Mental Health- Wellness & Prevention

As we have moved through a challenging year, I am so thrilled to see the opportunity for our community to come together and have a wonderful new outlet, linking mental health resources with opportunities for wellness and enhancement of coping strategies. 

With St Pete Thriving, we have the opportunity as mental health professionals to not only raise awareness of opportunities for healthy coping strategies, but also to connect ourselves with the amazing opportunities our city offers to reset, relax, and revitalize. 

As a mental health professional, it is not only my goal to take care of children and families, but to also take care of myself.  Keeping in mind that mental health wellness is an ongoing journey, we each must take care to ensure healthy coping and wellness strategies are part of our daily life.

This includes exercise, getting outdoors, opportunities for social interaction, journaling, yoga, meditation, and a host of other ways one can take care of themselves on a daily basis.  Should we start to recognize increasing signs of stress, anxiety, and/or depression, including feeling down, lonely, worried/nervous, hopeless, not engaging in previously enjoyed activities, not taking care of ourselves, avoiding activities, noticing a change in appetite or sleep, or overall notice a change in behavior, this is an opportunity to engage with a mental health professional and determine if adding therapy to the list of coping strategies may be beneficial.

I often wish that we sought a mental health therapist the same way we seek a primary care physician, making sure that you have someone for both your physical and mental health available, anytime it might be needed, with an annual check-in to see how things are going! 

With St. Pete Thriving as part of our community, I am grateful for a gathering place to assist with connecting opportunity and people, to increase engagement with one another, and to make sure we are taking care of both ourselves, and our community!

Author: Jennifer Katzenstein, PhD, ABPP, Co-Director, Center for Behavioral Health, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital