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Tag: Mental health tips

5 Summer Activities to Boost Your Mental Wellbeing

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Refresh Your Mind This Summer: 5 Simple Activities to Support Your Mental Health

Summer brings longer days, warmer weather, and a perfect opportunity to refresh not just your lifestyle, but also your mindset. With the sun shining and the season right around the corner, there are countless ways to care for your mental health. Whether you’re looking to relax, recharge, or reconnect, here are five summer activities that can uplift your mood and support your mental wellbeing. 

  1. Bask in the Sunshine for a Natural Mood Boost

Sunlight is one of nature’s best mood boosters. Exposure to natural light helps your body produce vitamin D, which plays a key role in regulating mood and reducing the risk of depression. Just 15–30 minutes of sun a day can make a significant difference, and summer provides ample opportunities to soak it in. 

Take your morning coffee outdoors, go for a walk in the park, or relax in your backyard. Even a brief period outside can lower stress levels, boost serotonin, and enhance focus. 

  1. Swim Your Stress Away with Water Therapy

Whether it’s a dip in the ocean, a lake, or your local pool, swimming is not only refreshing but also incredibly therapeutic. The rhythmic movement and buoyancy of water can help calm your nervous system, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep. 

Swimming also gives you a full-body workout without the strain on your joints — plus, being near water has a naturally calming effect on the mind. 

  1. Take a Digital Detox with a Walk in Nature

Technology is excellent, but we all need a break from screens. This summer, give your brain a digital detox by heading into nature. Hiking, forest bathing, or even a stroll through a local botanical garden can help reset your mind. 

Spending time in nature is associated with lower cortisol levels (your primary stress hormone), an improved mood, and enhanced mental clarity. Please leave your phone in your pocket, listen to the sounds around you, and let nature work its magic. 

  1. Grow Peace of Mind with Gardening

You don’t need a massive yard to enjoy the benefits of gardening — a few potted herbs on your windowsill or balcony will do the trick. Gardening is a grounding activity that helps reduce stress and anxiety, while also offering a sense of accomplishment. 

Planting, watering, and watching things grow can give you a daily moment of peace and purpose. Plus, you’ll have fresh herbs, veggies, or flowers to enjoy all summer long.

  1. Reconnect and Thrive Through Social Activities

Summer is the perfect time to reconnect with friends and family. Social interaction is essential for mental wellbeing — it helps combat loneliness, boosts self-esteem, and releases feel-good hormones like oxytocin. 

Plan a picnic, host a BBQ, or attend a local outdoor concert or market. Shared experiences build memories and strengthen relationships, which are key to emotional health. 

How Carolina Therapy Connection Can Support Your Mental Well-being

At CTC, we believe that healing and growth happen in everyday moments, and summer is full of them. Whether you’re looking to build healthier habits, reduce stress, or reconnect with your authentic self, our licensed therapists can help. We offer both in-person counseling at our Greenville, New Bern, and Morehead City clinics, as well as teletherapy services available to anyone across North Carolina.

Our team will help you embrace the season with purpose, connect with others, and create unique mental wellness goals that align with your lifestyle. Please feel free to reach out today to schedule your free 15-minute consultation and take the first step toward a healthier, more balanced you.

6 Real-Life Mental Health Tips That Actually Work: Simple Tools for Everyday Wellness

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Taking Care of Your Mental Health: Tips, Tools, and Resources That Help

By: Qiana Jones, COTA/L

As a pediatric occupational therapist assistant, I spend my days helping kiddos find meaning, balance, and function in their lives. I get to walk alongside kids and their families through their obstacles, uncertain moments and major milestones. But sometimes it’s easy to get lost in it all. It’s very fast paced and we push through stress, downplay anxiety, or tell ourselves we’ll “deal with it later.” But mental health is just as important as physical health—neglecting it can affect every part of our lives: work, relationships, sleep, and even our physical well-being.

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or simply want to build healthier habits, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out alone either. Here are some trustworthy mental health tips to help you support your mental well-being.

Take Charge of Your Mental Health: Real Tips, Honest Insights, and Trusted Resources

1. Acknowledge What You’re Feeling

It’s okay to feel anxious, sad, exhausted, or irritable. Ignoring or judging your emotions only increases the pressure. Practice noticing what you’re feeling with curiosity instead of criticism.

Try this: Pause for a moment during the day and ask, “What am I feeling right now—and what might I need?”

2. Create Small, Steady Routines

You don’t need an elaborate wellness plan. Often, it’s the simple, consistent habits that help most—like making your bed, drinking water, or going for a short walk.

Tip: Pick one small thing you can do daily. It might feel minor, but it builds structure and control when life feels chaotic. My thing I do EVERY night is a 15 minute power clean! It gives me something to look forward to and calms my body down after a long day.

3. Limit Overstimulation

Constant notifications, endless scrolling, or doom-scrolling news feeds can worsen anxiety and disrupt your focus.

Tip: Schedule short “digital detox” periods—maybe 30 minutes in the morning or evening—to recharge without screens.

4. Talk to Someone You Trust

Mental health thrives in connection. Sharing your thoughts with a friend, therapist, or support group can help you feel seen and supported. I personally speak with a therapist once a month just to help process major life transitions, anxiety and depression!

Reminder: You don’t have to wait until you’re in crisis to reach out. Talking early can prevent issues from escalating.

5. Move Your Body—Gently

Exercise doesn’t have to mean intense workouts. A short walk, gentle stretching, or dancing in your living room can release stress-reducing chemicals like endorphins. I love walking the local trails in Greenville for 10-20 minutes!

Movement helps shift mental energy—and it’s a form of self-respect, not a form of punishment.

6. Give Yourself Permission to Rest

Rest is productive. Your brain and body need time to recover, reflect, and process. Try not to confuse rest with laziness. 

Try: Scheduling downtime like you would a meeting—your nervous system will thank you.

How Carolina Therapy Connection Can Help

You don’t have to navigate your mental health journey alone—Carolina Therapy Connection is here to support you every step of the way. Our licensed therapists offer personalized mental wellness services for children, teens, and adults, whether you’re navigating anxiety, burnout, life transitions, or simply seeking to establish healthier routines. We take a compassionate, whole-person approach to therapy because mental health isn’t one-size-fits-all.

From individual counseling to family support and caregiver resources, our team helps you create realistic goals and lasting strategies for well-being. We also offer complimentary 15-minute screenings to help you determine if therapy is right for you. In-person and teletherapy options are available for your convenience, because caring for your mental health should fit into real life.