Bite-sized mental health
Area VA mental health professionals took a new approach to normalizing mental health this month when Local Recovery Coordinators from the VA Midwest Health Care Network offered a series of virtual events every single weekday of May.
“I’m so proud of our region...supporting Veterans in their mental health journeys, building a sense of community and belonging, because this is your VA,” said Todd Fleischer, Chief Mental Health Officer, VISN 23 Mental Health Integrated Clinical Community. “We are offering a variety of classes from 20 to 60 minutes over the lunch hour so individuals can pop in and grab a virtual bite of mental health while they fuel their body and mind. Veterans, their families, and their supporters are all welcome to attend.”
Classes include topics on recovery practices, communication, substance overdose and withdrawal, community inclusion, mindfulness habits, sleep, suicide prevention, and even chair yoga. Organizers say that the most attended classes to date were Mental Health Awareness: Screening Tools and Resources and Recovery Model: Principles and Practices.
Three weeks into the effort, more than 500 people have come to the table and tried a bite-sized dose of mental health. That is what it is all about – one bite at a time, breaking down that stigma.
“Therapy and treatment can work and it’s OK to seek help,” said Molly Smith, Local Recovery Coordinator at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. “Mental health issues can impact thoughts, feelings, behaviors, physical activity, work and/or relationships, but it can be difficult to tell if you or your loved ones are affected by a mental health condition. We know seeking help for mental health whether this be professional help, peer support, or a form of self-help is a sign of strength, not weakness.”
There is still time for you to get in on the action. Join the final events as we close out Mental Health Month by going to the Minneapolis VA Health Care System events webpage.