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Addressing Mental Health Stigma in African American and Other Communities of Color
To maintain good mental health, many people turn to friends, family, the church and other community supports, especially when they are going through emotional difficulty. However, there may be times when these supports are not enough to maintain emotional wellness and seeing a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, is needed.
Healing Through Art
Visual arts, whether you’re engaging in them or just appreciating them, can bring enjoyment and encouragement, but expressing oneself through art can also have physical and mental health benefits. Art therapy, a type of psychotherapy, helps provide a way to express emotions and experiences not easily expressed in words. It is not about the final product; it is about healing through the process of making art. Research has identified a range of physical and mental health benefits of art and art therapy.
Using Artificial Intelligence to Improve Psychotherapy Outcomes
Artificial intelligence, the ability of a computer program or a machine to think and learn, is increasingly being used in many areas, including mental health treatment. A new study uses artificial intelligence to measure psychotherapy treatment and to examine links between specific aspects of the therapy and outcomes. This information could potentially lead to improvements in psychotherapy.
Warm Lines: Providing Help Before a Crisis Develops
A warm line is a confidential, free phone service offering mental health support. Unlike a crisis line or hotline, they are not intended for emergency situations. Warm lines are typically staffed by volunteer or paid peers—people with personal experience with mental health disorders. They use their experience to better understand and support callers, offering conversation, emotional support and information on local mental health services and other community services when needed.
The ‘Q’ in LGBTQ: Queer/Questioning
Most people are familiar with the term LGBT—lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. The acronym increasingly includes the letter Q, LGBTQ, referring to queer and/or questioning individuals. The terms queer and questioning are important because they encompass a larger number of individuals who identify as having same-sex attraction and behaviors.