theconnectionsnj.com HEALTH & WELLNESS PAGE 42 By Deborah Sacks-Wilner Psychiatric & Behavioral Health Solutions Explore the Mental Health Spectrum A simple discussion in our office about how everyone was feeling led me to consider the entirety of mental health. I listened carefully as coworkers shared and concluded that mental health occurred on a spectrum. I decided to search for a collaborative thought as I knew this could not be an original exploration. I came across an article written by Andy Bell for the Centre for Mental Health, a non-profit, registered in England and Wales. The following is an excerpt from his article: “Throughout our lives, we will all experience a mixture of good and bad mental health; and most of us will experience mental ill health at one point or another in our lives, even if only briefly or occasionally. As a way of envisaging this, we often describe our mental health as being on a spectrum. Every day of our lives, we are all somewhere on this spectrum. While everyone’s experiences are unique, and many people won’t fit neatly into the four headings used in the spectrum, they can be generalized as: Healthy: Enjoying mostly good mental health. Coping: Facing significant risks to mental health but not currently in difficulty. This may include people coping with loss or bereavement, financial difficulty, or relationship problems. Struggling: Dealing with major life challenges and at high risk of becoming unwell. This might include having experienced a major trauma or ongoing high levels of adversity. Unwell: Experiencing poor mental health, such as being given a diagnosis of mental illness that is currently causing significant distress and impairment. It is, however, possible for a person living with a mental health diagnosis to be at any point on the spectrum. Despite the enormity of the challenge, there is growing evidence for a wide range of actions and interventions that can help people to enjoy the best mental health possible.” (Bell 2021) Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Solutions has taken on this challenge. Dr. Steven Budoff opened the doors in 2008 as a sole practitioner and has expanded the practice in response to overwhelming need. Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Solutions now includes a Psychiatrist, Dr. Steven Budoff DO MBA, two Advanced Practice Nurses, Mary Richardson APN-BC PMHNP and Gabrielle Budoff APRN AGNP-C, and a Clinical Social Worker/Therapist, Angela Shusterman LSW. All are committed to tackling the Mental Health Crisis we are experiencing. In addition to private practice, Dr. Budoff, having recognized the shortage of mental health professionals, partnered with the Chabad of Hunterdon County in creating and awarding scholarships to people committed to pursuing a career in mental health. The intention of the Dr. Steven R. Budoff Mental Health Educational Scholarship Fund is to increase the number of mental health professionals who will serve their communities and offer quality mental health support to those in need. Dr. Budoff is now expanding his reach by creating the SRB Philanthropy Corp that will offer added scholarship opportunities as well as support other mental health initiatives. 215 West End Avenue Raritan, New Jersey 08869 Tel. (908)333-4008 Fax (908)333-4009 “Throughout our lives, we will all experience a mixture of good and bad mental health; and most of us will experience mental ill health at one point or another in our lives, even if only briefly or occasionally.” - Andy Bell COMMENDS CONNECTION
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