Welcome!
Thank you for
taking the time to read "Bright Futures: A Community Organization's Guide to
Promoting Emotional Wellness." This resource is part of a series of materials
called "Bright Futures for Women's Health and Wellness." These materials were
developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources
and Services Administration, Office of Women's Health, with the guidance of a
10-member panel of predominantly female mental health experts (medical doctors,
psychiatrists, and researchers) from across the country. The aim of the Bright
Futures project is to help women of all ages achieve better physical, mental,
social, and spiritual health by encouraging healthy practices.
Like physical health, mental health exists
along a spectrum. At one end are feelings of thriving and flourishing, and at
the other are depressed and anxious feelings. For a variety of reasons, the
field of mental health has historically focused on the negative end of this
spectrum. The Bright Futures project is different. It is not about avoiding or
treating depression: It is about helping women to thrive. One of the ways this
can happen is through the work of community organizations.
This guide contains information for
community organizations about emotional wellness, as well as tips and ideas for
how your organization can incorporate wellness themes into your existing
programs and activities. These suggestions are based on the latest research
into what helps women of all ages thrive and flourish. This research suggests
that coping skills (such as flexibility, feeling strong, and optimism),
personal traits (high self-esteem), and resources (spiritual practices and
support from family and friends) can boost women's mental health. As women
develop these elements in their own lives, they increase well-being,
satisfaction, and their overall quality of life.
While this guide focuses on women's
emotional wellness, it touches on some of the more common types of depression
and anxiety that many women can face from time to time. It does not discuss
more serious clinical diagnoses of unipolar and/or bipolar disorders that can
occur among some women, nor the treatment and care that is warranted in these
cases.
We encourage you to partner with us in
this effort to promote emotional wellness. Thank you for the work you do to
improve the lives of American women in your community.
Sincerely, Elizabeth M. Duke
Administrator Health Resources and Services Administration U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services |