Mental Health Support

The outbreak of infectious diseases such as the recent COVID-19 (Coronavirus) can be a stressful time for individuals and communities. It is not uncommon to feel anxious or worried while listening, reading or watching the news.  While it’s necessary to keep up-to-date and make changes to daily life in order to help control the spread of COVID-19, the constant news cycle coupled with social distancing measures can have a real impact on mental health. It’s important during times like these to monitor your own physical and mental health, as well as safely stay connected to your community. Know the signs of stress and when and how to seek help for yourself, as well as loved ones.

Here are a few resources to read, share with family, friends and community members as well as a reminder, and tools, to practice self-care. The Center for Disease Control, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and California Department of Public Health have released a handful of relevant and informative resources below:

*   CDC: Mental Health & Coping During Covid-19

*   CDC: Stigma and Resilience During Covid-19

*   CDC: Helping Children Cope with Emergencies 

*   SAMHSA: Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

*   SAMHSA: Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health: Social Distancing 

*   California Department of Public Health: Guidance Documents

*   California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance. Covid-19 Resources for Undocumented Californians

Keep Moving

Get outside, responsibly! Health experts encourage short trips, near your home, for fitness. Should you choose to venture out, please go alone or with close family members and keep 6 feet away from others.

Your home is an amazing gym.  You don’t need a full set of dumbbells and racks of heavyweights to build muscle and burn calories. Push-ups, sit-ups, planks, squats and lunges are just a few exercises you can do with just your own body weight. There’s also plenty of fitness apps, online exercise programs and videos on demand to guide you through everything from weight workouts, dance, yoga and more. Included below are a few YouTube videos to get you going:

Full Body https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=oKfNUOWuZV8&feature=emb_logo

Stretching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qULTwquOuT4

Yoga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPK9WNtpBgk

Seated workouts for older adults: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BcPHWGQO44

Dance workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZktowZo_k

More Dance – Zumba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLJfmPaKb1M

15 Minute Beginner Workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS_z6FG_jqE

Free online yoga classes: https://www.corepoweryoga.com/yoga-on-demand

Enjoy Some Art!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: click here

The Met has loads of exhibits online, but we especially love the #MetKids site, which features kid-friendly videos about creating and enjoying art, as well as a “time machine” that allows kids to search the collection by time, place, and theme. The Met is good for all ages and #MetKids for ages 6–12.

The Louvre: click here

Try a visit to the Louvre, minus the crowds and the flight to Paris. This collection of selected works is a great place to start, but (as you’d expect), there are countless works to explore. We loved the “Closer Look” collection, which allows viewing of works much closer than possible in person. The Louvre is good for all ages.

Whitney Museum of American Art: click here

The Whitney features over 25,000 works by contemporary artists to browse through, as well as a Watch & Listen section with artists’ stories, videos of exhibitions, and musical performances. The Whitney is good for all ages.

Google Arts & Culture Collection: click here

Explore collections from hundreds of museums around the world with Google Arts & Culture. You can jump off to a creative exploration by picking a painting your child likes and prompting them to create a drawing inspired by it. Google Arts & Culture is good for all ages. If you’re among the iconic Frida Kahlo’s fans, don’t miss “Faces to Frida,” a great collaborative work among well-known museums – here.