Free Your Mind | Mental Health Month Invitation
Who (And To What) Do You Run To?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. For me, this presents me an opportunity to pause and ask myself and others how is your mental health? Truly, on a scale of 1–10, how mentally well are you?
Around 2012, after going to therapy weekly for 10 years, my long-time therapist Rudy was ready to release me to live a life free of weekly visits. For years, it was to him that I ran to confide all of my secrets and process my emotions and thoughts. I was frightened. Where would I go? Who would I call on when I had issues I needed to work through? I was comforted when Rudy shared that I could come back and get check-ins as needed, just like my primary care physician. When he paralleled the check-ins, in an instant I realized that mental health was a whole entire thing. That it was just as important to attend to as my previously torn calf muscles, sigh.
But, what would I do without Rudy? I didn’t want to bother my friends and family with felt to me like “woe is me” issues. Was I really well enough? I still had a lot of doubts and questions. But, Rudy said I had to learn to live independently and learn how to manage my own mental health.
So, I spiked my journaling (which was always a refuge) and then entered yoga. Yoga continues to be a wellness safe haven for me as it binds my mind, body and spirit and grounds my soul in the true essence of my being.
So, as we launch head first into Mental Health Awareness month today, I ask you to whom and what do you turn to, and on a scale of 1–10, how is your mental health? Freedom At The Mat is offering content all month on YouTube & IG to help us collectively improve our mental health, and in so doing society overall, so feel free to tap into some of our content to support your mental health journey this May. Sharing one such video below…
Olivia F. Scott, Entrepreneur, Consultant + Professor (NYU/Loyola), omergealliances.com + freedomatthemat.com
