Mental Health Awareness in Lincoln

The stigma around mental health has improved with the commonality of experiencing mental health issues, but it hasn’t gone away completely. With the help of mental health professionals across Lincoln, we can make the stigma around mental health disappear.

Making a Change

People’s City Mission was started in 1907 by local churches, offering food and shelter for transient and impoverished men, women, and children. Many of these people struggle with mental health. We spoke to Pastor Tom Barber to learn more about how our community can assist this population.

“Homelessness has been a pervasive problem for communities across the country, including right here in Lincoln,” Pastor Tom shared. “While there are a number of factors contributing to this dilemma, people struggling with mental health has become a key reason. Unfortunately, many Nebraskans are not aware of the size and scope of this crisis, nor fully comprehend the devastating impact it has on those who suffer from such issues.”

People’s City Mission offers immediate assistance to homeless people struggling with mental health by providing them with food, shelter, clothing, and other basic necessities, as well as one-on-one counseling. They also help them find needed community resources such as case work, medications, and more permanent housing.

Continue the Conversation

One of the most effective methods to treat mental health is through counseling and therapy. Clearwater Counseling, PC is one of the many resources available in Lincoln. They work with their clients to treat a wide variety of mental health diagnoses. They understand that mental health is just as important as physical health. We spoke to Kayla Leddy from Clearwater for more information on improving the stigma and experience for those struggling.

While getting the help you need is important, people struggling with mental health also need support and understanding from their loved ones and community.

“Those who seek therapy are looking for clarity in certain areas of their life. They are also wanting to work through complex emotions or even a traumatic experience. Sometimes, those who seek help are challenging their negative thinking patterns and striving to learn new techniques to cope with difficult scenarios,” explained Kayla. “The more we talk about mental health, the higher chance we have of saving more lives. It’s important to take steps to educate yourself and others. Consider talking with a health care professional or mental health provider about your own mental health.”

If you are looking for a place to start your journey, look no further than the wonderful team at Clearwater Counseling, PC.

Awareness is Key

Daring Minds Therapy is a women-owned small business founded in 2018 by Sarah Worley and Erica Schroeder with co-founder Maureen DeRyke. They have therapists who are trained/licensed in cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, drug and alcohol abuse, social work, and trauma-related disorders.

We asked Erica how we can reduce or eliminate the stigma around mental health. She explained that the simplest way to tackle this is by talking about it. Given the increased awareness of mental-health in recent years, Erica says today’s youth just might be the ones to guide a change in the attitudes associated with mental-health.

“I believe a majority of middle-school-aged teens and high-school students have better awareness of what mental health is and, in some cases, it can even be identified as a form of status,” Erica said. “I often hear teens identify with peers by making statements such as, ‘Who’s your therapist?’ followed by sharing of therapeutic tools they have learned. On the other side of that, older generations are not as aware of, or believe in, mental-health services because their core family values are primarily associated with strength and/or being guarded, which do not correlate well with therapy.”

With winter settling in and the holidays in full swing, this season is beyond busy and it can be easy to push getting the help you need aside. Be sure to prioritize your mind and well-being this season!