Letters To The Editor

Letter: National Mental Health Awareness Month in May

Dear Editor:

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and this May we also have a report of yet another school shooting in a Denver suburb.  This May, Mind Springs Health/West Springs Hospital reminds people to take care of your own mental health just as you do your physical or dental health. Make it precious, because it is. Make it important, because it is.  Practice good mental hygiene and engage in activities and with people who support your healthy mental wellbeing. The Values In Action Character Strength Survey is a great tool to identify your character strengths, those strengths that make you who you are as a person.  The website for this free online survey is www.viacharacter.org, and I encourage you to check it out, learn your strengths and be aware of when you use them for good in the world. The site also gives tips on improving emotional wellbeing and has some great videos.

Just as individual wellbeing is a personal responsibility, so too, community wellbeing is a community responsibility.  If you see someone who is not doing well, ask them how they are. Contrary to popular belief, asking a person does not make them worse, nor does asking if a person is having thoughts of suicide. It shows care, which we humans need when we are not in a good emotional place.

If you or a community member wants professional help, know that treatment works. The research on what works well in treating mental health concerns is now robust and there are many skilled therapists and supports available. The good news is stigma, which held people back for years from asking for help, is quickly diminishing, and seeking therapy is considered positive.

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and this May we also have a report of yet another school shooting.  How do parents or other caring adults talk to kids about these tragedies? There is help. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network publishes resources to help parents and others respond healthfully with children and teens. Two fact sheets may be especially helpful at this time: “Talking to Children about the Shooting” and “Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting.” Even if we don’t have children in our lives, these fact sheets include helpful suggestions for how we can engage most compassionately with others, including our co-workers, friends and families.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month!  Take care of yourself; care about your community.

Yours in wellness,

Sharon Raggio LPC LMFT

President & CEO, Mind Springs Health & West Springs Hospital

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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