We understand that your routine is off.
That your emotions may have more ups and downs than your usual.
We know that your roles and relationships are being stretched.
You’re probably feeling disconnected in this time of social distancing.
You are navigating uncharted territory. And you are not alone.
Taking care of yourself, and that includes your mental health, is really important right now. Drinking water, getting exercise, eating healthy, prioritizing sleep, limiting news, staying connected to loved ones, doing something you enjoy, reaching out to help others. Each of these simple things are helpful to your perspective and wellbeing.
In the days and weeks ahead, we will be sharing tips and resources on this page from our experienced clinicians to help support and encourage during these uncertain times. Check back frequently for our latest information.
Linger in the psalms
The Psalms are a good place to linger if you are in the middle of a tough season. If you are in the middle of anxiety, grief or conflict, the songs and poetry will give you hope and strength.
You feel like you’ve hit your pandemic wall
This is a common feeling as the one-year anniversary of the shutdown approaches. We’ve been living in a sustained period of stress and often operating in a crisis response. Being resilient takes effort and energy. If you’re feeling discouraged, you are not alone.
How are you feeling?
This year, we’ve been pushed and stretched often beyond what we thought we could handle. Let’s take a moment and check in. How are you feeling today? How are you responding to those feelings?
Coronavirus safety update
With the most recent mandate about face coverings, we wanted to let you know what to expect when you come for your next visit as well as remind you of our ongoing safety procedures.
Making your family’s back-to-school decision
Back-to-school is a frequent topic of conversation for parents, educators and community leaders. In person or virtual? With or without masks? How to keep everyone safe? How to provide the best learning opportunities? These decisions may be causing stress for parents,...
Stretching the way we think
Recognizing and correcting unhealthy ways of thinking can greatly improve your outlook on yourself, others and the world.
Summer and school resources
Our Encompass team has put together some summer and back-to-school resources to help your family enjoy this season and prepare for the next.
A softer way
In a world that often pushes us to try harder and do more, this book recommendation offers a softer more curious approach with ourselves. Take a look.
Looking for courage
If you’re looking for courage and bravery to be your true self, then you’ve come to the right place.
As we collectively persevere
Rebecca Ryder, MA, NCC, LPCC-S, Encompass Assistant Regional Program Director, shares her thoughts on mental health and persevering during this challenging time.
Shifting your mindset
Today’s blog post comes from Encompass Therapist Jordan Kamwesa, LPC. Her words acknowledge the tough reality that we are all being stretched with due to the health crisis. Juggling family, school, jobs and the unknown creates stress and tension. She invites us to shift into a growth mindset to help us persevere and love our families a little better each day.
Helping kids win over anxiety
Anxiety is not a fun feeling, but we can learn how to manage it. Lisa Haberbusch, LISW-S, Director of Encompass Central has helped many kids understand and manage this mental health challenge. She recommends “Hey Warrior”–a book for children (ages 5-12+) about overcoming fears and anxiety.
Connecting before correcting
Molly Woods, LSW, a school-based Encompass therapist, recommends “The Connected Child: Bring hope and healing to your adoptive family” by Dr. Karyn Purvis who is one of the masterminds behind Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). Dr. Purvis was a child development expert and passionate advocate for vulnerable children. She passed away in 2016. Her life and legacy live on through TBRI and books like this one.
Taking care of your mental health
As we recognize May as Mental Health Month two months into the COVID-19 health crisis, our services may look different but our heart remains the same. Our hope is that each one of you experiences your worth in Christ.
Soup for the grieving soul
Talking about emotions doesn’t come naturally to everyone. We don’t always have the vocabulary to name or describe our feelings. Sometimes emotions are strong, overwhelming or just plain hard. Having a tool such as a book or a story can be a helpful way to start a conversation.
Curious about faith
We are all at different places in our faith journey. There are times when we have no doubts and times when we question much. If you are currently in a season of struggling with faith, we appreciate your honesty and encourage you to keep pursuing truth.
“A Little Scribble Spot” read-aloud
“A Little Scribble Spot” uses simple, effective and creative ways to educate its readers by highlighting emotions with descriptive language and colorful illustrations. It uses these tools to demonstrate how experiencing different emotions at the same time is common and okay as long as they do not overwhelm us.
Daily pause
Meditation, or turning your full attention to God, can be an especially helpful friend right now. Starting a new habit isn’t always easy, but here’s a free Christian app that will walk you through a reset process that’s focused on God’s goodness and care.
Food resources
Taking care of your mental and physical health can feel like a huge task with obstacles along the way. We want to support you and connect you to local resources. Here are a variety of organizations helping to ensure that families have access to healthy food.
Gifts abounding
We will always have room to learn and grow on our earthly journey. Gaining knowledge from trustworthy sources can help us navigate life, faith, relationships and ourselves better. Everyone has something to glean from this personal memoir by Ann Voskamp.
Five ways to stay connected
Today’s Mental Health Minute is from Encompass School-Based Therapist Molly Woods. Molly reminds us of the importance of connecting with our family, friends and community. Social connection makes us healthier in many ways. It can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and actually improve our immune systems.
Support for mental health caregivers
We’ve been asked to keep social/physical distance right now to stop the spread of the coronavirus. In response to this change, many organizations are now offering online resources because they understand that needs continue or even rise during crisis.
Children’s books about feelings
Rebecca Ryder, MA, NCC, LPCC-S, Assistant Regional Program Director recommends two children’s books to help you better manage your child’s emotions.