Physical and Mental Benefits of Being Kind

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By Jessica Heintz, DO

In a world focused on getting ahead and moving faster, perhaps the solution to many problems is to simply slow down and be nice to someone – including ourselves! Kindness is a trait that everyone is capable of but far fewer demonstrate. At the same time, people stop and take notice when they see a truly kind act demonstrated by another. Described as a “habit of giving,” kindness can produce physical, social, and psychological benefits. It puts a smile on our faces while at the same time making the world a better, brighter place. Learn about the “why” and “how” of practicing kindness in our everyday lives.

 “There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.” 

Mr. Rogers

The physical and mental benefits of kindness are tangible. Kind actions signal our brains to release the natural chemicals of serotonin and dopamine. Essentially, these are the “feel good” hormones. When they are low, people can experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. Helping increase the levels of serotonin and dopamine by practicing kindness can help lessen these feelings and create a “helper’s high”. Positive emotions can subsequently help reduce stress. Depending on the action, kindness can even encourage physical activity. Raking your neighbor’s leaves will not only make your neighbor smile, but it will also help you burn a few extra calories!

Kindness produces psychological benefits as well. Practicing kindness often provides perspective on life and distracts us from our own problems. It helps foster gratitude, empathy, and compassion in our minds and hearts. Kindness helps form a positive and supportive environment as well as bonds with others, thus reducing isolation and loneliness. For those struggling with mental health, as many of us do, this is an invaluable part of any mental health recovery journey. Finally, kindness allows us to engage in meaningful activities, and it can provide a sense of purpose and context in the world.

How can you start to develop this habit of giving in in your own life? It is easy. Start with yourself, then move on to others. We cannot give of ourselves if there is no excess to draw from. Always begin with self care and being kind to yourself. Do something you enjoy and learn to set limits in your life. Keep a gratitude journal, take a bubble bath, practice your golf game, watch the sunset, exercise, enjoy a glass of good wine, sleep in late (or at the very least, go to bed early). Then, try to be kind to others. The opportunities are endless. You can volunteer, mentor, or become involved in supporting a charitable cause. Practice random acts of kindness by holding a door for someone, buying a stranger’s coffee, or even simply making eye contact with another person and smiling as they walk by.

These sorts of actions may seem trickier to do in our current COVID world, but I challenge you to get creative. Write a letter to a friend, call a grandparent, leave snacks out for delivery drivers, or cook a meal for a neighbor in need to drop off at the door. Kindness to animals counts too – consider taking your dog for an extra walk. Remember, it is the intention behind an action that matters rather than the size of the gesture. When the world slowly emerges from COVID quarantine, refocusing on the value of connection to and interaction with our fellow man through kindness cannot be understated- even if it is from 6 feet apart! It feels good to do good. Now, go out and be kind!

Be Kind to Humankind: The Benefits of Kindness

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By Katelyn Millinor, LPC

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

Mark Twain

Have you ever had a stranger pay for your coffee or hold the door for you? Experiencing an act of kindness can bring a smile to your face and improve your mood. Being kind can be shown as a supportive smile, a helpful hand, or heartfelt words. In today’s fast-paced lifestyle these gestures can be increasingly meaningful. It benefits both the giver and the receiver.


Being kind to others is known to have lasting effects on our mental and physical health. Kindness lights up the pleasure center of the brain and releases serotonin and oxytocin. The release of the hormone oxytocin is associated with decreasing blood pressure and reducing inflammation. This is why kindness feels good. Further, it is valued across cultures and religions, and is an innate part of our being.

Benefits of kindness include:

  • Improve relationships with others.
  • Increase overall happiness.
  • Improve feelings of self-worth or self-esteem.
  • Decrease anxiety and depression.
  • Reduce stress.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of kindness is developing connections. The more we connect with others the greater empathy and understanding we display. Go ahead—do that volunteer activity or smile at a stranger. If you are looking for ideas of ways to share random acts of kindness with others, check out these 50 fun ideas.

Some you can try today include:

  • Smile at 5 strangers
  • Send a gratitude email to a deserving coworker
  • Tell a manager how wonderful their employee was at helping you
  • Compliment 3 people you meet today
  • Send a positive text message to people in your life

Be kind to Humankind.

Talk with someone on NOAH’s behavioral health team to discuss any questions or challenges you or a loved one has with moods, emotions, and so much more.

PTSD Awareness Month

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (known as PTSD) is when a person has difficulty recovering after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying or traumatic event. Most people experience short term symptoms associated with PTSD such as trouble sleeping and flashbacks. This is known as an acute stress reaction and these symptoms will typically subside within a few weeks. However, in some individuals these symptoms can last much longer, even years. 

Long term symptoms of PTSD include:

  • Reliving aspects of the event that happened.
  • Feeling on edge or overly alert.
  • Avoiding memories or feelings and difficult beliefs.
  • Experience hyper vigilance.
  • Nightmares.
  • Physical symptoms.
  • Difficulty with relationships, education, or employment.

A wide range of events can lead to symptoms of PTSD such as:

  • Car crash.
  • Assault or abuse.
  • The death of a loved one.
  • War.
  • Surviving a natural disaster.
  • Diagnosis of a life-changing medical condition or any other event where you fear for your life.

If you are an individual that may be experiencing PTSD, consider the following strategies: 

  • Get to know your triggers.
  • Confide in a friend, family member, or professional when you are ready.
  • Try peer support groups online or in person.
  • Keep up with your physical health.
  • Find specialist support such as a counselor or psychiatrist.
  • Avoid drugs and alcohol to cope with difficulty feelings.

There are many behavioral health treatments available for individuals experiencing PTSD or PTSD symptoms such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). A behavioral health professional can help an individual process trauma in a healthy and effective way. There are also medication options to assist in alleviating symptoms. You and your behavioral health team can work together to decide which treatment will work best for you. NOAH has a team of medical and behavioral health professionals to support you on your journey to healing.

June is World Infertility Month by Katelyn Millinor, LPC

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Infertility is defined as the inability of a sexually active, non-contracepting couple to achieve pregnancy in one year.

World Health Organization

June is World Infertility Month. This topic can be difficulty for people to deal with but millions of women and men deal with infertility, and mostly in silence. The CDC reports that 12.7% of women 15-49 years of age have received some type of infertility service. It is important to stay educated on risk factors and strategies to help manage the emotions associated with infertility.

Many risk factors for both male and females are the same while others are gender specific. Infertility is not solely a women’s issue as about 30% of infertility cases involve male factors.

Risk factors for women include:

  • Chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma etc.
  • Hormonal imbalances.
  • Age.
  • Sexually transmitted diseases.
  • Fallopian tube disease.
  • Endometriosis.

Risk factors for men include:

  • Cigarette or marijuana use.
  • Hernia repair.
  • Certain prescription drugs for ulcers or psoriasis.
  • Undescended testicles.

Infertility can often create one of the most distressing issues for couples. Infertility brings to light deep emotions while dealing with the multitude of medical decisions and the uncertainty that follows. Feeling depressed, anxious, or isolated are only a few of the emotions in the process of pursuing infertility or infertility treatments. The journey can be very hard.

If you are struggling with infertility consider the following tips:

  • Give yourself permission to be angry.
  • Allow your partner to cope and feel differently than you.
  • Improve your communication about infertility.
  • Improve relaxation skills such as deep breathing.
  • Try a support group (consider Resolve.org).

Consider discussing this with a mental health professional to clarify thoughts and help with decision making. Counseling may be helpful for learning how to cope with physical and emotional changes, communication with your partner, and to strengthen coping skills to manage moving forward. NOAH is here to help. Our counselors and medical staff are here to support you through your journey of infertility.

Mental Health Awareness Toolkit

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Read more

Improving Self Esteem by Zach Clay, LMFT

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Let’s face it, we are our own best critics. Most everybody has some sort of area in their life in which they doubt themselves. If you’re saying “no I don’t” or “I’m perfect,” then you can stop reading here. LOL. The rest of us have some measure of self-worth. Self-affirmations are a great way to trick your brain into truly recognizing those things that make you unique.
Positive self-affirmations are a way to strengthen aspects of ourselves that have constantly been playing on constant negative beliefs which are seemingly on a loop in our heads, typically from an early age. Short, positive messages can combat these long-held beliefs. These new, positive messages can be rewritten to rewrite your new life story.

Here are just a few simple positive self-affirmation techniques for you to try at home:

  • Write index cards or post-it notes you can put in an area that you frequently look at (ex. a mirror, refrigerator, or on your car dashboard).
  • Write a daily journal to be more aware in those positive aspects and personality traits which can boost your self-esteem (see ‘Self-Esteem Journal’ handout below for a printable copy you can use).
  • For those who enjoy a poetic method to increase awareness of your ‘good-stuff,’ you can fill in the blanks on the printable “I Am” poem below and put it where you can see it or better yet, take a cell picture to look at daily from anywhere you are.
  •  Sing these self-affirming messages to one of your favorite songs.
  • Say these positive messages out loud, in your head silently or record them on your phone to play back later.
  • Identify some common personality traits which most of us aspire to achieving.

These short, positive statements benefit:

  • Physical health.
  • Improve success and wealth.
  • Challenge self-defeating behaviors.
  • Aid and heal emotional pain or trauma.

Try them! What do you have to lose?

Self-Esteem Journal
I am … (Poem)

At NOAH, we offer behavioral health consulting and traditional outpatient counseling programs and services where these highly skilled and trained behavioral health staff work alongside our #medical and dental teams to assess, diagnose and effectively treat the core-symptoms of our patients.

Phone Apps to Use for Mental Health by Katelyn Millinor, LPC

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In recent months, there’s been quite a few mental health apps available to smart phone users. These, most often free apps, offer a wealth of resources at your fingertips. Our behavioral health expert, Katelyn Millinor, LPC, recommends the following apps for you to try out at home.

Anxiety/Depression

  • Happify – help reduce stress, overcome negative thoughts.
  • What’s Up – utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance commitment therapy to cope with anxiety, stress, and depression.
  • Sanvello – teaches cognitive behavioral therapy through journeys that combine videos, audio exercises, mood and health tracking.
  • Mood Kit – utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy for mood improving activities.
  • Worry Kit – short (under 2 minute) activities designed for those in between moments in life where you need to reset your brain.
  •  MoodFit – create/track daily goals, understand relationship between mood and lifestyle factors, gratitude journal, mindfulness.
  • Mind Shift – designed for teens and young adults with anxiety that focuses on riding out intense emotions and facing challenging situations.
  • IMoodJournal – record everything from mood symptoms, sleep, medications, and energy.
  • Panic Relief – better manage and move through panic attacks.
  • Breathe2Relax – teaches breathing techniques to manage stress.

Meditation

  • Calm – guided meditations, sleep stories, breathing programs, and relaxing music.
  • Headspace – meditation and mindfulness.

Other

  • Quit That! – help users beat habits or addictions (drinking, smoking, drugs).
  • eMoods – designed for people with bipolar disorder to track symptoms.
  • notOK – suicide prevention app that users can add trusted contacts and let them know they are not okay.
  • PTSD Coach – education, assessing, and offering easy to understand tips to manage common symptoms.

Ten Basic Rules for Emotional Health

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In light of May being deemed Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S., here are some keys to creating and maintaining emotional wellness.

  1. Take care of yourself. Take time to relax, exercise, eat well, spend time with people you enjoy and activities which you find pleasurable.
  2. Choose to find the positives in life experiences instead of focusing on the negatives. Most clouds have a silver lining and offer opportunities for personal understanding and growth. When you accept that things are sometimes difficult, and just do what you need to do, then it doesn’t seem so hard.
  3. Let go of the past. If you can’t change it, and you have no control over it, then let it go. Don’t waste your energy on things that cannot benefit you. Forgive yourself and others.
  4. Be respectful and responsible.
  5. Acknowledge and take credit for your successes and accomplishments.
  6. Take the time to develop one or two close relationships in which you can be honest about your feelings.
  7. Talk positively about yourself and about others.
  8. Remove yourself from hurtful or damaging situations. Temporarily walk away from a situation that is getting out of control.
  9. Accept that life is about choices and is always bringing change to you. Accept that change also requires personal adjustment.
  10. Have a plan for the future. Develop long range goals for yourself, but work on them one day at a time—or even one minute at a time.

We know these things aren’t always as easy as they seem. We are here for you on your journey to wellness!

Bouncing Back to a Better You by Dr. Alethea Turner, Associate Director – HonorHealth Family Medicine Residency Program

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Many of us deal with stress on a daily basis. Some causes may include pressures at work, unhealthy relationships, medical issues, financial problems and even past traumas. All of it can lead to bad habits, poor health and a general sense of unhappiness.

Resilience is our ability to bounce back and regain control. We might not always be able to change our circumstances, but we can change how we handle stress.

6 Tips for Coping with Stress

  • Relationships – Think about the relationships in your life. Which ones bring you joy? Take time to connect with those who add positivity to your life. Schedule a weekly date night, monthly dinner with your friends, or even call a relative you love.
  • Nutrition – Emotional eating is real! We often use food to celebrate our wins and to drown our sorrows. Yet, unhealthy eating can make us feel tired and bad about ourselves. Try to cut out sugary drinks, pack only healthy snacks, or cut down on portion sizes. If you are eating out choose items that are healthiest on the menu rather than those packed with calories.
  • Mental Health – Stress can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression, like worrying all of the time or feeling hopeless. Talk to your doctor and consider meeting with a counselor. It might change your life.
  • Exercise – We all know that exercise is good for our health, but did you know that it is also a powerful tool for managing anxiety and depression? Turn on some music and dance in your room, or go for a walk over your lunch break. Getting your body moving can help you in more ways than one.
  • Sleep – Good sleep habits are essential for recovering from a stressful day and for keeping your mind and body healthy. Create a bedtime routine that includes sleeping in a cool, dark and quite room. Try to sleep around the same time every night and avoid looking at a screens (TV, cell phone, tablets…) at least 30-60 min before bed. Aim for at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night.
  • Mindfulness – Mindfulness is another way you can achieve calmness and control over your feelings. It is about being completely aware of your thoughts and emotions, being focused on a single moment or action, and accepting yourself. You can practice mindfulness in many ways including writing in a journal, taking a minute to focus on deep breathing, meditating (there are apps for that), or even listening carefully to someone you are talking to.

Tip the scales in your favor! Introducing even ONE of these practices into your daily life will help balance out stress and negativity, and can help you build resilience and a greater sense of well-being.

Signs and Symptoms of Poor Emotional Health

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Mental and emotional illness does not discriminate. It does not care how much money you have, where you live, your age, or the color of your skin. It effects all shapes and sizes of people all over the globe. Do not hesitate to reach out to our team in the event that you or your child are struggling. We are here to help!

Please reach out to us if you or your child experience:

  • Consistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness
  • More than usual irritability, anger, aggression or hostility
  • Tearfulness or frequent crying
  • Withdrawal from friends and family
  • Loss of interest in activities that you used to love
  • Changes in eating and sleeping habits
  • Unusual restlessness and agitation
  • Feelings of worthlessness and guilt
  • Excessive fatigue or lack of energy
  • Difficulty concentrating due to racing thoughts
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
  • Self-Mutilation (e.g. cutting / burns)
  • Declining grades in school or performance at work
  • Substance abuse, including alcohol and drug (illegal and legal drugs) use
  • Neglect in hygiene and other matters of personal appearance
  • Emotional distress which brings on physical complaints (aches, fatigues, migraines, etc.)
  • Risk taking behaviors
  • Suddenly giving away favorite belongings or promising them to friends and family members
  • Extreme cheerfulness following periods of depression
  • Expression of bizarre or unsettling thoughts

At NOAH, we offer behavioral health consulting and traditional outpatient counseling programs and services where these highly skilled and trained behavioral health staff work alongside our medical and dental teams to assess, diagnose and effectively treat the core-symptoms of our patients.