Blog

July 2022

Eating Mindfully

July 24th is International Self Care Day and often times when we think of ways to improve our mental health, activities that come to mind could be exercise more, spend time with those you love, or reach out to a trusted therapist. While all of these can definitely improve our mental health and push us toward the right direction, we should also consider another important factor that is accessible daily, our nutrition and the food that we consume on a daily basis.

July 2022

Megan Buncher

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Megan, a college student and yoga teacher with UPLIFT Teen Yoga. In this interview Megan shares with us a bit about her love for yoga and meditation and some encouragement she has for other young adults. In Megan's words "Stop figuring out how to look good on the outside, and start figuring out how to feel good on the inside."

April 2022

Joy Medina

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Joy, a local college student and Connect-OC intern. In this interview Joy shares with us some of her college experience, her favorite self-care activities, self-help books, and how art has played a role in her mental wellness.

April 2022

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

The month of May can come with a lot of pressure for students, such as finals or graduating high school/college. Knowing this, it’s important to be reminded of how you can take care of your mental health. The month of May was chosen as the Mental Health Month in order to raise awareness of trauma and the impact it can have on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of all individuals.

February 2022

Mia Dilalla

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Mia, a local high school student and Girl Scout. In this interview Mia shares with us about her outlook on life, her experience as a Girl Scout, and her plans to achieve her Girl Scout Gold Award through educating local teens and children on mental health awareness.

February 2022

A Young Adult’s Perspective on Being Diagnosed with ADHD

To bring more awareness to ADHD among young adults, our Connect-OC intern, Vivi, interviewed a local university student to talk about their first-hand experience and share a bit about challenges and tips for others that may be experiencing symptoms of ADHD.

January 2022

The Importance of Art For Mental Health

Utilizing art as a tool to support one’s mental health involves engaging in self-expression through a variety of art forms: painting, drawing, dancing, modeling, poetry, storytelling, music, and more.

November 2021

Christian Dela Cruz

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Christian Dela Cruz. Christian is a student at Cal State Fullerton studying psychology. In this interview Christian shares with us about his artistic passion for poetry and how writing became a way from him to address his own mental wellness.

September 2021

Vivi Vu

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Vivi Vu. Vivi is a student at CSULB studying Health Sciences with a focus in Community Health. In this interview Vivi shares with us how games, various forms of art, and doing things that make her happy have helped with her mental health and development as a person.

August 2021

Laila Nahas

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Laila, a local high school junior, active in peer mental health support at her school and in the community. In this interview Laila shares with us about her outlook on life, the role art plays for her as a means of self-care, and her experience as a leader with HOPE Squad locally and at the national level.