MentalHealth
Taking care of one’s emotional wellbeing is always important, but especially so as we encounter stress and loneliness caused by the current public health emergency. Boston is home to a wide variety of organizations that are providing access to tools for healing, managing anxiety, and promoting emotional wellness during this time. This list is to provide resources for staying emotionally, mentally, and physically healthy. If you are experiencing an emergency or crisis, you can call 1 (877) 382-1609 or visit the emergency services web page from the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health.
For over 40 years, Samaritans of Boston has provided life-saving suicide prevention services and nonjudgmental support throughout Massachusetts. Their team is available 24/7 for calls and texts at 877-870-4673 to talk to someone about how you’re feeling, grieve the loss of a loved one to suicide, or learn how to help others in crisis. Samaritans also offers Grief Support Services as well as Suicide Prevention webinars via Zoom.
The Justice Resource Institute is home to over 100 programs designed to meet the needs of underserved communities, families, and individuals in the Greater Boston area and beyond. The Trauma Center, a program of JRI, is home to the Trauma-Sensitive Yoga technique, which aims to empower individuals and cultivate a positive relationship with one’s body. Their online course is an introduction to understanding trauma and how yoga can be used as part of one’s healing process.
In partnership with the Hands to Heart Center, the Boston Public Library is hosting a variety of yoga classes, including Lunch Break Yoga, which is live-streamed every Tuesday from 12:00-12:30 PM. The free classes are designed for all bodies and ability levels and draw on Hands to Heart’s values of being culturally affirming, accessible, inclusive, and inspiring.
NECOA serves children, adolescents, adults, and families with OCD and anxiety and is providing online assessment and treatment as part of their practice during COVID-19. Their clinicians know the importance of practicing treatment skills at home to gain confidence in one’s strengths and thrive in one’s environment.
Created to educate and empower women+ of African descent about reproductive health and wellness, RSP challenges medical and social inequities and advocates for improvements within the health care system that chronically under-diagnoses and under-treats diseases that disproportionally affect black and brown women. Keep an eye on their event listings to check out upcoming online gatherings, including speakers and performers centered around health and wellness.
This independent group of social-justice-oriented psychotherapists and bodyworkers specializes in serving LGBTQI individuals, folks who have experienced trauma, and people with physical and emotional disabilities. They offer the ability to be matched with a practitioner who fits one’s multi-dimensional needs, including support for individuals, couples, relationships, groups, and family services.
The Network for Arts Administrators of Color hosts a virtual social designed for artists and arts administrators of color to connect about weathering COVID-19 every Tuesday from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. With a new guest-host each week, this BYO-everything conversation is a chance to unwind and connect with a safe and supportive community. May 19th’s guest is artist and educator Chanel Thervil, whose public artworks and community partnerships have been seen at the Urbano Project, Museum of Fine of Arts, DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, and the Boston Center for the Arts.
Life Changes Group is a full-service behavioral healthcare practice that is now offering Telehealth sessions for folks to take advantage of from the comfort of home. Their main focus is in traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and they also offer support and strategies that can be tailored to fit one’s specific needs.
Elena Morris (she/her/hers) is ArtsBoston’s Patron Services Manager. She is a dramaturg and arts administrator passionate about forward-thinking in the arts. Elena holds a BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston University, focusing her studies on dramatic literature and movement.
@elena_pearl 
@elena_pearl