Chill Rooms, part of the Allegheny Health Network's Chill Project, are providing a vital mental health resource for students in Pennsylvania. The rooms offer a calming environment and access to behavioral health educators and clinicians, helping students manage anxiety, depression and bullying. The Chill Room at Pleasant Hills Middle School has a licensed clinical social worker as its full-time behavioral health clinician.

Dealing with narcissistic family members during the holidays can be challenging as they often seek attention and create drama. Licensed clinical social worker Sharon Martin offers strategies to cope, such as setting realistic expectations, maintaining boundaries and having an exit plan. Martin emphasizes the importance of self-care and suggests limiting contact if necessary to protect emotional well-being.

Noel Anenberg, a creative-writing professor at Pierce College in Los Angeles, was 74 years old when he decided to start riding a motorcycle, after pain from some health issues limited his participation in other sports and activities. Anenberg, who battles depression, says challenging himself physically helps keep "keeps thoughts of gloom and doom at bay." Now 79, Anenberg says riding has brought renewed excitement and a sense of accomplishment.

People of color in rural Minnesota face numerous challenges in accessing mental health care, according to a report by the Center for Rural Policy and Development. The report highlights difficulties such as finding culturally competent providers, language barriers, transportation issues and stigma. "A lot of times my patients are requesting me because I am a woman of color and that helps them feel safe and comfortable because of shared experiences," says Emily Thompson, a clinical social worker at Mankato Clinic Family Medicine. "I do think that's a specialty I can provide."

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has signed Assembly Bill 388, allocating $10 million to Rogers Behavioral Health for the construction of a mental health facility in Chippewa Falls. This marks the first state funding for health care in western Wisconsin since a major health system withdrew services, and is designed to address a significant gap in mental health care in the region.

New Jersey- based Bergen New Bridge Medical Center is expanding its emergency department with a focus on behavioral health, increasing bed capacity by more than 50% and expanding ED bays from 19 to 49. Hospital CEO Deborah Visconi says the redesign aims to eliminate stigma and provide dignified care. Visconi highlights the need for financial sustainability by growing the medical enterprise and diversifying the payer mix while advocating for better Medicaid reimbursement and behavioral health funding.

As you move up the leadership ladder in your company, you may encounter several cultural challenges, such as a fear-based environment, cutthroat competition or manipulative behaviors like gaslighting, writes strategic advisor Sheila Gujrathi, who offers strategies including finding emotional support from trusted peers and colleagues, as well as developing self-care rituals. "Address challenges and conflicts from a place of calm and centeredness," Gujrathi writes.

As a leader, it can feel uncomfortable to ask for feedback because it feels personal, but growth requires input, writes leadership coach Dan Rockwell. Get the feedback you need by asking others how you can help them, what worked during meetings and whether your actions are lining up with company or team values, Rockwell recommends.