Submitted by Laurie Ruderfer, Exec. Dir., HKYFS.
We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly
by embracing one another.
~Luciano De Crescenzo
Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness Month? While 1 in 5 people will experience or struggle with a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges at some point and today’s pandemic has proven to be a particularly challenging time for millions of Americans across the country. Thankfully, most residents of our community have not had to struggle with the fear and anxiety that comes with having contracted the virus. But all of us are dealing with the considerable impact and toll the Corona Virus has had on our personal and professional lives and on the lives of those we love, work with, or care about.
The good news is there are practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency – and there are ways that everyone can be supportive of friends, family, and co-workers who are struggling with life’s challenges or their mental health. The following resources provided here are a start. Call, contact or visit if or when needs arise:
Connecting and Supporting Others:
- Your local Youth Service Bureau provides direct support, counseling and a friendly shoulder and ear for all residents living in Haddam and Killingworth. https://hkyfs.org/
- com–Make Sure Your Friends Are Okay is building a community of like-minded people who want to help get the world talking through meaningful though sometimes tough conversations.
- org– The Youth Mental Health Project offers The Parent Support Network, a parent-driven, family-focused program that provides parents who are concerned about their children’s mental health with a dependable and caring network, valuable peer support, and access to peer-recommended resources in their local communities.
Look for the Positive and Take the Time to Take Care of Yourself:
- org– A website on a mission to lift your spirits – giving you strength, comfort, and light. Take the 30-day challenge: https://ichoosebeauty.org/ichoosebeauty-challenge/
- Podcasts on building resilience and well-being in ourselves and our children: https://www.livehappy.com/
- Meditation and Sleep Stories through Calm: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/calm/id571800810
Staff at HKYFS are here for you. 860.345.7498 24/7. You can talk. We will listen. And if we cannot provide you with what you need, we will find the right person or persons who can. Take care HK. Take good care.