Holistic approaches to mental health and wellness have been catching on in popularity in Western culture, appealing to those who are looking for a different approach to feeling better.

COVID-19 increased mental health issues for many Americans. Now that the restrictions on daily life have largely lifted, the aftermath of months in isolation is still playing out in many people’s lives. Aside from problems brought on by the pandemic, mental illness is a reality for almost one in five people in the U.S., according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Experts in the field agree that some old methods of treating mental illness belong in the past. But one may be due for revival, a professor at Western Michigan University said.

When Jeffrey Tavarez and Agustin Leal-Diaz heard yet another story of suicide among college youth, they knew they had to do something to help — and they had to do it loudly, with the sound of thunder. The two recent graduates of Western Michigan University also wanted an effort specifically targeted for Spanish-speaking young adults, like themselves.

A sudden lack of baby formula can be another mental health stressor for parents at a time of intense pressure. Formula can be a nutritional life saver, but its prominence has come at the expense of unrivaled mother nature’s milk.

In 2006, Susan Brown lost a close friend to suicide. Another friend died the same way in 2011. The two incidents left her reeling. Both men were highly accomplished, with plenty of resources at their disposal. If even people in that position could succumb to mental illness, what did that say about the status of mental-health care?