Therapy in Iceland: a whole new ball game

Throughout the United States, health care professionals are beginning to prescribe "time outdoors" as a remedy for physical and mental illnesses in place of pharmaceuticals. Due to the stressors caused by Covid-19, this prescription – which is already being used in 32 states – could begin to play an even larger role in "the health care industry’s approach to treatment."

Across the United States, veterans are at a greater risk for suicide than the average civilian, but in Utah, this problem is elevated even further. Although researchers are unsure of the reasons for this, programs in the state aim to combat the issue by bringing veterans together.

Healing trauma has never been an easy process but programs like Healing Hurt People help to promote recovery in traumatized, angry young men. This program, in partnership with local medical services, aims to provide therapy in place of violence, which would only cause more trauma down the road. Those who stick with the program have found great success in overcoming their pasts.

Child First is a program in Connecticut, where staff members deliver home-based parent guidance and child-parent psychotherapy to help prevent the detrimental physical and mental effects of toxic stress on children. The engagement is guided by an evidence-based methodology called Child-Parent Psychotherapy, which is grounded in collaborative problem solving.

PHS LandCare, with support from the city, develops small vacant lots into mini-parks that bring people out of their homes and engage with their community. A 2018 study found that people living near LandCare lots reported a decrease in feelings of depression and a reduction in feelings of poor mental health. The city's role is important to the program’s success, especially in providing money to hire contractors to maintain the green spaces, especially local residents and formerly incarcerated people. Sites must be in low-income neighborhoods and near business areas, schools, and recreation centers.

As the coronavirus pandemic forces people into isolation and social distancing, places known as "peer respites" are providing a space for those "experiencing or nearing a mental health crisis" to seek help. While the peer respites don't offer clinical care by licensed mental healthcare professionals, they are free for those who stay and "offer people in distress short-term (usually up to two weeks), round-the-clock emotional support from peers."

In New Hampshire, a healing and bonding program is offering veterans and first responders experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder ways to cope with their stressors. From social interactions to equine therapy, participants have reported that the program has had a positive impact on their wellbeing.

In rural counties, it's not always easy to seek mental health treatment. To address this, several different resources have been built over the years in Richmond County, Ohio from call or text hotlines to educational campaigns specifically targeting school-aged children.

Individuals at a high risk of suicide can benefit from targeted, accessible, and client-centered care. As part of a new mental health initiative, the Czech government is funding mental health centers for patients at high risk of suicide. The target prevention includes care teams consisting of psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers, all involved in different aspects of the client’s care.

"We exploited the biological clock," is how an Italian psychiatrist describes what he has been testing to treat those suffering from bipolar disorder and depression. The approach, which has received both praise and criticism, requires patients to go through sleep deprivation, and so far, many are reporting successful outcomes from it.