How To Practice Mental Health Skill Building

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The question of whether one would like to improve their mental health is undoubtedly an important one. It is rare to find individuals who would answer “no” to this question, as there is always something to work on when developing and improving one’s mental health. Mental health skill building provides a framework for individuals to develop a range of functional skills that promote mental wellness, independence, and community integration to improve mental health.

In this article, we will cover what mental health skill building is, the goal of those skills, practicing the skills, and specific activities in mental health skill building.

mental health skill building

What is Mental Health Skill Building?

Mental health skill building (MHSS) is a type of mental health service that is designed to help individuals with mental health conditions develop the skills they need to achieve and maintain community stability and independence in the least restrictive environment possible. These services are provided by mental health professionals who work with individuals to identify their specific needs and make personalized plans of care.

The Goal of Mental Health Skill Building

The primary goal of MHSS is to provide individuals with the training and support to restore their mental health to the highest functional level possible. By providing these services, individuals can improve their mental health and well-being while achieving their goals of independence.

MHSS addresses many different areas of life through face-to-face activities, instruction, interventions, and training. Some specific areas that are addressed include:

  • Functional skills and behavior related to the individual’s health, safety, hygiene, nutrition, and exercise.
  • Essential activities of daily life such as budgeting, using transportation, and performing chores.
  • The use of community resources as well as accessing healthcare services, social services, and recreational services.
  • Medication management which includes understanding the medication side effects and addressing medication-related issues.
  • Monitoring mental and physical health conditions that include nutrition, personal hygiene, and the activities of daily living.

Practicing Skill Building

While it may seem like these skills are only for medical service providers, they are also essential to incorporate into your daily life. Learning new skills to help improve your mental health gives you the tools to tackle new situations that may arise. There are many skills and activities one can do to improve their mental health.

counselor with young man

Activities for Mental Health Skill Building

Participating in interactive and impactful activities that cater to your overall well-being can help you build resilience and coping skills, which can be especially valuable in times of crisis. While these activities can benefit many people, it’s important to understand that they may not be as beneficial for those with more serious mental illnesses. In those cases, it would be appropriate to seek help from a medical professional. Some of the activities you can participate in to improve your mental health are:

  • Exercise: Exercise has been shown to have a significant positive impact on depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Not only does it reduce symptoms of these mental health conditions, but it also relieves stress, improves memory, enhances sleep quality, and boosts overall mood.
  • Nutrition: The importance of nutrition goes far beyond just providing energy, supporting growth, and maintaining overall health. The field of nutrition encompasses various factors, such as food accessibility and affordability, cultural differences in dietary choices, and the reasons behind one’s food preferences.
  • Relaxation: Engaging in relaxation activities offers numerous mental and physical health benefits, and the techniques can be practiced in various settings, making it a crucial aspect of self-care. Examples include taking a walk, listening to music, confiding in a friend, engaging in creative activities, reading a book, or taking a hot bath.
  • Eliminating Bad Habits: By recognizing and replacing bad habits with positive ones, individuals can work towards cultivating healthier habits. This includes actively avoiding these bad habits and developing new, healthy habits.
  • Self-Reflection: Developing self-reflection skills is essential for personal growth and self-improvement. Some general strategies that can help you in self-reflection include seeing a therapist, taking a class, or meditation.
  • Attention-Building Games: Attention-building games are designed to improve mental focus and cognitive function. Some examples of these games include ‘Simon Says,’ ‘Red Light, Green Light,’ and ‘Sudoku.’
  • Silver Lining Activities: This activity involves creating a drawing or painting that represents the positive outcomes of their lives’ dark moments. This reinforces the saying “every cloud has a silver lining” and teaches individuals that good can always come from bad situations.
  • Anger Management: By utilizing anger management exercises, individuals are able to control their emotions and handle situations without anger. For example, this may involve using deep breathing techniques to calm themselves down or redirecting the emotion in a positive way, typically through exercise.
  • Inner Child Activities: Inner child activities include indulging in everything you wanted to do as a child but maybe weren’t able to. This can be taking yourself to an amusement park, acting silly, or eating junk food. These activities can help you reconnect with your playful side and boost your overall happiness and well-being.
  • Pet Therapy: Pet therapy involves interaction between an individual, an animal, and the animal’s handler. This is aimed at helping people overcome mental health issues by providing comfort. While dogs and cats are the most common animals, fish, horses, guinea pigs, and other animals can also be used depending on the person’s needs.
  • Guided Imagery: Guided imagery can help individuals visualize their positive experiences and can serve as a relaxation technique. Individuals will close their eyes and imagine themselves in a different setting, then be asked to describe the sights, sounds, and other sensations they feel wherever they are.

Mental Health Services in Los Angeles

At Launch Centers, located in Los Angeles, we proudly offer holistic mental health treatment services to those struggling with their mental well-being. Our programs are evidence-based, individualized, and trauma-informed to give our clients the best support and resources. Launch Centers is dedicated to helping others recover from mental illness and substance abuse so that they can live purposeful lives.

If you or a loved one are suffering from mental health conditions and would like to get help now, contact us today to learn more about our programs. We understand how difficult it can be, so let us guide you to a successful life.

About Our Founder

Jose Hernandez, for over a decade, has been involved in alcohol and addiction recovery helping people succeed in overcoming substance abuse and regaining control of their lives. He has experience in all aspects of the recovery world, from facilitating entry into treatment as an intervention specialist to counseling and case management at rehabilitation facilities. Jose has worked one-on-one with individuals as a sober companion and with groups as a resident counselor at addiction treatment centers and is certified by the California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC) to practice as a substance abuse counselor.

Through his professional experiences in crisis intervention, drug and alcohol detoxification, substance abuse counseling, and relapse prevention, Jose has developed a unique plan for case management that bridges the gap between a person’s painful past of substance abuse and a future of sobriety.

At Riviera Recovery, a sober living facility with multiple locations, clients continue their transition from the supportive environment of a treatment center to living well and happily in the “real” world. The program he designed at Riviera Recovery personalizes treatment plans that enable clients, including those with a single or dual-diagnosed mental health disorder, to embrace a satisfying life.

His greatest endeavor has been establishing LAUNCH, a Los Angeles-based life skills intensive outpatient program for young adults. LAUNCH works with recovering men and women to establish personal vocational and educational goals and develop the tools to successfully meet them. His mission is to ensure that no one stands alone in his or her recovery.

Jose

Meet Our Clinical Team

Jess Beck, LCSW

Clinical Director

treatment team los angeles ca

Eric Chaghouri, MD

Psychiatrist

Chloe Kruskol

Chloe Kruskol, LCSW

Family Program Manager

MEET FULL TEAM
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Clients and Professionals Share Their Experience

  • HO

    Launch provided care on multiple levels. The highly skilled therapist coupled with the focus on purpose and long-term goals refocused my recovery from what previous treatment centers pushed onto me. I went from believing that I needed years of treatment to believing I needed years happiness and success. I began to focus on what I wanted to accomplish with my life. I came to realize all the things my addiction and mental illness had taken from me, and I used my future goals as a reason to never pick up again. Due to the passion that Launch instilled in me, I have pursued my future with excitement and dedication.

  • Nicole

    This place changed my life! I’ve had good laughs, good cries, shared a lot of heart to heart moments and grew a loving bond with everyone at Launch Centers. I will always be grateful!!! I really do miss it time to time. I highly recommend Launch Centers!

  • Joey

    The staff and clinicians are amazing and make you feel right at home from the second you walk in the door. I would absolutely recommend this place for a family member or close friend.

  • Ben

    This treatment facility has changed my life. I have always struggled with my mental health and this young adult program provided me with the necessary skills to launch to adulthood. I commend anyone who struggles with mental health or substance use (which was not me) to try this program out. It will change your life.

  • Conner

    Launch Centers Treatment was a major help to me. The therapists and staff genuinely cared about me and truly helped me to make a plan for my future. My personal therapists helped me to discover where some of my deeper issues came from. All of the staff worked tirelessly with me to talk through my issues, or just about life, and offered realistic solutions to my current problems and situation. All of the staff went above and beyond and advocated relentlessly for me. I am very grateful that I was able to have such a wonderful experience with Launch.

  • Adam

    In no uncertain terms Launch Centers changed my life. The staff at Launch are professional, knowledgable and relatable. They keep the format diverse and interesting which kept me engaged in the process. The greatest thing we can do in life is seek to improve ourselves. Launch gave me a skill set I consider to be invaluable in the journey of becoming the best version of myself. I would implore anybody considering Launch to step outside their comfort zone and go, you will not regret it.

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