EMPOWERING MINDS MESSENGER
January 2019
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This month's newsletter includes photos from our Helping Hands Holiday Events, articles to help you kick start a happy and healthy year, January events, exciting agency updates and more!
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Helping Hands Holiday Event 2019
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In December we hosted not only one, but two holiday events to share the spirit of the season with our clients. Due to our growing client base, it was necessary to split the event into two dates. Both events had great entertainment, delicious food, fabulous give-aways and Santa! Thank you to everyone who volunteered and participated. We hope you had a wonderful holiday season, and look forward to an even greater 2019.
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THANK YOU!
Without your generosity our annual Holiday event would not have been possible
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Baltimore Chapter of Les Gemmes
Cinemark Towson
Costco Owings Mills
Crossfit RSC
The Delta Community Center
Dollhouse
The Epicenter at Edgewood
Beauty Bar
Freestate Challenge Academy
H&S Bakery
KalixtoB Hair Studios
Karen Borg
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Karol Olson
Kraus Behavioral
Morgan State
Prince of Peace Missionary Baptist Church
Rodney Matthews
Sam's Club Catonsville
Sharebaby
Target Columbia
Target Ellicott City
Target Towson
University of Maryland Hospital Staff
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Five New Year Resolutions to Improve your Mental Health
Research indicates that simple self-initiated activities can have a huge benefits
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This week, many people will be making New Year Resolutions, often after careful reflection on personal progress in the last year. Indeed, January offers a chance to look back and take stock of achievements, challenges and lessons learnt. It is also a chance to create a ‘to do’ (or ‘to be’) list for 2018. This is imperative for all who care about personal growth and self-improvement.
Enhancing mental
health
is sometimes considered the business of psychiatrists, psychologists and a myriad of other clinical experts. But much research indicates that individuals themselves can play a critical role in fostering their own mental health. The new year is a perfect time for people to consider and initiate activities that can improve mental health.
Evidence suggests that certain self-initiated activities can be very beneficial for mental health- five of which are listed below. Making (and enacting) a New Year Resolution based on these activities is thus highly recommended. Clearly, there is no ‘one-size fits all’ resolution, but readers can tailor one or more of the below to their own individual circumstances.
Exercising
Much research indicates that exercise is fundamental to good mental health. It releases natural endorphins which can significantly improve mood. In fact, physicians in numerous jurisdictions can now officially prescribe exercise as a treatment for
depression
. Recent research shows that exercise can be equally effective (if not more effective) as psychotropic
medication
in reducing symptoms of depression. This is explored in the brief video below about Audley, a fitness instructor who uses exercise positively to help in his recovery from bi-polar disorder.
Socializing and Contributing
Research has frequently shown that social activity and social support promote individual mental health, while also buffering individuals from the negative effect of acute and chronic
stress
. Seminal research conducted by British researchers Brown and Harris illustrates how social support protects people from depression, even in the presence of severe life events such as
divorce
and unemployment. Some research suggests that socializing can be especially beneficial where it involves making a meaningful
altruistic
contribution, for example volunteering.
Evidence suggests that individuals with higher levels of
religious
belief and practice have better mental health; with lower rates of depression,
substance abuse
and
suicide
. This is partly because religious people often have access to a caring community at a place of worship. Belief systems also offer a sense of coherence, which can give solace and support, especially in adverse times. Spirituality comes in many shapes, but can involve yoga,
mindfulness
meditation
and contact with
nature
(see below). Research indicates that all of these can foster good mental health.
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Contact with Nature
A growing body of research indicates that rates of mental illness are lower in rural locations, when compared to rates in cities. This has been attributed to a variety of factors, one of which is the beneficial effect of contact with nature. Nature can provide a space for reflection, meditation and renewal. It also can facilitate health-promoting exercise (e.g. swimming or hiking), as well as exposure to health-enhancing sunlight. As such, mental health care providers (such as the Douglas Hospital in Montreal) are now offering horticultural or pet
therapy
to benefit patients.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Some research suggests that high-levels of
perfectionism
are linked to mental illnesses such as depression and
eating disorders
. Such perfectionism can lead to a constant sense of worry and failure, as well as unhealthy levels of self-scrutiny and critical self-evaluation. All of this can worsen mental health. As such, the basis for much
cognitive
-behavioral therapy is to help patients examine their lives through a more realistic and self-accepting lens. In short, adopting an attitude of ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ may help foster good mental health.
Conclusion
The turning of the year allows us to reflect on times past as well as the future ahead. New Year Resolutions are a time-honored tradition that facilitate fresh starts and new beginnings. Hopefully, the activities described above can provide a foundation for those in search of a resolution that can improve their own mental health in 2019.
Happy New Year.
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Code Blue Extreme Cold Alert Information
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The Health Commissioner declares a Code Blue Extreme Cold Alert during periods of extremely cold weather. Code Blue Extreme Cold is a multi-agency effort to reduce hypothermia deaths during the winter months by protecting our City's homeless, seniors and other vulnerable populations.
A Code Blue Extreme Cold declaration triggers several responses aimed at providing shelter and services for homeless individuals.
- Private homeless shelters will be encouraged to extend their hours and keep individuals indoors.
- Homeless Services Outreach Workers provide cold weather education, encourage homeless individuals to take shelter, and connect them to services as needed.
- On nights when Code Blue Extreme Cold has been declared, the Salvation Army FEEDMORE canteen provides hot drinks and other items to homeless individuals.
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Last month Empowering Minds hosted a training session by Turn Around to educate staff
on how to support clients who are victims of human trafficking and domestic violence. For more information visit
turnaroundinc.org.
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Empowering Minds offices will be closed on January 21st, 2019 to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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19th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade
Monday, January 21st 2019
12:00 pm
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Mayor Catherine E. Pugh and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts celebrates the 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade. The parade commemorates the life of civil rights leader and icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 21, 2019 at noon. More than 70 groups participate in the parade including high school and community bands, honor/color guards, equestrian units, fraternities & sororities, lively dance squads and civic organizations. The parade steps off at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street, proceeds south on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and disbands at Baltimore Street. Spectators are invited to view the parade from along the route or near the reviewing stand at Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Franklin Street.
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Monday, January 21st 2019
8:30am – 12:00pm
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Volunteer with Civic Works’ Civic Works’ Real Food Farm, Community Lot Team, and Elder Services teams! Join us as we focus on creating access to safe spaces and green spaces. 200 Volunteers needed. Groups up to 50 volunteers accepted by registering with
[email protected].
This MLK Day, we commemorate Dr. King’s message of giving back to others by:
- Creating access at Real Food Farm’s Perlman Place location by creating mulch paths (1950 Perlman Place, 21213)
- Establishing a community garden in West Baltimore (3707 Hayward Ave, 21215)
- Clean tools to prepare for repairs (at Hilltop House in Clifton Park, 21213)
- Make small repairs in seniors’ homes (contact Mike at [email protected] to register for this placement).
Contact Civic Works’ Volunteer Manager, Gwen Kokes, at
[email protected]
with questions.
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Empowering Minds is proud to partner with ShareBaby
Our partnership includes monthly diaper distributions for EMRC clients with children between the ages of 0 - 5 years old. In addition, EMRC is currently accepting "ShareBaby Coat Requests" for children ages 0 - 5 years old and requests for Boy or Girl newborn bundles.
Newborn bundles include:
1 pack of size 1 diapers
1 pack of size 2 diapers
1 0-3 month onesie
1 0-3 month outfit (top & bottom)
1 3-6 month onesie
1 3-6 month outfit (top & bottom)
1 6-12 month onesie,
1 6-12 month outfit (top & bottom)
If you are in need of diapers, a coat or newborn bundle for a child between 0 - 5 years old, please contact your
Direct Service Coordinator
to submit your request and provide the sex of the baby and size needed between 0 - 24 months or 2t - 5t. If you have any questions, please contact Katie Tyminski at the Baltimore City office.
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Vision Board 101
If you’re reading this article, chances are you have already done some reflecting on what you want to be, do, or have in your life. Perhaps you’ve heard of vision boards and are curious to learn more about how they work, or maybe rendezvousing with the Universe via the
Law of Attraction
is new for you. Creating a vision board is a fun, tangible, and powerful way to say “Yes please!” to the abundance you’d like to receive (and deserve!) in your life—whether it’s the first or 50
th
one you have made in your lifetime.
What Is a Vision Board?
Since the release of the 2006 book (and film)
The Secret,
vision boards have grown in popularity. A vision board is a collage of visual images or words that represent the life you want to live. Quite literally, it is a tangible representation of the vision you have for yourself. You can make one by hand—think old-school magazine cutouts on a bulletin board—or you can make one digitally, via a website like
Pinterest
. What matters is that you manually create it (no one else can do it for you), and that it excites you when you see it. It can represent your vision for a particular area of your life (i.e., your career), or your whole life in general.
How Does It Work?
You know how when you get a new car, you see that particular make and model everywhere you go? That’s because you have put your attention on something specific, and are unconsciously scanning the world for items that match it. It’s not that those cars were never there; it’s simply that you never noticed them before.
So it makes sense then, that if you put your attention on the images in your vision board (e.g., pictures of your dream trip to Hawaii) that the energy of that thing will more likely be in your awareness (e.g., commercials for Hawaiian Airlines might keep popping up on your TV, or your job might unexpectedly send you there for a work project).
When you continue to give your attention to the things your want, you attract those things into your life. But be careful! The Universe responds with both the positive and the negative! If you look for reasons to support why you are having a terrible day (“I stubbed my toe, then spilled my coffee, then got stuck in traffic”), you’ll keep attracting annoyances to prove you right! Bottom line: The more you surround yourself with the things you want to experience, the more you’ll actually get to experience those things in your life—as so perfectly put in the adage: Energy goes where attention flows.
Follow the steps below to create your own Vision Board.
Step 1: Connect to Your Vision
Meditate, daydream, or journal about all the things you want to be, do, or have, and don’t forget to consider the multiple dimensions of your life as well. Imagine your ideal career, relationship, house, car, community, body, and so on. The more specific you can be, the better! You want to be in a good headspace when you sit down to make your vision board, so lighting some candles and playing some good music can also help to set the scene.
Step 2: Gather Your Materials
Sometimes it’s fun to flip through magazines and cut out images and words that call to you. If you go this route, take into consideration what kinds of magazines you have laying around. For example, Yoga Journal Magazine might be a good choice, whereas Us Weekly might not be quite as choc full of positive imagery.
Remember that it’s crucial for everything you select to appear on your vision board to be representative of what you DO WANT, not anything you don’t. For this reason, it can be even more helpful and specific to use your old friend Google to pull up the exact image or word you want to see. It’s a lot easier to search online for a pile of cash to represent abundance and then print it out than it is to count on your magazine collection to contain that specific image.
Once you’ve gathered your images, you’ll also need a bulletin board, poster board, or several pieces of paper, scissors, and glue or tape. Sidebar: If you don’t consider yourself particularly crafty, and would rather create a digital vision board, Pinterest can be a great way to collect and display images that light you up.
Step 3: Display It
Once you’ve made your vision board, it’s important to hang it in view—maybe on the inside of your closet door or on your refrigerator. Don’t feel like you need to stare at it 24/7, but it does need to appear in a place where you will encounter it every day. If you make it and put it under your bed, you’re likely to forget about it. But keep it in your consciousness, and you’re sure to see results much more quickly.
Some people like to make smaller vision boards that they can take with them. You can put it on or in your journal or daily planner. If you are a student, you can slide it into the plastic cover of your three-ring binder. Or if it’s digital, you can make it the desktop picture on your computer, or the wallpaper photo on your smartphone.
Step 4: Let the Universe Do Its Thing
Once you’ve clarified your vision and made your vision board, your job is simply to look at it often, and trust that the Universe will provide you with the opportunities to manifest each and every thing you truly desire. Hold these images in your awareness on a regular basis, and say “Yes!” when opportunities present themselves to make your dreams come to life. As you come up with new ideas and inspirations, feel free to add to it at any time. Your vision board should be a flexible and fluid representation of your desires as they shift and morph throughout your life. In fact, it’s recommended that you create a completely new vision board every 6 to 12 months to be sure it’s current, inspiring, and up-to-date with your values and priorities.
So get to it! Your vision board doesn’t need to be perfect and can certainly be a work in progress. Each person’s vision board will be unique and individual, so try not to compare to others or judge the outcome. Have fun, be open and willing, and see what happens! The Universe might just surprise you.
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Mondays 6-7 PM
Women's Group, Teen's Group, and Youth Group
Tuesdays 6-7 PM
Men's Group
Thursdays 12-1 PM
Families Impacted by Substance Abuse
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Anne Arundel County Groups
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ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS
Empowering Minds Resource Center is proud to announce there is currently
NO WAIT LIST
at the agency. We work hard everyday to ensure referrals are quickly processed and clients are engaged by our staff and partnered therapists immediately. We are ready, willing and able to accept new clients TODAY.
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NOW ACCEPTING HARFORD COUNTY REFERRALS
Empowering Minds Resource Center has no waitlist for our
CARE COORDINATION FOR MINORS
and our
PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION PROGRAM
in Harford County
!
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Empowering Minds staff enjoyed a great evening at Jimmy's Famous Seafood restaurant to celebrate the close of another successful year of service.
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WE'RE HIRING!
Empowering Minds is looking to add some new members to our wonderful team. Check out the link below for more information!
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