October 5th - 11th 2025 is Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) in the United States and Canada and other countries across the globe.

Since 1990, mental health advocates across North America have joined together during the first full week of October to sponsor awareness, create outreach and provide screenings in the name of mental health.

Also sponsored this week is National Depression Screening Day on October 9th and World Mental Health Day on October 10th. 

Why Depression Awareness Matters

• Prevalence: 
  Depression is a common and serious mental health condition affecting millions worldwide.
• Impact: 
  Untreated depression in children and adults can significantly impair daily functioning, affecting work, school, relationships, and overall quality of life.
• Early Intervention: 
  Screening and early intervention can lead to better outcomes for those experiencing depression.

How to Get Involved

• Educate Yourself and Others: Learn more about depression and share accurate information to combat stigma. 
• Encourage Screenings: Suggest friends, family, and colleagues take advantage of mental health screenings. 
• Support Mental Health Initiatives: Participate in events and campaigns that promote mental wellness. 

Tips for Grandparents Day

Celebrate Grandparents Day, Sunday September 7th, with some tips and insights from Newsday 

July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

July is Minority Health Awareness Month.

This awareness day was named after mental health activist and author Bebe Moore Campbell - and focuses on building awareness about the importance of mental wellness and effective mental health care for minorities. 

According to research, minorities are less likely to receive a mental health diagnosis, less likely to receive treatment for mental illness, have less access to and availability of mental health services and often receive a poorer quality of mental health care. More specifically:

• The percentage of Black and LatinX who use mental health care services is less than half that of Caucasian children. 
• 88% of  LatinX children with mental health issues have unmet needs.
• More than 25% of  Black American youth exposed to violence have been shown to be at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder.
•  Adolescent Native Americans experience the highest rates of suicide of any population in the United States—at least three to five times the national average.
• In the Asian American youth population,  suicidal ideation and suicide rates continue to increase.

To learn more about the mental health needs and treatment outreach, link here

Conscious aging is an offshoot of the 1987 model of successful aging, which was defined as an elderly person moving through the last chapter of life without disease and disability. Aging can be a challenge, especially when one lives with depression, but it’s also a time of great opportunity. The approach of conscious aging invites such possibility by encouraging you to find answers, significance, and enlightenment from within while also tending to your depressive symptoms.

Read more at my blog via Psychology Today.

Reverted Rights Celebration!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month is a health campaign that enables adults and children to start important conversations surrounding mental health. This month of addressing the importance of mental health lets others share their stories, understand that they are not alone, and seek support without fear of judgment. 

Reading books on big feelings can be a wonderful way to introduce children to the concept of emotions and mental health in a relatable and accessible way. Books can help them understand that it's okay to have big feelings and that it's important to talk about them. They also teach coping strategies, empathy, and how to seek help when needed. For little ones, stories about characters navigating emotions can be both comforting and empowering.

My award-winning "Sometimes When" series is a great resource for Mental Health Awareness Month. You can get these wonderful books from Free Spirit Publishing  as a bundle or individually at bookstores, online or taken out at the library.

Aromatherapy and Children | Psychology Today

When it comes to using aromatherapy with children, studies show it can be a safe, effective, and fast-acting complementary intervention for anxiety, sadness, fatigue, concentration, sleeplessness, and other common pediatric concerns. However, there are some important considerations to address before you begin this ancient practice for kids.

Read more here at Psychology Today

BOOK GIVEAWAY - The Ninth Session by Deborah Serani

 Get a signed autographed copy of my republished award-winning suspense novel, "The Ninth Session."

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Ninth Session

by Deborah Serani

Giveaway ends April 30, 2025.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway