mental health

By : Claire Butcher

This article discusses self-harm and suicide. Please see a list of hotlines and resources below if you need to speak to someone. 

Talking about suicide can be scary. It is taught to us as a taboo topic that should be avoided, driven by myths that people may act on their suicidal thoughts if we start the conversation. But the facts remain – over 720,000 people die by suicide per year, reminding us that it’s a vital discussion to have with our loved ones and communities. Today, we’ll review the common warning signs of suicidality, the ‘dos and don’ts’ if a loved one expresses suicidality to you, and some common myths. 

Warning Signs

Before talking about what to do if a loved one shares with you that they’re suicidal, it’s important to learn the different forms of suicidality and what constitutes a mental health emergency. 

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, or NSSI refers to self-harm (this can take the form of cutting/hitting/burning oneself). Self-harm can happen with or without the intent to end one’s life. People can engage in self-harm to help ground themselves to manage feelings of overwhelm or dissociation, as an outlet to process emotional pain, as a way to ‘feel’ something instead of emotional numbness, or as a way to ‘punish’ themselves when managing severe mental health symptoms. It is important to recognize self-harm as a coping skill, and learn harm-reductive outlets to build longer-lasting and more helpful tools, while fostering healthier relationships with our bodies and emotions. 

Passive Suicidal Ideation refers to any desire to end one’s life, “sleep forever”, or other forms of suicidal thinking that don’t involve a plan or intent to attempt suicide. These thoughts can look like: “I just wish I could disappear”, “I want to go away for a long time” or for “the world to end”. 

Active Suicidal Ideation is when someone wants to end their life and is actively thinking about a plan, taking steps to prepare to end their life (for example, researching methods of how they can attempt suicide, writing letters to loved ones, giving things away), or feeling an urge to act on their suicidal thoughts. 

This article provides more details of what suicidal ideation can look like. In general, here are some common warning signs that someone may be thinking about attempting suicide: 

• Expressing hopelessness or feeling like a burden to others
• Talking about wanting to “disappear” or die
• Withdrawing from social events and regular activities
• Drastic changes in mood or behaviors – people can have a drastic positive shift in their mood when they’re seriously contemplating suicide, as thinking about ending their pain can bring on a “wave of relief”
• Giving away possessions or saying goodbye to others

Debunking Common Myths Surrounding Suicide

• “Don’t talk about suicide, it will make the person act on their thoughts.” → There is no evidence for this. Talking about suicide reduces stigma and can help individuals seek support.
• “Suicide only affects people with mental health conditions.” → Many people with mental illness are not affected by suicidal thoughts, and not all people who die by suicide have mental illness. Life stressors, legal matters, trauma, death, and many other life circumstances are associated with suicidal thoughts and behavior. 
• “People who talk about their suicidality are just seeking attention.” → People who die by suicide often tell others about not wanting to live, making it vital for us to take these signs seriously.
• “Only teenagers are affected by suicidal thoughts.” → The highest risk age groups are women between the ages of 45-64, and men 75 and older. This also does not include the elevated risk for the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.
• “Suicide is not preventable.” → Therapeutic and medication interventions do work. One of the best ways to prevent suicide is to seek help and treatment. 

The Dos & Don’ts for Talking About Suicide

• Don’t react with shock or fear. This can make the individual feel like it’s unsafe to talk about suicide and only adds to the stigma. 
• Don’t judge, do not debate if suicide is right or wrong, or if these feelings are “good or bad”. 
• Don’t sugarcoat. Do not compare their situation to others or minimize their struggle.
• Do meet them where they are – validate their feelings, ask more questions about what’s causing them to think about harming themselves.
• Do be direct. Ask clear questions like “Are you thinking about suicide?” and “ Do you have a plan?”.
• Do connect them with resources and encourage them to seek professional care. This can also take the form of creating a Safety Plan. 
• Do follow up. Keeping in touch with loved ones who are suicidal is vital. 

It is life-saving to keep the conversation around suicide going. Having routine check-ins with loved ones surrounding mental health is one way we can prevent suicide and foster an environment of care and compassion. If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please see the resources below. 

Hotlines and Resources

• National Suicide Hotline – Call 988
• The Trevor Project 
• Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741
• Vista Counseling Resources

Positive thinking isn’t about ignoring life’s difficulties or pretending everything is perfect, it’s about developing a mindset that helps you navigate challenges with resilience and hope. By intentionally shaping the way you think, you can create more space for joy, confidence, and growth in your everyday life. Here are four powerful ways to strengthen your positive thinking.

Have Hope That Things Will Work Out

Hope is the foundation of positive thinking. When you believe that better days are ahead, it helps you keep moving forward even when the present feels heavy. Hope fuels perseverance and gives you the energy to keep working toward your goals. Try reminding yourself that setbacks are temporary and that solutions often come when you least expect them.

Look at the Bright Side Every Day

Life is a mix of good and bad, but focusing on what’s good even in small doses can shift your entire outlook. Whether it’s a compliment you received, a small achievement, or a beautiful moment in nature, acknowledging the bright side daily helps train your brain to notice positivity more naturally. Keeping a gratitude journal can make this practice easier and more consistent.

Believe in Yourself to Overcome Challenges

Self-belief is a powerful tool. When you trust your own abilities, you’re more likely to step into challenges instead of avoiding them. This doesn’t mean you’ll always succeed right away, but it does mean you’ll approach obstacles with determination and courage. Start by recognizing your past wins  big or small as proof that you are capable of moving through difficulties.

Accept Negative Emotions and Express Your Feelings

Positive thinking doesn’t mean you have to be cheerful all the time. Suppressing sadness, anger, or fear only makes them grow stronger. Instead, allow yourself to feel these emotions, express them in healthy ways, and then let them go. By accepting your feelings, you make room for healing and create balance an essential part of staying positive in the long run.

Strengthening positive thinking is a practice, not a one-time shift. The more you nurture hope, gratitude, self-belief, and emotional acceptance, the more resilient and optimistic your mindset becomes. Over time, you’ll find it easier to see opportunities instead of obstacles and that’s where real growth begins.

By Emi Gilbert, LCSW

“Habituation” is the phenomenon where we become desensitized to the same repeated stimuli. Right now, take a moment to notice the feeling of your clothes on your body. For the majority of us, we were not attuned to this sensation until we deliberately drew our attention to it. We experience the stimulus of our clothes on our skin all day long, so it becomes undetectable. For any stimulus that the body experiences consistently, our brains deem it unnecessary (and overwhelming) to respond. It’s a nifty trick our brains often do to keep us from being constantly overstimulated. However, this is also what makes staying mindfully present so challenging. If we wake up in the same bed, make the same coffee, take the same route to work, sit in the same office, and go home to the same living space, we become more “habituated” to our own lives. The stimuli we are so used to do not warrant our attention. They fade into the background. 

We can break this “habituation” by drawing our attention to our surroundings with mindful intention. Can you pick up the coffee mug you use everyday and find every little thing you have never noticed about it before? Can you feel your chair underneath your legs? Can you even feel your own breath? These are invaluable mindfulness exercises. And yet, in my experience, the more familiar my surroundings, the more challenging it is to remind myself to practice. 

The most natural moments to engage in mindfulness are when I am having a new experience and therefore receiving new stimuli. We may feel this most starkly when we make grand changes – moving to a new house, starting a new job, or traveling to a new city. We are more acutely aware of how everything feels anew. However, substantial changes are not required to evoke this sense of “newness” and vivacity. We have the opportunity to foster this sense in our everyday lives. If I’m walking down a street I’ve never seen, listening to a song I’ve never heard, or rearranging my bedroom in a new way, I am instantly more awakened to the present.

A personal challenge I have set out for myself this summer is to find opportunities to experience something new. It can be anything from a new route on my walk, a new menu item I have never tried, or a new place to read. This is a practice that does not require any particular landmark to begin, so give yourself permission to participate on any random day and tune into your new experience. The more variety of experiences we have, the wider life gets. The more mindfulness we practice, the deeper our present experience gets.

By: Collin King, LPC and Mindy Laroco, LPC

For many Oregonians, SUMMER (in all caps!) is what we’ve been waiting for.

“This is what I invested in during mid-February!” we might feel. “I’ve got to soak it up!”

But in the glory of all that Vitamin D, it can be easy to over-extend socially, or to feel pressure to make the most of every beautiful day. 

Here are some check-in questions you can explore to help you craft a summer that leaves you both fulfilled and refreshed before the leaves start to turn:

What are your top one or two non-negotiable summer activities that genuinely bring you joy?

How do you typically feel after social gatherings during the summer? If you feel more drained, you may be somewhat introverted, or perhaps the setting isn’t your preference. How can you honor your social battery?

Beyond planned activities, what small, everyday moments of summer bring you peace or a sense of presence? How can you intentionally incorporate more of these moments into your week?

What does genuine rest look like for you in the summer?

Imagining yourself at the start of fall, what would make you feel that you’ve had a truly fulfilling and refreshing season?

“Checking in” doesn’t always mean thinking. Here are some creative ways you might learn to check in with yourself, both for these specific questions and more generally:

Rate your day: How many stars would you give your day out of 5? 

At the end of each day, take some time to reflect on the day and give it a rating. Then, think about what that means to you (everyone’s rating system will look different!). For example, if today was a “3 star day”, what does that mean? What makes it higher than a “2 star day”, but not quite a “4 star day”? 

Don’t be afraid to get creative! 

There are various ways to cater this “rating system” to what you like! If not stars, use grades! (or whatever you would like!) Was your day an A+? B? C-? Why’s that? Make this system work for you so that checking in with yourself becomes a habit. 

Having a “rating system” can be so helpful to continue to check in with yourself. It can be done at the end of the day, at the beginning of the day, or both! This is also a great way to start setting intentions for you day. If today started out at 5 stars, what could you do to keep that momentum? Conversely, if your day started out at 2 stars, what could be done to up that rating? 

Take an inventory of your emotions

Keeping track of how you’re feeling is also an excellent way to check in with yourself. Start at the beginning of your day and write at least 3 feelings words that describe your current state. Then, at the end of the day, do the same thing and compare how your feelings have either changed or not changed from the morning time. (bonus points if you do this mid day as well!) 

This is a great practice to not only keep track of how we are feeling, but to continue to practice being in tune with ourselves and our emotions. If the feelings you logged at the beginning of the day have changed, at what point do you think they changed? Why? If they stayed the same, what do you think helped you maintain that state? The cool thing about these exercises is that after a while. You’ll have a log that you can look back on! You’ll be able to see how you were feeling at certain times, what contributed to those feelings, and understand yourself in different ways. Happy Checking In!

By Christy Maeder, LCSW and Nooshi Ghasedi, MA

The mental health world is so full of abbreviations that it can sometimes feel like learning a new language. Whether you’re navigating therapy, reading about treatment options, or filling out forms, acronyms like EMDR, PTSD, and LPC pop up everywhere. We know this can be confusing, so we created a quick reference to help break it all down. This guide is here to make the language of mental health more understandable and less intimidating—because everyone deserves to feel informed and empowered when it comes to their care.

1. Diagnostic & Clinical Terms

• DSM – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
• ICD – International Classification of Diseases
• MDD – Major Depressive Disorder
• GAD – Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• OCD – Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• ADHD – Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• BPD – Borderline Personality Disorder
• ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder
• PDD – Persistent Depressive Disorder
• SUD – Substance Use Disorder
• ED – Eating Disorder
• BP – Bipolar Disorder

2. Therapeutic Approaches

• CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• DBT – Dialectical Behavior Therapy
• ACT – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
• IFS – Internal Family Systems
• TF-CBT – Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• MBCT – Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
• MI – Motivational Interviewing
• PE – Prolonged Exposure (for PTSD)

3. Assessment Tools

• PHQ-9 – Patient Health Questionnaire-9
• GAD-7 – Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale
• ACES – Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale
• MMPI – Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
• BAI – Beck Anxiety Inventory
• BDI-II – Beck Depression Inventory II
• SCID – Structured Clinical Interview for DSM
• PCL-5 – Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Measurement for DSM-5

4. Children’s Mental Health Acronyms

• IEP – Individualized Education Program
• 504 Plan – Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (accommodations in school)
• FBA – Functional Behavioral Assessment
• BIP – Behavior Intervention Plan
• IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• SEL – Social and Emotional Learning
• LRE – Least Restrictive Environment
• RTI – Response to Intervention
• PBIS – Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
• FTF – Face-to-Face (sessions, often used for children)
• PCIT – Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
• PMT – Parent Management Training
• DYAD – Dyadic therapy (child and caregiver)
• PANS/PANDAS – Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome / Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections
• DD – Developmental Delay
• SPD – Sensory Processing Disorder

5. Licensure & Professional Terms

• LCSW – Licensed Clinical Social Worker
• LMFT – Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
• LPC/LPCC – Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
• PsyD – Doctor of Psychology
• MSW – Master of Social Work

6. Systems & Legal Terms

• EHR – Electronic Health Record
• HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
• CPS – Child Protective Services
• DCFS – Department of Children and Family Services
• GAL – Guardian ad Litem
• IEP – Individualized Education Program
• FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

7. Crisis & Suicide Prevention

• QPR – Question, Persuade, Refer
• C-SSRS – Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale
• NSSI – Non-Suicidal Self-Injury 

8. LGBTQIA+ and Cultural Terms

• LGBTQIA+ – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual (and others)
• BIPOC – Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
• DEI – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

SOGIE – Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression

Change is constant. But our reactions to it? All over the map.

Some changes spark energy and creativity. Others leave us overwhelmed and drained. Why is that?

The difference often lies not in the change itself, but in how we experience and respond to it.

So how can you use your strengths to approach change with more energy and less exhaustion?

Here are three practical ways:

Know What You’re Good At

Start by identifying your strengths as an individual and as a team. This isn’t about optimism or wishful thinking. It’s about taking stock of the resources you already have.

When you know what you’re good at, your brain is more likely to see new situations as manageable rather than threatening.

Try this: Ask yourself:

• What kind of work makes me feel most engaged?
• When do I feel at my best?
• What strengths am I using in those moments?

These patterns can point you toward the tools you need to navigate change more effectively.

Apply Your Strengths to New Challenges

Change doesn’t mean you have to reinvent yourself. Often, it’s about using familiar strengths in unfamiliar situations.

When you match your natural talents to the demands of change, you’re more likely to experience “flow”  that energized state where work feels challenging but manageable.

Try this:
Look at one task related to a current change that feels heavy.
Ask: “How could I approach this using one of my strengths?”

Even a small shift in perspective can turn a draining task into something far more doable.

Adjust, Don’t Overuse

Strengths are powerful but they aren’t one-size-fits-all. Used in the wrong context or at the wrong intensity, even your best qualities can backfire.

For example, being detail-oriented is a huge asset — but too much focus on the details during an early-stage brainstorm could slow things down. The key is to adapt your strengths to fit the moment.

Try this:
Reflect on a recent moment when one of your strengths didn’t work as well as you’d hoped.
Ask:

• Was the context right for that strength?
• Could I have dialed it up or down?
• What would I do differently next time?

Flexibility is what allows strengths to stay effective and energizing over time.

The Bottom Line

Change doesn’t have to leave you depleted. When you lead with strengths not just effort you create a path that feels more sustainable, productive, and energizing.

Are past mistakes and regrets holding you back? It’s time to make peace with your former self and embrace a more fulfilling future. Here are eight steps to help you heal and move forward with confidence.

Practice Empathy

Start by understanding your younger self. Recognize that your circumstances and limited life experience shaped your past actions. Treat yourself with compassion instead of judgment.

Embrace Your Humanity

No one is perfect. Accept that your flaws and mistakes are part of being human. Embracing your imperfections allows you to release shame and guilt from the past.

Forgive Yourself

Forgiving your past self is essential for healing. You did the best you could at the time with the knowledge and tools you had. Let go of regret and give yourself permission to move forward.

Accept the Past

You can’t change what’s already happened, but you can choose to accept it. Stop living in regret and start focusing on creating a better future for yourself.

Take Ownership

Acknowledge the impact of your past actions and take responsibility. Owning your mistakes shows maturity and helps you grow, making it easier to move past guilt.

Make Amends

While you can’t go back in time, you can still make things right by taking positive actions today. Seek opportunities to make amends and rebuild relationships.

Be Your Best Self

Choose to be the person you aspire to be. Set intentions for your personal growth and align your actions with your values. Your future self will thank you.

Live Your Best Life

Let go of past baggage and focus on living a life full of purpose, joy, and fulfillment. Define what your “best life” looks like and take steps toward it every day.

Move Forward with Confidence

Making peace with your past self is the key to living a more meaningful life. By embracing empathy, forgiveness, and personal growth, you can let go of past wounds and create a brighter, more fulfilling future.

By Nooshi Ghasedi, MA, NCC

Most of us spend time on social media—to relax, catch up with friends, or take a quick break from real life. But sometimes, instead of feeling more connected or uplifted, we log off feeling more anxious or discouraged.

Two common patterns many people experience are doomscrolling and comparison spirals.

Let’s break down what’s happening, and how to regain a sense of balance.

Doomscrolling: When the Scroll Becomes a Spiral

Have you ever opened an app just to check one quick thing, and 20 minutes later you’re reading one heartbreaking news story after another? That’s doomscrolling: the tendency to compulsively scroll through upsetting or negative content, even when it’s making us feel worse. Doomscrolling often happens late at night or during times of uncertainty. We think we’re “staying informed” or welcoming a distraction from a stressful day, but what we’re really doing is playing into our brain’s “threat detection system” and flooding it with information it doesn’t have time to process or recover from.

Too much of this can leave you feeling:

• Overwhelmed or helpless
• Anxious and restless
• Emotionally numb or disconnected
• Exhausted, even without doing anything “active”

While it would be unrealistic to encourage you to avoid all news or social media, it is possible to be more intentional with what, when, and how much we consume. The Comparison Trap: Everyone’s Best Moments, None of the Context While doomscrolling often focuses on the negative, social comparison is its sneakier cousin. On platforms full of filtered smiles, curated travel photos, career wins, and romantic gestures, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking “Why doesn’t my life look like that?”

You might notice thoughts like:

• They’re doing so much more than I am.”
• “I’ll never look that good / be that happy / have that kind of relationship.”
• “I’m falling behind.”

The problem? You’re comparing your real, unfiltered life to someone else’s highlight reel. You don’t see their stress, struggles, or insecurities—just the best 1% of what they choose to share. Social comparison can quietly erode your mental health by:

• Fueling self-doubt and low self-esteem
• Increasing anxiety or depressive thoughts
• Distracting you from your own goals and values
• Creating pressure to “perform” or present a perfect life online

What You Can Do to Protect Your Mental Space

Social media isn’t all bad—it can be fun, creative, and even healing when used mindfully. Here are a few ideas to help create healthier habits:

Be aware of your patterns. Start noticing when you tend to scroll (late at night? when you’re stressed?) and how you feel afterward. That awareness is powerful. 

Curate your feed. Unfollow or mute accounts that trigger comparison or negativity. 

Seek out pages that educate, encourage, or bring genuine joy.

Set boundaries. Try screen time limits, log-off hours, or “no scroll” zones like during meals or right before bed.

Reframe your self-talk. When you catch yourself in comparison, gently redirect:

“This is one moment from their life. I don’t know the full story.” “I’m allowed to grow at my own pace.”

Take intentional breaks. Step away for a weekend or even just a day. See how you feel. 

Often, even a little distance can help reset your relationship with your feed.

Final Thoughts

If social media has started to feel more draining than enjoyable, that’s worth paying attention to. You’re not overreacting, and you’re definitely not alone. Many of us are navigating an online world that wasn’t designed with mental wellness in mind. You can take back control—not by quitting cold turkey, but by being more intentional, compassionate, and curious about how online spaces are shaping your thoughts and feelings.

By Christy Maeder, LCSW

Although May was recognized as Mental Health Month by Mental Health America, an initiative started in 1949 to promote mental wellness across the United States, we can all take steps to make every month a time to support our mental health.  This year’s theme,“Turn Awareness into Action,” encourages people to go beyond recognition and take real steps to support mental health.  

Steps you can take any month to care for your mental health include participating in free mental health screenings, practicing daily wellness habits, and becoming involved in efforts to advocate for better mental health policies.

Advocating for mental health policy change can happen at multiple levels—local, state, and national. MHA offers tools to help individuals take action, including action alerts, policy briefings, and advocacy toolkits. 

Supporters are encouraged to reach out to elected officials, attend public meetings, and share personal stories to drive change. Key advocacy goals include increasing funding for services, expanding insurance coverage, integrating mental health into primary care, and addressing the mental health workforce shortage.

These efforts foster open dialogue, reduce stigma, and build supportive environments where mental well-being is prioritized and protected.

In Oregon, there are several impactful ways to get involved in mental health advocacy.. Organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Oregon and the Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO) offer various opportunities for individuals to contribute to mental health initiatives.

NAMI Oregon provides advocacy training programs such as NAMI Smarts for Advocacy, which equips participants with the skills to effectively communicate with policymakers and advocate for mental health policies. They also organize events like NAMIWalks Northwest, a community walk that raises awareness and funds for mental health programs. Volunteering opportunities are available through their volunteer program, allowing individuals to support various initiatives across the state.

MHAAO focuses on peer-led support and recovery services. They host Peerpocalypse, an annual conference dedicated to peer support and wellness, providing a platform for sharing experiences and strategies for recovery. MHAAO also collaborates with local agencies in programs like the Provider-Police Joint Connection Program, which connects individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction with immediate support services. Engaging with MHAAO’s initiatives offers a direct way to support community-based mental health efforts.

For those interested in broader advocacy, Mental Health America offers resources to help individuals become mental health advocates. Their advocacy page provides information on current policy issues and ways to get involved at the national level. By participating in these programs and initiatives, individuals in Oregon can play a vital role in promoting mental health awareness and supporting those affected by mental health conditions.