January is Mental Wellness Month!
January is Mental Wellness Month! Mental wellness is about how all aspects of our lives come together and influence our overall state of well-being. It is not just the absence of a mental illness. Mental wellness is something that we can all consistently strive for. At Miracles, we think mental wellness is important and are committed to helping you improve your well-being for a happier and healthier lifestyle.
Mental wellness affects all aspects of our lives and can determine how we act, feel, and think. Our mental wellness can also impact how we respond to stress, connect with others, and make decisions.
Because our mental wellness is determined by the ways in which different aspects of our lives come together, it is broken up into 8 dimensions. To gain a better understanding of your current state of well-being and how you can work to improve it, we will provide a breakdown of each dimension. You may realize that, while you have achieved wellness in some dimensions, other dimensions may be negatively affecting your overall wellness. These can be focus areas for personal improvement.
Emotional Wellness Our awareness, understanding, and acceptance of our emotions, as well as our ability to m
anage challenges and change. Being emotionally well allows us to identify and accept how we are feeling, then decide how we want to respond. We can express our feelings without any constraints, which leads to a happier life.
How to achieve it: Accept that emotions occur and allow them to be felt; Embrace a positive outlook; Practice mindfulness; Be grateful; Seek help from others when needed; Develop coping skills or ways to manage stress
Occupational Wellness Our ability to achieve a balance between work and leisure in a way that promotes 
enrichment and personal satisfaction. The way we feel about our work affects our overall well-being. When we do not feel a sense of enjoyment or fulfillment from our careers, we can become depressed. When we are content with our careers, we experience greater proficiency, productivity, commitment, energy, & enthusiasm.
How to achieve it: Set realistic goals and work toward them; Reflect on yourself and your needs; Seek motivating and interesting work; Practice open communication and conflict management with colleagues; Find ways to enjoy daily tasks; Focus on the positives in your job
Social Wellness How we interact with others. It is about how connected we feel to our community and our ability 
to maintain healthy relationships. It is important for us to have a supportive social network to rely on. The quality of our relationships affects our identity, self-esteem, & other dimensions of wellness. Strong social wellness also builds emotional resilience.
How to achieve it: Reflect on yourself and your social needs; Make connections; Stay in touch with supportive family and friends; Practice self-disclosure; Join a club or organization; Balance personal and social time; Create healthy boundaries.
Financial Wellness Our ability to understand and successfully mange financial expenses. Financial wellness involves being informed about financial concerns and prepared for financial changes. 
Finance is a common source of stress, anxiety, and fear. Financial wellness allows us to enjoy our lives, while living within our means. Investing in our financial wellness now can help us be prepared for future financial constraints and life’s challenges.
How to achieve it: Find your why- what motivates you financially?; Keep organized records of your finances; Plan ahead and set budget goals; Limit impulsive spending; Avoid multiple lines of credit; Don’t put it off- identify problems before they start!
Intellectual Wellness Engaging in a variety of mentally stimulating activities to 
help us organize our experiences, problem solve, think creatively and expand our knowledge. Intellectual wellness encourages learning, exploration, and curiosity. When we are curious, we are motivated to try new things, improve skill sets, challenge ourselves, and become more open-minded.
How to achieve it: Academic, cultural, and community involvement; Pick up a hobby; Travel; Explore new avenues of creativity and artistic expression; Practice critical thinking; Find practical applications for learning
Environmental Wellness Being aware of, caring about, and interacting with nature and your personal 
environment. When we are more environmentally aware, we understand how our daily habits affect the environment. Environmental wellness encourages us to respect our environment and practice healthy habits that promote a healthy environment. Feeling more in control of our environment can also reduce anxiety.
How to achieve it: Conserve energy; Recycle; Spend time outdoors; Clean up after yourself or pick up litter; Practice sustainability
Physical Wellness Taking care of our bodies for optimal health and functioning. Physical wellness involves taking 
responsibility for our own health, being more aware of our physical well-being, and establishing a routine of making healthy choices. When we are physically well, we can balance physical activity, nutrition, and our mental well-being, leading to greater energy & functioning, and a reduced risk for depression.
How to achieve it: Maintain a healthy & well-balanced diet; Visit a primary care physician for regular checkups; Maintain a regular sleep schedule; Avoid/reduce activities or substances that negatively impact your body; Exercise regularly; Learn your body’s warning signs when it starts to feel ill
Spiritual Wellness Exploring our personal values and beliefs and incorporating them into our daily lives. 
Spiritual wellness allows us to live with meaning and purpose, appreciate life experiences, and balance our inner self with the outside world. Being in tune with our spiritual selves can include believing in a religious faith, but it can also just mean learning about ourselves and how we see ourselves in the world.
How to achieve it: Explore your inner self- thoughts about who you are; Create a personal mission statement; Practice mindfulness, meditation, and/or prayer; Practice acceptance and compassion; Perform random acts of kindness, serve, or volunteer; Be curious; Look for a religious faith that you agree with
If you would like to work on a specific area in your life in order to improve your overall mental wellness, our therapists are here to help! We can help you identify the dimensions that you may be struggling with and work together to create a plan for how you can improve in these specific dimensions. We also understand that trying to balance wellness in all of these dimensions can be overwhelming and we are here to help you manage any anxiety that you may feel.
You can also follow along with us on Facebook for helpful videos and infographics related to mental wellness.
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Suicide Prevention Month, How you can help
Suicide has impacted us all and often the question is repeatedly asked: How can we prevent it? 
September is #suicidepreventionmonth. You may have come across this hashtag on social media. But what does it mean for you?
Did you know that suicide is a serious public health concern? Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. In 2018, nearly 48,000 people died by suicide and another 10.7 million adults experienced suicidal thoughts.
Suicide is tragic and can be very hard to talk about, but it is often preventable if we know what to look for and how to engage in conversations about it. Suicide prevention month exists to shed some light on the topic by raising awareness, sharing resources with those who might need them, and normalizing conversations about suicide without stigma. I want to provide you with some tips on how to recognize and respond to signs of suicidal thoughts among your loved ones.
Risk Factors
There are several risk factors that can help us identify those in our lives that are more at-risk for suicide. This does not mean that people with one of these risk factors will attempt suicide. It is just something we should be aware of. Risk factors include:
-Previous suicide attempt
-Family history of suicide
-Significant life events that may be triggering, such as relationship problems, unemployment, history of child abuse, bullying, sexual abuse, or diagnosis of a chronic health condition
-Existing mental health struggles, particularly mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and personality disorders
-Substance use or abuse
-Access to firearms
-Experience of discrimination, prejudice, isolation, and/or family rejection on the basis of sexuality among LGBTQ youth
Warning Signs
It is also important to know the warning signs of suicide. You might not think that someone is having thoughts of suicide because they aren’t openly talking about wanting to die or sharing feelings of hopelessness. However, it often is not this clear. Other warning signs of suicide include:
-Increased alcohol or drug use
-Aggressive, impulsive, or reckless behavior
-Withdrawal from family and friends
-Extreme mood swings
-Change in eating or sleeping habits
-Talking about being a burden to others or having great guilt/shame
-Giving away important possessions or putting affairs in order
What do I do?
So now that you know what to look for, what do you do if you identify someone in your life who is in emotional pain or having thoughts of suicide? Are you worried you may be caught off guard or afraid that you might not say the right things? This is normal, as you are probably not a mental health professional, but anyone can take these 5 simple steps of action to help.
- Ask: It might not be easy to ask someone if they are thinking about killing themselves, but, if done in a caring way, this often gives the person a sense of relief and does not cause any harm. Be sensitive, but direct. Here are some example questions: “How are you coping with what’s been happening in life?” “Are you thinking about hurting yourself?” “Are you thinking about suicide?” “Have you ever tried to harm yourself?”
- Keep them safe: Ask if this person has already thought of a plan. Consider questions like: Have you thought about how or when you’d do it? Do you have access to weapons or things that can be used as weapons to harm yourself? Help them out by removing lethal items or reducing access to potentially lethal places.
- Be there: Listen without judgement to what the person has to say. Allowing them a safe space to talk about what they are thinking and feeling may reduce depressed, anxious, and/or suicidal thoughts.
- Help them Connect: By creating a network of resources for support, you are helping this person take action. Save the national suicide prevention lifeline in their phone and offer to help them connect with a mental health professional and/or another friend or family member as soon as possible.
- Follow Up: Be sure to stay connected with the individual during and even after treatment. Let them know that you’re still there for them.
My hope is that this information will not only make you more aware of suicide and those in your life who may be dealing with suicidal thoughts, but that it will also make you more comfortable talking about suicide or reaching out to those you might be concerned about. I encourage you to do your part this month, and even after, to raise awareness about suicide and be there for those you love. Therapists at Miracles all want to help someone find their way through depression and live a good life again.
Ready for additional information? Here are some resources that might be helpful in learning more about suicide prevention and how you can get involved.
https://theactionalliance.org/
https://www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/suicide-prevention-awareness-month
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Counseling while Social Distancing….
Greetings! These past few weeks have been extremely challenging for all of us and I know it is hard to think about how long this pandemic will impact our community. Miracles Counseling Centers wants to encourage each of you that we will continue to be support the emotional health needs that you will experience as we all continue to adjust to changes in our lives, supports, and resources.
Maintaining mental wellness can be a struggle right now. We may be rapidly trying to adjust our lifestyles, but in doing so we may ignore the emotional toll it is taking on us and our relationships. We are here for you and your families and are now offering Teletherapy sessions to meet you right where you are.
What is Teletherapy?
Teletherapy is a digital platform where you can securely and privately meet with your therapist while on a computer or smart phone. Teletherapy is much like talking with someone on Facetime or Zoom and can feel just as comfortable as meeting someone face to face. Our staff choose HIPAA compliant and secure platforms to meet with you so that your confidentiality remains protected.
Is it as effective as meeting with a therapist in the office?
Yes! Research has compared teletherapy with face to face therapy and has shown that teletherapy is just as effective.
What are the benefits of Teletherapy?
The #1 most obvious benefit of teletherapy is that it can be done anywhere your computer or smartphone is. It saves in gas money, travel time, and can give you access to specialists when you may not otherwise be able to leave your home…such as right now! Utilizing teletherapy can also help prevent other obstacles from interfering with your work on your goals – such as broken down vehicles or out of town business trips.
Does insurance cover Teletherapy?
YES! Due to statewide shutdowns and recommendations from the CDC for social distancing, most insurances are covering teletherapy services, and some are even waiving copays.
Is this even a good time to start therapy?
Therapy can be started easily through secure digital platforms and can give you the support and care you may need during this pandemic. Waiting until the pandemic is over may only further delay your future goals and further complicate the work you may need to do due to the strain you could be going through now.
Reach out to us to connect with therapist that will keep you moving in the right direction!
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