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TOGETHER IN HEALING
HOLIDAYS CAN BE HARD
Heal
Myself
Build and maintain healthy relationships
The people in our lives, and how often we connect with them, make a difference in our healing. A growing body of science shows that supportive relationships can buffer stress and the negative health impacts associated with ACEs.
Numerous scientific studies have proven that strong social connections aid in healing, help people overcome adversity and tragedy, and build resilience.
Click here to understand the science of how this works. Or, check out these simple relationship building tools.
Tools
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is an awareness of our experiences in the moment without judgment.
We can use tools like meditation, mindful movement, or mindful time in nature to help cultivate this state.
Mindfulness practices have been used for thousands of years by cultures around the globe as a way to stay balanced, centered, and present. And there’s modern scientific evidence to prove the benefits.
Mindfulness boosts memory, focus, and mood while decreasing anxiety. It can help us control our impulses, build more positive relationships, and view life with a more open mind.
For mindfulness – for anything, really – to work best, it’s good to practice it regularly. Click one of the buttons below as a way to start.
Tools
Mental Health Care
Mental health affects all of us, and can impact every aspect of our lives.
For those of us struggling with depression, anxiety, substance use, thoughts of self-harm or suicide, anger management, or other ACE-related conditions, mental and behavioral health care can be helpful in addressing these symptoms and feeling better.
While not something we talk about openly and often, suicidal thoughts or behaviors are some of the most common challenges associated with ACEs.
You’re not alone. Reach out and get help at the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988
The Mindshift Method teaches you how to retrain your brain and get—or stay—on the road to recovery.
Visit MindshiftRecovery.org to check out their free app, weekly community support, or their 8-week online course.
Our minds and bodies are connected. So caring for minds — whether by ourselves, getting help from friends or family, or working with mental health providers — can help with physical challenges too. Immune, inflammatory, cardiovascular, or metabolic issues may be related to toxic stress.
Changes in our emotional or mental well-being — like our mood, our energy, changes in our normal routines — are clues. If we experience those types of changes, it can be a good indication it’s time to ask for help.
A lot of us have found the best place to start when we’re struggling with our mental health is to talk to someone we trust, whether that’s your partner, friend, or doctor. The tools below can help you talk to your doctor, find a provider, and get support from people going through similar challenges.
Key points
- Mental health is health
- Nearly all of us struggle with our mental health at some point in our lives
- Check in on yourself
- Reach out and get help
Tools
Time to get moving
Movement is a key component to healing from ACEs. Trauma from childhood may be stored at the cellular level in our body, and movement can help release it. Movement can also improve our energy and overall health and help us stay flexible and relaxed. We often express ourselves culturally and spiritually through movement.
Just remember that you can choose movement that feels good to you. The most important thing is to integrate it into your everyday life. Whether that’s going for a morning walk or greeting the day with a deep stretch.
