Mental Health Month 2022 Intro - You are not alone
If you are struggling with your mental health, it can feel like you have no one to turn to, no one who would understand, no one who “gets it.” If you’re feeling down, it can seem like everyone else is happy and nothing is going wrong. But you are not alone.
Shawl Every Day 2021 - Day 35 - Thank you and AFSP donation
I don’t have a crafty tip today because I mostly just want to thank everyone who came to the Das Bevo Holiday Market this weekend. I met a bunch of new people, spread the word about my learn to knit/crochet class, and most excitedly, I more than doubled my previous sales record for a weekend.
Shawl Every Day 2021 - Day 25 - Holiday Gift Guide: Mental Health
Here at Loops of Gray, I try to be as much of a mental health advocate as I can. I’ve got a ton of resources on my site and I’m always willing to talk and share about mental health with the hopes of reducing stigma and encouraging people to share their own stories.
World Mental Health Day 2021
I have been writing about and advocating for mental health for at least 3 years. It used to be a topic that very few people talked about. Therapy was shameful, breakdowns were kept hidden, medication was scary, and self care wasn't encouraged.
Five For Friday 4/2/21
I spent a day putting pockets in all my favorite dresses because more things need pockets. This also lets me have my insulin pump in the pocket without needing to wear shorts underneath the dress. I lined the purple dress and the patterned dress with black fabric from a tank top that no longer fit. The black dress pictured plus another black dress got pockets made with taco fabric. :D
Five For Friday 3/19/21
I currently call this blanket “the blob” because it sure doesn’t look like a star at the moment. I had a couple projects I bought yarn for that I didn’t like knitting, so I frogged them. I was able to combine the yarn from those projects plus a couple additional skeins to have enough for this blanket. I’m super enjoying knitting it so far, but we’ll see how it goes once I get further out towards the edge.
Five For Friday 3/12/21
I saw this Daily Mindful Lettering book from Hand Lettered Design as an ad on Facebook, and bought it on a whim. I’ve dabbled in some hand lettering in the past, and at the very least, I love me some good typography. What caught my eye is that each day has its own mantra and by writing it multiple times really helps you believe it.
Five For Friday 2/26/21
My Sandhill Sling bag is coming along nicely. I love this pattern and I am feeling good about my progress so far. Nothing too crazy yet, but it feels like there are a lot of nice touches that make this feel really professional. And of course, I am a huge fan of the gray and yellow combo.
Five For Friday 2/19/21
This month I decided to label my precut pieces, and it has made a world of difference. No more figuring out if it is the 1 1/2” wide block or the 1 3/4” wide block. I just look for the block with the right letter on it! So obvious, but I can’t believe I didn’t do this on the first block.
Five For Friday 2/12/21
This is the first post in my new series called Five For Friday, where every Friday I share 5 things that I think are interesting or things that are going on in the Loops of Gray world. It’s going to cover a variety of topics including knitting, quilting, crochet, design, mental health, food, and probably a good dose of hockey as well. Hope you check out some of the things and let me know what you think!
Soul Box Project
My work gives us 1 paid day a year to do volunteer work in the community. Last week I chose to fold boxes for The Soul Box Project . They are collecting and exhibiting origami boxes to raise awareness of the US gunfire epidemic. Each Soul Box holds space for one life lost or injured by gun violence, defense, accident or suicide. The St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce has set a goal of 6,000 boxes to represent those in the STL area who have died or been injured by gunfire.
How are you doing?
How are you doing? What are you doing for self care today? Life kind of sucks right now and it's okay not to be okay. Do something small today that is just for yourself, even if it's as simple as taking a shower or giving yourself a compliment.
Auditory hallucinations
A post from NAMI yesterday reminded me about auditory hallucinations. At Mental Health First Aid training last year, I got to experience it a little and it is definitely frightening and confusing.
Physical health vs. mental health
Too often, this is how we feel when we want to talk about our mental health. But remember that it's okay to not be okay. It's okay to tell someone that you're really struggling that day and that you might need a few extra cat memes to help you out.
Project R.E.D. Team
Veterans comprise more than 22% of all suicides in the United States. More than 22 veterans and active duty service members complete suicide each day on average in the United States.
Project R.E.D. Team is focused on mental health challenges for those who commit their lives to the safety and health of the community.
Teletherapy
Have you switched your therapy to phone calls or even Zoom? Do you think it's more beneficial than in-person therapy or do both have their place? Have you been unable to get therapy because your provider doesn't offer teletherapy?
STL Behavioral Health
Life is super crazy right now, and I know it's wearing on my mental health. I am lucky to have an established therapist who I am meeting with every other week to help navigate all the emotions involved with dealing with COVID-19.
Post-partum depression
I'm not a mother, nor do I plan to be one, so I always feel unqualified to talk about postpartum depression. But I do my best to read the research from reputable sources to gather as much information as I can. In case someone were to reach out to me, I want to be able to understand what they might be going through and be able to point them in a good direction.
Self care isn’t selfish
Self care isn't selfish!
Especially now, it's incredibly important to take care of yourself. There's a lot going on and it can be easy to forget that you matter too.
Therapy is for everyone
Therapy is the best. It really is. I know there's still a lot of stigma about going to therapy. That it means you're broken, that it means you're doing it wrong, that it means you don't have your shit together. Well, heads up, therapy is for everyone.