Mental Health is a major topic of discussion right now.

Awareness is at an all time high, therapy is arguably normalized and people - whether openly or in private - are actually taking steps to ensure theirs is in a good place. It’s lit!

I 1000% subscribe to seeing a therapist., so if you can afford it, I highly encourage you to go.

And I get the skepticism, but seriously…Having a time slot solely dedicated to you with a professional, whose one job is to listen to you and simultaneously keep your trauma under wraps is an untrusting person’s wildest dream!

There are some caveats that I’d add, though.

• For one, after you’ve narrowed it down to some folks in your provider’s network, it may be helpful to find somebody who might can relate(religion, race, gender, sexuality, etc.). I always like to keep in mind that we’re still human, so even though your therapist may have good intentions, as a human being, they are still predisposed to their own unconscious biases, which may hinder the level of transparency you choose to display.

• Two, it’s normal to be apprehensive, but don’t be afraid to go there. The only way to get to the root of your grievances is to deal with them head on.

• Three, literally nothing is too small to address. You’d be amazed at how that one time, when you were in first grade and somebody stole one of your snacks out of your lunch box, played a part in how you don’t trust anyone around your personal belongings today in your adult life.

So, yeah, if you can work that into your budget, go for it, but if you can’t, here are some other methods of improving your mental health that I find highly therapeutic.

Working out

• If you wanna burn some steam off, put your headphones on and go to work in the gym. The key here is channeling the emotions you actually feel. That’s right, you’re not forgetting about the pain, the anger or the heartache you feel deeply in your chest. You’re not forgetting about the anxious thoughts that have raced through your mind all day. Instead, you’re bubbling all of that to the surface and releasing it, so that you can eventually move on to the next hurdle for that day/week/point in time. The objective here is to find a positive outlet to release negative feelings via physical activity (without harming yourself, others, or…other’s property). :)

Listen to Music

• Either make a few playlists or find a few that work. Your choice, but the key here is balance. You need to listen to music that allows you to express your negative emotions and music that builds up your faith and encourages you to give another go whatever failure brought you to said devastating place to begin. And if you have a song that gets your problem right, then that’s yo song! Personally, I will play a song OUT. I don’t care. Until I have felt all I needed to feel for that period of time and I believe I am ready to move on, that song will be on repeat. Adopt this concept. The objective here is to move on when you’re ready, not when you want to be ready, because sadly, you’ll be back when you realize you didn’t give yourself enough time to heal.

Spend time with God

• As a preface, I am not a part of the “you don’t need therapy you need God” crew, but at the same time, spending time with God has proven the most beneficial. it is essential to my betterment. When I’m in pain and I need healing, at the end of the day, I know he’s the only one who can really restore my spirit and give me my heart’s desires. So what do I do? I go to Bible Gateway and start prayer plans that correlate with what I’m feeling. I start talking out loud to God - telling him what I feel and asking him to fix that thing in me. I memorize his promises and other scriptures and repeat them to myself when my spirit is weak or doubtful. Think it’s a game. The objective here to feed your spirit, so you can fight your flesh.

Travel

• This. is. my. favorite. Every time I go to a new place I feel like I break a new chain. It’s something about exposing yourself to new places, things, and people that puts life into perspective. That said, if you can afford or save up for a trip, no matter how long it’ll take you to do it, do it. Whether your destination is across the world, or 5 minutes down the road, the objective here is to find a safe haven. When I interned in New York, I remember going to Washington Square Park and spending hours staring at the waterfall, taking in the air, observing the landscape, watching people dance, and listening to people sing and play their instruments. I mean really, you would think I was on the clock the way I spent time there. I can’t recall ever leaving uninspired. It was my happy place. Find your happy place…that’s the objective.

Catch Up With Your Loved Ones

• Can I have two faves? Because this is my fave too. I called my mom the other day(read: mom and dad), and about 5 minutes in my brother beeped in. What did I do? Made it a 3-way call. I got to spend precious time with my family all the way from New York. As a single woman, thousands of miles from home, this was my cornbread sprinkled on top of my greens and mixed in with my yams. My soul food. The objective here is to connect yourself with those who remind who you are and have agape love for you. A lot of times, that’s just what we need anyway: love.

I hope this helps somebody!

Share Your Thoughts in the Comments!