students alike are normalizing and destigmatizing conversations around mental health in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
WSV columnist Charles Thomas recalls the “saddest Christmas” he’s ever had, and how a recent exchange with a Las Vegas taxi driver helped put into focus what Charles and many of us take for granted.
Two recent Western Michigan University graduates have formed a support group for Spanish-speaking young adults who may be thinking about or have previously thought about suicide.
If you are Spanish-speaking and are roughly in the age group of 18 to 25, the group meets every Saturday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Centerpoint City Church, 326 W. Cork St. in Kalamazoo.
#MomLife columnist Steph Hightree writes, “I love being a mother and a wife. I am happy to take care of my family. But I am also going to learn how to say no more often to allow for some me time.”