For 2022’s Mental Health Awareness Month, together, we will amplify the message of “Together for Mental Health.”
The stigma around mental health and treatment has long existed, even though this has started to change. Still, people hesitate to seek help or even talk about it with their loved ones for fear of being judged and facing unnecessary backlash. Simple logic dictates that if we are hurt anywhere, we must seek treatment to get better. This applies to both our mental- and physical well-being.
If you have a mental health condition, you’re not alone. One in 5 American adults experiences some form of mental illness in any given year. And across the population, 1 in every 20 adults is living with a serious mental health condition such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or long-term recurring major depression.
As with other serious illnesses, mental illness is not your fault or that of the people around you, but widespread misunderstandings about mental illness remain. Many people don’t seek treatment or remain unaware that their symptoms could be connected to a mental health condition. People may expect a person with serious mental illness to look visibly different from others, and they may tell someone who doesn’t “look ill” to “get over it” through willpower. These misperceptions add to the challenges of living with a mental health condition.
Every year people overcome the challenges of mental illness to do the things they enjoy. By developing and following a treatment plan, you can dramatically reduce many of your symptoms. People with mental health conditions can and do pursue higher education, succeed in their careers, make friends, and have relationships. Mental illness can slow us down, but we don’t need to let it stop us. Read More….
Call to Action
If you are a mental health provider of color or a college student of color who is pursuing a career as a mental health provider and would like to hear more about how you can help answer the call to improve the quality of behavioral health crisis response in the Greater Prince William Area, please contact us to find out more!
Clinical Supervision Announcement Opportunity
If you are pursuing a counseling career as an LPC, LMFT, or LCSW in Virginia and require clinical supervision hours, go to: https://forms.office.com/r/JdvwMvPfBp to complete the Clinical Supervision Application or scan the CR code below.
Mentoring & Career Coaching Announcement Opportunity for Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, and Social Work Historically Black Colleges & University (HBCU) Students.
If you are interested in pursuing a counseling career as an LPC, LMFT, or LCSW in Virginia and would like to receive mentoring and career coaching, go to: https://forms.office.com/r/2MPa4Jau7b to complete the Mentoring/Career Coaching Application or scan the CR code below.
If you would like to hear more about how you can help answer the call to improve the quality of behavioral health crisis response in the Greater Prince William Area, please get in touch with us at Laurie.wilson@mftsva.com and sign up here for our Newsletter.