January is a well-known time of intentional change for many people, with New Year’s Resolutions, goal setting, and a sense of renewal in the new year. Many people’s resolutions or goals focus on improving some aspect of their quality of life: changing their diet, increasing physical fitness, or reducing consumption of alcohol during “Dry January.” Other people focus on psychological improvements like practicing mindfulness or meditation, working on gratitude journals, learning a new hobby, or being more social.
One of the major underlying aspects of “New Year, New Me” is that of mental health. Yet it can be daunting to battle depression or substance use during the season of long nights, cold weather, and holiday stress. It makes sense that, according to studies, two-thirds of people abandon their resolutions within the first month. While the pandemic highlighted mental health and reduced some of the previous cultural stigma around mental health needs, there are still many people in Oregon who do not get the help they need.
Resolutions are often an individual solution to problems that require support and community solutions. At Morrison, our focus is just that. We work with our clients to improve their quality of life year-round. We provide a wide array of trauma-informed programs, serving those within our community who may not have access to much needed care.
We have four outpatient clinics that provide specialized mental health and substance use treatment for youth ages 0-18 and their families. We work with each youth and their family or support system to create a treatment plan that addresses symptoms and concerns while developing strengths and building resilience. Every day, we’re blown away by the amazing work our clients do to improve their mental health.
Another very successful program is our Parent Mentor Program, which helps parents navigate through the child welfare system and substance use disorder treatment by pairing them with a Parent Mentor who made it through the same systems successfully. Change shouldn’t be something that you navigate alone, especially when it comes to mental health. Having support, like that of a mentor or mental health therapist, can provide insight into your experience and be the difference that creates sustainable long-term improvements in one’s life.
January is International Quality of Life month, but we here at Morrison Child and Family Services work every month to improve the lives of those within our community. Learn about our ten specialized programs at https://morrisonkids.org/what-we-do/
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