Amanda Joplin

Back at work, on days where the weather is tolerable, I encouraged the factory workers to take their stand up meetings outside in the parking lot and take a moment to enjoy the fresh air and watch the clouds. The rules of forest bathing aren’t black and white, just like mental health conditions aren’t black and white. Luckily, science shows us that small changes in our schedule & spaces can bring a little bit of shinrin-yoku into our lives and help improve our mental health. I encourage you to find moments in your day to sneak in a bit of nature, whether that’s meditating to nature sounds (it works for a lot of people!), sitting on your porch while enjoying your morning coffee, or post-work wine, or getting out into the woods.

Mental illness is for people who pop daily antidepressants, don’t shower for weeks, and have a therapist on speed dial dvice. Over 50% of my audience said they are feeling anxiety, depression, or other mental illness symptoms for the first time (or for some, the first time in a long time). It’s a frustrating time to feel these feelings for the first time, an unfortunately unique time in history where you have to deal with those feelings all alone. During a panic attack, find 5 things you can touch, 4 things you can see, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, one thing you can taste and practice them until they feel second nature [to help ground yourself]” “

There is a severe mental health crisis in America, and it’s only being amplified by our ever-growing unemployment rate. He notes that “large-scale disasters, whether traumatic (the World Trade Center attacks or mass shootings), natural (hurricanes), or environmental (Deepwater Horizon oil spill), are almost always accompanied by increases in depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use disorder, a broad range of other mental and behavioral disorders, domestic violence, and child abuse.” In a study done in the EU, there is a close correlation between national unemployment and suicide rates, with every 1% increase in national unemployment being associated with a .8% rise in suicide in people under 65 years old. If you connect your sense of self-worth to your work, spend a few minutes thinking of ways you contribute to society & other’s wellbeing that isn’t tied to your job, such as “

I am not a therapist & am not aiming to give people medical advice, but rather empower people to have a conversation regarding mental health matters. Because people who don’t work are lazy” comes out of my mouth. Subconsciously, I had judged that people in my hometown were lazy and didn’t want to work for a better life. I’m working more, therefore I’m better than other people”.