Stress affects all of our lives. It can look like a packed calendar, a racing mind at 2 a.m., tension in your shoulders, or the feeling that you are always just a little behind. While stress is a normal part of being human, when it becomes constant or overwhelming, it can quietly take a toll on both our mental and physical health.



In recognition of Stress Awareness Month and World Health Day on April 7, we’re focusing on the powerful connection between mind and body. Stress sits right at the center of that connection.

When stress becomes chronic, it can impact nearly every system in the body. According to the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America 2025 survey, at least two-thirds of Americans say their stress manifests physically through symptoms like nervous or anxious feelings, fatigue, and headaches. 

But it’s important to remember that stress is not a personal failure. It is a biological response to pressure and uncertainty. The goal is not to eliminate stress entirely, but to build habits and supports that help us regulate it in healthier ways. 

If stress feels persistent or overwhelming, support is available. You’re not alone. Mindful Start makes it easier to explore local mental health resources across Tampa Bay and take a proactive step toward caring for your overall health.

This month, we challenge you to choose one small practice that supports both your body and your mind. Sustainable stress management begins with small, consistent steps.

Stress doesn’t always show up the same way. Sometimes it’s obvious. Other times, it’s quieter — feeling off, run down, or like your mind never fully turns off.

For Stress Awareness Month, we’re sharing a few simple tools on Mindful Start to help you check in and reset in small, realistic ways. Things like taking intentional breaks, creating space for rest, moving your body gently, or setting a boundary that protects your energy.

Nothing overwhelming. Nothing all-or-nothing.

Just small shifts that can help you feel a little more grounded, one day at a time.

If you’re looking for ways to check on your stress levels, start here:

Check-In: Understanding Your Stress Levels with The Perceived Stress Scale

Looking for community support for healthy coping and emotional resilience?

Act: HeyPeers - Easy to Use and Helpful Peer Support when and where you need it.

Want to explore ideas that help with stress management?

Reflect: The 5 R's of Stress Management

Interested in ways to practice stress management tools now?

Engage: Strategies for Managing Stress & Anxiety

Find more resources for Teen Mental Health at mymindfulstart.org.

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#IYKYK: When Worry Doesn't Go Away

We all experience stress—but what happens when the worry doesn’t turn off? When it lingers, grows, or starts to affect your day-to-day life, it may be something more.

As part of Stress Awareness Month, Dr. DeLiberato and Dr. Katzenstein unpack the difference between everyday stress and anxiety, how to recognize when it’s becoming more serious, and simple, realistic ways to cope in the moment.

Because you’re not meant to just push through it—and you don’t have to figure it out alone. To watch this #IYKYK video, click the image above.

Traditionally, when we get sick, health care professionals ask, “What’s the matter with you?” But around the world, teams of doctors, nurses, therapists, and social workers have started to flip the script, asking “What matters to you?” Instead of solely pharmaceutical prescriptions, they offer “social prescriptions”—referrals to community activities and resources, like dance classes and museum visits.

Join our Author Talks webinar on April 15, 2026 from 12pm to 1pm with author and social prescribing advisor Julia Hotz. Julia will share stories, science, and insights from her bestselling book, The Connection Cure, on the radical ways "prescriptions" for community activities can transform health and healthcare and encourage mental wellbeing.

Follow this link to register: Author Talks: The Connection Cure by Julia Hotz

May 6, 2026 | 6:30 – 9:30 PM | The Dalí Museum | St. Petersburg

Mental health is not someone else’s issue. 

It’s not limited to a single family, workplace, school, or neighborhood. 

It touches all of us. 

And when mental health struggles affect one person, the ripple moves through all of us — our homes, our workplaces, our schools, and our cities. 

GLOW brings together the region’s most passionate leaders, innovators, and community champions for an evening of immersive activations, bold moments, and meaningful connections—all in support of transforming mental health in our community.

Every moment of the night fuels real impact across Tampa Bay—from Wellness Rooms supporting thousands of students, to the #IYKYK campaign reaching millions with honest conversations about mental health, to expanding access to tools and resources through Mindful Start and strengthening connection across our cities through Together Tampa Bay.

We invite you to be part of this moment.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

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If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org (@988lifeline). You can also reach the @crisistextline by texting HOME to 741741.