By Shelby Deering
You’ve been diligently looking after your physical health through complementary approaches — but don’t forget another aspect that’s just as key — your mental health.
THERAPY
Everyone can benefit from therapy, whether you’re dealing with a stressful period in your life, struggling with grief or could use a tune-up with an already-diagnosed mental health condition. These Madison providers have you covered.
- MAJOR PROVIDERS. Madison has a wealth of major medical providers, where mental health services are plentiful. Group Health Cooperative, UW Health, UnityPoint Health and SSM Health offer a wide range of approaches and specialists.
- PRIVATE PRACTICES. Local private practices additionally provide different forms of therapy. Journey Mental Health Center has 29 programs available, from individual therapy to substance abuse treatment to programming for patients of African descent (the Ujima Program) and Clinica Latina, for Spanish speakers. Rogers Behavioral Health assists children through adults with things like eating disorder recovery and depression and offers online options, like a virtual OCD support group. Mental Health Collective includes several therapists with varying specialties. Play therapy? Couples counseling? Therapy for those with disabilities? It’s all here.
OTHER MENTAL HEALTH COMFORTS
As a complement to a therapy regimen, there are other ways to look after your mental wellbeing. Through gentle movement and self-care sessions, you may breathe that much-needed sigh of relief in no time.
- MEDITATION. Meditation also has its roots in bygone centuries and can be discovered in Madison. From online Meditation at Monona Terrace classes, livestreaming sessions from Kadampa Meditation Center to The Studio’s Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau’s guided meditation livestream, “The Kathleen Sessions,” you’ll be in a Zen-like state before you can say om.
- SUPPLEMENTS. Many vitamins are known for their stress-busting abilities (check with your doctor first). One option is the Chill Pill. With ingredients like magnolia bark and chamomile, these calming capsules come from the Madison-based Lively Vitamin Co.
- MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION. Studies show that Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction works. Offered through UW Health, for eight weeks, you’ll participate in weekly two- and-a-half-hour-long classes focused on mindfulness activities, like body scanning and meditation.
- GIFT BOXES. A just-for-you box with self-care necessities is a lovely way to lift your spirits. There’s the Curated-For-You Gift Box from Good Day Shop, if what you need is a good soak or a luxurious body oil. A Room of One’s Own has subscription boxes for bibliophiles, if your form of self- care is settling in with a page-turner.
- TAI CHI. As a Chinese practice that’s thousands of years old, tai chi is still a viable way to combat stress. Practice slow and purposeful movements through Tai Chi Center of Madison, which is holding classes on Zoom.
- MUSHROOM COFFEE. Adaptogens, or herbal substances known for their stabilizing effect on the body, have been getting a lot of buzz. They can be found locally in the form of mushroom coffee — yes, you read that right. Inlands crafts a ground mushroom coffee made with adaptogenic reishi, which can enhance mood.