The Mental Wellness Project Archive
The Mental Wellness Project is a solutions-oriented journalism initiative covering mental health issues in Southwest Michigan, created by the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative.
This is a new project built to:
- LISTEN to Southwest Michigan community members about the issues affecting mental wellness
- LEARN how we can improve access to mental health services and supports to build healthier, happier communities
- REPORT on effective approaches that can remove barriers to mental health services
Claudia Holewinski was 16 and her sister Marilyn was 24 when their mother, Mary Beth, was diagnosed with leukemia.
Their lives changed overnight.
When our body or mind, for one reason or another, fails us — these are the people who step in to help. Professional caregivers are the front-line heroes who nurse us back to health, who hold our hands when we are alone or hurt, who administer medicine to heal us, and who help us up when we fall.
But who helps caregivers when they are in need?
Four days a week, Judith Wright pushes her walker to board a bus that takes her to a bustling Sterling Heights center where she mingles with friends, sees her doctor and healthcare team, eats two hot meals and works out in a physical therapy session to build her walking and balance.
Claudia Holewinski was still in high school when she and her 24-year-old sister became caregivers after their mom was diagnosed with leukemia.
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.
The Problem We Seek to Address
Some progress has been made toward a just and equitable healthcare system, especially with the implementation of telemedicine. However, access to mental health services remains limited due to societal stigma, shortage of mental health professionals—especially mental health professionals who are culturally competent—availability, and affordability of high-quality services to meet the gap in access.Financial Support
The Mental Wellness Project is made possible through financial support from Solutions Journalism Network, with the mission to spread the practice of solutions journalism: rigorous reporting on responses to social problems. It seeks to rebalance the news, so that everyday people are exposed to stories that help them understand problems and challenges, and stories that show potential ways to respond.
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