6 Ways to Handle Your Mental Health Crisis, by Zachary Duty

6 Ways to Handle Your Mental Health Crisis

6 Ways to Handle Your Mental Health Crisis, by Zachary Duty

Taking care of yourself during a mental health crisis is just as important as taking care of your physical health.

When I was 7 my brothers and I built a rope swing. We took a couple of test runs and our childhood handiwork seemed to be functional. I was a little nervous to try it out so my older brother decided to give me a tutorial. He showed me where to put my hands so I could hang on, and then he took a swing to show me how safe it was. Well… the swing broke and my brother fell off, breaking his arm.

We sounded the parental alarm and adults were soon at his side. They whisked him away to the hospital where his arm was set by an experienced physician. A week later he went back and the doctors put on a hard cast, which he wore for 6 weeks until his arm was healed. Even after the removal of his hard cast, he was advised to “take it easy,” working back towards normal full use. He fully recovered from the injury and has had no lasting effects of a broken arm.

The system we, as a society, have in place for physical health is fully operational. Anyone who suffers a physical injury knows they can go to a doctor and get the help they need. There is no shaming or stigma attached to visiting a doctor when you are experiencing some form of ailment. So why then are we so hesitant to visit a mental health professional?

Start by Acknowledging Your Mental Health Crisis

I have personally experienced trauma, addiction, and chemical imbalances that have caused real emotional suffering. Yet, for years I was hesitant to visit a therapist. My justification was that I was strong enough to handle my struggles on my own. After finally meeting with a therapist I came to the conclusion that it took more strength to ask for help.

Sad woman with person's arms on her shoulders

Like physical health, your mental health can be attacked from many different angles. You may get sick with a virus, appearing pale, sweaty, and vomiting. You may break your arm, walking around in a bright-colored cast. You may suffer a concussion, dilated pupils, blurred vision, vomiting, etc. Mental health is similar in variety, but the attacks are less apparent, at least on the surface. Most people won’t know you are struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, etc. You may not even realize the extent of your own ailment. You may simply feel alone and afraid because everyone else seems to be enjoying life with ease while you are fighting for every moment. Without any knowledge of how to handle the pain, you may be looking for a way out.

Get Help with Your Mental Health Crisis

So how do you handle an imbalance of your mental health? When the path isn’t clear and you are suffering, options can seem very limited. Perhaps you feel like you can’t share your struggle because of what others may think about you. Just like you would go see a doctor if you broke your arm, you can visit a therapist for your mental health needs. A good therapist will listen judgment-free and provide you with some guidance on how to proceed.

There are people out there right now who are suffering silently. You may be one of them. You may be in need of something you can do right now to get through this mental health crisis. You may be looking for a way out. First off, if you or a loved one is considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number (1-800-273-8255). They are well trained and can provide you with local resources. They may even discuss some of these steps with you.

These are some things you can do right now and moving forward to work through this difficult moment:

Grounding

Stay present in this moment. Is anything hurting you at this moment? Look around you. Notice your feet on the ground, feel your toes in your shoes, notice the wind on your face or the humming of an appliance in the background. These are things constantly going on around us that we may not notice if we aren’t being present. An exercise like this can ground you to the moment. You may experience intrusive thoughts, those are not part of the moment, watch them go by like leaves floating down a stream. Only focus on what is right here and right now. The past is over and the future hasn’t arrived. All there is, is right now.

A man meditates in a field

Take some deep breaths, grounding has a calming effect that will help you think more clearly.

Anchor Points

There are people who care about you and/or people who need you. Your work isn’t finished and the effect you will have on the world is extraordinary. What do you love? What would you say is your passion? If you can’t answer that, take some time to ponder and try to land on something you absolutely love to do. Who are the people in your life that love you? Don’t say no one. Instead, dig deep and be truthful. When was a time that you didn’t feel like this? Focus on that time and ask yourself what was different. If you are trying to support a loved one, ask lots of open-ended questions. The goal here is to open awareness that there is more in your life than this mental health crisis or pain and things can be different.

Building the Future

Look forward. The future has the potential to be a blank slate. What do you want to do with it? The painful thoughts you are experiencing can go away if you let them, and the future can be completely different. You may feel like nothing is in your control, but that isn’t true. You always have choices. And, depending on how you decide to make those choices, your world could open up to a wonderful variety of choices.

What do you want?

Are you reaching out? Is this a cry for help and support? Do you want/need to make some major life changes because your current life is not manageable? Is your mental health crisis plaguing you and keeping you from seeing the light in the world? What is it you truly want, and is your current course of action getting you what you want? So often our desires don’t match our actions. We may want someone to love, yet we constantly argue and fight against the people around us, who are likely trying to love us. So ask yourself what your deepest desire is and check to make sure your actions are building towards that desire.

Safety Plan

Make a list of things that work and help towards a more balanced and healthy future. Then make a list of things that are not helpful. You could come up with a specific plan, like calling someone specific when you are feeling down. Safety plans are as good as you make them and only work if you’re willing to follow them.

Access to Lethal Means

I always say that avoidance is the lowest level of overcoming a problem, but in many ways, it can also be a good first step. If you don’t want to drink alcohol, it’s probably a good idea to empty the liquor cabinet down the sink and skip the after-work trip to the bar. If you don’t want to end your life in an unstable moment, it is a good idea to get rid of lethal means from your house. Also, if you or a loved one have thought about a specific plan and has the means to carry it out please reach out immediately.

A man sitting on a bed with alcohol bottles on the floor

What to Do Post-Mental Health Crisis

Once you’re out of the crisis, you can work towards getting the help you need to stabilize and balance your mental health. This can be done through therapy and medication management. It is difficult, if not impossible to find that balance when you are in crisis. This can be done on your own but works even better with the support of a loved one and mental health professional.

We are working towards shining a more positive light on the very serious need for regular mental health care. Hopefully, it will become a familiar process like setting a broken arm. Unfortunately, a broken arm can’t be set if you never go to the hospital. So, please reach out

By the way, I never ended up taking my turn on that rope swing.


Zachary Duty, CSW

Zach Duty is a native Texan and a graduate of Southern Utah University with a bachelor’s degree in Outdoor Recreation. He went on to complete a master’s in social work at the University of Utah with an emphasis in child welfare. As a therapist, Zach has worked in residential treatment and for the state of Utah through the Division of Juvenile Justice. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

3 Things to Help with Anxious Thinking, by Gaylyn White

3 Things to Help With Anxious Thinking

I am thinking a little more about anxiety and anxious thinking today. I have two sons who started a climb yesterday up Mt. Rainier in Washington. We know they made it to the base camp last night, and I know they were going to sleep by about 7 pm and arise at 12:30 AM to begin the hike up to the summit. There have been deaths and rescues on the mountain in the news lately, so I am anxiously awaiting word of their return. They have guides and a group, they have supplies and are prepared, so that helps my worries.

So, what do we do when we can tell we start overthinking, our breathing is faster, our heart is pounding, and we have ruminating or anxious thoughts?

Quick Cures for Anxiety and OverThinking

As a counselor, I see all kinds of anxiety. But it always follows patterns. Today I am not going into what anxiety or anxious thinking is, but rather some of my personal favorite quick cures:

  1. Move: Get the adrenaline moving somewhere else than to your heart. This happens so that it will pump more oxygen to your brain. The brain dominates in neediness, then the heart. So move, skip, jump, hop or if you can’t be that obvious because other people are around you, tense your muscles in place, the key is to activate muscles.
  2. Breathe: Deep slow breaths. I like to think about 4 seconds breathing in, pause by holding it in, then 4 seconds out, and pause holding it out. As I breathe in I like to say “in with all that is good” and as I breathe out I like to say “I release all that is feeling stressful or unsafe”. (I have also heard it is good not to even think of the stress, so instead say something like “my life is abundantly blessed” as you breathe out instead.)
  3. Visualize: As you are breathing, go to your favorite spot in your mind, the place that calms you and slows your brain a bit. I like to imagine my favorite quiet spot on a beach in Kauai, HI. I am alone, noticing the warm white sand on my feet, watching the waves ebb and flow gently. Watching the seagulls glide above the soft white caps, hearing the waves, tasting the salty, humid air in my mouth. Smelling the salty ocean and fresh air. (Notice I am using the senses: Touch– sand, Hear-waves, See: birds, waves. Taste: salty air. Smell: salty but fresh. You need to find and practice going to this place in your mind during meditations first, or it will be hard to find during an anxiety attack.

How These Exercises Reduce Anxious Thinking

Each of these exercises reduces anxious thoughts or overthinking by engaging your muscles, brain and creativity. You can shift from a narrative of stress and worry to a calm and relaxed manner. You can become the creator of your experience instead of feeling the victim of high anxiety. (Feeling like you want to get out of your own skin!)

Good luck in your journey to calm, find peace, and focus on creating a spirit of acceptance rather than resistance (another story for later)


GayLyn White, CCMHC, NCC

https://gaylynwhite.com/

GayLyn is a clinical mental health counselor who worked with the community domestic violence crisis center for several years. Additionally, she worked with LDS Family Services and a private practice in Ogden, Utah. Her specialties include depression, anxiety, marriage relationships, and women’s issues. GayLyn now works part-time in her private practice at Tremonton, Utah; providing individual, marital, and family counseling. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

Managing Your Mental Health During a Pandemic, by Carey Larson

Managing Your Mental Health during a Pandemic

Managing Your Mental Health During a Pandemic, by Carey Larson

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic and struggling to maintain good mental health? If you are, you are not alone. It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry after any kind of uncertainty. During this unique time, it can be especially important to take care of your emotional and mental health. Taking care of your mental health will help you to think and respond appropriately to the situation and help your long-term healing.

Improve Your Mental Health During the Pandemic by Using the Three R’s

Dr. Bruce Perry, a pioneering neuroscientist in the field of trauma, developed The Three R’s: Regulate, Relate, and Reason. This was established to increase children’s ability to come to a place of calm and clarity, but I believe we can all use the 3 R’s to help us process and respond appropriately to the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Regulate

When we are in a time of uncertainty and panic the best thing we can do is learn skills to help us calm down and ground ourselves. It can be very dis-regulating when our routine is suddenly changed, and we are encouraged or forced to change our daily schedules. Regulating is about learning how to calm ourselves and learning skills to calm our body and mind. Running to Walmart to stock up on toilet paper and panicking when we don’t find any may not be the best way to help us calm down.

One helpful way to manage your mental health during the pandemic is to self-regulate is through skills of mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing. Mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing help us to focus on where we are at in the current moment and gain the ability to react wisely to our situations. If you need help in practicing and developing skills of mindfulness and mediation there are many excellent YouTube videos and apps that can help you to practice these skills. The Calm app and Headspace app are two that I use regularly when teaching these skills.

A woman in a meditation pose stands in front of the ocean

2. Relate

After we regulate and ground ourselves the next important step to managing our mental health during the pandemic is to then relate. Relate is all about connecting with ourselves and others. It is important to identify what we are feeling and thinking. You may be feeling anxious, worried, or afraid. You may be mad or upset or fearful of what may happen. When we acknowledge and connect with how and what we are feeling it helps us become more anchored and secure. Talking and connecting with others is also helpful and essential. Even though physical (not social) distancing is important during this time we need to connect and talk with others. Reach out and talk with people you trust about your concerns and feelings. Technology allows us to continue to connect even if we may be physically apart. Connecting with others helps us to feel understood, seen, and validated.

3. Reason

Reason is taking time to problem solve and make wise decisions. It is important to take breaks and make time to unwind. Take intentional breaks and avoid too much exposure to the news. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis repeatedly. Be intentional and create a routine.  Schedule activities that are enjoyable and that help you to feel as normal as possible. Consume information wisely and look to get proper facts and information from reliable sources. There can be lots of misinformation and new information being shared. Look at the CDC and local resources.

Lastly, seek help if needed. Look for common signs of distress; feelings of numbness, anxiety, fear, changes in your energy level, problems with concentration, sleep patterns, or feeling angrier or on edge. If the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting your mental health and you are unable to carry out normal responsibilities for several days or weeks, please consider speaking with a professional counselor. This can be a trying time for many, but by implementing these strategies I hope you find peace in the storm.


Cary Larson, LMFT

highpointcounseling.com/therapist

Carey is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and has a private practice in Rock Springs, Wyoming. He grew up on a small farm in Northern Utah and has a passion for helping and working with others. Carey has experience and training in helping individuals and families with relationship issues, depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and addiction. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

The Psychology of Panic: What Causes It? By Steve Eastmond

The Psychology of Panic: What Causes It?

The Psychology of Panic: What Causes 
It? By Steven Eastmond

During this period of COVID-19, it can be helpful to understand the psychology behind panic.

In today’s world, there seem to be plenty of things to get anxious about. Anything from isolation because of COVID-19, empty grocery store shelves, or earthquakes and aftershocks have recently added to a host of already anxiety-provoking, everyday concerns that people have. But some of the anxiety people are feeling is entirely unnecessary and rapidly evolves into a firestorm of panic that completely overruns the sanity receptors of our brains.

A Personal Example

One neighborhood near where I live was sucked up in just such an unnecessary panic with the recent earthquake. Neighbors up and down the block were out in front of their homes, car engines running, throwing supplies, pets, and small children into their vehicles and then screeching down the street in a mad dash for safety. Where were they going? And where did this panic come from? Apparently, someone on Facebook had decided to pass on a rumor that officials had put out a warning that we had ten minutes to flee before a massive 9.0 earthquake was going to strike. This, of course, was not actually true.

So question: when the facts actually state that, first, we don’t have the technology to predict an earthquake; second, no official has in reality said we are going to have a 9.0 earthquake; and third, you can’t flee an earthquake in ten minutes, why do people end up in abject panic anyway? It seems that all reason disappears and irrational behavior reigns, even amongst otherwise logical and level-headed people.

The answer has to do with the psychology of panic. Let’s have a look at some of the reasons why people panic.

Following the Crowd

First, when we observe just one other person behaving in an unusual way, different from the crowd, we don’t tend to give their behavior a whole lot of credibility. But if many, or all, of the people around us, are behaving in that same way, we have the tendency to follow that behavior, giving full credibility to it, irrational as it may appear. The behavior is much like that of a stampede of wildebeests.

Long exposure photo of a crowd moving across a street

So what’s the psychology behind this source of panic? The assumption is that if everyone is doing it, there must be a rational reason for the behavior, so we mimic it. This is one of the reasons everyone ran for toilet paper at the grocery store recently when in reality there is no shortage and, given the nature of the coronavirus, there is not even a need for people to have excessive stores of toilet paper on hand in the basement. In short, people bought extra toilet paper simply because people were buying extra toilet paper.

Scarcity

A second reason why people panic, at least when it comes to panic-buying anyway, has to do with scarcity. In economics, scarcity is the product of unlimited wants coupled with limited resources. But the psychology of panic when it comes to scarcity is that even if there is only a perception of limited resources in the face of unlimited want for that resource, the result will be some level of anxiety and reactive behavior to obtain that resource before other people do.

Again, in the wake of the coronavirus issue, people panicked about buying toilet paper over the assumption that there would be a shortage, which would, of course, result in the terrifying possibility that nobody in America would be able to “spare a square,” to quote Elaine from an old episode of Seinfeld. So, people rushed the stores for toilet paper and ended up creating a shortage of it. If people believe there will be a shortage of something, there will definitely end up being a shortage.

Perceived Threat

A third and more rudimentary reason panic occurs is when the brain perceives a threat, real or imagined. A four-year-old may panic when she sees a lion at the zoo pacing angrily in his cage, when in reality the child is completely safe because the lion is caged. A teenager may panic when she doesn’t receive a text response from a boy she has been dating, perceiving that he may be breaking up with her or texting other girls. In reality he set his phone down while he was playing a video game. Or a man may panic that he is going to be laid off at work because several other people were laid off at work, even though he has recently been assured he would be keeping his job.

A woman hunches over clutching her hands

The psychology behind this third kind of panic is due to a number of reasons. The brain is hard-wired for self-preservation and is constantly on the alert for potential threats. A loud, unexpected sound, for example, is quickly followed by the brain’s efforts to identify the source as quickly as possible in order to determine if action needs to be taken to fight or flee. The same response happens when we hear about something that may not be immediately threatening us but could at some point become a threat. Like the coronavirus. Where caution is advised in this situation, panic, of course, is not necessary or helpful. Panic leads people to rush to the store and punch someone in the toilet paper aisle because that person got to the last package of Charmin just before they did.

Pause Before You Panic

Beyond the above three causes of panic, there are a myriad of reasons why people become overly anxious. Regardless of the reasons for panicking, try hard to think before you allow anxiety to overtake you. Remember that panic causes more harm than good and generally results from an absence of thought, so taking a few seconds to reason with yourself about what is going on could save you a world of anxiety, if not very embarrassing behavior. With all that is going on in the world, we could all benefit from staying calm and not giving in to panic.


Steven Eastmond, LCSW 

Family Transitions Counseling (familytcc.com)

Steve is a Utah native and earned a master’s in social work from Washington University in St. Louis, the top school of social work in the country. He owns and runs Family Transitions Counseling in Pleasant Grove, Utah and has other therapists working in this clinic as well. Steve is also an adjunct professor of social work at Utah Valley University.


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

You Are Not Alone: Mental Health Statistics, by Kylan Veibell

You Are Not Alone: Mental Health Statistics

You Are Not Alone: Mental Health Statistics, by Kylan Veibell

You are not alone! Statistics show that millions of people just like you struggle with their mental health, although you wouldn’t know since most live their lives in silence. In a society that encourages, promotes, and rewards the macho man and the flawless women, it is no wonder many people dealing with mental health keep their mental health to themselves out of fear of being second to those whose lives appear all too perfect. Too often, this secrecy produces serious outcomes such as obesity, addiction, divorce, financial ruin, and suicide as people attempt to cope with their symptoms in unhealthy ways. Until recently, I was among the millions living in silence.

Pie chart displaying percentage of Americans suffering from mental illness
One in four people will experience mental health challenges this year, including anxiety and depression.

Recent studies have confirmed these claims. In 2018, one in five American adults over the age of eighteen reported currently struggling with some form of mental health illness including obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder; as well as other mental wellness challenges including anxiety and depression. In 2016, 16.5% of youth between the age of six and seventeen reported experiencing similar mental health symptoms. More astonishing, are estimates that show more than half of the American adult population will suffer from some form of mental health symptom in their lifetime.

How Stigma Impacts Mental Health Care

Although improving, sizeable social stigma continues to surround mental health struggles and the act of seeking help.  According to recent studies, only 39 percent of the people who had a mental health symptom in the past year received professional health care or other services. Men are the least likely gender to seek help and the most likely to die of suicide where their mental health wasn’t reported or being treated prior to their suicide. Many of these men die of suicide without even telling a loved one about their struggles!

These statistics on mental health are concerning. It means there are millions of people who are unnecessarily struggling and performing below their potential. For those not openly discussing mental health and seeking help, common reasons include fear, shame, hopelessness, lack of insight and awareness, lack of transportation, and financial strain.

Line graph displaying a rise in suicide rates from 2008-2017
Suicide rates have risen sharply in recent years due to the worsening of mental health and wellness.

For those of you who experience mental health lows, these findings and statistics prove you are not alone. They prove the importance of being open and the criticality of seeking help! In the complex and changing world we live in, there are many people just like you, working through their mental struggles day in and day out, but doing so in silence. We want to change that. We want to help you! We want you to help you! We want others to help you! We are committed to you!

How We Can Help

At Overt Foundation, our purpose is to restore mental health one person and community at a time, so that, together, we will actualize our highest potential. We believe, together, we can solve the social stigma, silence, and treatment rates, ultimately improving the overall mental wellbeing of our society. We believe, as loved ones and community members create a none idealized (macho man, perfect women) safe environment, people will find opportunities to discuss their mental health and seek help to learn healthy tools, techniques, and routines for managing their complex and changing lives.

Overt Foundation Logo
Our purpose is to restore mental health one person and community at a time, so that, together, we will actualize our highest potential.

We are on a mission to educate people about the seriousness of mental health, the power of being open with others, and the need for creating a safe environment for those seeking help. We are also committed to building a safe community of individuals who connect with each other by promoting openness about their experiences with mental health. And most importantly, we are assisting people who otherwise could not afford therapy, in restoring their lives through improved access to the help they need.

This is a movement and we need your help!

For those of you not overt about your mental health, we ask you to be open with a friend, loved one, or confidante, seek help from a professional or someone that has experienced the same challenges, and apply the tools and practices they recommend. We encourage you to be one of many who break the social stigma around mental health and beat the statistics by sharing your story on our website and with your social media circle.

To everyone, we need your financial support so we can realize our vision of restoring mental health one person and community at a time by providing access to therapy to those who are unable to afford it. We ask that you donate to our cause or sponsor someone in need. Our operations are entirely funded, meaning, 100% of all donations go towards helping someone access the help they need.

Together, we can and will restore mental health one person and community at a time.

You are not alone!

We encourage you to learn more about our vision and model.


Kylan Veibell 

Kylan founded Overt Foundation in January 2019 as a way for him to help others who are struggling with the same mental health circumstances he experienced throughout his life. Kylan’s purpose in life is to empower, motivate, and inspire the development of humanity so that, together, we will actualize our highest potential. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

It's Okay: Addressing the Mental Health Stigma

It’s Okay: Addressing the Mental Health Stigma

It's Okay: Addressing the Mental Health Stigma, by Codee Seehagen

Throughout history, a strong stigma has existed around the topic of mental health. A stigma is something that degrades or takes away from one’s character or reputation. Evidence of mental health can be found during the middle ages but didn’t become commonplace discussion until the 1900s. As you begin educating yourself around mental health, you begin to recognize that there are levels of severity and diagnosis. Even today, clarity around these levels can be a little foggy, although I would like to point out a distinction between mental illness and mental wellness. When talking about mental health, people often lump mental illnesses into the same category as mental wellness causing much of the negative stigma surrounding mental health. Because they are lumped together, many people think something is wrong with them, rather than recognizing events and environmental factors that significantly impact their mental wellness and health.

Confusion Around Mental Wellness

The mental wellness category is where most people experiencing struggles with their mental health reside. These struggles include challenges like anxiety, depression, panic attacks. Contrary to the popular culture and stigma, it isn’t right to group every disorder or illness into the same category or severity. We need to understand that most people will experience some type of mental health challenge at least once in their lifetime. So why should it be perceived as something so negative or scary?

This stigma is potentially more dangerous than the mental health struggle itself. It is the cause of countless destroyed families, addictions, and even suicides attempts. Often, it stands in the way of an individual seeking and more importantly receiving the help that they need.

Confronting the Mental Health Stigma

I grew up in a stable home with two loving parents that did their very best in raising their four children, me being the youngest. While all of us experienced our ups and downs, at age 26, I was the first in my family to seek out support through therapy. Growing up I created the belief that asking for help is a clear display of weakness, but as I confronted this stigma around mental illness and asked for help, I found the strength that I had never felt before.

A glass orb held in hand with the image of an ocean sunset refracted through it.

I remember the first time I told a close family member that I was seeing a therapist for my anxiety and panic attacks. Shortly after the brief conversation, which informed them that someone they loved was needing a therapist, I was told the news brought tears to their eyes and made them feel like they failed me in some way. So, this stigma hits close to home for me. Gratefully I wasn’t suffering from a severe mental illness, I just needed someone to talk to and help coach me through my emotions. What my family member, and so many others in a similar situation, don’t often realize or understand initially, is that therapy was helping me become a better, more capable son, brother, and man. It has helped me understand the reasons for different emotions, it has helped me understand the emotions and actions of others, and most importantly it has made me a more kind and empathetic human being.

Hope for the Future

Fortunately, for the future of the world, the stigma around mental illnesses and wellness is being challenged. More and more individuals are seeking the help they need. Young people are major contributors to this change in culture. They believe in individuality, to embrace our faults, and love each other no matter what. Breaking down this degrading stigma is what the world needs. Let us continue to find strength in leaning on each other and becoming more capable and loving individuals.

Every person on this planet is a unique individual, who sees, touches, and feels in their unique way. It is our purpose at Overt Foundation to help more people recognize that there is power in being open and accepting to whatever challenge and severity they are facing as an individual. We all face challenges and we all need to support each other! So please share your story and donate to further our cause of restoring one community and individual at a time.


Codee Seehagen

Codee grew up in Mesa, Arizona, and graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in International Business. His passion for mental health comes from personally experiencing the challenges that anxiety and other mental or social pressures create in our day-to-day lives.


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

Does Mental Health Treatment Really Work? By Alvin Robertson

Does Mental Health Treatment Really Work?

Does Mental Health Treatment Really Work? By Alvin Robertson

As someone who works directly with patients on their behavioral health in a treatment setting, one of the phrases I hear frequently is, “this isn’t going to help me.” There is a belief that they will be able to overcome their mental health struggles by themselves or if they can just get the right medication it will solve itself. Part of this could stem from stigma, a belief that their mental health isn’t as bad as it really is, or a desire to be self-sufficient. I understand all of those positions. And the reality is, based on both my experience working in a treatment center and industry research, that treatment, particularly evidence-based treatment, is effective and helps hundreds of thousands of people every year.

Tired man sitting on couch with his hand over his forehead

I could quote statistics and reference articles to you all day, but in my experience, we all relate to real stories and firsthand accounts more easily. This is because of our hippocampus (part of our brain), but that topic is a different article. If you’re contemplating going to therapy or recommending a loved one go to therapy, one of your concerns should be “Is this going to help, or will I be wasting time and money?”

My Experience with Mental Health Treatment

When I went to residential treatment for mental health challenges in 2017, I had my first experience with therapy. My therapist was a 6’7″, 300+ lbs., former all-American offensive tackle for the Oregon Ducks, with 14 years sober after a 3-year prison stint. And all I could think of was how good it felt to finally be able to be open with someone about all aspects of my life. If you get nothing else out of therapy, you have someone who is required by law to keep your secrets, as long as those secrets don’t include murder or abuse of a minor or senior citizen.

More than that though, you get someone who may well have experienced things that you are experiencing and has some insight on how to overcome them. I have lived with anxiety and depression to crippling degrees since my earliest memories. It has prevented me from doing well in school, doing things I loved, forming meaningful friendships, and a whole slew of things you probably don’t have time to read (but if you do, check out my story here). I can honestly say that treatment and therapy kept me alive.

Therapy Works

After I graduated from the treatment program I attended, I was given an opportunity to work for the very program that gave me back my life. In the two years that I’ve worked as a case manager, I’ve overseen the treatment of close to 200 clients with varying degrees of mental health struggles. Without a doubt, the clients that get on the correct medication and continue in treatment as recommended by their care providers, go on to live what they described to me as their “life worth living.” One of my favorite examples is a client with schizoaffective disorder who went on to graduate with an MBA. Clients who commit to therapy and stick with it, often find themselves going to therapy after they complete treatment.

Therapy works. If it didn’t, myself, and all of my peers would be out of work. There is no shame in going to therapy. My whole life I felt uncomfortable, striving just to feel okay. I know I’m not unique in this. The percentage of Americans with a mental health struggle is at an all-time high. You too deserve a life worth living. If the difference between just existing and enjoying life is some treatment, why hold yourself back?


Alvin Robertson

Alvin grew up in Southwest Missouri and struggled with depression and addiction from the age of 11. He also has had extreme social anxiety his whole life. Alvin is a veteran of the US Army, and enjoys spending his time doing martial arts, shooting, and reading. Alvin now works as a Behavioral and Peer Support Specialist at a residential treatment center. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

Seeking Help: Finding a Mental Health Therapist, by Alvin Robertson

Seeking Help: Finding a Mental Health Therapist

Seeking Help: Finding a Mental Health Therapist, by Alvin Robertson

Having trouble finding the right mental health therapist? If I had to choose a single obstacle that prevents more people from starting therapy than anything else, it would be the sheer task of deciding where to go. A single Google search of “therapy near me”, yields 5,480,000,000 results in .92 seconds (your internet is probably much faster). The first 3-5 results are ads, followed by a smattering on Google Maps, after which are lists such as one on Psychology Today. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the plethora of options, and shut down to avoid anxiety. Rinse, repeat.

Even if you go the slightly more informed route and ask your insurance company for a list of care providers that are in-network, all you get is a list of names with no way of knowing who has a good reputation, where they are located, or if they’ll let you bring your pet parakeet (they won’t). That said, this is not a bad route to go as long as you’re willing to do the leg work.

An outstretched arm reaching towards some trees

When selecting a therapist, it’s important to be honest with yourself about what your mental health struggles are. If you’re seeking help for your marriage, you wouldn’t go to a therapist that has no experience in that. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, anger management, struggling to maintain meaningful relationships, etc., there is a therapist for you. If you aren’t sure what you struggle with and are looking for more clarity, most places will be able to do a quick assessment for you to give you an idea of what direction to go. By no means should you take this as gospel, but it can help provide some knowledge as to what kind of therapy would be beneficial.

Resources for Finding a Mental Health Therapist

Here is a list of national mental health organizations that should have information on local councilors:

While searching for mental health therapists, you will see a lot of acronyms for credentials. Here is a list of some and what they mean:

  • Clinical Psychologist (Psy. D, Ph.D.) – deal with more severe mental health issues like severe anxiety, depression, bipolar disorders, and eating disorders.
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – A licensed social worker can provide therapeutic counseling services and resource and referral services for children, adolescents, and adults.
  • Marriage, Family Therapist (LMFT) – Can support individuals and couples with mental health issues and relationship issues as a family therapist, or marriage counselor.
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC/LPCC) – Provide therapeutic counseling services for individuals and couples struggling with relationship issues and life challenges.

Other Things to Consider

You also might look into popular types of therapy and search for practitioners in your area that specialize in those. These could be Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness practices, and many more. It is important to verify that someone who claims to use a practice is actually certified in it and is truly using its methods. I see this particularly with DBT, due to its rise in popularity.

Something you will likely run into while looking for a mental health therapist is the Online vs. In-Person debate. This really comes down to your personal preference. You may have people tell you that you can’t get as effective treatment with online/computer therapy, or that serious practitioners don’t work online. This simply is not true. Marsha Linehan is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts in the world and recently launched some trial treatment with computer therapy which shows it to be a viable alternative for traditional treatment methods. If you’re more comfortable with over the phone, video chat, or live chat, then this can be a great way to get help.

If you don’t have private insurance, but do have Medicaid, a good resource would be your Local Mental Health Authority. This is easily found with a Google search, and they will be able to provide you with a list of resources in your county. If you don’t have any kind of insurance, ask the therapist you have decided on if they are familiar with any resources that will help subsidize your payments.

A man walking across a concrete floor towards a source of light

Begin Your Journey Today!

Hopefully, this has been helpful in alleviating some of the stress and anxiety that comes with trying to find or select a mental health therapist or treatment program. Don’t hesitate, start a search now. If you’ve made it here, you’re probably feeling motivated to seek help. Are you willing to ride that wave and continue to take steps towards a more carefree life?


Alvin Robertson 

Alvin grew up in Southwest Missouri and struggled with depression and addiction from the age of 11. He also has had extreme social anxiety his whole life. Alvin is a veteran of the US Army, and enjoys spending his time doing martial arts, shooting, and reading. Alvin now works as a Behavioral and Peer Support Specialist at a residential treatment center. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

What to Expect: Beginning Therapy, by Cody Seehagen

What to Expect: Beginning Therapy

What to Expect: Beginning Therapy, by Cody Seehagen

Beginning therapy can be a daunting and sometimes frightening task. Here is an example of what your first experience might look like, outlined in four simple steps:

  1. Recognize
  2. Search
  3. Select 
  4. Attend

Step 1 – RECOGNIZE

It was in April 2019, When I came to the realization that I needed help, I was experiencing anxiety and frequent panic attacks doing normal day-to-day tasks. Due to social stigmas around mental health, it was hard for me to accept that I needed help. But once I came to the realization that I couldn’t do this alone; everything became clearer and I found hope that I would push through these challenges. So, I began my mental health journey and started searching.

When beginning therapy, I found it somewhat difficult to find a therapist. Some therapist hours didn’t fit into my busy schedule, others would only see a certain type of patient, and some were clearly out of my price range. So, some of the things you should be aware of while searching for a therapist are availability, personal schedule, location, and of course price.

One resource that I found most valuable was my health insurance company. Most insurance companies have resources that assist in locating practices near you. Usually, this is the best and most convenient method because they will most likely be covered by your plan. In the case that you’re not covered by an insurance provider, there are many other resources in the community that exist and may be ready and willing to help. If your insurance doesn’t offer a service to help you find a practice, the internet is the next best thing! Try searching “therapists near me”, this will bring up a broad list of practices that specialize in many different areas of mental health.

Step 3 – SELECT

Once you’ve found a practice near you, the next step is to select a therapist. I’ve found that it is important to find a therapist that shares your same values. It is common for therapists to post a bio on their practice’s website so during your search for a therapist pay attention to what they say in their bio and try to identify similar values that you hold dear. Religion, family, marriage, friendship, honesty, or loyalty are just a few examples of values. Therapist fit is potentially the most difficult challenge in beginning therapy, but once you find a therapist that you work well with, it is a GAME CHANGER!

A person walks up some concrete steps

Step 4 – ATTEND

Now you have found a practice, selected a therapist, and are ready to make your first appointment. Plan on arriving about 15-20 minutes early as you will need to fill out some personal information such as name, DOB, insurance, and medical history. During the introductory session of the therapy, your therapist will be filling out something that’s called a DSM (Diagnostic & Statistical Manual). This may lead to other forms they will fill out with you, although this depends on the treatment you are needing and/or seeking. The DSM helps the therapist record your symptoms and ask the proper questions for diagnosis. This is just a tool to ensure they are well equipped to support and help you in the areas that you need. When beginning therapy, the main purpose of the first appointment is for introductions and getting to know each other. Be open and honest with your therapist.

Begin Your Therapy with Bravery

That’s it! It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3, 4. You can do this! It is time to be brave and find hope in seeking support! Bravery isn’t always overcoming some huge life-threatening challenge, bravery is vulnerability, openness, and kindness. So be brave, and begin by sharing your story with our Overt community, support others, show them there is hope, and donate if you are able. Be Brave.


Codee Seehagen 

Codee grew up in Mesa, Arizona, and graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in International Business. His passion for mental health comes from personally experiencing the challenges that anxiety and other mental or social pressures create in our day-to-day lives. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

Mental Health Needs More Funding, by Kylan Veibell

Mental Health Needs More Funding

One year ago, as I started thinking seriously about forming an organization focused on improving mental health, I began my research aimed at understanding the current needs of people experiencing mental health challenges. After a few searches online, it was quickly apparent that funding, stigma, awareness, and education were among the top challenges surrounding mental health in our society today. As I dug into mental health funding in the United States and worldwide, I found help to be out of reach for many people due to the financial burden associated with seeking assistance.

Financial Hurdles to Accessing Mental Health Care

Access due to monetary constraints has become one of the major contributors to people not seeking help when going through times of mental distress. We know that one in four people will experience some form of mental challenge each year, and of those, only 39%, or roughly two in five, will seek help. For individuals financially burdened, with and without insurance, countless are faced with choosing between food, heating, shelter, and transportation or paying for relatively expensive assistance. Untreated mental health burdens society and business, ultimately resulting in losses in overall economic productivity. More importantly, than economic productivity is the effect it is having on personal lives and relationships. It is poignant and unfortunate to know 61% of people without help are suffering, hopeless, and alone leaving them to live below their true potential or, even worse, end their lives out of desperation and hopelessness.

A woman lying on a wooden plank

You may be asking yourself: can people use their insurance coverage to seek and pay for help? It is a good question – one we will cover in more detail in the coming weeks. I will, however, say that many people who are covered by an insurance policy report having limited access to mental health treatment either due to expensive insurance deductibles or their insurance coverage is not required to cover mental health treatment.

If one in every four people will experience a mental health challenge this year with three out of every five of those not seeking help (financial reasons being the top driver), you may wonder, what is society doing to ensure access to help is accessible and affordable? Let’s dive in and find out.    

Who is funding mental health research worldwide?

The United States is home to 31 percent of the research funding, with the most prominent being organizations and departments within the federal government. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) were the top two funders overall, but other research funders, such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Aging, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, also featured in the top-ten global funders. Most of the current funding is aimed at researching mental health with relatively few programs solely focused on providing access to mental health help for those who do not have insurance, mental health coverage, who or cannot afford it.

How does public funding for mental health compare to other causes such as cancer?

According to a 2019 British study conducted by the mental health research charity MQ, only 3% of funding came from charity fundraising, which is insignificant compared with cancer (68%), cardiovascular disease (41%), and dementia (28%). They also found that across 4 years (2014-17), an average of $162 million was spent on mental health research compared to $798.23 million for cancer.

What this means is that 25 times more was spent on research per person with cancer than was spent on research per person with mental health challenges.

An elderly woman wearing a mask and standing in a crowd

Louise Arseneault, a contributor, from the website nationalelfservice.net summarized it best by saying, “The economic impact of mental illnesses on society is considerable with an estimated $130 (converted to US dollars) billion per year. The take-home message here is not that mental illness is more important than cancer but instead, that given its burden on society, mental health research should receive its fair share of investment. It will also not be a surprise to read that mental health research funding has remained unchanged for the past decade…”

As you can see, we need additional private, institutional, and government funding to move the needle on mental health.

Recent Funding Wins:

In October of 2018, President Donald Trump signed into law H.R. 6157, a measure to fund the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies for the fiscal year 2019. This bill went into effect in 2019 and provided increased funding, as a pilot, to improve access to mental health and wellness treatment. Their hypothesis is that increasing funding targeted at training school counselors and other mental health professionals will improve access to support for low-income communities. Below are the details of the bill:

Health and Human Services funding

Education funding

  • $1.17 billion for Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants, which include school counseling and school mental health programs
  • $10 million for the Safe Schools and Education pilot program, to test and evaluate partnerships between universities and state and local education agencies to train school counselors and other mental health professionals for positions in public school systems serving low-income communities 

Another bright spot in recent funding wins for mental health is a generous donation by the Huntsman family to establish the Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI) in Salt Lake City, Utah. Funding provided by the Huntsman family sets the foundation for:

  • Improving mental health resources for young adults.
  • Increasing mental health resources in underserved communities.
  • Advancing research for improved mental health treatment.
  • Identifying the genetic basis of mental health conditions.

What does all this mean?

Research funding for physical illness and disease, such as cancer, far outpace mental health funding even though mental wellness impacts a higher percentage of the overall population. There is, however, a growing awareness of the magnitude and impact of mental health on individuals and society including happiness and productivity levels. This awareness is perpetuating increases in investments made by generous individuals, such as the Huntsman family, and the federal government. With that said, access to mental health is still largely underfunded with many still struggling to access resources, such as therapy, needed to improve their mental wellness and health.

A young man standing on the shore of a lake

How You Can Help:

Donate

We ask you to donate to Overt Foundation to further our cause of restoring mental health, one person and community at a time, so that, together, we will actualize our highest potential. If you’d like to donate, go to www.overtfoundation.org. Since our operations are fully funded, 100% of your donation will go towards helping someone access the help they need from a certified mental health professional. We cautiously select each person admitted into our program after assessing their readiness and need through a thoughtful and thorough application and interview process. We select only those who are ready, willing, and able to put in the effort to change their lives through using our highly effective model. To ensure each recipient is invested in their own progression, we require every recipient to financially contribute. We encourage you to learn more about our vision and model.

Share

For those who have experienced mental health highs and lows, we ask you to be open, share your story, or ask an anonymous question. Help us continue to remove the stigma surrounding mental health. If you don’t struggle with mental health, statistics show someone close to you does and would love your love and support.

Together, with your help, we will restore mental health one person and community at a time!


Kylan Veibell 

Kylan founded Overt Foundation in January 2019 as a way for him to help others who are struggling with the same mental health circumstances he experienced throughout his life. Kylan’s purpose in life is to empower, motivate, and inspire the development of humanity so that, together, we will actualize our highest potential. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.