Wellness Month
The pandemic, its consequential economic devastation, the ongoing political turmoil, racial uprisings - our lives are currently teetering on the edge of many extraordinary historical events. This is compounded by personal challenges which we all face; from trying to make ends, grieving for loved ones lost in this pandemic and so on. We are collectively experiencing our own unique sense of grief and loss, and simply put, to exist in this present moment can be incredibly difficult.
In my own efforts to cope with my own feelings, I have been repeatedly directed to explore therapy. The reality is that therapy is not accessible to all. For reasons spanning from financial barriers to mental health care, to social stigmas, to the lack of diversity in counselors, only 19.2% of Americans have access to mental health care. We are experiencing a shared national and global epidemic of grief and simultaneously a crisis of mental health access. So in honor of Wellness Month, for those who are unable to access counseling, and for others just awaiting their next session, here are a few ideas on how to take care of the self. I hope that in these activities, you can find refuge, find an oasis to breathe and to let yourself move into another day.
Be with others.
In Hook's 1999 All About Love novel, she writes “rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.” To me, this quote speaks to how therapeutic being with others can be. In simply existing and being present with friends and loved ones, we find profound healing. In fact, research shows that, “social connection is linked to lower blood pressure…less inflammation, and a reduced risk of diabetes across all age groups,” (American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 2017). Now is the time to find ways to interact with others, to be in community with friends, and those whom you love.
For queer and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) folks, finding a community that feels safe can be challenging. Here are a list of affinity groups and organizations in the Vermont area to find community in.
Journal.
Journaling can be truly profound and cathartic. I have found that at times my thoughts are so clouded and layered that I can't seem to make sense of them. For these moments, the process of writing, be that using formal journal prompts, or just writing everything that’s circulating in my head, can be empowering. Writing has become a tool of healing, helping me unfold my thoughts, enabling me to make sense of my emotions and releasing them into the world.
Give yourself permission to disconnect.
Being on social media these days means being constantly inundated with the events unfolding around the world. Being continuously exposed to both local and global issues can be overstimulating and frankly frightening, so welcome a hiatus from social media. Studies have shown that taking a break from social media for simply a week can improve our wellbeing by lowering anxiety and depression. Like most, I suffer from chronic FOMO (fear of missing out), but give yourself permission to disconnect from the world wide web and reconnect with those in the tangible world.
Explore the outdoors.
Finally, spending time outdoors can be incredibly restorative. At times when things feel overwhelming and consuming, connecting with what rests outside of ourselves can help us reconnect within. Spending time outdoors has been shown to “reduce blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and the production of stress hormones.” Nature is healing and it's free (most of the time), so get out and enjoy it when you can!
The outdoors has historically been restricted from marginalized groups. In many ways, being in nature can feel incredibly unsafe for marginalized folks, so here are some affinity organizations for marginalized people exploring the outdoors in Addison county.
Raimatou Abdoulaye (she/her)
Privilege & Poverty Intern