GROWTH

A yellow background with a paper cutout of a human head with gears turning over the brain area.

Mental Health includes so many aspects of our overall well-being. The way we think, feel, move and act are all impacted by our mind. 

Do you ever ignore your mental wellbeing until you feel angry or sad? Giving your mental health a boost doesn’t have to be reserved for when things are going wrong. Mental health exercises can and should be done any time. They help you stay refreshed and have a clear and positive outlook in life!

Here are some helpful resources to support mental health and wellbeing provided by the NCHPAD GROWTH team!

Organizations:

  • CDC Mental Health
    • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have created several helpful resources for coping with stress, such as mental health quizzes, information for mental health in teens and children, and more!
  • Mental Health America
    • Mental Health America is a leader in creating positive change for individuals with mental health conditions. With helpful videos, toolkits, data and podcasts, you can learn more about the facts behind mental health!
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
    • NAMI is a great resource to learn more about a broad range of topics, including mental health conditions, warning signs, support groups and advocacy.
  • National Institute of Mental Health
    • NIH covers a wide range of mental health topics with helpful information to help individuals understand certain mental health conditions, treatments, symptoms and more.

Apps:

  • Insight Timer
    • Insight Timer is an app that covers a wide range of helpful resources about sleep health, mental health and more. With informative blogs about mental health and guided meditations, Insight Timer could be a great app to try in your daily routines!
  • Headspace
    • Headspace is an app with content primarily focused on mindfulness, mental health and sleep. They also have helpful articles and resources that cover many different topics within mental health!

Meditation:

  • 6 Mindfulness Exercises That Each Take Less Than 1 Minute
    • This blog from Psychology Today covers several mini-mindfulness exercises to try from anywhere and on your own time. These exercises are not like typical meditations, instead, they focus more on being present and noticing physical and emotional feelings.
  • Mindful.org
    • Mindful has many great articles about guided meditations, meditations on podcasts, links to courses and helpful guides.
  • Mindfulnessexercises.com
    • Mindfulness Exercises is loaded with great mindfulness and meditation practices with videos and audio on the site. Receive guided meditations from several different meditation experts and learn more about the science behind meditation in their articles.

Podcasts:

  • Mindfulness Mode by Bruce Langford
    • This website has good links to podcasts and mindfulness, meditation and sleep. You can also find links to books about mindfulness, downloadable tools and helpful blogs!
  • Tara Brach
    • Tara Brach is a well-known mindfulness meditation teacher who focuses on spiritual practices and having full engagement with our world. The website has links to mindfulness courses and communities with other individuals who are interested in mindfulness!

Tools:

  • Mental Health Screeners
    • These online screening tools come from Mental Health America to determine your symptoms and help lead you to a further discussion with your healthcare provider if needed. You can also learn more about several different mental health conditions as well.
  • CDC Explore Your Emotions
    • Our mind is a complex thing! Sometimes we may feel certain feelings and not know why. The CDC’s Explore Your Emotions resource can help you take a deep dive into what you’re feeling and what you can do about it and get helpful resources along the way.
  • Psychology Tools

Finding Treatment

Searching for treatment, a psychologist or a psychiatrist? Visit these sites and find local support.

A photo of participant Teresa White overlaying a blue and white background

Tell us about yourself.

I am originally from California but have lived in Alabama for 24 years after coming here with a job transfer for my husband. 

I am the proud mother of five, and since they are all out of the nest, my husband and I are in the stage of our life where we are now the primary caretakers for our elderly mothers.

I have my own business and work from home as an administrative assistant for several individuals and do so completely virtually.  

I enjoy traveling, being outdoors, spending time with my husband and dogs, reading and listening to music. My faith is a vital part of my life and I enjoy the various volunteer opportunities my husband and I participate in throughout our local area.

I was diagnosed with MS in 2010 but thankful to say that so far, I have had no progression of my disease since the original diagnosis.

When did you connect with NCHPAD?

I signed up to participate in the MENTOR program through NCHPAD after receiving information about it at the annual MS Walk held in Huntsville, AL.

What NCHPAD programs have you been part of?

I have been a part of MENTOR, some Mentor Alumni Exercise sessions, GROWTH, State of Slim Everybody and now am an assistant coach for State of Slim Everybody.

What did you like about any of the programs?

I have always enjoyed the varied information provided, which covers every aspect of how to approach well-being and coping with the challenges one may face with any “disability.”

I have learned how proper diet, exercise, mindfulness, self-care, and something as simple as breathing or meditating can positively impact my life and lessen the stressors I may experience due to my MS. The presenters are always knowledgeable, kind, patient and engaging.

Tell us why you would recommend a NCHPAD program or NCHPAD Connect to someone else.

I loved having access to experts and scientifically based research studies presenting all the pros and cons of diet and exercise. NCHPAD program content is personalized. Being provided with specialized or alternative activities better suited to specific physical or cognitive disabilities is invaluable. 

I really appreciate the ability to save the videos from each session I’ve participated in for later review. I find myself going back into any situation that warrants a “re-boot” for my own activity level or outlook.

What brings you joy?

Acknowledging my daily blessings, spending time with my loved ones (human and furry family) and being able to wake up each day knowing that although I have MS, it does not define me.

I feel empowered by the knowledge I have gained through NCHPAD-sponsored programs, and this all brings me great joy as it allows me to focus on life with a positive outlook.

What else would you like us to know?

The power of NCHPAD Connect is amazing. While I am not limited in any of my daily activities due to my MS, I’ve had the opportunity to work with others who have more physical limitations. NCHPAD provides information and options for ALL levels of ability and tailors the information to the recipients. This is something that I believe makes NCHPAD a unique and valuable resource for any individual with a physical disability.

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