One of the bright spots of quarantining during this pandemic has been the opportunity to take online classes from my favorite yoga instructor, who has been a guide to me over many years and no longer lives locally. Last week, she spoke about searching for the beauty of the challenges found in trying to get into difficult yoga postures, rather than becoming frustrated by what is not possible for each of us to do physically. Instead, shifting our perspective in this way allows us to see that there is growth to be found by looking at what can be learned through the process, rather than the result alone.
I have been thinking about this all week--as it does not seem that our community is short on challenges these days. There are days that I am unable to find the beauty in much of it, but I have been willing my eyes to at least search. At the Hub, I have been able to witness first-hand the beauty in our community members coming forward to ask for help. As residents have been out of their homes and around town more often lately, the Hub has become a safe space to land for many of them. As our staff works with them, rather than looking at their struggles as stressful or sad, we really do find ourselves impressed and moved by their vulnerability as they trust us with their stories.
World Mental Health Day
This past Saturday, October 10th, marked World Mental Health Day, observed with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. The World Health Organization, for the first time ever, hosted a global online advocacy event on mental health. At this event—the Big Event for Mental Health—world leaders, mental health experts and celebrity guests joined WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to tell the world what we can all do to improve our mental health and how we can help make sure that quality mental health care is available to everyone who needs it.
Hub Anniversary Week
Locally, we will be celebrating all week long, as Philipstown Behavioral Health Hub celebrates our Anniversary Week. Our theme for the week is: One Year. One Mission. One Community. We hope you can join us for an Open House this evening from 5-7pm, or tomorrow and Friday from 11am-1pm at 5 Stone Street. We will also be meeting on Friday for a Sunset Hike led by local Trailmaster Karen Kapoor. Please click below for more details.
Learn More About Hub Anniversary Week
Community Conversation: What I wish I Had Known - A Parent’s Worst Nightmare
Join us on Zoom this Thursday evening at 7pm as we talk with a local mom whose son battled the disease of addiction, a community member in recovery, and a local emergency room physician. What actions can we take to support our loved ones? This is a conversation about our family, our friends, our community.
Please register in advance by clicking here. We encourage everyone in the community to share their questions with us so that we can try to answer them live during the conversation. Send your questions to events@philipstownhub.org.
The beginning of the Hub in the midst of a global pandemic and long-overdue protests and conversations on racial injustice seems like a perfect way to discover the beauty in the challenge. At the Hub, we have continued to support the Philipstown Community, even through this extremely challenging time. And the results have included reduced stigma around mental health and addiction challenges in a community more willing to reach out for help for themselves and their neighbors. We are so grateful to be here.
If you have a family member or friend who is struggling with mental health and addiction issues, please encourage them to call the Philipstown Hub at 845-809-5050, confidentially text 845-260-1001, or email info@philipstownhub.org.
Health and Hope,
Danielle Pack McCarthy
October 2020