Mental Health Essentials
From tools to help you boost your mental and emotional health to strategies for improving your relationships, plus myth-busting information on all things therapy, our mental health providers have joined forces to bring you “Mental Health Essentials,” to help you thrive in today’s complex world.
Explore this module for in-depth info and useful videos.
Stick with the most helpful exercises.
Want more help? Start a conversation with your care team.
EXPERT GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY:
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Josh White, PsyDPsychologistJosh is deeply committed to helping members create more flexible and meaningful perspectives on personal and social wellness. He has over 10 years of experience with evidence-based psychological treatments, with an emphasis on treating adults with depression, anxiety, trauma, and chronic pain.
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Nicole Thalheimer, PsyDPsychologistNicole has been passionate about helping folks her entire life. Be it volunteering, mentoring, or through her role as a clinical psychologist, she enjoys working with, connecting to, and building rapport with people.
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Jeff Yocom, LCSWMental Health (LCSW)Jeff is a licensed clinical social worker and a trained eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapist. He feels there is nothing better than ending a day knowing you have made a positive difference in someone's life.
There are many things you can do on a daily basis to support your mental health. Some of these ideas and practices are so simple that you may overlook how powerful they are, but a little can go a long way.
Values-Driven Decision Making
When faced with a decision, you might assume that you can find the best choice by simply looking at the facts. While facts are important, the “best” choice also depends on how well it fits your values. Paying attention to your personal values can help you make decisions that increase your feelings of fulfillment and contentment.
For example, suppose you have a job offer that comes with a large pay increase and a chance to travel. Taking the job might seem like the obvious choice. But what if you value time with your family more than money and travel? Decisions that seem like the right choice, but which ignore your values, can leave you unhappy and confused.
Check out this video below from Crossover’s Jeff Yocom, LCSW, for an intro to values-driven decision making:
What Are Values?
Simply put, values are things that are important to you. You can value certain relationships, activities, character traits, or any other part of your life. Your values don’t define you as a “good” or “bad” person. They simply identify the things that are important to you. Sometimes you can value things that appear to compete with each other, like career success and family life. That’s why it can be helpful to know which values are most important to you, so you can use them to guide the decisions you make.
Goals vs Values
While goals serve an important purpose in our lives and society, values play an equally important role, but they don’t get nearly as much attention. Our values outline what we find most meaningful in life, what we care about, and what matters most to us. They help us answer these questions:
- What is important to me?
- What do I want to stand for?
- What type of qualities do I want to cultivate as a person?
- How do I want to act in my work, my relationships, and my personal life?
Goals are things we want to achieve—items we can cross off our to-do list. Values are like a compass that provides us with a sense of direction, purpose, and guidance as we navigate the world. Focusing on goals helps us get things done, but paying attention to values helps us create fulfilling and happy lives.
For a real-world example of values versus goals, watch this video below:
Activity: Exploring Your Personal Values
It’s hard to make values-driven decisions if you don’t know which values are most important to you. This online activity will help you explore and compare 100 common values related to different parts of your life. The process takes about 15 minutes. When you’re finished, you’ll have a list of your most important values. This list will come in handy as you read and work through other content on this page.
Click the link to get started: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TLBLLVN
How to Make Values-Driven Decisions
Knowing your values is the first step in using values-driven decision making. The next step is defining the decision you’re making. That means listing the options that are open to you. We sometimes forget that every decision is a choice between options. For example, the simple decision to brush your teeth is really a choice between the option of “brushing your teeth” and “not brushing your teeth.”
Listing your options lets you explore the pros and cons of each. That means asking yourself how each option matches or conflicts with your values. You also need to think about how flexible you can be for each value. After answering all these questions, the option that best fits your values is usually much easier to pick out.
Values-Driven Decision Making Handout
This handout guides you through the three basic steps of values-driven decision making. It asks you to:
- Define your decision, options and values.
- Compare your options and values.
- Review your answers and make a decision.
Activity: Linking Values with Roles to Manage a Busy Life
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed as you juggle work, home life, and all your to-do items. Looking at what you value while playing specific roles in your daily life can help. When you know what you value in each role, you can spend your time on what makes you happiest.
In this activity, you’ll name four main roles in your life. Next, you’ll list qualities you want to develop in each role. Finally, you’ll plan activities to help you develop those qualities.
Click here to get started: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B6JVX2S
Journaling
In the video and handout below, Crossover psychologist Marni Amsellam discusses why journaling can be a helpful practice to support your mental health, the benefits of a journaling practice, and how to get started.
Journaling for Mental Health
Positive Psychology
While therapy or other mental health interventions help to alleviate suffering or solve a problem, positive psychology looks at the habits and traits that contribute to a happy and satisfying life. In the video series below, Crossover psychologist Josh White and Health Coaching Program Manager Danielle Heuseveldt introduce the concept of positive psychology and explain how to develop healthy habits and traits into different areas of your life.
Introduction to Positive Psychology
Positive Psychology—Purpose & Meaning
Positive Psychology—Relationships
Positive Psychology—Altruism
Positive Psychology—Flow State
Positive Psychology—Strengths
Positive Psychology—Mindset
Positive Psychology and Healthy Habits
Neuroscience
Neuroscience Conversation
If you’re anything like all of us at Crossover, communication with people can sometimes cause a great deal of stress. In the section below, we’ve compiled some of our favorite videos and handouts on how to engage in healthier communication in all areas of your life—even when the topics are highly personal or sensitive to talk about.
Communication for Life
Boundary Setting
Conversation—Let’s Talk About Sex
How to Talk with Your Provider about Sexual Health
Sexual Problems: More Common Than You May Think
Did you know that in the U.S., nearly half of people report concerns about some change in their sex life? Commonly reported concerns include decreased interest in sex, challenges with having an orgasm, difficulty with getting or maintaining an erection, premature or delayed ejaculation, vaginal dryness, or pain during sexual activity. Not only can it be challenging for some people to recognize sexual changes as legitimate problems, but many people are hesitant to discuss sexual health concerns with their healthcare providers. Sexual health problems are very common and sex is an important part of health and wellness. Therefore, sexual health concerns are something to talk about with your healthcare provider.
People often make the mistake of assuming that sexual problems are a normal part of aging, or that they will go away on their own. Others might feel uneasy or unsure about bringing up the topic with their healthcare provider. While these assumptions and concerns are understandable, it’s important to discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider. There could be ways for them to help address issues you may be having with your sexual well-being.
Recognizing The Warning Signs
Many people don’t realize that some sexual health symptoms or difficulties could be early warning signs of larger health issues. For example, problems with getting or maintaining an erection could be a sign of worsening diabetes or cardiovascular concerns. Other symptoms, such as changes in sexual desire levels, body functions, or interest in sex in general, could be related to typical life changes, such as menopause, age-related prostate changes, or changes with sexual partners. However, some of these same symptoms could also be signs of depression, chronic stress, or anxiety. If you are experiencing any problems that are interfering with your sex life, it can help to discuss them with your healthcare provider so you can work together to solve them.
It is important to remember that changes are not always negative. In fact, several commonly prescribed medications can cause changes in sexual functioning, which may be alarming if these changes are sudden or unexpected. This is why discussing your sexual health with a provider is important to really understand and address the causes of such issues.
Talking With Your Provider
Let’s face it, talking about sex can feel awkward or even embarrassing at times. Here are some suggestions for how to talk about sex with your healthcare provider.
When preparing to talk with your healthcare provider, it can be helpful to focus on the new symptoms or problems you are noticing with your sexual functioning. For instance, you may experience something that has never been there before, such as sexual pain, a loss of desire, challenges with lubrication, or difficulty getting or maintaining an erection.
You also may find it helpful to talk with your healthcare provider about general questions about your body and how it works. As people grow and age, many folks share noticing physical changes or feeling like something is missing. For example, you may wonder about changes due to a new phase of life such as postnatal changes, menopause, relationship status, or changes after a medical procedure or test.
For many folks, it may be easier to bring up a sexual concern by asking a specific question. Remember, sexual concerns are common and chances are your healthcare provider has heard it all before. Here are some suggestions:
- “I’ve been having trouble keeping an erection. Can we talk about that?”
- “Intercourse with my partner has been painful recently. What do you think that might be?”
- “I haven’t felt like myself lately. Even sex with my partner has gone down. Where can I go for help?”
- “Sex has felt like a chore in recent months, and I don’t know what to do about it. Is that something you can help me with?”
It is important to remember no matter what you decide to talk about, your healthcare providers are ready and able to work with you on what to do next.
Collaborating On A Treatment Plan
Treatment for sexual problems can be as varied as the problems themselves. Some solutions may be as simple as learning how your body works and then adjusting. For example, people who have arthritis or chronic back pain might be able to minimize pain by trying new sexual positions or modifying sexual activity. Others may be able to enhance their sexual pleasure by exploring new sexual experiences or preferences.
Sometimes addressing an underlying medical issue can improve symptoms. For example, a change in your sex drive after starting a new medication might be related to a possible side effect. Your symptoms may improve by working with your provider to adjust the dosage or change to a different type of medication.
Surgery or certain medical procedures can also affect sexual health. For example, surgery to remove the prostate can affect a person’s ability to get an erection. Also, some people notice a decrease in desire or have sexual pain after having surgery to remove their uterus. Other certain medical procedures such as chemotherapy or dialysis may also negatively impact sexual functioning.
Even if your healthcare provider is not able to answer your questions directly, they can refer you to specialists such as urologists, gynecologists, therapists, or pelvic floor specialists.
Sexual health challenges are common. Even though discussing sex may be uncomfortable or can feel embarrasing, your medical providers are there to help with these very sorts of issues. Having a discussion with your provider can help you decide together whether something is a serious health worry or not, how to best address sexual problems, and how to optimize your sexual health. Your provider can help you make a plan to deal with sexual health issues – but they need to know about them first.
For more information on sexual health concerns, please check out our podcast and other related articles.
Asking for help is a sign of weakness. Therapy is only for “crazy” people. I’ll be forced to take medication. Have you heard these myths before, or do you believe some of them? In the video series below, Danielle Heuseveldt, our Health Coaching Program Manager (and resident myth buster), sets the record straight on some of the most common myths associated with therapy.
Asking for Help is Weak
I’ll Be Forced to Take Medication
Therapy Will Make All Of My Bad Feelings Go Away for Good
Therapy Is For “Crazy” People
I’m Going to Lay on a Couch and Talk About My Childhood
A Therapist Can’t Tell Me Anything I Don’t Already Know
It’s common to feel unsure (and maybe even overwhelmed) before starting therapy for the first time. How do you know if you need therapy? What happens in a session? Which type of provider should you see? In the four part video series below, our Mental Health Program Manager, Michael Boroff, answers commonly asked questions, including when to seek therapy, what you can expect in a therapy session, and how to figure out which type of therapist is right for you.
Introduction to Therapy
When to Seek Therapy
What Happens in Therapy
Who’s Who in Therapy
Our licensed mental health professionals are qualified to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions and disorders that include everything from anxiety and depression to addiction and sleep issues. Our in-person and virtual one-on-one sessions give you the tools, best practices, and ongoing support you need to feel better, work more effectively, and improve your relationships. Wherever and whenever you’re ready to begin, just start a conversation with your Crossover care team. We want you to be well.