Make mental health a priority in the new year

Jan 1, 2025
Jan 1, 2025

Colleen Stegenga

Columnist

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Colleen Stegenga

A new year means new beginnings — such as this column — and maybe even some positive changes for ourselves. I am not talking about getting to the gym more or improving your spending habits — although those are good goals to have. Instead, positive changes in your life can start with placing mental health and wellness in the top spot for your new-year goals.

kAm!C:@C:E:K:?8 >6?E2= 962=E9 :D?’E 2=H2JD D@ D:>A=6[ E9@F89[ 6DA64:2==J 7@C @FC ?2E:@?’D 72C>6CD 2?5 C2?496CD] p44@C5:?8 E@ $@FE9 s2<@E2 $F:4:56 2?5 !C6G6?E:@?[ 72C>6CD 2?5 C2?496CD :? E96 DE2E6 >2J 36 FA E@ b]d E:>6D 2D =:<6=J E@ 2EE6>AE DF:4:56] $@>6 4@?EC:3FE:?8 724E@CD :?4=F56 E96 =@?8 9@FCD @7 E96:C H@C< 52J[ :D@=2E:@?[ F?AC65:4E23=6 H62E96C[ =@H 4@>>@5:EJ AC:46D 2?5 3C62<5@H?D @7 6BF:A>6?E[ ?@E E@ >6?E:@? H@C<:?8 D6G6? 52JD 2 H66< 2?5 ?@E FDF2==J E2<:?8 >F49 @7 2 3C62< @C G242E:@?]k^Am

kAm%@ 62D6 D@>6 @7 E96 DEC6DD 2?5 2?I:6EJ @7 E96D6 724E@CD[ =6E’D =@@< 2E H92E H6 5@ 92G6 4@?EC@= @G6C] *62C=J H6==?6DD 4964<D H:E9 J@FC AC:>2CJ 42C6 A9JD:4:2? 2C6 :>A@CE2?E E@ 42E49 2?JE9:?8 :?E6C?2= E92E :D ?@E H@C<:?8 AC@A6C=J] %2<6 E:>6 E@ D4965F=6 E9@D6 4964< FAD 2?5[ 2=@?8 H:E9 E92E[ 4@?D:56C G:D:E:?8 H:E9 2 >6?E2= 962=E9 AC24E:E:@?6C E@ 96=A J@F ?2G:82E6 =:76 :7 J@F 2C6 :? 2 DEC6DD7F= D62D@?]k^Am

kAm~FED:56 @7 E96 4=:?:4[ @?6 @7 E96 36DE E9:?8D 7@C J@FC >:?5 :D D:>A=J 86EE:?8 @FED:56 2?5 5@:?8 D@>6 6I6C4:D6] v@:?8 7@C 2 H2=<[ AC676C23=J H:E9 E96 7:CDE DF?=:89E @7 E96 52J[ 42? 92G6 2 AC@7@F?5 67764E @? J@FC >6?E2= 962=E9] u@C 6I2>A=6[ J@F 42? 3F?5=6 FA[ E9C@H @? J@FC H2C>6DE 4@2E 2?5 3@@ED 2?5 H2=< @FE E@ E96 A2DEFC6 E@ 4964< E96 4@HDj :7 J@F 5@ E9:D H:E9 E96 7:CDE =:89E @7 52J[ J@F H:== 96=A J@FC 3@5J C68F=2E6 :ED 4:C425:2? C9JE9>[ 2D E92E 42? 96=A AC@>@E6 36EE6C D=66A]k^Am

kAm}FEC:E:@? 8@6D 92?5\:?\92?5 H:E9 D@>6 52:=J 6I6C4:D6] (96? :E 4@>6D E@ 8C@46CJ D9@AA:?8[ D9@A E96 A6C:>6E6C @7 E96 DE@C6 2?5 A=2? J@FC >62=D 244@C5:?8=J] xE’D 36DE E@ 2G@:5 @G6C AC@46DD65 7@@5D[ 2D >2?J E:>6D E96 :?8C65:6?ED 42? HC62< 92G@4 @? @FC 9@C>@?6D 2?5 6?5@4C:?6 DJDE6>] qJ 49@@D:?8 7@@5D E92E 2C6 H9@=6 2?5 ?@E 7:==65 H:E9 DF82C @C :?8C65:6?ED H6 42??@E AC@?@F?46[ H6 8:G6 @FC 3C2:? @AE:>2= ?FEC:6?ED E92E :>AC@G6 9@H H6 7F?4E:@? 52:=J]k^Am

People are also reading…

Dairy era ends in sadness
Plant soybeans early, Below says
Lifelong cowboy continues team roping career at 87
System continues to protect calf health, ranch profitability
Seasonal supply squeeze drives sheep, goat prices
Producers urged to implement strong identification processes to safeguard cow herd
Rooted in dairy, driven by data
Cattlemen answer the call with hay convoy to wildfire-stricken Nebraska
DSU student designs inventory software for Hadrick Ranch
USDA forecasts 4% increase in soybean acres
Factors drive increase in pigs per litter
Unexpected discovery leads to potential pollination control mechanism
Pollinators exhibit interesting 'bee-havior'
Iowa community college ag students explore Brazil
Overabundance of goat milk pours out soap business for Wausa woman

kAmt2E:?8 E9:D H2J 2=D@ 92D 2 A@D:E:G6 :>A24E @? @FC >@@5 2?5 @FC @G6C2== H6==36:?8] p44@C5:?8 E@ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^}xw]8@GQm}xw]8@Gk^2m[ 62E:?8 AC@46DD65 7@@5D 92D 366? =:?<65 E@ :?4C62D6D :? 42D6D @7 2?I:6EJ 2?5 56AC6DD:@?]k^Am

kAmtDE23=:D9:?8 2?5 >2:?E2:?:?8 J@FC C6=2E:@?D9:AD :D 2?@E96C :>A@CE2?E 4@?EC:3FE@C E@ 36EE6C >6?E2= 962=E9] q6 :E J@FC DA@FD6 @C =:76 A2CE?6C[ 2 8C@FA @7 7C:6?5D E@ 5@ 7F? E9:?8D H:E9[ @C J@FC D:3=:?8D[ E96 A6@A=6 J@F DFCC@F?5 J@FCD6=7 H:E9 2== 42? 255 ;@J 2?5 A@D:E:G:EJ E@ J@FC =:76] (6 82:? DFAA@CE[ 6DE23=:D9 4@??64E:@? 2?5 4C62E6 2 D6?D6 @7 36=@?8:?8[ 2== @7 H9:49 4@?EC:3FE6 E@ 2? @G6C2== A@D:E:G6 766=:?8 @7 92AA:?6DD]k^Am

kAmw@H6G6C[ >2<6 DFC6 J@F 2=D@ E2<6 E:>6 7@C J@FCD6=7] (92E <:?5D @7 E9:?8D 5@ J@F 5@ 7@C 7F?n (96E96C :E’D 3F:=5:?8 D@>6E9:?8 @FE @7 2 D4C2A A:646 @7 H@@5 :? E96 D9@A @C =62C?:?8 9@H E@ 42? AC@5F46 7C@> J@FC 82C56?[ 9@33:6D 2C6 8@@5 7@C J@F 2?5 96=A 4C62E6 2 766=:?8 @7 D6=7\H@CE9[ 2=@?8 H:E9 564C62D:?8 2?I:6EJ 2?5 56AC6DD:@?] xE 2=D@ 42? 36 2? @FE=6E 7@C J@F E@ C65F46 J@FC DEC6DD =6G6=]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 42CG:?8 @FE D@>6 2=@?6 E:>6[ J@F D9@F=5 2=D@ 4@?D:56C 9@H J@F C6DA@?5 E@ DEC6DD] (:E9 E9:D 36:?8 E96 6?5 @7 E96 J62C 2?5 AC6A2C2E:@?D 7@C E2I6D 2?5 @C56C:?8 D665 2?5 76CE:=:K6C 7@C ?6IE J62C F?56CH2J[ J@FC DEC6DD =6G6=D >2J 36 CF??:?8 9:89] x7 J@FC 7:CDE :?4=:?2E:@? :D E@ 364@>6 2?8CJ @C :CC:E23=6[ J@F 2C6 ?@E 5@:?8 J@FCD6=7 2?J 72G@CD] ~FC 3@5J 8@6D E9C@F89 2 7:89E @C 7=:89E C6DA@?D6 2E E:>6D @7 DEC6DD[ 2?5 J@F >:89E ?@E:46 E9:D 3J 2? :?4C62D65 962CE C2E6[ E:89E?6DD :? J@FC D9@F=56CD @C >2J36 6G6? 2 766=:?8 @7 2?I:6EJ]k^Am

kAmqFE :7 J@F 92G6 A@D:E:G6 4@A:?8 D<:==D @? 3@2C5[ DF49 2D E2<:?8 2 H2=<[ D92C:?8 E96 5FE:6D H:E9 2 DA@FD6 @C 3FD:?6DD A2CE?6C[ E2=<:?8 E@ 2 7C:6?5 @C =@G65 @?6 @C D:EE:?8 5@H? E@ 4C62E6 D@>6E9:?8[ J@F 2C6 E2<:?8 4@?EC@= 2?5 42? 92?5=6 DEC6DD :? 2 36EE6C H2J]k^Am

kAm%9C@F89@FE J@FC ;@FC?6J @7 A@D:E:G6 >6?E2= 962=E9 492?86D[ x 6?4@FC286 J@F E@ E2<6 36EE6C @H?6CD9:A @G6C 9@H J@F E9:?< @7 J@FCD6=7] x7 H6 42? DA62< E@ @FCD6=G6D :? 2 A@D:E:G6 >2??6C[ DF49 2D “xE’D @<2J] x 42? 92?5=6 E9:D[” @C “x >2J 92G6 ?@E DF4466565[ 3FE 2E =62DE x EC:65]” %96D6 DE2E6>6?ED H:== 8@ 2 =@?8 H2J :? :>AC@G:?8 J@FC >:?5D6E[ C625J:?8 J@F 7@C 2 ?6H J62C]k^Am

Colleen Stegenga, MSW, LCSW-PIP, QMHP, is a therapist and owner of Embracing Change Counseling Services, with offices in Sioux Falls and Mitchell. Reach her at Colleen@embracingchangecs.com or visit www.embracingchangecs.com.