Quarantine with BEAM
For May Mental Health Awareness Month, BEAM staff and students hopped on our social media to share our favorite ways to take care of our mental health during this challenging time!
Sylvia - BEAM Staff - described what mental health is and why it is important.
Alyssa - BEAM Staff - shared how storytelling helped her cope with trauma.
Isabella - BEAM Staff - guided us through some breathing exercises.
Gianni - BEAM Summer Staff - talked about the connection between physical and mental health.
Crisleidy - BEAM Student - helped us focus on self-care with a make-up tutorial.
Esteeven - BEAM Student - shared how he and some of his peers have found a creative way to help young people learn more about mental health.
Throughout the month we also shared favorite resources related to mental health on topics including grief, self-care, and coping. You can explore those resources below.
Grief and COVID-19
Living through a global pandemic can be traumatic as we grieve the loss of freedom, independence, or even a loved one. We're collectively going through a traumatic event. But while we may be in this together, it certainly isn’t impacting us all equally.
COVID-19 and the grief it has brought with it have disproportionately affected Black and brown communities. It's important to hold space and recognize that the impacts of COVID on people of color in America are part of a larger picture of trauma.
Click through these images for information and resources for Black and Latinx communities.
Self-Care
During these tough times it is especially important to take care of yourself. Self-care is a variety of activities, practices, or rituals we engage in on a regular basis to reduce stress and enhance our well-being. It's really important that when we are struggling or feeling stressed that we find daily routines and practices that bring us joy. Self-care can look like so many different things: it can be taking a walk during a stressful situation, doing deep breathing exercises, taking on a new hobby, connecting with a friend, or listening to music.
Click through these images for some self-care resources to help you do just that.
Ways to cope
May is over now, but mental health awareness doesn't end here. As racial violence, systemic injustice, and a pandemic continue to play out across our country, continuing to practice healthy and effective coping is more important than ever.
Click through these images for some additional coping resources.