Start Your Wellness Journey with Counseling
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
by Shannon Gentry, QMHP, Professional Counselor Associate
Beyond the social media hashtags and public service announcements, Mental Health Awareness Month challenges us to confront an uncomfortable truth: While nearly one in four adults experience mental illness, only half receive treatment. True mental health awareness means not only recognizing the prevalence of conditions like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, but also understanding your own mental health needs and when to seek professional support.
Is Counseling Right for Me?
Like most health concerns, prevention works better than intervention. Seeking help before you're overwhelmed makes managing stress and avoiding burnout much easier. Learn to recognize your personal stress signals: increasing tension, more frequent headaches or migraines, waning interest in activities you usually enjoy, lingering sadness, or growing impatience with those around you. You understand your patterns best—identify what typically triggers your stress and consider reaching out to a counselor if you're struggling to return to your baseline on your own.
When to Seek Help
When everyday functions become increasingly difficult to manage, you've likely waited too long to seek help. Watch for warning signs such as emotional reactions that don't match the situation (like sudden angry outbursts or unexpected tears), negative thoughts you can't shake, persistent feelings of hopelessness or thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Cascade Health Counseling Can Help
Cascade Health is a local nonprofit committed to improving the quality of life in our community through comprehensive health and mental health services. The compassionate and experienced counselors in our counseling department listen without judgment and support you in making actionable plans to reduce the burden of struggles and develop healthy behaviors. We provide services for children, couples, and individuals addressing concerns from anxiety, anger management and relationship struggles to OCD, depression, trauma and beyond. Through counseling, you can develop valuable tools and skills to regulate emotions, manage stress, and communicate effectively with loved ones.
How Do I Access Services?
We accept various insurance plans including Oregon Health Plan (OHP), select private insurance providers, and Medicare. We also welcome clients who prefer to pay out of pocket. If you work in the Eugene/Springfield area, check with your HR department to see if Cascade Health is included in your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits. If not, your HR representative can direct you to your company's EAP provider.
What Can I Do Now – Before My Appointment?
Establishing care sometimes takes time. While waiting for your first counseling appointment, practice these simple self-care and stress reduction techniques:
Engage in activities that bring joy or restoration
Connect with your support network of family and friends
Maintain regular exercise, quality sleep, and nutritious meals when possible
In our busy, overwhelming lives with seemingly endless tasks, even one minute of quiet reflection and deep breathing can slow your heart rate and reduce stress. Give it a try—and give us a call at 541-345-2800.
During Mental Health Awareness Month – and in every month of the year - we look forward to supporting you on your mental health journey.