Mental Health Connecticut

12/26/2025

There’s still time to make your tax-deductible gift and help Mental Health Connecticut provide life-saving, person-centered care to individuals and families across our state.

Give Smart. Give Big. Consider these tax-wise giving strategies before the end of the year:
💚Donating Appreciated Stock: Avoid capital gains tax and deduct the full market value.
💚IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): If you're 70½+, make a tax-free gift from your IRA that counts toward your RMD (if you're 73+).

Every dollar helps someone in urgent need of mental health care, and right now, your gift will have double the impact, thanks to a generous matching gift of up to $5,000.

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mental-health-connecticut-inc/winter-wellness-with-mhc-2025

12/24/2025

Reflecting on the "condition of being human" means honoring where we’ve been while looking forward to where we want to be. We recently hosted a gratitude-themed Vision Board Workshop where participants mapped out their paths for 2026.

By centering these visions on gratitude, our community is building the mental resilience needed to navigate the winter months and beyond. We are so grateful to everyone who joined us to create a safe, creative haven for self-discovery and hope.

#2026

12/24/2025

The way you start your day can shape how you move through it.

A strong morning routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Try:
✅ Waking up with intention (not just to your alarm)
✅ Letting in natural light or using a sun lamp
✅ Moving your body, even just stretching
✅ Sipping something warm while you set your intention

https://www.mhconn.org/winter-wellness-with-mhc/

12/23/2025

Light therapy, a treatment used for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) since the 1980s, involves sitting in front of a light box that emits 10,000 lux, which is about 20 times brighter than typical indoor lighting, for 30 to 45 minutes daily, usually in the morning. To use a lightbox, place it in front of you or to the side, and though you should keep your eyes open, do not look directly at the light.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, a bright sunny day is about 50,000 lux, and a gray day is around 10,000 lux, so adding a walk to your morning routine can also help.

This therapy can start to alleviate symptoms within a week, and side effects, such as eye strain or headaches, are rare and generally mild. Light boxes are not regulated so it is important to understand the specifications needed before purchasing one.

The Center for Environmental Therapeutics, a nonprofit organization dedicated to researching light therapy and related treatments, offers expert guidance on choosing the right light box for effective therapy.

https://cet.org/how-to-select-a-light-box/

12/23/2025

Thank you to CT Paid Leave for featuring Patricia Seaver and sharing her winter wellness strategies for the holiday season.

The holidays are usually a happy time. Time spent with family and loved ones and time to reflect before the New Year. But for those struggling with addiction, the holiday season can bring heightened stress, triggers, and the pressure to celebrate. However, with the right strategies and support, it is possible to navigate these challenges. Our guest is Mental Health Connecticut Clinical Care Coordinator and Licensed Master of Social Work, Patricia Seaver. Patricia explains how the holidays can exacerbate mental health issues, and she emphasizes the importance of self-care, planning, and seeking support during this holiday period.

Click the link to listen to this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2zTljr5t8w

12/23/2025

When you support Mental Health Connecticut, you’re doing more than making a donation; you’re showing up for someone’s mother, someone’s friend, someone’s child.

You’re helping provide the kind of care families across Connecticut are counting on, especially now, as the need for mental health support rises and resources continue to decline.

At MHC, we meet people where they are. With person-centered services, we walk alongside individuals and families, helping them navigate mental health challenges with dignity, stability, and connection.

This season, give more than a gift. Give hope.⁠

Together, we can ensure no one has to face mental health challenges alone. Today, your gift has double the impact thanks to a generous matching gift of up to $5,000.

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mental-health-connecticut-inc/winter-wellness-with-mhc-2025

12/22/2025

❄️ MHC’s Winter Wellness Raffle is still going! ❄️⁠
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This season, we’re spreading warmth, calm, and connection through our Winter Wellness Toolkit and Raffle, and you could be one of our lucky winners! 💙⁠
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🎉 Congratulations to Melissa Foley, our first raffle winner! Melissa won a 90-minute yoga therapy session with the amazing Reneé Claire, a perfect way to relax and reset.⁠
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🛍️ With 20+ more prizes still to be claimed, from wellness services to cozy self-care gifts, there’s still time to enter! Explore our Winter Wellness Toolkit at the link below and scan the QR code on page two to enter.

https://www.mhconn.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Winter-Wellness-Toolkit-2025-2026-2nd-Edition.pdf

12/19/2025

We’re excited to share that The Newtown Bee highlighted our second edition of the Winter Wellness Toolkit, presented by Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union. This free 50-page resource includes tips for financial well-being, mental health, managing Seasonal Affective Disorder, combating loneliness, su***de prevention, and interactive worksheets to support reflection and self-care.⁠
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John Holt, CEO at Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union, said, “Financial stress can directly impact our mental health, especially in the winter when families are juggling heating bills, holiday spending, and unexpected expenses.” Holt continued, “In 2026, we’re celebrating 90 years of commitment to our communities. We are proud to partner with MHC to build stronger tomorrows by offering useful financial tools coupled with mental health resources. Together, our hope is that people feel more secure, informed, and supported this season and during all of life’s moments.”
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The toolkit also features local programs, including MHC’s free Art of Wellbeing Studio, and highlights statewide mental health resources. Plus, anyone who downloads the toolkit can enter our Winter Wellness Weekly Raffle for prizes like theater tickets, museum passes, and cozy winter experiences. Just scan the QR code on page two and fill out our form. ⁠

Find the toolkit here: https://www.newtownbee.com/12122025/mental-health-connecticut-releases-second-edition-of-winter-wellness-toolkit/

12/18/2025

Our Art of Wellbeing Studio was filled with calm, creativity, and the soothing power of aromatherapy during our free candle-making workshop, led by Lesly Otero and Gyllian Cruz. ✨

The studio came alive with inviting scents like coffee, pineapple mango, bergamot, cinnamon, and more, creating a truly immersive, sensory experience. Participants experimented with dye colors, worked hands-on from start to finish (with three burners going at once!), and even personalized gift bags for their finished candles with cutouts, supplies, and tissue paper.

It was a beautiful evening with a great turnout and a strong sense of connection and community throughout. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the studio such a warm, welcoming space! 💙🕯️

12/18/2025

Our Presenting Sponsor, Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union, doesn’t just support Winter Wellness, they invest in it. ❄️💙⁠
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Inside the Winter Wellness Toolkit, you’ll find exclusive resource pages from Nutmeg designed to help you:⁠
• Manage seasonal expenses⁠
• Plan ahead for the new year⁠
• Find balance when the days feel heavy⁠
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Financial wellness impacts well-being, and Nutmeg is helping make it accessible for all.⁠
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Download the toolkit today and explore their tips, tools, and programs that support a healthier winter.

https://www.mhconn.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Winter-Wellness-Toolkit-2025-2026-2nd-Edition.pdf

12/17/2025

Gratitude can be a powerful tool for mental wellness, especially in the winter.

Studies show that practicing gratitude is linked to increases in positive mood of up to 15% and reductions in depressive symptoms by as much as 30%. Research also suggests that regularly experiencing positive emotions like gratitude helps strengthen coping skills and build long-term emotional resilience, something many of us need during seasons of isolation and reduced daylight.

Even small, consistent practices, like writing down what you’re grateful for or expressing appreciation to someone else, can make a meaningful difference in your mental and emotional health this winter. 💙

Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10393216/

12/17/2025

The holiday season can be a time of warmth and connection, and for many, it can also bring up grief, loneliness, or painful memories.

Check out MHC's Winter Wellness Toolkit for tools and support on navigating mental health during the holidays.

Not everyone feels joy at the holidays. Let’s hold space for every experience with compassion, care, and community.

https://www.mhconn.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Winter-Wellness-Toolkit-2025-2026-2nd-Edition.pdf