While one in five people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, far more people are currently struggling with the worry, isolation and anxiety associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Mental Health America.
“Taking a moment to assess our wellbeing mentally has never been more important,” said EACC Counselor Anna Gray Sarcone Mims, LMFT, M.S.
May is Mental Health Month, and throughout the month, the Employee Assistance & Counseling Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is offering online tools and information to improve mental health and increase resiliency, and ways to support friends, family and co-workers who may be struggling.
Virtual resources exploring topics such as owning your feelings, eliminating toxic influences and creating healthy routines will be posted each week at go.uab.edu/mentalhealthtools.
Also available is a list of online mental health screenings that provide a free and confidential way to check for signs of mental health problems, plus EACC’s collection of COVID-19 handouts.
“Our hope is that these tools will aid our community’s healing and remind us our mental health is worth investing in,” Mims said.
In addition to Mental Health Month virtual programming, the EACC offers individual, family and couples counseling during UAB’s limited business model through telehealth mental health/distance counseling. Visit uab.edu/humanresources/home/eacc to learn more.