Category: Get Connected

While mental health is important to address year-round, Mental Health Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices to broadcast the message that mental health matters.

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The following information is from the Minnesota Department of Health – Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit.

WEEK 4: EMBRACE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH JOURNEY.

Learning about our mental health and what we need to support our wellbeing takes time. It’s important to make mental health an ongoing priority in our lives, take care of ourselves, know when to get help, and share our own stories about mental health when possible. Prioritizing self-care and emotional wellbeing as part of your daily routine can help you learn more about your mental health and wellness, feel more comfortable talking about mental health, and access helpful resources that are available when you need them. As a result, your efforts will help you build connections, foster the feeling that you are not alone, and make space to gain perspective on the difficulty you are experiencing.

• This guide by SAMHSA provides a broad approach for things we can do–at our own pace, in our own time, and within our own abilities–that can help support us in our wellness journey. Creating a Healthier Life: A Step-by-Step Guide to Wellness
• Having conversations around mental health can sometimes be uncomfortable, but it can also make a big difference. Not sure where to start? Check out these tips and tools from Seize the Awkward to help you start the conversation and what to do during and after the conversation.
• Offering support is one of the best things that we can do to support the mental wellbeing of friends and family. However, it can sometimes feel uncomfortable, daunting, or just plain awkward. The Roadmap to Friends Supporting Friends gives ideas on what support can look like, how to offer support, and where to begin.

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I am one of four wonderful librarians here at Meinders Community Library and we have books and resources on the topic that can help you or your loved ones. Patron confidentiality is a guiding principle in library work, so please don’t be afraid to ask. I am also a survivor and an advocate, so I am always here to help or lend an ear to listen. Everyone’s journey is different, but you are NEVER alone!

Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~

While mental health is important to address year-round, Mental Health Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices to broadcast the message that mental health matters.

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The following information is from the Minnesota Department of Health – Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit.

WEEK 3: FIND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IN TOUGH TIMES.

When your mental health is off, it is important to find the help that is right for you. Where you go for help will depend on what is happening within your life. Often the best place to start is to talk with those that you already have connections with, including your family and friends, your primary care doctor, or a local mental health organization. Help can be found across many places and depends on what type of support that you may need. It can start with participating in some self-care, or engaging with someone else to talk to and finding a distraction, help you process, or problem solve. If the problems in your life are stopping you from functioning well or feeling good, professional help can make a big difference. Even if you’re not sure that you’d benefit from help, it can’t hurt to explore the possibility.

Engaging in formal services can help you develop plans for solving problems, feel stronger in the face of challenges, and change behaviors that hold you back. It can also help you heal pains from the past, look at ways of thinking that affect how you feel, set goals, and build self-confidence.

• Everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. Mental Health America Tools 2 Thrive provides information, tips, and practical tools for situations that we all deal with. These tools can be used to improve your mental health and increase your resiliency.
• Warm lines and peer support can be helpful for those who are managing stress. Anyone seeking support may call the Minnesota Warm Line for Peer Support Connection at 1-844-739-6369, from 5pm to 9am, 7 days a week. For more information, visit Wellness in the Woods: Transforming Wellness into Reality. As of March 28th, 2025, the State of Minnesota informed Wellness in the Woods that funding for the Warmline has been cut. The Warmline remains OPEN. This funding is crucial for operating our Peer Support Connection Warmline. Click here to learn how you can help!
• Mental Health Minnesota also offers a Warm Line. Their services are available 7 days a week, 9am to 9pm. Call 1-855-927-6546 or text “Support” to 85511. For more information, visit: Minnesota Warmline – Mental Health Minnesota.
• Talking with someone about your thoughts and feelings can save your life. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people who need it. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988, or chat at 988Lifeline.org. 988 connects you with a trained specialist who can help.

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I am one of four wonderful librarians here at Meinders Community Library and we have books and resources on the topic that can help you or your loved ones. Patron confidentiality is a guiding principle in library work, so please don’t be afraid to ask. I am also a survivor and an advocate, so I am always here to help or lend an ear to listen. I have reserved the library conference room on Wednesday, May 21st from 5-7pm for a Mental Health Meet-Up. Whether you are an advocate and want to share ideas to help make a difference, or you are a survivor and want to share your story and plan activities moving forward, we are here to listen and to make connections! I hope you will join me! Everyone’s journey is different, but you are NEVER alone!

Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~

While mental health is important to address year-round, Mental Health Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices to broadcast the message that mental health matters.

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The following information is from the Minnesota Department of Health – Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit.

WEEK 2: NURTURE YOUR MENTAL WELLBEING

Self-connection, or self-care, is about finding practices that help you thrive, and it can include a range of things. It takes purposeful effort, but it can help you maintain or improve your daily mental wellbeing. It can be helpful to think of it as taking time to connect with yourself and care for yourself as you would others.

Prioritizing time to connect doesn’t have to be time consuming or expensive, and it is important for you to find out what works best for you. Here are a few different ways to nurture your mental wellbeing, from the Mental Health Coalition.

Physical: Notice and address the stress that shows up in your body. What physical activities reduce or alleviate pain, tension, and stress for you? Some common activities are massages, fitness or dance, aromatherapy, rest, and boundary setting. Emotional: Involves tending to your own mood and feelings. Ways can include connecting with others, acknowledging your emotions, therapy, journaling or creative writing, art, and setting boundaries. Cognitive: Engages in activities that are intellectually rewarding and/or stimulating. This can include reading, writing, listening to podcasts, watching movies, and therapy. Spiritual: This can take many different forms and does not have to be tied to formal religion. It means getting in touch with the less tangible aspects of yourself and the world around you. This can include meditation and breathing, prayer, connecting with a spiritual or religious community, and mantras.

Identify a few ways you’d like to prioritize your own wellbeing. Set aside the time you need to do it, give yourself permission to embrace it, and work towards adding these moments regularly into your life. Know what taking care of yourself may look like and that it can change over time. It is okay to adapt what activities you engage in to fit your needs.

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• Just like you do things to take care of your body, there are things you can do regularly to tend to your mental wellbeing. This can and will look different for everyone. The JED Foundation has a variety of resources to help find ideas to add to your self-care practice.
• Learning to recognize and name your emotions and know how they show up for you mentally and physically will help you navigate life when your emotions are strong. The Mental Health Coalition has tools for identifying and dealing with feelings.
• Being well connected to other people promotes positive mental and physical health and gives life meaning. Connecting with others is one of the 10 Tools for Resiliency that Mental Health America has put together to help you feel stronger and more hopeful.
• Finding movement that is a good match for you physically and mentally can help you thrive. Be kind with yourself and your body in the process of learning to move. Explore these videos from the University of Minnesota’s Move + Thrive Project, that features diverse bodies and a variety of movement and meditation.

I am one of four wonderful librarians here at Meinders Community Library and we have books and resources on the topic that can help you or your loved ones. Patron confidentiality is a guiding principle in library work, so please don’t be afraid to ask. I am also a survivor and an advocate, so I am always here to help or lend an ear to listen. I have reserved the library conference room on Wednesday, May 21st from 5-7pm for a Mental Health Meet-Up. Whether you are an advocate and want to share ideas to help make a difference, or you are a survivor and want to share your story and plan activities moving forward, we are here to listen and to make connections! I hope you will join me! Everyone’s journey is different, but you are NEVER alone!

Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~

While mental health is important to address year-round, Mental Health Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices to broadcast the message that mental health matters.

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The following information is from the Minnesota Department of Health – Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit.

WEEK 1: EXPLORE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

We all have mental health. Mental health is our ability to engage with our emotions, thoughts, interactions with others, and the world around us. Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act every day. Just like with our physical health, we can do things that make us mentally healthier and happier. When you feel mentally well, you’re more able to enjoy life and the people in it, feel better about yourself, keep up with fulfilling relationships, and manage stress.

Exploring your mental health will help you better understand what you need to support your mental wellbeing. Mental health plays a big role in overall wellbeing. We all have tough days and weeks, and everyone manages their mental health every day. The best way to protect mental health is to pay attention to it, even when you’re feeling good. Becoming more aware of what disrupts your mental health will help you learn what actions, tools, and resources may be useful to you when you need it. There are many ways to take action to improve mental health for yourself and for those around you. Taking proactive steps to understand and care for your mental wellbeing isn’t just self-care, it’s an investment in your future.

Experiencing poor mental health is not the same as having a mental health condition. A mental health condition, or mental illness, refers to a set of symptoms that have been identified by a health provider. People with mental health conditions experience change in emotions, thinking, and behavior. For some, this means extreme and unexpected changes in their mood, like feeling more sad or worried than usual. For others, it means not thinking clearly, pulling away from friends and activities you used to enjoy, or hearing voices that others do not. Mental illness is treatable and is not always a permanent state of being.

The opportunities and resources we have available in our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and communities can help support our mental health and wellbeing. Mental health is about what we do as individuals, and how we are supported in our communities. For example, neighborhoods and organizations can provide resources that support your sense of belonging, connectedness, and mental wellbeing.

• Taking steps to explore your mental health will help you learn what you need to support your mental wellbeing. Take action and check your mental health with a free, quick, anonymous test at Mental Health America.
• Research has found several ways that you can keep yourself healthy. Check out these Keys to Mental Wellbeing from Berkely University Greater Good Magazine.
• Mental health is all around us but is often misunderstood. The Roadmap to Mental Health, by the Mental Health Coalition, can explain what we mean when we say mental health.
• Every individual, family, organization, and community can promote mental health and wellbeing. For example, practicing gratitude is an individual exercise that can enhance our positive experiences in life. See Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program for more ideas to help you flourish.

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On that note, I am one of four wonderful librarians here at Meinders Community Library and we have books and resources on the topic that can help you or your loved ones. Patron confidentiality is a guiding principle in library work, so please don’t be afraid to ask.  I am also a survivor and an advocate, so I am always here to help or lend an ear to listen. I’ve reserved the library conference room on Wednesday, May 7th from 5-7pm and Wednesday, May 21st from 5-7pm for a Mental Health Meet-Up. Whether you are an advocate and want to share ideas to help, or you are a survivor and want to share your story and plan activities moving forward, we are here to listen and to make connections! I hope you will join me!

Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  While mental health is important to address year round, this month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices to broadcast the message that mental health matters.

This year’s theme is “Turn Awareness Into Action.”  The theme celebrates the progress we’ve made in recognizing the importance of mental health, and challenges us to turn understanding into meaningful steps toward change.

Whether it’s through advocacy, education, community engagement, or direct action in our own lives, “Turn Awareness Into Action” reflects our commitment to creating a world where mental health is prioritized for all.

Throughout the month, I will share ideas and resources on what you can do to raise awareness and provide actionable tips and resources around mental health and suicide prevention.  Below are the key messages that I will use for each week.

Week 1: Explore Your Mental Health

• Explore self-awareness as the foundation of mental health.
• Encourage journaling, identifying emotions, and understanding triggers.

Week 2: Nurture Your Mental Wellbeing

• Highlight self-care routines.
• Share strategies like mindfulness, relaxation, and setting boundaries.

Week 3: Find Mental Health Support in Tough Times

• Focus on resilience and finding strength during difficult times.
• Share personal coping tools and encourage compassion.

Week 4: Embrace Your Mental Health Journey

• Inspire personal growth and goal setting.
• Highlight the importance of celebrating progress and embracing change.

Read and share the content, start a conversation, and get more involved.  Help to spread the messages with those you engage with, and encourage them to seek out what is happening in their community and to also get involved. Use the mental health color of green during May. Collaborate to light up buildings and/or bridges. Light Up Minnesota is happening on May 15th. Swap out your standard lights for green ones, for one day or all month long.

Minnesota’s Mental Health Awareness efforts are rooted in the belief that help is available and healing is possible. For mental health awareness and support, you can start by accessing resources from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Mental Health America, or SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). These organizations offer information, support groups, and advocacy for mental health. Additionally, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 crisis support through call, text, or online chat.

If you are interested in advocating and spreading awareness, or if you are someone who struggles and would like support and/or a safe space to make connections and have conversations, please join me in a Mental Health Meet-Up. Watch our page and social media for details and upcoming dates.

Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~