“Fall is a great time to try something new,” says OSF HealthCare psychotherapist Sara Bennett. 

And by something new, she doesn’t just mean the newest pumpkin spice latte being rolled out by your local coffee shop. But that could be part of the equation!

“You have a little more time on your hands, you don’t have the burden of summer parties and running around so much. You can take time to learn a new skill or hobby,” Bennett says.

The Seven Pillars of Self-Care are a great place to start, Bennett says, when it comes to putting together a wellness routine. The pillars are mental, emotional, physical, environmental, spiritual, recreational and social. It’s important to make each pillar your own based off your life and try to obtain as many pillars as you can for your overall wellness. Many of these pillars naturally intertwine.

Bennett goes through many of these pillars and offers tips for your fall self-care routine.

Mental tip: Quiet your mind

“It’s really nice when things slow down and you can just cuddle up in front of a fire with a blanket and some hot chocolate,” Bennett says. “Just enjoy the slowness. Being able to quiet your mind is a really great aspect of self-care.”

But Bennett says it’s important to recognize potentially harmful things that can be done while just laying around.

Emotional tip: Recognize avoidance

“When it comes to alcohol and even things like video games, some of those topics are just avoidance. They may feel good in the moment because you’re not actively working towards something or maybe you’re physically blocking something out, but some of those things can be very harmful. It’s easy to get caught up in how good it feels in the moment and not be able to keep that balance.”

Mental and physical tip: Focus on healthy sleep

“If we can work on things that help us sleep better at night, that’s really mental health for us. Also, it’s affecting our physical health, our moods, and how we process things,” Bennett says.

It’s important for adults to try and get 7-8 hours of sleep a night.

Recreational and environmental tip and physical tip #2: Get outside!

Bennett suggests, “There’s nothing prettier than a nice fall hike, right? Whether it’s through a park or if you want to challenge yourself and do something more intense.”

While the fall foliage reaches its peak, it’s a perfect time to get outside and see the sights.

Social tip: Bring some friends!

“Add a few friends with it; and you’re meeting that social connection too,” Bennett emphasizes.

Social and spiritual tip #2: Build community

“Being part of your community is vital,” Bennett says. “Not only is it vital for your health, but there are people who could potentially really benefit from you. Being able to volunteer is a great example of self-care. It gives us a feel-good response and it really helps your community at the same time.”

Specifically, research shows volunteering activates the reward center in your brain and releases serotonin, dopamine and endorphins which give your emotional state a lift.

There are many ways to obtain this goal, whether it be through your local church, social service organization, or simply responding to individual requests. For example, think about visiting someone in a nursing home if they have family out of town who can’t see them often.  

Different pillars might be more difficult to reach than others, depending on your passions and skillsets. This is why Bennett says fall is a great time for a “reset” and is a time to learn something new. Then you can challenge yourself which can benefit your overall health.

Video Interview Clips

Artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly expanded in 2023, and it’s here to stay. ChatGPT, Snapchat and altered photos and videos are just some of the AI encounters people have on their devices daily.

AI has many positives. But experts say when it comes to health advice, take it from a trained human being, not a robot. And if you’re scared of “the rise of the robots” – as they say in Hollywood – there are ways to cope.

“You’re absolutely normal to be anxious when there’s the first stirrings of big shifts in technology or other things that might change our life,” says Ari Lakritz, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at OSF HealthCare who says he sees these concerns often.

Coming to grips with technology advances

Common fears include technology making your job obsolete or providing you with misinformation. Dr. Lakritz suggests being proactive to the changes, not reactive. Learn how AI is changing your job or hobbies.

“See if you might be able to be part of that. Start integrating some of that into your day-to-day practice,” Dr. Lakritz says.

AI can be a time-saver, too.

“It has potential to streamline things we don’t like to do, giving us more time and energy to do things we want or things we feel are important,” Dr. Lakritz says.

For example, it may take you an hour to do an online search for sources for your college essay. If ChatGPT can do it in minutes, you might have time to take that afternoon walk or meet a friend for lunch, boosting your mental and physical health and spurring creativity.

It’s also not our first time dealing with digital unknowns. Remember the supposed Y2K bug around the turn of the millennium? Fears of computer clocks malfunctioning and worse didn’t materialize, and experts took away lessons for the next big technology shift, like AI. And a silver lining of the Y2K anxiety, Dr. Lakritz says, is that it got people learning about technology.

Don’t go to a robot for mental health care

Snapchat, the photo messaging application popular with young people, recently rolled out a chatbot called “My AI.” It’s a way for people to connect with someone when they have no one else.

“My AI can answer a burning trivia question, offer advice on the perfect gift for your BFF’s birthday, help plan a hiking trip for a long weekend, or suggest what to make for dinner,” Snapchat’s website says.

But the company concedes: “It’s possible My AI’s responses may include biased, incorrect, harmful, or misleading content. Because My AI is an evolving feature, you should always independently check answers provided by My AI before relying on any advice, and you should not share confidential or sensitive information.”

Some parents and mental health experts have picked up on that concern, too. They worry young people are getting inadequate mental health advice from a robot.

“That’s like Googling your symptoms when you’re sick instead of going to a real doctor,” Dr. Lakritz says with a hint of dismay. “You’ll get a great deal of information, but there will be very little guidance about how to use that information and which information is more applicable to you.”

If talking about your mental health virtually is your preferred way to go, there are more legitimate options than Snapchat, Dr. Lakritz says. First and foremost, your health care provider may offer virtual visits. Otherwise, talk to a provider or trusted adult about online, third-party counseling options.

“These are programs that have been tested and vetted. There’s oversight and accountability. There’s research behind it,” Dr. Lakritz explains. “Whereas with an AI assistant, it’s not clear the source of information. It’s not clear how to use that information best.”

Will AI and chatrooms replace in-person mental health care? Don’t count on it, Dr. Lakritz predicts. The human connection of being in a room with someone can’t be understated, he says.

When in doubt

When the content on your device is just too much to handle, turn it off, set it aside and take a break.

Look for these warning signs:

“Do you feel you’re doing too much of it? Do you find your use of technology is taking over other interests in your life? Have you tried to cut down but have not been able to? Do you find that using so much technology causes you to stress or dysfunction?” Dr. Lakritz asks.

Most devices have settings that can limit screen time. Parents should set boundaries with their children’s device use. Dr. Lakritz says you can even share your browsing or chat history with a trusted adult so they can make sure you’re using technology appropriately.

If your technology use is causing significant mental health problems, talk to your primary care provider or mental health provider. You can also call 9-8-8 to reach the Nation Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Learn more

Learn more about behavioral and mental health on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

B-roll

Related stories

Social media and brain changes
Mental health care starts with a first step
Being open and honest about mental health
Tackling pediatric mental health
Is social media impacting your mental health?
TikTok brain
Playing it safe online

Tackling any task – from a child walking to an adult learning a new job – starts with a first step. The same goes for taking care of your mental and behavioral health, but even the experts admit it may be daunting to ask for help. During the holiday season where some people may experience loneliness and depression, experts are reminding you there are resources to bridge the gap between “what do I do?” and “I have the care I need.”

Katie Koeller is a behavioral health navigator (BHN) at OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois. BHN is a free, ministry-wide service at OSF HealthCare, but you don’t have to be an OSF HealthCare patient to use it. The program helps people in areas like depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol use, and problems with work, school, or relationships. The BHN talks to the patient – either at a provider’s office or over the phone – about what care they need, and they point the person to that care as close to home and as soon as possible. The BHN also checks the patient’s insurance coverage to see how it lines up with the care needed.

“We would do an intake,” Koeller explains. “So we'd ask questions, making sure that they're not in a crisis situation at the time and see what their symptoms are. And then that way we can better judge what they would be suited for as far as counseling, psychiatry, substance use treatment, whatever it may be.”

Koeller notes the treatment could be out-patient (the typical office visit) or in-patient (live-in treatment). She says a BHN will also check-in with the patient via phone call or message on OSF HealthCare’s secure online portal. Koeller says it’s usually three check-ins over a month, but each case is different.

“Some people just decide maybe it's not what they need, maybe just talking with somebody like me and just getting educated and feeling like they have that opportunity or just the knowledge about the community resources is enough,” Koeller says. “Because then they were like, ‘Well I can decide later on if that's what I need.’  But for the most part, I feel like a lot of patients are appreciative and do really like the service and find it helpful.”

Koeller, a BHN for three years, says even if the patient is on a good path, the BHN tells them they can always call back if they need more help.

The tendency to stay quiet about mental health is still an issue, Koeller says. But she’s seeing another roadblock to care.

“A lot of people just feel like they don't have time for it. I've heard a lot of people say that ‘I can't take off work for it.’” Koeller says. “I feel like a lot of people don't consider it to be [a crisis]. You don't want it to get to that [crisis] point. So they kind of push it back like it's not as important as my physical health.”

But in reality, Koeller says, mental health does impact physical health. In other words, if your mind hurts, your body may hurt, too.

Koeller also notes that some insurance providers can help with transportation – getting a ride to a counselor appointment, for example. Telehealth – a digital appointment with a provider from home – is also an option that’s growing in use. OSF SilverCloud is another resource designed for workplaces. These are some of the many things a BHN can check on and, at a minimum, educate the patient on what’s available.

Patients who are experiencing a mental or behavioral health issue can contact their primary care provider or – if you live within OSF HeathCare’s footprint – use the behavioral health navigator program. If you’re in a crisis situation that needs a first responder, call 9-1-1. If it leans toward a mental health crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 9-8-8.

Interview Clips

Some experts have referred to trust as a social determinant of health – meaning a factor outside of a medical office that can influence as much as 80% of a person’s health and wellness. If someone doesn’t trust health information or their health care provider, they’re not likely to comply with what they need to do to be their best self.

Thus, the importance of Community Health Workers (CHWs). These  community health care workers are local, trusted members with a close understanding of the community they serve. This trusting relationship enables the CHW to facilitate access to services by serving as a link between health and social services and community organizations.

OSF HealthCare, through an innovative partnership with East Peoria-based Illinois Central College (ICC), has created new training for the next generation of digitally-enabled CHWs. Many of the CHWs will soon begin working with federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs), under a Medicaid Innovation Collaborative (MIC) contract with the state of Illinois. MIC is aimed at improving health and wellness by providing underserved individuals with a personalized approach to coordinated care that leverages CHWs and digital tools to provide the right care, at the right time, using the right method that works for the individual and their family or caregivers.

Karlen Sandall, manager of the OSF OnCall Digital Health Worker program, says the training makes it clear that trust is critically important and that connecting individuals with community resources is one way of providing help beyond the clinic or hospital.

“It shows we’re caring about not only what’s bringing them into our health care center, but also what’s going on outside of that; how we can bridge those gaps and keep them healthy all the way around, I think really shows we want to build trust with them, and we want to align them with the resources that are going to keep them safe and healthy.” 

Sandall says CHWs will be embedded in the communities they serve and will represent the diversity of those neighborhoods. Many in the first CHW class already served as Pandemic Health Workers which were developed during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to support individuals through digital tools to keep them connected to their care team and any resources they might need to keep them healthy and out of the hospital. Sandall says they’re passionate and most have already visited many community-based organizations (CBOs).

“To understand all of their offerings … to understand the funding because that changes a lot with CBOs. That’s something we learned with the pandemic and aligning individuals to resources so as they gather more expertise, they’re definitely going to be able to guide and support individuals from the community to the resources they need.” 

Maura Lansing is one of those passionate, newly-trained CHWs who also worked to support individuals during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She says the training through ICC went beyond what she already knew through first-hand experience.

“We talked about and learned about how we could become community advocates and we could actually plan community events based around a health care issue, and all the different ways we could reach out to the community at large, as well as helping individual patients.” 

Class uses specially-trained actors

Ann Willemsen-Dunlap of OSF Jump Simulation is a curriculum developer who designed the training to exceed core competencies identified but not yet finalized by the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health. Willemsen-Dunlap incorporated the use of Jump’s standardized participants (SPs) – trained actors - a unique aspect of the curriculum.

“They’re trained to do both coaching and give feedback to our community health worker learners and help shape the way they go forward and interact with clients later. Not many programs have this,” Willemsen-Dunlap explains. 

The capstone project for the training included using an SP in a scenario with a man recently diagnosed with diabetes. Lansing used what she learned about motivational interviewing, which includes the OARS approach – open questions, affirmations, reflective listening and summary reflections. Lansing says every aspect helped build trust, and it was particularly impactful to acknowledge the recently-diagnosed man was trying to be the best grandparent by helping watch his grandchildren regularly.

“’I know that’s a lot of hard work. Can we possibly include a quick 10-minute walk each day with the grandchildren so that you don’t feel like you’re having to add exercise into your already busy schedule?’” Lansing says he felt heard and understood. “He seemed like, ‘Wow, she understands what I’m going through.’” 

Willemsen-Dunlap says the digitally-equipped and trained CHWs will not only coordinate care with FQHCs and their provider partners, they’ll help by serving as additional eyes and ears for medical providers.

“When it comes to interacting with the clients and seeing what’s happening in their home or living environment … they can take that back to the provider and help the provider understand what might need to be tailored in some specific way to maximize treatment effectiveness.” 

More advanced training will enable them to help individuals and families use digital tools that might be needed for education, remote monitoring, or even a virtual exam. They can also provide calming reassurance, especially at a stressful time during a pending or recent diagnosis.

“Having this neutral third party who’s able to manage the tech and be that intermediary and that calming, confident presence is going to be very important,” Willemsen-Dunlap stresses. 

The next training session for becoming a certified digitally-enabled CHW starts July 11 through ICC. It includes 12 sessions of online instruction (Monday and Wednesday evenings) over the first six weeks, followed by a two-week internship for participants who do not have previous CHW experience.

Here is more information and an option to register.

Video Clips with Karlen Sandall, manger Digital Health Worker program, OSF OnCall

Video clips with Ann Willemsen-Dunlap,  director of Educational Development, Jump Simulation and Education Center