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A Therapist’s Top 10 Tips For Supporting Your Mental Health.

As a therapist, I’m often asked for the top tips I have in supporting mental health.

First of all, I love this question — it means that, for whoever asks it, mental health is actually considered a priority which I absolutely believe it should be!

Next, while I believe that we each have our own unique needs, wants, and preferences when it comes to cultivating and maintaining robust mental health, I do have 10 tips that I think almost anyone could benefit from.

So keep reading to see if you could implement any of these 10 tips to support your own mental health.

A Therapist’s Top 10 Tips For Supporting Your Mental Health.

A Therapist’s Top 10 Tips For Supporting Your Mental Health.

1. First, recognize and realize that mental health is every single bit as important as physical health.

In assigning mental health the importance it deserves, it can make it far easier and more motivating to seek out and build supports to manage your own mental health.

2. Put together your mental health care team.

You have medical supports, right? A doctor and an OBGYN? A legal and financial team like a lawyer and CPA?

Then I suggest you model your mental health care in the same proactive way and gather around you the supports you need even before you need them: a therapist, a psychiatrist, a clergy counselor, whatever this means for you, curate and gather your mental healthcare team.

Many of us need someone who is not our significant other/friend/parent to talk to about life’s toughest stuff. Get your team in place so you can count on them for that.

3. If you believe medication may be of support to you, seek it out.

Please don’t be dissuaded by any stigma or shame about potentially needing short or long-term pharmacological supports if that’s what your particular brain chemistry needs. Talk to your doctor or psychiatrist if you feel this may be an option you would like/need.

4. Take very good care of your physical health.

Always rule out any underlying physical conditions that may be contributing to your mental health and, of course, visit your doctor regularly to make sure your body is functioning well.

Make sure you’ve got a solid, nutritional plan established that works well for your own body’s unique chemistry (consult with a nutritionist if need be for this!). Move your body daily in moderate, invigorating ways that feel good and enlivening for you.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP! I can’t stress this enough: everything in life – including our mental health – becomes more challenged when we don’t get enough sleep. Avoid mood-altering substances as much as possible and in ways that you specifically need depending on your own brain chemistry.

5. Build nourishing relationships in your life.

Seek out and spend time with those who you feel seen, accepted, and celebrated by. Whether this is friends, a loving partner, a women’s group, your therapist, your spiritual community, or your family, make a point of intentional, regular contact with those nourishing relationships in your life.

And, also note that this tip may sometimes may mean withdrawing from or decreasing contact with those relationships in your life that feel painful, challenging, and unsupportive.

6. Plan play and joy and adventure!

Between the often grueling demands of work and adulting, days can fly, weeks can bleed into one another, and the months pass.

Play, joy, and adventure are fundamental needs most of us have, so intentionally building time and resources into your life to support the pursuit of this is, I believe, wonderful for your overall mental health.

Of course, the way that play, joy, and adventure manifests for each of us will be unique, so find out what sparks your joy, what breaks up your daily routines, and discover what feeds your soul and lights up your life and then do more of it regularly.

7. Create, teach, or serve.

I read somewhere once that ultimately what fulfills the majority of us could be lumped into the categories of creating, teaching, or serving.

So I would encourage you to consider how you can weave one or more of these roles into your life regularly, and/or if you already have this as a part of your life, reconnect back to the part of it that lights you up and inspires you.

8. Spend time in nature.

If there’s a panacea for more ills, I’m not sure what it might be.

Connecting to nature in whatever way feels good to you — be it gardening or sitting in your backyard sunshine, long coastal bike rides, or hikes through your local park — can support mental health in profound ways. Nature is therapeutic so I encourage you to get outside often.

9. Limit time spent on social media. Or be curious about how you can better use it.

I know, I know, no one really likes to hear this and yet we all know it: social media can often have a negative impact on our self-esteem and therefore our mental health.

So be mindful and curious about what impact social media has on you, and if it doesn’t feel supportive, consider limiting time on it, and/or be curious about using it in ways that feel more supportive.

10. Connect to something bigger than yourself.

Whether this is God and Church, AA, Spirit, The Universe, the Women’s Spirituality Movement, or another institution or practice that feeds you, guides you, and inspires you, spending time connecting to something bigger than ourselves and cultivating faith and purpose can often support our mental health significantly.

Whatever your personal preferences or practices, I encourage you to cultivate the role of this in your life as a support for your mental health.

And if you would like even more resources and suggestions to support your mental health, I invite you to explore the ways you can work with me personally and/or utilize one of my e-books or online products to support you in your mental health journey.

Now I’d love to hear from you: What’s one tip you personally find useful in supporting your own mental health? Leave a comment below so our community of blog readers can benefit from your wisdom.

If you would like additional support with this and you live in California or Florida, please feel free to reach out to me directly to explore therapy together. You can also book a complimentary consult call to explore therapy with one of my fantastic clinicians at my trauma-informed therapy center, Evergreen Counseling.

Or if you live outside of these states, please consider enrolling in the waitlist for the Relational Trauma Recovery School – or my signature online course, Hard Families, Good Boundaries, designed to support you in healing your adverse early beginnings and create a beautiful adulthood for yourself, no matter where you started out in life.

And until next time, please take very good care of yourself. You’re so worth it.

Warmly, Annie

Medical Disclaimer

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  1. Aubri Haggard says

    These tips are ones that I have found greatly help improve my mental health! The one that I’ve been focusing on currently is #4: Take very good care of your physical health. This has been a struggle but I’ve made little chances every day to help to eat better and to get enough sleep.

    • Annie says

      Hi Aubri,

      That’s the one I’ve been most focused on recently myself so I’m so glad you’re finding it helpful and useful. Thank you for taking time to read the article and to comment.

      Warmly, Annie

  2. Kiara Woodsland says

    The best part of your article for me is when you talked about how you must not worry about the stigma about the potential for you to seek short or long-term pharmacological supports. Since my husband died, life has been a battle for me. At the moment, I can feel that I am suffering from depression. I’m interested to find help but feel shame that people may know what I’m going through. Now that I’m desperate for help, I will make sure to visit a mental health professional as soon as possible.

    • Annie says

      Hi Kiara,

      I’m so very sorry for your loss of your husband.

      And I’m really touched by what you wrote. The stigma surrounding seeking out therapy or pharmacological support, unfortunately, stops many people from getting the help they need.

      If you feel like you need to talk to someone, please do it! You deserve the support. I’ll be thinking of you.

      Warmly, Annie

  3. Claire Masters says

    I really like your tip about lessening the time I spend on social media if it’s not good for my mental health. My brother is in the army and he’s been very jumpy to loud noises ever since he came home. It might do him good to visit a psychiatrist for this so I’ll help him look for one in the next week.

    • Annie says

      Hi Claire, I’m so happy you found that tip helpful! It sounds like you care for your brother very much. Finding a therapist can be a daunting task, but if you’re located in California, me and my team at Evergreen Counseling would be happy to help. You can book a free 20-minute consultation call with our Clinical Intake Coordinator and we can match your brother with a therapist who can best support his needs.

    • Annie says

      Hi there, you’re so welcome! I’m happy these tips feel informative to you. I write these posts in the hopes that they will serve as resources for readers, so this comment means so much. Have a wonderful week and thank you for leaving a comment! Warmly, Annie

  4. Mats Wolff says

    I agree when you said to limit time spent on social media. One of my friend’s son has anxiety and she wants to bring him to a anxiety treatment centre. Thanks for the article and I will share it with my friend so that she can bring her son to an appropriate anxiety centre.

    • Annie says

      Hi Mats,

      I’m sorry to hear that your friend’s son is struggling with anxiety. Thank you for sharing this article, I hope she finds it helpful! Sending you both my best.

      Warmly, Annie

  5. Greta James says

    I appreciate the advice to seek out those who make you feel loved and accepted in your life. I have a lot of trauma from a previous relationship, and I have found that it is starting to impact my life in other ways. It would be smart to discuss this with a psychologist so I can learn coping skills and move ahead with life.

    • Annie says

      Hi Greta,

      Thanks for your insightful comment. I’m sorry that you’re experiencing trauma from your past relationship. I agree that seeking support so you can move toward a positive future is a very smart idea.

      Take good care of yourself.

      Warmly, Annie

  6. Olivia Smart says

    Thank you for pointing out how sleep is essential for your mental health. I’ve been really struggling with depression and anxiety this winter. I have been having trouble sleeping lately, so I’ll be sure to work on that to see if it will help.

  7. Thomas Clarence says

    I like how you mentioned that visiting a doctor regularly is crucial for making sure your body is functioning properly. In addition to frequent checkups, I would think that it would be a good idea to visit a mental health professional from time to time. You would want to visit a mental health professional so that you can know if you are doing the right things when it comes to taking care of yourself.

  8. David Mancuso says

    The tip to seek professional help when needed underscores the significance of destigmatizing mental health care. Reaching out to therapists or counselors when facing challenges showcases strength and a willingness to prioritize one’s mental health, ultimately leading to personal growth and healing. Thanks, Annie for this awesome tips and insights! Great job!

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