New Steps Behavioral Health

08/20/2021

We will celebrate 5 years of private practice in less than a month!

The journey started with ONE client. Beyond blessed to have a large tribe of people who know, trust, like and love the business.

It is truly a blessing to be able to use my God-given gifts and talents to be a blessing and help.

I am grateful of the testimony of God's goodness and grace in my life.

Be a blessing.

Speak to people from a spirit of reconciliation and peace, not bitterness, hatred and resentment.

Blessings,
SS

05/18/2021

A trigger is something that sets off a series of events. Triggers activate intense feelings, thoughts, and actions. When certain psychological triggers are activated it will force a very predictable behavior and all other cognitive, visual, and sensory information is ignored.

The key to learning how to regulate your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are:

1) Become an expert scientist on what triggers you

2) Learn to master your psychological triggers

3) Communicate this new information to your friends, families and coworkers

4) Remind your tribe that you are learning to not be “activated” when you are triggered

5) Ask for forgiveness when you are triggered

6) Search for solutions to reduce the likelihood that you will be triggered

05/16/2021

If you’re struggling, the NAMI HelpLine has created a directory of warmlines, you can call.
https://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/BlogImageArchive/2020/NAMI-National-HelpLine-WarmLine-Directory-3-11-20.pdf

05/13/2021

Communities of color face an added level of stigma and discrimination when seeking mental health care. This , let’s break down stigma so no one struggles in silence.

05/10/2021

Annually, mental illness affects:
14% of Asian adults 17% of Black adults 17% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander adults 18% of Hispanic/Latinx adults 19% of Indigenous adults 32% of multiracial adults 44% of LGB adults

Stigma and discrimination have caused so many of us to suffer. This ,
let’s break down stigma so no one struggles in silence.

05/06/2021

These numbers are only a few of the reasons why it’s important to take part in
promoting mental health awareness every day.

• 55% of U.S. counties do not have a single practicing psychiatrist.*

• 3.8% of U.S. adults experienced both mental illness and a substance use disorder in 2019 (9.5 million people).*

• Mental illness and substance use disorders are involved in 1 out of every
8 emergency department visits by a U.S. adult (estimated 12 million visits).

• 37% of adults incarcerated in the state and federal prison system have a
diagnosed mental illness.

• 70.4% of youth in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosed mental illness.

• 41% of Veteran’s Health Administration patients have a diagnosed mental
illness or substance use disorder.



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Comment, like, share, raise awareness about the importance of mental health care.

05/03/2021

Together, we can realize our shared vision of a nation where anyone affected by
mental illness can get the appropriate support and quality of care to live healthy,
fulfilling lives — a nation where no one feels alone in their struggle. Comment, like, share, let's raise awareness about the commonality of mental health.

05/01/2021

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Isolation during COVID has increased the importance of finding ways to practice self-care and connect with our family and friends from afar. This month, New Steps is amplifying the National Alliance on Mental Illness message "You Are Not Alone." Let's use this time to focus on the healing value of connecting in safe ways, prioritizing mental health and
acknowledging that it’s okay to not be okay.

04/07/2021

This year is shedding a light on the on-call, restless workforce that revolutionized healthcare as we know it. Especially during this past year, many essential workers have been more busy taking care of others we forget to take care of ourselves.

If you can't do anything else, here are two things you can do for yourself: Get enough rest Drink plenty of water
Dr. Matthew Walker contends that bleak disruption further contributes to all major psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety and su***de. He says best thing people can do for themselves is to get enough rest each night.
Dr. Jordan Peterson said “I can’t do much with you until you get your sleep in order” because systems that mediate negative emotions are properly tied to getting enough sleep. The World Health Organization recommends 7 hours of sleep.
Getting enough water each day is one of the secrets to my success. Without the proper amount of water intake, your blood pressure, food digestion, glucose levels, emotions and thinking is out of whack. If what our bodies are made of don’t have what they need, we don't function properly.

Check the feed for self-care tips to help you get proper rest at night.

03/25/2021

Three Tips To Live A Happier, Healthier Life

1) Serve others. Research shows that helping others makes us happier. Many people who describe themselves as “very happy” often have a consistent pattern of volunteerism. Giving back helps us incorporate more physical and social activity in our lives. Also, making others feel good makes us feel good. We academics call it a “neurochemical sense of reward.”

2) Shift your thinking. People who struggle with anxiety and depression have increased negative thoughts about life, their health, their jobs and this often leads to isolation, which often leads to unfavorable behaviors. Recite affirmations to yourself; surround yourself with family and friends who help lift your spirits and uplift you. You are more than enough.

3) Make a decision to have a positive outlook no matter what. The word “decision” comes from the Latin meaning “to cut off,” so deciding to live a positive life means that you have to cut off people or activities that feed negativity in your life. It’s not easy, but when you make the choice to live happier and healthier, you’re building resilience -- the capacity to recover from difficulties.

02/23/2021

We’re dealing with a lot right now. Don’t deal with it alone. Call the United Way 2-1-1 line today between 4 and 7 p.m. and speak with a professional who can help you with healthy coping strategies.

And tune in, also, to my interview with SyKnese Fields about the mental health stigma in the Black community and the need for more Black therapists. Like, share, comment, let’s start the conversation.
✊🏾

It's been a stressful time and many of you have experienced grief and loss. On Tuesday at 4pm we are opening up the phone lines so you can talk to an expert who will listen and offer ways to cope and help you heal. All you need to do is call. We will make the number available tomorrow afternoon.
(The effort is free.)

02/22/2021

Even those of us with second-hand traumas need a professional to talk to. Actors, teachers, spiritual and community leaders...

It’s good to see the conversation about therapy being talked about more among Black men. We still have a lot of work to do to debunk the stigma but it helps when those with a platform are open and honest about the importance.

Stanfield explains that his connection to Fred Hampton, actor Daniel Kaluuya, and the story made it hard for him to separate his real emotions from acting.