Best Mental Health Articles

December 30, 2025

You’re Not Starting Over in 2026: Parenting Progress You Can’t See Yet

How Overwhelmed Parents Can Heal Parental Burnout, Ease Parenting Stress, and Support Their Mental Health (Without Starting Over)

You know that feeling at the end of the year, when everyone’s talking about “fresh starts” and “new yous”…

Mental Health for Parenting ∙ 7 LIKES ∙ 2 RESTACKS

Dr. Nicole Mirkin

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This does a good job of slowing the narrative down and shifting it away from self-judgment. I like how progress is described as awareness, repair, and small boundary choices rather than visible outcomes. The emphasis on capacity over reinvention feels honest for parents who are already stretched thin. It leaves room for growth without turning next year into another test they have to pass.

Mental(izing) Health

Jan 1

Mental(izing) Health: Aviv on Sacks

Newsletter, #72

My first reading of Rachel Aviv’s piece on Oliver Sacks, “Mind Over Matter,” in the December 15th 2025 issue of The New Yorker, left me despondent and a bit peeved (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/12/15/oliver-sacks-put-himself-into-his-case-studies-what-was-the-cost). It seemed like an exposé, maybe even a take-down of sort…

Elliot Jurist ∙ 8 LIKES ∙ 1 RESTACKS

Corinne Masur

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I was interested to read your piece as I too was left feeling let down by Sacks after reading Aviv's revealing article. What you do not get to in yours is the question of veracity. What is our obligation as clinicians when writing about cases to stick to the truth? We all anonymize cases when we write and sometimes we combine cases into one to make a point - but is it ethical/moral/correct to leave out crucial and perhaps damning details?

Mental Health for Parenting

Jan 3

A Letter to Future You: Self-Compassion for Hard Days [Worksheet Download Included]

What to say to yourself when you're exhausted: a gentle repair-and-regulate script for hard parenting days.

There’s a version of us in the future who’s having a really, really hard day.

Mental Health for Parenting ∙ 2 LIKES ∙ 1 RESTACKS

Neural Foundry

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17h

This approach to self-compassion feels revolutionary—not in a flashy way, but in how it meets parents where they actually are. The idea of writing to yourself from a moment of clarity for those inevitable moments of chaos is so practical. It bypasses the cognitive shutdown that happens when we're overwhelmed. What strikes me most is how it reframes "hard days" not as failures but as predictable parts of the cycle. The letter becomes a bridge between the parent you want to be and the exhausted one you sometimes are. It's a form of mental health that doesn't require perfection, just preparation.

Youth Mental Health Canada

Jan 1

YMHC January 2026 Newsletter

Youth Mental Health Canada January 2026 Newsletter

Thank you for subscribing to the YMHC newsletter. This volume includes information on YMHC events and activities. Be sure to subscribe to YMHC resources to receive access to monthly self-care calendars, a new recipe, tips if you are getting into running, + more mental health resources!

Youth Mental Health Canada ∙ 2 LIKES ∙ 1 RESTACKS

AI for Mental Health & Human Flourishing

Jan 1

What AI Mental Health Can (Still) Get Wrong About Access

If the best mental health tools are only for those who can pay, what are we really building?

This morning, I received an email from a single mother of two.

Xuan Zhao

Mental Health for Parenting

December 22, 2025

It's Not Just You. The Parent Brain Under Stress Works Differently.

A simple, neuroscience-informed look at why parents feel stuck in stress cycles, and how to build emotional capacity.

As parents, we carry an overload of responsibilities, daily stress, and often feel there is never enough time for ourselves (which is true in most cases).

Mental Health for Parenting ∙ 8 LIKES ∙ 4 RESTACKS

Cindy Ojczyk

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Great reminder that parenting is practice!

Trevor Tynes

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Dec 27

I love that you ground yourself and visualize before transitioning to see them. They deserve a warm first interaction no matter how we feel. I'm going to do this. I'm learning, just recently, after 8 years of being a parent and 4 of being a parent of two, that my impatience, my failures to emotional regulate have been products of nervous system overcapacity, sensory overload, and, now, as you wrote about, triggered habits. Now I can imagine the BG acting up when I'm acting up (or reacting up). I'm making a habit of microdosing breath work, mindfulness, silent reflection without movement, meditation, and exercise snacks to release some internal pressure and give my body and mind little rests to have more room for regulation and self-control. Great post

American Dream // Field Notes

Jan 2

Mental Health and Photography

My Journey with Depression and Its Influence on My Work

This is not my first time opening up about my mental health. However, it is the first time that I have done so to an audience of artists. I first blogged about my struggles with mental health in 2018, doing so on my personal website that was geared toward coaching, sports science and performance (which is …

Ryan Faer ∙ 21 LIKES ∙ 1 RESTACKS

Stillness in Focus

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These words really hit home with me, especially this week as I struggle with severe anxiety. The quote about photography being a mirror is one I’ve never heard but I think is so true. Thank you for sharing your struggles and how photography has helped. You are so right, we are all human and at our core we just want to be at peace with ourselves, which seems to be increasingly difficult in the world today.

Glenn Ashbrooke

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Terrific photos and inspiring personal article about mental health, thanks for sharing. When I first started taking portraits as a hobby, I also found out about the benefits of photography and mental health, from the perspective of the model, as during the photoshoot session and our communications afterwards, the first two models I photographed opened up about their own mental health experiences, both of whom had suffered depression which included anxiety and low self esteem about their body image and they were very kind in saying how both the process of working together to make a beautiful photo during the session, as well as the final results, had helped them on their journey to recovery.

Misfit Mental Health

December 30, 2025

Reflections on Change

What autumn leaves and a therapy model can teach us about changing

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about change. Perhaps it’s because of the seasonal shift (or maybe lack thereof). Maybe it’s because of everything this year brought. Or it could be because a new year is around the corn…

Steph Fowler, LCPC, CADC ∙ 10 LIKES ∙ 2 RESTACKS

Amy - The Tonic

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14h

As long COVID caused me to have to pivot from a social work admin career to therapy/coaching, your post is really timely for me and helps me deal with this beginner’s feeling that I’m not doing enough for my clients. I’m loosening my grip on that as I get more comfortable, and this post helped me reflect more on that. Thank you!

Thrive Mental Health

Jan 2

The Edge of Performance: New Frontiers in Sport Psychology

For decades, sport psychology has promised answers: Train your mindset. Build confidence. Cultivate grit. Learn to manage pressure. Sometimes, these strategies work. Yet just as often, highly skilled…

The Thrive Guide

Thrive Mental Health

December 31, 2025

Final Reflection

Did You Thrive in 2025?

This is not a verdict. It’s a moment of integration. After reflecting on emotions, flexibility, connection, and meaning, this final post invites you to gather what you’ve noticed; not to judge it, bu…

The Thrive Guide

Thrive Mental Health

Jan 1

Get Your Kicks in 2026

How to Make the Most of the Year You’re Actually Living

Most New Year content asks some version of the same questions: What will you fix? What will you achieve? How will you optimize yourself this time? This series is asking something different.

The Thrive Guide

Mental Health Musings

12:31 PM

Painting the Next Tableau

A Meditation On Grief, Growth, and Openness to a Year of Change

Note to Readers:

Dr Deborah Vinall ∙ 4 LIKES ∙ 1 RESTACKS

Frihet och småskalighet Substack

Jan 3

Children's mental health

Sweden's Minister for Social Affairs has the solution!

Since the Swedish government, regardless of which parties are currently in power, considers it of utmost importance to interfere in and control all aspects of citizens’ lives, it naturally has a Minister for Social Affairs. The current minister is Jacob Forssmed, who is a member of the Christian Democrats.

Magnus Jönsson ∙ 1 LIKES ∙ 1 RESTACKS

Cnut Tegnell

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Lysande!

Mike Hamilton

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Could be helpful to introduce kids to the universally valued wisdom teachings from the great religious and spiritual traditions. I am not suggesting religious indoctrination. Taking examples from the lives of the wise can’t hurt can it ?

Dear's Substack

Jan 3

Mental health in African homes.

Breaking the Cycle, Naming the Pain.

this piece talks about mental health, childhood emotions, and the challenges of expressing them in African households.

Dear Hafsa...🌸💕 ∙ 11 LIKES ∙ 6 RESTACKS

Sarella Worgu

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Thank you for writing this. I don't like to talk about this, I just move around it. But to see this post, so beautifully written, every word felt deeply in my soul, healed me a little. Thank you 🤍

Tee✿⁠メ

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We deserved better.

Mental Health Notes

Jan 1

Before You Rush Forward

Why the first day of the year is for orientation, not performance.

Today is not a command to reinvent yourself.

Philip Dimka ∙ 6 LIKES

Thrive Mental Health

Jan 1

Fresh Starts: Setting Intentions Without Pressure

Get Your Kicks in 2026 - January

January has a reputation for being loud. New goals. New habits. New versions of yourself. A sense, sometimes subtle, sometimes overwhelming, that you should be starting strong, staying consistent, and proving something by the end of the month. This series is taking a quieter approach. A fresh start doesn’t have to mean a total overhaul. Psychologically, change is far more sustainable when it’s treated as an experiment rather than a verdict on who you are. When goals are flexible, values-aligned, and forgiving of missteps, people are more likely to keep engaging with them over time. So this month isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about orienting yourself.

The Thrive Guide

Mental Health & Creativity

December 30, 2025

brought to you by the letter F

and a 4-letter mental health word

(In a nod to one of my favorite tv shows, Sesame Street, this Substack is sponsored by the Letter F - read to the end and find out why!!)

Amy Jane Williams ∙ 5 LIKES ∙ 1 RESTACKS

Terri Kane

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I start the day with a cup of water before caffeine. I see a F Fearsome Fellow Flying through Fire above the Flowers.

Story Carrier

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" I’ve witnessed how sharing mental health principles transforms people’s lives." This is a beautiful thing to remember, a FREE bit of insight from someone who transformed your of witnessing others' lives to witnessing your own. I'd say that's Freaking Fantastic. What a delightfully fun post to read.

David’s Substack

December 20, 2025

Mental Health and the Christian Life

They go together.

It’s no newsflash that we’re experiencing a mental health crisis in the U.S. According to one report, 23.4 percent of U.S. adults experienced some form of mental illness in 2024. 17.7 percent had a substance disorder. 5.5% experienced serious thoughts of suicide. As a nation, we are not well.

David F. Watson ∙ 16 LIKES ∙ 2 RESTACKS

Bob Kersten

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Dec 21

This seems like Godly wisdom, to me. I’m no expert in this matter, but I’ll share a few thoughts that help me. If possible, I try to spend some time outside in a natural setting. After all, our original parents were placed in a garden. Also, what gives me the greatest feeling of fulfillment is to utilize my God given Spiritual gifts in service to our Lord through the benefiting of others.

Wade Arnold, MDiv, PhD

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Dec 20

David, we’ve only met a couple of times when I was serving the FLUMC. I’m a licensed clinical psychologist and I agree with your assessment and proposed solutions. One cause of the mental health decline that I have noticed in my work with clients, non-Christian clients in particular, is the decline of a given reality. There was a time (in our youth) when everyone assumed that there was a reality, even if we could not access it directly. With the rise of postmodern thought in the 1970-90s and a rejection of existential givens in favor of social constructionism in this century, there is no longer any existential truth that can be assumed in identity formation. If every idea about the self has to be constructed, deconstructed, and reconstructed, there can be no personal stability. And in that scenario, an individual is ripe for mental health instability and decline. We have known since the inception of the discipline of psychology at the turn of the previous century that an unstable sense of self leads to a decline in personal functioning. I fear that as long as the current philosophical zeitgeist continues (which has been unwittingly accepted by many Christians), mental health disorders will only increase. Ultimately, we need a revival of faith in Christ to reestablish personal identity in Christ. Only then will we see an improvement in statistics related to mental health and wellbeing.

Demography Unplugged

1:39 PM

America’s Mental Health Continues to Deteriorate

Self-reported mental well-being in the U.S. has fallen to a 24-year low. Gen Z and Millennials have seen the sharpest deterioration.

Neil Howe and Christian Ford ∙ 2 LIKES

Mental: Fighting the fragmentation of mental health one policy at a time

December 23, 2025

That's a Wrap

The mental health signal we can’t afford to ignore in 2026

This has been a year.

Ben Miller ∙ 8 LIKES ∙ 1 RESTACKS

Dr. Nicole Mirkin

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The data here points to a gap that individual insight alone cannot close. People are more willing to talk about mental health and more likely to seek care, yet overall well-being continues to slide. That mismatch suggests the problem sits less with awareness and more with the conditions people are living and working in every day. Shifting the focus toward policy, systems, and environments feels necessary if we want the trend to change rather than just be documented.

Margot Magowan

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Thank you for this analysis, I've been thinking a lot after the Reiner tragedy about how the mental health care system in this country fails families, I wrote this about my daughter's time in treatment, and how learning Nonviolent Communication was what really helped our family: https://listen2connect.substack.com/p/kids-speak-in-metaphorcan-parents

Meditations on Mental Health

December 27, 2025

Joy Sneaks In

How happiness found its way past the sadness

Hi folks. I hope you’re doing well.

Carla Engbretson ∙ 14 LIKES ∙ 2 RESTACKS

Edie Rens

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This is so beautiful and moving, Carla and though I lost my Cassie fourteen years ago, what you've written still resonates strongly with me.

Do you think that eventually getting back to the anthology of rescue dog stories would help in any way? Just a thought.

Millie Ford

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Beautiful and heart felt. I am so happy Fred found you. Perhaps he can be your muse, The Fred Diaries.

The Modern World

December 28, 2025

Mental Health vs Mental Toughness & Why Therapy Culture Makes You Weaker

Dr Ioannis Syrigos ∙ 5 LIKES ∙ 2 RESTACKS

Cynthia

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I loved Reading this piece. So many perspectives.

Ravi Sadana

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Ioannis, I'm so glad that you're exposing readers to what may be described as 2nd hand systems that detract rather than achieve. To support your writings I offer complementary comments from my own experiences and observations that go back ninety years. For me, Vedic yogic techniques are ageless, boundless and offer humanity the ultimate means to self-discovery and disease-free living. My experiences in Psychiatry offer practical approach to undo the harm that modern living norms have imposed on them. Together they form the basis of a lifestyle, fit for modern times.

Mental Health Musings

December 21, 2025

Love as Antidote

a loving-kindness meditation for the darkest night

On the longest night of the year, a gentle practice for meeting ourselves—and one another—with more care. This post includes a guided loving-kindness meditation you can return to anytime.

Dr Deborah Vinall ∙ 26 LIKES ∙ 11 RESTACKS

AVee. (Alexia)

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Dec 21

Lovely just lovely

Excerpt:

We need love. For ourselves, for others, for this world, so mired in violence and rage and hate. Love, to both give and receive. Love as feeling and as action. Love is light, the antidote to darkness that separates and harms.

Love is our essence and source; we are mentally healthiest when we feel love and live in alignment with it. We need love.

Susan Marie Ward

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Dec 24

Very nice! I especially liked your phrase, “a hopeful intention (or prayer) of wellness and happiness.” Thanks!

Sarah Fay

December 30, 2025

The Solution to the Mental Health Crisis

Sarah Fay ∙ 9 LIKES ∙ 2 RESTACKS

Roberta Gale

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Nov 30

Bipolar, ADHD, CPTSD and other acronyms that have been tossed my way over many decades. After decades of therapy and medications I am finally feeling healthier than I ever have. I was the one that brought up possibly trying to go off some of my medications extremely slowly under supervision, not my psych, because behavioral health providers seem to have a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality. I was very lucky because several of my case managers started out in peer support. They encouraged me to question my treatment and taught me how to advocate for myself. And because they also dealt with mental illness I felt much more comfortable working with them. Now on the cusp of 70, I never thought I could feel this mentally healthy.

Dr. Nicole Mirkin

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What comes through so strongly here is the moment of collision between language and lived reality. The word recovered shifts from abstraction to something embodied once it’s witnessed in community, not theory. That transition from diagnosis as identity to recovery as practice feels like the hinge of the piece. The way peer support is described reframes expertise in a way our systems still struggle to tolerate. Lived experience isn’t positioned as anecdotal or secondary; it’s operational, relational, and stabilizing. The refusal to reduce people to diagnoses, and the insistence that hope is not naïve but structural, exposes how limited the biomedical lens can be when it treats instability as failure rather than part of being human.