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We're still grieving the economy we've lost, whether we realize it or not

Dec 29, 2021
Admitting when we're not OK is the first step in helping ourselves, psychotherapist Megan Devine says.
An aerial view of "In America: Remember," a public art installation commemorating Americans who died of COVID-19. Many grief counselors and clinicians have been overwhelmed trying to address grief at this scale.
Al Drago/Getty Images

California invests millions to try and curtail drug overdoses

Dec 28, 2021
The program's approach includes an emphasis on medically-assisted treatment, using drugs to help ease withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
California Bridge regional director Joshua Luftig, right, and program coordinator Christian Hailozian at the Bridge Substance Use Program at Highland Hospital in Oakland
Beth LaBerge/KQED

The struggle to treat kids at a juvenile justice facility

Dec 8, 2021
Conditions at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake in Wisconsin were so bad that now, a federally appointed monitor oversees the facilities. As the number of kids there has declined, costs have gone up.
The Copper Lake and Lincoln Hills schools in Wisconsin house kids who have been sentenced to live there by a judge.
Courtesy of Wisconsin Department of Corrections

China lacks psychologists, so businesses fill the mental health care gap

Nov 22, 2021
One entrepreneur is placing her bets on a paid online listening service for women.
In China, online and app-based companionship services have cropped up to address isolation. Above, a man sits alone on his cellphone in Beijing.
Courtesy Shanghai 808 Studio

"Our mental health is important as well," a social worker says

Oct 18, 2021
Macro social worker Jasmine Bolden discusses how social workers are often overworked and underpaid.
Health improvements can lead to economic improvements.
iStock via Getty Images Plus

The pandemic has more people turning to a "therapist in your pocket”

Oct 6, 2021
Amid a nationwide shortage of mental health care providers, virtual care systems, including apps, are attracting patients.
During lockdowns, mental health care providers quickly transitioned from seeing patients in person to delivering care virtually.
Nicky Lloyd via Getty Images

Why people are anxious about returning to the office, and what to do about it

Sep 16, 2021
A therapist's advice for navigating the mental health effects of going back to work.
Not everyone feels emotionally ready to go back to the workplace, according to Amanda Fialk, a licensed clinical social worker.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

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As demand for mental health care spikes, parity with physical care remains elusive

Jun 29, 2021
The law requires insurance “parity” for mental and physical care, but it’s often harder to find a therapist than a physician.
Finding a professional to provide psychological care can be more difficult than accessing other health services.
Getty Images

Long-term unemployment can change your view of your own abilities

Jun 16, 2021
About half of the unemployed adults in the U.S. are pessimistic about their future employment, a survey shows.
Job loss during the pandemic — already an isolating time — can have a negative impact on a person's self-worth and future job prospects.
Tim Boyle via Getty Images

With long-term unemployment comes long-term challenges

Jun 3, 2021
The stigma impacts employers who are less likely to hire those applicants and job seekers who internalize shame and doubt.
Long-term unemployment often comes with anxiety and feelings of shame.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images