Date of Award
Summer 9-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
MA - Master of Arts
Department
Mindfulness Studies
First Advisor
Dr. Melissa Jean
Second Advisor
Dr. Andrew Olendzki
Abstract
Children and adolescents in the United States are experiencing a mental health crisis which also impacts families, caregivers, including the mental health professionals providing support. This rationale paper expands on the history and limited current research to reintroduce the term “mental hygiene” as a lens to address the ongoing stress, the need for self-care and respite, and the value of incorporating mindfulness in the daily routines of mental health professionals. Intentional use of the term “mental hygiene" seeks to highlight an active and engaged process including mindfulness practices to decrease stress and burnout. The literature supports the inclusion of mindfulness and meditation practices to reduce stress, decrease anxiety and depression. Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBI), mental hygiene, daily routines and rituals, and tangible resources for health care professionals such as Code Lavender are discussed in the paper. The creative project includes a series of three workshops, designed for mental health professionals to introduce or reintroduce mindfulness practices as a part of a mental hygiene plan and to create individualized comfort kits like the Code Lavender and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) kits. The workshop’s theme, Pause. Reset. Return will underscore the positive impact of mindfulness practices in daily routines.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Tolson, Jamie, "Pause. Reset. Return. Mental Hygiene and Mindfulness in Daily Routines for the Mental Wellbeing of Mental Health Professionals" (2022). Mindfulness Studies Theses. 64.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/mindfulness_theses/64
