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Caitlin Whyte (Host): How are you? I mean, really? How are you these days? Managing our mental health can be difficult in even normal circumstances. So, today we are talking with Psychologist, Dr. Ashley Kopa, who is here to discuss the importance of mental health maintenance and provide some tips for self-care and mental wellness.

This is Healthy Conversations, the podcast from New Hanover Regional Medical Center. I'm Caitlin Whyte. So, Dr. Kopa, when we say mental health maintenance, what exactly does that mean?

Ashley Kopa, PsyD (Guest): Mental health maintenance is really about self-care. It's about whole body care. Treating yourself with kindness and compassion, maintaining healthy boundaries, practicing gratitude, giving back, healthy diet, sleep, and exercise, and utilizing healthy coping skills and a support system.

Host: All of that is so important right now, but can you tell us why it's important to focus on mental health in general?

Dr. Kopa: Yeah. Our mental health impacts all aspects of our life and it plays an integral part in living a healthy life. So, it influences our daily thoughts, our emotions and behaviors and plays a role in our relationship with ourself and others across different contexts.

Host: What are some signs, some common signs that your mental health needs some attention. What about finding these signs in yourself?

Dr. Kopa: Well, I think everyone can benefit from mental health maintenance. You know, no one exempt from experiencing stressors, change and or loss, especially over this past year. Even when things are going really well, though, it's still important to practice self-care. It's like a bank account. You always want to have something in there. So, if there's some kind of withdrawal, you always have a reserve. So, part of self-care can be practicing, participating in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy can be a space for personal growth and or it can be a place where you work on managing symptoms of mental illness and stress. If thoughts, emotions and behaviors are not lining up with who you want to be, it's a good time to reevaluate your mental health and adjust your self-care plan.

Host: Now, what are some of the most common reasons that a person may be seeing signs of this mental distress?

Dr. Kopa: So, there are a multitude of reasons why someone may begin to see signs of mental distress. Change or transition can bring mental health issues to the surface as well as stress, a traumatic event, genetic factors, serious medical conditions or biological factors can also play a role in the onset of mental distress or illness.

Host: Are there things that a person can do, you know, for themselves that will improve their mental health?

Dr. Kopa: Well, there are two main ingredients to improving your mental health and they are valuing yourself and engaging in daily self-care practices. So, a lot of people are more kind to others than they are to themselves. Owning your own value and worth and backing that up with self-compassion and self-care really go a long way. You know, it can provide a stable grounding from which to experience life and all its changes and ups and downs. Each individual's the best person to really know what rejuvenates them and what boundaries they need in place to feel their best. Some common self-care practices are maintaining a gratitude journal, practicing mindfulness, getting regular exercise and sleep, eating nutrient dense foods, avoiding recreational drugs and alcohol being compliant with your prescribed medication. Volunteering, setting realistic goals and a realistic schedule for yourself, planning something fun in your day. Staying connected to healthy people and participating regularly in psychotherapy.

Host: Now, if these things aren't quite working, you know, when should someone seek professional help to maintain and improve their mental health?

Dr. Kopa: Well, again, I know I've said this quite a few times, but anyone really seeking growth and overall health can benefit from psychotherapy, but there are some signs and symptoms that when exhibited, alert us to the need for professional help. These can include, but aren't really limited to extreme sadness, inability to get out of bed and participate in normal daily activities, cognitive decline, excessive fear or worry, isolation, detachment from reality or what we might call psychotic symptoms, substance abuse, or dependence, excessive anger, or difficulty controlling anger, feelings of worthlessness, extreme mood changes, difficulty coping with everyday stressors or suicidal or homicidal thinking.

Host: Now deciding you need help is really only half the battle. How does someone find a mental health professional who can help them and is right for them?

Dr. Kopa: Well, you want to make sure you find someone who is trained and that has experienced with what your primary goals are. So, one common question I get is what is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist? So, a psychiatrist is someone who has gone through medical school and specializes in psychiatric medicine. A psychologist is someone who's earned a doctoral degree and specializes in the field of psychology. And we have social workers, marriage, and family therapists, licensed clinical mental health counselors, licensed clinical addiction specialists and dance, music, art, and expressive therapists.

And they're someone who has typically earned a master's degree in the field of counseling. So, when you look for a therapist, you want to make sure they're licensed in the state they practice in and received a degree from an accredited master's or doctoral program. Therapists have different theoretical orientations and populations that they typically work with.

So for example, if I'm experiencing severe anxiety or a phobia, I want to make sure the therapist that I see utilize those evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavior therapy. If I'm coming in to explore my identity, sexual or gender identity; I want to make sure the therapist has specialized training and knowledge with such.

It's okay to interview the therapist to make sure it's a good fit for you. You can also look online for therapists in your area. Most therapists have a brief bio on their website. You can ask a trusted friend or family member for referral. Primary care providers make referrals. I also think that the American Psychological Association's website's is a good place to look for further details on what to look for when finding the right therapist for you. That website is apa.org. NAMI is also a great resource. That stands for National Alliance for Mental Illness. Their website nami.org and N-A-M-I.org is a great place to explore details about what mental illness is, how to support those with mental illness, where to find support groups. And it also has a list of crisis support lines.

Host: Well, just an incredibly important conversation these days. Thank you so much for shedding some light on it and giving us some tips to get by. That was Dr. Ashley Kopa, a Psychologist at NHRMC Behavioral Health Hospital. Find mental health resources@nami.org. That's N-A-M-I.org. And learn more about NHRMC's Behavioral Health Services@nhrmc.org.

This is Healthy Conversations, the podcast from New Hanover Regional Medical Center. I'm Caitlin Whyte. Stay well.