May 2026
Happy May to all of you from all of us at Inspire Behavioral Health! We wish you and yours the very best this month! We hope the year is going well for you and that you are enjoying the sunshine and mostly warmer weather! We hope your days so far been filled with good health and feeling content. We hope the remaining months of the year will be an outstanding time for you to learn and grow so that you will live a deeper, richer, more meaningful and purposeful life in the days ahead.
This month we observe Mother’s Day, Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day! And, along with warner weather, May also marks some other notable and important celebrations. May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and the month for Women’s Health Week and National Nurses Week.
National Mental Health Awareness Month
While one in five people will experience a mental illness over the course of their lives, everyone will face challenges that can and will affect their mental health. Many people who face these challenges will be able to receive help from a mental health professional.
During the month of May, Inspire Behavioral Health is proud to join the national movement to raise awareness and combat the stigma surrounding mental health.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and people are asking for help and you can help. Here are three things you can do to help yourself and others with mental health and wellbeing.
✅ Normalize it. Talk about mental health the same way you would talk about physical health; no lowered voice, no disclaimer.
✅ Check in with intention. “How are you actually doing?” will be heard differently than “how are you?”
✅ Model it yourself. Set boundaries. Acknowledge your limits.
Feeling Overwhelmed? Building Emotional Resilience Can Help
Life is full of challenges that can leave you feeling drained. Whether it’s managing a family household, maintaining good grades at school or dealing with stressful work responsibilities, everyone encounters times when they are trying to cope with too many things. Juggling life’s responsibilities can become overbearing when it feels like there is no solution to lighten the load you are carrying.
The ability to cope during trying times is a skill known as emotional resilience. It can help you to adapt and overcome adversity, stress, trauma or other significant life events that may cause anxiety. Practicing emotional resilience does not mean you will not experience emotional or mental distress, but it can equip you with the tools to manage these feelings effectively.
The Benefits of Learning to Cope
Being able to manage hardships and setbacks is a skill that can enhance your quality of life. Mentally, it can reduce the risk of anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. Maintaining effective coping strategies can lower stress levels and improve your overall physical well-being. In addition, you can enhance communication and empathy in your personal and professional relationships, and approach challenges with a clear and focused mind.
Nine Ways to Build and Strengthen Your Resilience
Here are some key skills and strategies to help develop and maintain healthy coping habits:
- Cultivate Self-Awareness:Practice mindfulness to stay present and aware of your thoughts and feelings. Recognize your emotions and understand their impact on your behavior.
- Develop a Positive Mindset:Reframe negative thoughts into positive ones by focusing on your strengths and achievements.
- Enhance Problem-Solving Skills:Approach challenges with a solution-first mindset. Learning from past experiences can help you avoid repeating mistakes.
- Maintain Physical Health:Eat a balanced diet and get adequate sleep. Exercise regularly to boost endorphins and reduce stress.
- Practice Stress Management Techniques:Allocate time for hobbies and activities that bring you joy. Use relaxation methods such as deep breathing, meditation or yoga that can help restore calm.
- Seek Professional Guidance When Needed:Consult a counselor to work through complex emotions and a medical professional about health-related issues.
- Set Realistic Goals:Break down large tasks into manageable steps and celebrate small accomplishments to help build confidence.
- Strengthen Your Social Connections:Build a strong support network and engage in community activities to foster a sense of belonging.
- Create Space for Calm:Organize your personal space to create a calming and nurturing environment by, for example, adding plants or arranging your space to take advantage of natural light to your home or workspace.
Women’s Health Week
Every May, beginning on Mother’s Day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office on Women’s Health (OWH) leads National Women’s Health Week (NWHW). This year, NWHW takes place from May 10-16. This observance highlights women’s health conditions and priorities and encourages women of all ages to prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer in Women
What is colorectal cancer?
Colorectal cancer is an overgrowth of cells located in the colon or rectum. These growths are called polyps and are common among older people. Most polyps are benign but can turn into cancerous cells in time.
Colon cancer and rectal cancer are usually referred to as colorectal cancer because they have a lot in common, including symptoms. However, there are two different types of cancers, depending on where they originated.
Colorectal cancer is the third type of cancer that is worthwhile. According to the American Cancer Society, men have a slightly higher risk. About 4.3% of men and 4% of women will receive a rectal or colon cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. This type of cancer typically affects older individuals, but it can happen at any age.
During the early stages of the disease, patients may not experience any symptoms. It’s essential to listen to doctor’s recommendations and have preventive screenings since colorectal cancer is highly treatable if discovered in its early stages. However, there ARE a few cues that should send you to the doctor as soon as possible. Here’s the first one:
Symptoms in women
Generally, symptoms are the same for both genders, but they may look different from one person to another. Women can be harder to diagnose because their symptoms may be similar to endometriosis, menopause, or simply because the patient is reluctant to speak about their bowel movement with their doctors.
Listening to your body and noticing when something is out of the ordinary is essential. Some of the symptoms related to colorectal cancer may include:
- A change in bowel habits
Bowl habits are different from person to person. Infection, food, and medication can be the reason why some changes may occur. If something is different in your life, there’s a big chance that you will notice a change in your toilet.
Bowel movement can tell us many things about our health, so it is essential to pay attention if something has been different for a long time. Changes you should pay attention to include diarrhea, constipation, narrowing of stool, change of color, or even frequency.
- Blood in the stool
You may experience blood in your stool or rectal bleeding, also known as hematochezia, for different reasons. Some may be less frightening, like hemorrhoids or constipation, but it can also mean that there is a polyp in your lower digestive tract.
Women can experience conditions such as endometriosis, which can lead to pain, bloating, cramping, and bleeding. In rare instances, endometriosis can affect the colon, resulting in bleeding that can be observed during a colonoscopy.
If the bleeding lasts more than a couple of weeks and is also accompanied by pain, you should see a specialist who will recommend a rectal exam or a colonoscopy.
- Ongoing discomfort in the abdominal area
Women typically experience cramping and bloating quite often, so it may not seem like something to worry about. While it’s not a common symptom of cancer, depending on the location or the size of the polyp, a patient may present some of these symptoms.
Women have to pay attention to what their body is telling them. Abdominal pain can mean a lot of things, but if the pain seems different from what you’ve experienced before and it doesn’t go away, tell your doctor and get it evaluated.
Pain and having a feeling you should have a bowel movement, even when there is no need or a sense that the bowel isn’t entirely empty, can also be a symptom related to this type of cancer.
- Excessive fatigue
We all feel tired occasionally, but if the tiredness persists even after getting plenty of sleep and lasts more than a few weeks, it may be a sign that something is wrong.
Extreme fatigue, weakness, or shortness of breath can be signs of anemia. In colon or rectal cancer, anemia appears due to inflammation or bleeding in the lower intestinal tract. Bleeding leads to a low count of red blood cells and iron in the bloodstream. Without enough iron, the body can’t properly transport oxygen, making us tired.
See your doctor if you develop signs and symptoms that suggest iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia isn’t something to self-diagnose or treat, and it may be a sign of a more serious condition.
- Unexplained weight loss
Losing weight without trying is never a good sign. Most of the time, unexpected weight loss is due to stress, but if you notice you also have other unusual symptoms like the ones above, it is a sign it’s time to call your doctor.
Cancer cells change how your body transforms food into energy, which can cause weight loss. Also, a tumor can block the colon, producing changes in bowel habits and even weight loss.
People with colorectal cancer may not have any symptoms at all, especially in the early stages of the disease. By the time symptoms appear, cancer advances and it will be harder to treat, or it can even cause death. This is the reason why periodic screening is essential. Talk to your doctor and plan for your next appointment.
Causes and risk factors
Experts say there are no symptoms that are specific to women. Women at menopause are at a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer, but only because the risk of developing cancer increases with age. This is something specific for both genders. Doctors recommend men and women with an average risk start having screening colonoscopies every 10 years, beginning at the age of 45.
Having a family with a history of colon or rectal cancer puts you at a higher risk. If you have more than one family member who has colon cancer or rectal cancer, it increases the risk more. Genetic tests can give you more information, and your doctor will recommend proper investigations.
Inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease are autoimmune diseases that are known to increase the risk of also developing colorectal cancer.
Lifestyle choices can also play an essential role in increasing the risk of developing any cancer. In time, a diet low in fiber and high in fat can increase the risk of obesity and inflammation, which, in time, can lead to colorectal cancer.
Other risk factors are not exercising regularly, smoking, and drinking too much alcohol.
Prevention
Regular screening for colorectal cancer can help doctors find precancerous nodules that can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening is vital because, when found early, colorectal cancer is highly treatable.
Several tests are used for colon cancer screening. Talk to your team of specialists about the best option for you.
Making lifestyle changes may reduce the risk of developing cancer and also make you feel better in general. To lower the risk, experts generally recommend:
Eat enough fiber
The average fiber intake in America is between 6 and 10 grams per day, while the recommended daily amount for adults is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. How do you incorporate more fiber into your diet? Eating more whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is essential in helping you get the daily dose of fiber and various nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants necessary for a healthy lifestyle.
Drink alcohol in moderation, or even go alcohol-free
Recent studies show that no amount of alcohol is safe, but from time to time, we all like to enjoy a glass of wine. If you feel that you can’t go alcohol-free, try to limit the amount.
Stop smoking
There is no debate here. If you find it challenging to quit smoking, seek help from your healthcare team at Inspire.
Exercise
Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days. Walking also counts, especially if you live a sedentary lifestyle. Take a walk with your dog, or walk in the park with your grandkids daily, and you will notice a difference in time.
If you have other health problems that can prevent you from exercising, talk with your healthcare professionals and build an exercise program together.
Maintain a healthy weight
If you already have a healthy weight, your primary focus should be maintaining it by following a balanced diet and daily exercise. Healthy weight differs for each person, so the first step is to talk to your healthcare providers and determine the best option for you and your needs.
National Nurses’ Week
National Nurses’ Week offers more than a ceremonial pause, it is a strategic opportunity for all of us to demonstrate, in visible and lasting ways, how deeply nurses are valued. Celebrated May 6–12 and anchored by the American Nurses Association theme, “The Power of Nurses,” this year’s observance underscores the profession’s profound impact on patients, communities, and health systems.
In today’s environment of workforce shortages and burnout, recognition is no longer optional; it’s essential. Evidence consistently links meaningful appreciation to improved engagement, retention, and patient outcomes. Organizations that approach National Nurses Week as a strategic investment—rather than a symbolic gesture—position themselves to sustain a resilient workforce.
Equally impactful are personalized expressions of gratitude. Handwritten notes from executives, physicians, and patients remain among the most meaningful forms of recognition, reinforcing that individual contributions are seen and valued.
Organizations also are increasingly aligning National Nurses Week with well-being and professional development. Self-care kits, wellness resources, and access to continuing education or resilience programs reflect a deeper commitment to the nurse as a whole person. These strategies acknowledge the physical and emotional demands of the profession while investing in long-term growth.
As healthcare systems navigate unprecedented complexity, National Nurses Week 2026 should serve as both celebration and commitment. We can honor nurses by affirming them not only as the backbone of care delivery but as by essential leaders shaping the future of healthcare.
Let us each take a moment to thank the nurse in our lives.
Mother's Day
Mother’s Day is an annual holiday celebrated in the United States since 1914, which recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well as their positive contributions to their families and society. It was established by Anna Jarvis, with the first Mother’s Day celebrated through a service of worship at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, on May 10, 1908. Popular observances include holiday card and gift giving, often accompanied by the distribution of carnations, and family brunches and dinners. In the United States, Mother’s Day complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Father’s Day, Siblings Day and Grandparents Day.
History
During the 19th century, women’s peace groups in the United States tried establishing holidays and regular activities in favor of peace and against war. A common early activity was the meeting of groups of mothers whose sons had fought or died on opposite sides of the American Civil War.
In 1868, Ann Jarvis, Anna Jarvis’s mother, organized a committee to establish a “Mother’s Friendship Day”, the purpose of which was “to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War.” Ann Jarvis, who had previously organized Mother’s Day Work Clubs to improve sanitation and health for both Union and Confederate encampments undergoing a typhoid outbreak, wanted to expand these into an annual memorial for mothers, but she died in 1905 before the annual celebration was established. Her daughter would continue her mother’s efforts.
There were several limited observances in the 1870s and the 1880s. Still, none achieved resonance beyond the local level. In New York City Julia Ward Howe led a “Mother’s Day for Peace” anti-war observance on June 2, 1872, which was accompanied by an “Appeal to womanhood throughout the world” (nowadays known as Mother’s Day Proclamation). The observance continued in Boston for about ten years under Howe’s sponsorship, then died out. In these celebrations, mothers all around the world would work towards world peace.
Several years later, a Mother’s Day observance on May 13, 1877, was held in Albion, Michigan over a dispute related to the temperance movement. According to local legend, Albion pioneer Juliet Calhoun Blakeley stepped up to complete the sermon of the Rev. Myron Daughterty who was distraught because an anti-temperance group had forced his son and two other temperance advocates at gunpoint to spend the night in a saloon and become publicly drunk. From the pulpit, Blakeley called on other mothers to join her. Blakeley’s two sons, both traveling salesmen, were so moved that they vowed to return each year to pay tribute to her and embarked on a campaign to urge their business contacts to do likewise. At their urging, in the early 1880s, the Methodist Episcopal Church in Albion set aside the second Sunday in May to recognize the special contributions of mothers.
Frank E. Hering, alumnus and administrator at the University of Notre Dame and President of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, made a plea for “setting aside one day in the year as a nationwide memorial to the memories of Mothers and motherhood” in 1904. After observing a class of Notre Dame students sending home penny postcards to their mothers, Hering went on to be a vocal advocate for a national Mother’s Day for the next decade. As Hering stated in a 1941 issue of Scholastic, “Throughout history the great men of the world have given their credit for their achievements to their mothers.”
Establishment of holiday
In its present form, Mother’s Day was established by Anna Jarvis with the help of Philadelphia merchant, John Wannamaker following the death of her mother, Ann Jarvis, on May 9, 1905. Jarvis never mentioned Howe or Mothering Sunday, and she never mentioned any connection to the Protestant school celebrations, always claiming that the creation of Mother’s Day was hers alone.
A small service was held on May 12, 1907, in the Andrew’s Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia in, where Anna’s mother had been teaching Sunday school. The first “official” service of worship was on May 10, 1908, in the same church, accompanied by a larger ceremony in the Wanamaker Auditorium in the Wannamaker’s store in Philadelphia. The next year the day was reported to be widely celebrated in New York.
Jarvis then campaigned to establish Mother’s Day first as a U.S. national holiday and then later as an international holiday. The holiday was declared officially by the state of West Virginia in 1910, and the rest of the states followed quickly.
On May 10, 1913, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution calling on all federal government officials (from the president down) to wear a white carnation the following day in observance of Mother’s Day. On May 8, 1914, the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day and requesting a proclamation. The next day, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first official Mother’s Day as a day for American citizens to show the flag in honor of those mothers whose sons had died in war. In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved a stamp commemorating the holiday.
In May 2008, the House of Representatives voted twice on a resolution commemorating Mother’s Day, the first one being passed without a dissenting vote (21 members not voting). The Saint Andrew’s Methodist Church, where the first celebration was held, is now the International Mother’s Day Shrine and is a National Historic Landmark.
Mother’s Day is the third largest holiday in the United States for sending cards. According to the greeting card industry, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of American households send greeting cards on this holiday. The holiday has been heavily commercialized by advertisers and retailers, and has been criticized by some.
Commercialization
The commercialization of U.S. holidays began very early. Only nine years after the first official Mother’s Day, it had become so rampant that Anna Jarvis herself became a prominent opponent of what the holiday had become, spending all her inheritance and the rest of her life fighting what she saw as an abuse of the celebration. She decried the practice of purchasing greeting cards, which she saw as a sign of being too lazy to write a personal letter.
Mother’s Day is now one of the most commercially successful American occasions, having become the most popular day of the year to dine out at a restaurant in the United States and generating a significant portion of the U.S. jewelry industry’s annual revenue, from custom gifts like mother’s rings. Americans spend approximately $2.6 billion on flowers, $1.53 billion on pampering gifts—like spa treatments—and another $68 million on greeting cards.
Armed Forces Day
On Aug. 31, 1949, Defense Secretary Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the armed forces under one agency, the Department of Defense.
In a speech announcing the creation of the day, President Truman “praised the work of the military services at home and across the seas.” He said, “It is vital to the security of the nation and to the establishment of a desirable peace.”
In an excerpt from the Presidential Proclamation of Feb. 27, 1950, Truman stated:
“Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 1950, marks the first combined demonstration by America’s defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, toward the goal of readiness for any eventuality. It is the first parade of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea, and air defense.”deo
Armed Forces Day Themes
The very first theme of Armed Forces Day was “Teamed for Defense.”
Over the years, other themes have included Appreciation of a Nation; Arsenal of Freedom and Democracy; Dedication and Devotion; Deter if Possible, Fight if Necessary; Freedom; Freedom Through Unity; Guardians of Peace; Lasting Peace; Liberty; and Patriotism.
How to Celebrate Armed Forces Day
The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated by parades, open houses, receptions, and air shows. In Washington, D.C., 10,000 troops of all branches of the military, cadets and veterans marched past the president and his party. In Berlin, 1,000 U.S. troops paraded for the German citizens at Tempelhof Airfield. In New York City, an estimated 33,000 participants initiated Armed Forces Day “under an air cover of 250 military planes of all types.”
Today, Armed Forces Day is celebrated in American communities and on military bases throughout the world with parades, picnics, shopping discounts, festivals and parties.
Memorial Day
The meaning of Memorial Day sometimes is lost in translation. Memorial Day is often misunderstood, and its deeper significance sometimes gets overlooked. While it’s known for marking the unofficial start of summer with barbecues and gatherings, the history of Memorial Day holds a much more profound meaning. This day is dedicated to honoring the men and women who have given their lives in service to the U.S. military
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. It’s difficult to prove the origins of this day as over two dozen towns and cities lay claim to be the birthplace. In May 1966, President Lyndon Johnson stepped in and officially declared Waterloo N.Y. the birthplace of Memorial Day.
Regardless of the location of origins or the exact date, one thing is crystal clear – Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War (which ended in 1865) and a desire to honor our dead. On the 5th of May in 1868, General John Logan who was the national commander of the Grand Army of the republic, officially proclaimed it in his General Order.
Part of the history of Memorial Day meaning will show that in the Order, the General proclaimed, “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.” Because the day wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle, the General called it, The date of Decoration Day.
On the first Decoration Day, 5,000 participants decorated the graves of 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried at Arlington Cemetery while General James Garfield made a historic speech.
New York was the first state to officially recognize the holiday in 1873. It was recognized by all northern states by 1890. Differently, the South refused to acknowledge the day and honored their dead on separate days. This went on until after World War I when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war.
With the Congressional passage of the National Holiday Act of 1971, it is now observed on the last Monday in May by almost every state.
This helped ensure a three-day weekend for Federal holidays
National Moment of Remembrance
The meaning of Memorial Day and history couldn’t be complete without the birth of the “National Moment of Remembrance,” a resolution passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans “To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to Taps.”
Mental Health and You in May
Perhaps you set some new goals to work on this year; maybe you will try to change a behavior or a perspective, begin a new way of taking care of yourself, stop a self-sabotaging activity or habit, or incorporate a personal insight you have had into your everyday way of living. You may have stopped drinking (or cut-down on your alcohol consumption) and joined many others who have done the same. Maybe you are limiting how much you connect with social media or have begun a new physical fitness program; started working with a trainer or a nutritionist, or committed to reading more or even registered to take a course.
At Inspire, we hope May is the month you decide to invest in your mental health and emotional well-being. Our staff of dedicated professionals is here to help you to work on what is most important, you! Please read about our many services and providers on our website: Inspirebehavioralhealth.com, and then call us to schedule an appointment.
May is marked by happy times celebrating some of the events mentioned earlier, and reflective times looking at our lives and our quest for meaning and purpose. You may feel troubled and anxious by the events in the world and feeling angry or helpless to change them. We encourage you to take concrete actions for self-care which may include limiting how much news you watch, listen to or read each day. You may try to take more breaks or place a higher emphasis on improving your sleep and feeling rested. You might want to limit your intake of not only alcohol, but also caffeine and nicotine (if applicable). You might consider joining a group of some kind, or a volunteer or advocacy effort. And, remember that while reflecting and journaling by yourself can be helpful and therapeutic, isolating is harmful and almost always exacerbates most of our anxieties, worries and concerns. Keep in mind that any physical exercise including walking will be more helpful than only staying at home worrying. You may want to give some thought to joining a gym or enrolling in a Yoga class. And, at Inspire we hope this is time you invest in your mental health and emotional well-being
May means we welcome more sunlight, much warmer weather and the blooms of flowers and new growth everywhere. There is a rich metaphor here that is simple to see from a mental health perspective; that is, wondering how this new season of growth outside of us will be reflected on the inside, that is, in our interior life? Whether we endeavor to have a deeply spiritual renewal or an existential recognition of what is happening in the world? The truth is that a major change that is easily visible in the colorful environment around us is happening. May it also be a clear sign of hope for all of us.
We offer high quality and compassionate mental health care and treatment at Inspire for people living in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia, both virtually and in-person with offices in Vienna, Fairfax, Sterling, Bethesda, and Washington D. C.
You may find yourself alone and feeling lonely; but these are two very different things, or realize that you are once again in a toxic relationship and need to end it. We are in the midst of a loneliness pandemic in the United States despite being more connected to one another (electronically) than we ever have before. Research by the American Psychiatric Association found that one in three Americans say they feel lonely at least once every week. You may be experiencing this epidemic in an acute, real and personal way. You may be grieving the loss of a love, a human or pet. If you are, please call us because help is available. Please know you have our support. are ready to help and only a phone call away.
This may be exactly the best time for you to begin talking with a therapist individually or to join a mental health group at Inspire. Or, to join or return to community-based support group like the Twelve Step Program such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Sex and Love Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous and so many others which are free and available in-person and on-line. Inspire Behavioral Health offers a Grief Group and a Men’s Education and Therapy Group. Please call us for more information.
Please let us know if you know someone who would like to begin receiving our newsletter and will be happy to send them a copy. Our experienced psychiatrists, addiction psychiatrists and psychotherapists strongly believe that we all have solutions to resolving our struggles within us. We believe enjoying our mental health is a matter of learning how to tap into these solutions. Providers at Inspire Behavioral Health help people heal, cope and manage their mental health by allowing them to focus on their strengths and choose to access their available resources. We work together to treat your symptoms while helping you to identify the underlying causes for those symptoms, and by encouraging the use of more effective techniques to cope with life’s difficulties. We try to help you in building resilience to help maintain your optimal mental health. Call us for more information and to schedule a convenient appointment at 703-592-4600. We are often able to offer clients an appointment the same day as your call or the very next day. Please visit our website:www.InspireBehavioralHealth.com.
Our hope is that we all may feel loved and appreciated, especially this month. May we all try to be a little kinder to each other as well as to ourselves, and may we begin to take better care of ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is time to make an investment in your mental health and emotional well-being. It is time for you to begin living your best life and learn to free yourself from the worries and problems that burden you, so please call us at Inspire to schedule an appointment to see one of our mental health providers.
Grief in May
Many people acutely grieve lost loved ones. Facing the year ahead overcome by grief is not easy but there are supportive people who share your feelings of grief. Grief can be overwhelming. These feelings are normal and predictable. Mother’s Day may have really hurt this year because your mother is deceased. Regardless of the nature of the relationship you had with a parent, the response of grieving is normal. Individual therapy and a grief group can help enormously. If you are grieving, please call Inspire to make an appointment to talk with a certified grief psychotherapist or to hear more about our group. We can help you learn to grieve in healthy, effective ways as you learn to accommodate the loss of a loved one, including a beloved pet. Please let us accompany you on your grief journey.
What Is Your Story? How can we help you build a life worth Living?
Remember, taking care of your mental health isn’t a luxury – it is a necessity. Inspire Behavioral Health is here to help you improve your mental health, maintain your emotional wellbeing, manage stress and address any concerns you may have.
Remember that help available if you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health or substance use issue, and now is the time to get the help you or they need. Please call us at Inspire Behavioral Health to schedule an appointment to talk with one of our clinicians.
Let Us Help
Clinicians at Inspire Behavioral Health are here to help by joining you on the journey toward mental health and recovery from addictions. May of our providers are trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or DBT, and others are trained and credentialed in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT, Rational Emotive Therapy or RET, and many others, all with one goal in mind, to help you.
Our licensed professionals can help you to identify what seem like the dialectical or opposite sides of our thinking and feeling so that you can emerge more integrated and whole. You can come to understand how feelings can inform thoughts and vice versa rather than being controlled by intense emotions, irrational feelings, intrusive thoughts, cravings or triggers. We can help you with talk therapy, testing and medication (if clinically indicated) to live a life worth living and learn to thrive in your day-to-day life. Imagine living a more meaningful and rewarding life, communicating more effectively with others and enhancing your interpersonal relationships. Let us help you build that life, become more compassionate and strengthen your empathy by calling Inspire Behavioral Health for an appointment today. You can help yourself and when you are ready, begin to support the longevity, health, and well-being of all members of our society.
How to Find a Counselor
Once you decide to get professional health for a personal struggle, whether it is about anxiety, depression, grief, a mood disorder, an addiction to a substance or a behavior that has become out of control, a relationship issue, your sexual identity or a behavioral issue, or something else, finding the right type of provider and service can be daunting. Where do you start? Inspire Behavioral Health can help because we are home to many caring professionals with a variety of specialties. We are confident you will find the provider who has the experience to addressing your particular issues and unique circumstances. Please visit our website to read our providers’ biographies, areas of expertise and their perspectives on how to help you. If you are in a rural area, you may have difficulty finding a mental health professional nearby, so remember that all of our clinicians are available to you virtually.
Men’s Group
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a compassionate type of therapy behavioral therapy that is intended to help people move toward a more mindful, aware and purposeful life. The key skills addressed in DBT include Core Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotional Regulation and Interpersonal Effectiveness. Members of this group offered at Inspire Behavioral Health led by Psychotherapist, Ed Andrews, are taught the skills necessary to help deal with life stressors. This is done in a framework that helps people understand that they are doing the best they can while recognizing that there are newer strategies that may be more effective. This group is a safe, confidential place for men who are sustaining their recovery from chemical or process addictions, coping with chronic illness, aging, managing stress, anxiety and/or depression, accommodating change in their lives, coping with loss and transition, dealing with sexual issues, and seeking support and growth. Please call us for more information about this important group.
Thank you for being part of Inspire Behavioral Health, we appreciate you and wish you a happy March!
Office Location:
Vienna: 2110 Gallows Road Suite D, Vienna, VA 22182
Fairfax: 11211 Waples Mill Road Suite 150, Fairfax, VA 22030
Washington, DC: 3000 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 137, Washington, DC 20008
Sterling: 46090 Lake Center Plaza, Suite 103-104, Sterling, VA 20165
Bethesda: 6203 Executive Boulevard, North Bethesda, MD 20852
Ed Andrews, LPC, LMFT, Newsletter Editor
703-592-4600
info@inspirebehavioralhealth.com