May is mental health awareness month and I want to talk about physical and mental wellbeing, because yesterday a familiar pattern began again with an endless news loop of tragic details about 19 beautiful elementary aged children and 2 heroic teachers murdered in their classroom by an armed 18 year old male, who was wearing body armor, military grade weapons and high capacity magazines, allowing the shooter to kill has many of those beautiful innocent children as possible in the least amount of time.
For my own wellbeing, I am not reading or watching the news today because I know the trajectory. First, there will be shock, a call for prayers, heart breaking images of weeping mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. There will be coverage of the candlelight vigils and altars of teddy bears, flowers and cards. It may be mentioned that the GOP legislative body actually loosened weapons restrictions after the last mass shooting in their state. There may be a call from mothers, teachers and clergy for enacting even the smallest common sense background check laws. Then legislators will stand straight faced and affirm that it is not the gun laws, gun lobbyists and legislators that failed those beautiful children and teachers, it must be our underfunded mental health system. Remember this will not be a call or any specifics action for actually expanding support and funding for needed mental health services, it will just be a way of deflecting the conversation and their own responsibility by saying “guns don’t kill people, (sick) people do.”
I remember seeing a British comedian trying to make sense of American gun laws and that phrase. He pointed his thumb and finger at the audience and said “Bang.” Then when nothing happened he said, “Nope, it pretty much takes a gun.”
Yes, the young man most likely had serious mental illness issues. But this is not the mental health conversation that needs to be had. The mental health conversation we need to have is that we have come a long way in the support and treatment of mental health and wellness in the past 40 years, but that we have a long way to go. It is time to address the sigma still associated with mental illness, to speak more compassionately about how nearly 1 in 4 people were diagnosis with a mental health challenge in 2020 and that more than 50% of all people living in the United States will experience some kind of mental health challenge within their life time. That means everyone of us most likely either knows or has experienced mental wellness challenges. Many of us have navigated deep depression, debilitating anxiety, OCD, substance issues, eating disorders, PTSD and other trauma healing. We have experienced the emotional challenges that come with climate grief, great loss, chronic or life-threatening physical illness.
These are all concerns of that need compassionate, safe and open-hearted space for conversation. We need to learn how to ask “how are you doing today, and then really listen. We need as a culture how to not add shame or loneliness to healing a mental challenge, or to the practice of mental wellness.
It is time to not limit our conversation of mental wellness and mental health support to the days following a tragic shooting. It is time to expanded limited resources for individuals, families and communities. It is time to know that a broken arm and a broken heart both need tender and present care. It is time to pull the veil away and offer one another full compassion and companionship during life’s joys, delights and physical, spiritual and mental challenges.
So today I’m not going to watch the usual unfolding of the news after a shooting tragedy. Instead I’m going to go for a walk in the woods and build a cairn for the beautiful children who will not see another birthday or holiday or first date, first job, first car or high school graduation, will never have children of their own or a 30th anniversary with their beloved, will never get a chance to vote in an election or for laws/referendums that might have saved their lives. I will grieve the loss and I will be grateful for the brief but beautiful light they carried in the world.
Today I’ll talk about mental health and wellness in a context of compassion, open-heartedness and acknowledgement. I will not allow the only place we talk about the importance mental wellness is as a diversion from the gun law conversation, but to affirm healing in all forms, support healing for all physical, emotional and spiritual forms.
Questions
On a day when there is so much heaviness in the world, what mental wellness practices have helped you personally? is it possible for you to engage in one of those practices today?
What is it like to be in conversation about mental wellness and mental illness openly, compassionately and without judgement?
LINKS I LIKE
Here is a few links for a community mental health resource groups. Some of these I’ve mentioned in the past. You can check out their resources for yourself or your loved ones, or if you feel so led, support these groups with your time, expertise or financial support.
NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) MHA (Mental Health America) ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America). NEDA BACKLINE,(Music Industry Mental Health Support) SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services of Administration NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association)
June Online & In Person Concerts
Special Gathering of Spirits Supporting Subscriber Concert
I’ll be taking a break to do some writing this summer, but I do have some very fun and exciting shows to celebrate the coming of the summer months with you all! To get tickets or more details visit my tour page at www.carrienewcomer.com/tour
Again, If you would like to become a supporting subscriber and there it would not be wise financially, please contact me at contact@carrienewcomer.com. We have scholarships just for that express purpose.
Labor Day Weekend - Mark Your Calendar
I’m so happy to announce that I’ll be performing at the Nowhere Else Festival On Sept 3rd, 2022. Tix have just gone on sale! This is a beautifully curated celebration of acoustic music with meaning created by my friends Over The Rhine. There really is nowhere else like this festival. I hope you put it on your calendar for labor day weekend and join us there!
For Tickets & Info Visit www.nowhereelsefestival.com
Oh…and today is my birthday :-)
A walk noticing the brilliant blue sky of Santa Fe, saying hello to every dog and family I meet, a cup of tea, holding all children everywhere in the healing Light, and contacting my state legislature.
Thank you, Carrie, for your good guidance as we keep trying to stand and act in the tragic gap in the most life-giving way we can. When will we ever learn? … At the same time, I want to wish you a very, very Happy Birthday, including gifts somehow commensurate with the gifts you keep giving us! Looking at your most recent photo, I’m going to guess that this is your 30th? HAPPY BIRTHDAY, dear friend!