Self-Love and The Importance to Your Mental Health

 by Brian Warriner

            Self-love is the act of accepting your whole self, treating yourself with respect and kindness, and prioritizing your health. You maintain a positive outlook on yourself (Martin, 2023). I know that the number of people who show themselves self-love is low. Because we all put ourselves last, our outlook is negative, and we think of others before ourselves. I am guilty of this. When you care for your parents or anyone else, it is not easy; we tend to forget ourselves, and even as parents, it is all about the children. We tend to make our priorities dependent on others. If the children are happy, I am happy, or a happy wife, a happy life. We make everything dependent on other things and other people.

            I know I have taken care of my parents and stayed up late to get ahead on my schoolwork when I should have been sleeping. Get up and do everything all over again. When I can, I would take a break because I have learned you can do everything you have planned and still give yourself a break. You are doing the best that you can. For example, when I am doing schoolwork, I finish one assignment, check on my parents to see if there is anything they need, do the dishes, do the laundry, and take out the trash and recycle. Then I go back to my schoolwork. Granted, at the end of the night, I am exhausted, and lying in bed is all it takes to go to sleep.

            However, I noticed something important missing from my life: self-love and self-care. I discussed self-care in a previous post. When I do add some self-love to my life, I find myself feeling better. Because when we are wrapped up in this world and our activities, we forget that we matter too. If you feel like this, there are some things you can do to fix it. You can cultivate self-love by being compassionate toward yourself, setting boundaries, practicing self-care, celebrating your achievements, using positive self-talk, practicing self-acceptance, seeking support, and embracing self-discovery (Martin, 2023).

            It is not easy sometimes when we have this negative mindset and perspective. However, it is important to combat that kind of negativity. When you show self-love, it has been shown to lower stress, increase your resilience, and make you more willing to take risks, show compassion, and feel self-efficacy. Saying no is saying yes to yourself (Tetreault, 2025). Let us face it, who is not guilty of always saying yes to others and being exhausted and having no energy for what you need, and being able to say no to others’ requests for your time by saying no.

            Science has shown that self-love is rooted in neuroscience. Self-love reshapes your brain's function, especially in the limbic system, the brain's emotional center. This is where your emotions are more regulated. Self-love strengthens your self-awareness, which takes place in the prefrontal cortex. Also, this is where your decision-making, emotional balance, and calming the amygdala. With that, it will reduce fear and anxiety. Self-love triggers the release of the feel-good hormone dopamine (Tetreault, 2025). It makes you feel good and warm. The same hormone is released when you hug or cuddle for about twenty seconds.

            When you want to change your behavior, no matter what the pattern in your brain, it takes about 66 days, which is over two months. You need to give yourself a space to change because you will make mistakes, and it takes nurturing new patterns with acceptance and compassion (Tetreault, 2025). I know we have all tried to break old habits and form new ones, but we keep failing when we try to change. The idea comes to mind when it comes to dieting and exercise. It takes consistency to build a new habit. It took time for me to adjust to the fact that I am a type two diabetic. I have to check my blood sugar twice a day. I was trying to watch what I ate and drank. I had to give up my favorite things. It took time to develop the right way to test my blood sugar. Then, when I started to see my endocrinologist. I realized I was doing it wrong and had to relearn how to check my blood sugar. To this day, I still mess up, and I keep starting over.

            However, there are practices we can use to support our self-love journey. These activities can help you become a better version of yourself. I cannot stress enough how important self-love is to our mental health because it places us at the center of the issues. You can let go of the judgmental mind, celebrate your uniqueness, do things that light you up, feel your emotions and move on, allow compassion, take in the good, unpack your fears, and increase your intuition and self-trust (Tetreault, 2025). I had to face my fears, both my parents at two different times, where I could have lost them, and I experienced the possibility of losing them. My mom had cancer, and my dad had sepsis and acute kidney failure. We almost lost my dad; the experience of this was traumatic and stressful. Since then, I realized that once we made it through those experiences. I realize that losing my parents will be hard, difficult, and traumatic for me. However, we will make it through it because it is a part of life, and we all will pass away sooner or later. From these experiences, I learned to unpack my fears and face them head-on.

            At the root of the struggle is having to get things right, being perfect. Perfectionism is the habit of beating yourself up over anything that chips away at your sense of self-worth (Sandoiu, 2018). It is this constant action that can leave you less happy, distraught, and feeling unworthy and unable to do anything right. This can cause your mental health and self-esteem to decline. To combat perfectionism, try self-compassion. This is where you show yourself kindness, you recognize your achievements and the place you share in humanity and mindfulness (Sandoiu, 2018).

The Benefits of Self-Love

            When you begin to show yourself the self-love you deserve, you will notice improvements in your mental health, greater self-acceptance, higher self-esteem, greater motivation, stronger determination, increased self-awareness, less anxiety, and improved sleep (Asghar, 2022). How can you show yourself self-love? By avoiding negative self-talk, including derogatory humor, creating personal rituals, setting healthy boundaries, being compassionate towards yourself, and making space for self-reflection (Asghar, 2022). I would even include journaling as a practice of self-love, because it creates space for reflection, personal rituals, and healthy boundaries. It is a practice of learning to listen to yourself, relearning pleasure, doing something that you have never done before, and building yourself up, like yoga, creative endeavors, and being consistent with developing a new skill.

            In conclusion, the world is already hell, why do we want to add to it by making our own lives filled with unloving and misery. St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta often spoke of this world's lack of love. When you do acts of love, do small acts with great love. She was right, and it is the words I try to live by, especially when I need to show myself a little self-love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Martin, S. The Power of Self-Love. (2023). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/conquering-codependency/202306/the-power-of-self-love?msockid=3c615a7a3ec3684126f04bdc3fda69d9

Tetreault, N. (2025, February 26). The Practice of Self-Love: A Gift to Your Mind and Soul. (2025). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wire-your-mind-for-love/202502/the-practice-of-self-love-a-gift-to-your-mind-and-soul?msockid=3c615a7a3ec3684126f04bdc3fda69d9

‌Sandoiu, A. (2018, March 23). The importance of self-love and how to cultivate it. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321309

‌Asghar, A. (2022, February 14). The science of self-love: The evidence-based benefits of loving yourself. Ness Labs. https://nesslabs.com/self-love

Energy Healing Therapies and How They Enhance Mental Health Treatment

 by Brian Warriner

            Energy healing, or energy work, is something I am passionate about. I have learned everything that I possibly can on the subject. From modalities, the aura, chakras, and when they are out of balance, aligned, and how to bring about health. I have advocated for energy work or holistic medicine to be used alongside Western medicine because I have seen how it works, not just through my studies, but in the workings of people like Donna Eden, the founder of Eden Energy Medicine. At a young age, Donna, a mother of two young girls, had Multiple Sclerosis, a heart attack, and was told by her western doctors that she had to find someone to raise her daughters because there was nothing more for them to do; she was going to die. She studied Chinese medicine and meridians, and, through her ability to see energy, she healed herself of her medical issues. While she was practicing energy medicine, a group of doctors sued her, claiming she was stealing money from them. Their patients would come to see her, and she would help them heal themselves. A judge ordered that if the doctors could bring forward one patient she hurt, they would hear the case. The doctors could not find one patient, and their case was dismissed. Since then, most of those doctors sent patients to her. She has since switched from seeing clients to teaching her Eden Energy Medicine and certification course and writing books.

            I noticed that when people say they had pain, they would do the laying on of hands. I would cringe because all they were doing was pushing the pain deeper. I would show them you have to remove the blockage, the pain, and then restore energy flow. I started to understand what a disease is: it is a dis-ease in the body's flow of energy. I noticed that when you are stationary for too long, you fall asleep. Or if you keep thinking or worrying about something, it will happen. That is because we forget that the mind is both healer and killer. In Dolores Cannon's work, we can think ourselves into illness and disease. Which is true, because how many of us have said things like I can’t stomach life or my heart is not in it and end up with stomach issues or heart issues. It is because we spoke ourselves into these issues.

            When it comes to mental healthcare, I am joining a group of people who are taking a holistic approach to mental healthcare by bridging the gap between holistic health and Western health. I believe sometimes mental health needs medication to help the person become stabilized, to be able to focus on the treatment, such as journaling, meditation, working out, and being in therapy. Taking a medication(s), is a way of turning down the volume so that a person can learn, develop and train in the tools that they need to help them when they have a mental health episode. Being monitored by a psychologist or psychiatrist, who can legally prescribe medication, takes a team to monitor a client. Everything needs to be documented. When it comes to mental healthcare, I feel that you have the doctor monitoring the medication part, and a therapist whom you are speaking to. That person is using the holistic approach to assist you and getting you to journal, using art therapy, working out, nutrition, or other means of helping you develop the skills needed for neutralizing your mental health disorders, also getting you okay with speaking about your battles and struggles. In doing so, we break the stigma of mental health. Speaking about it and sharing our stories is how we change the dialogue around the subject.

            Energy healing can help in your mental health journey. When I started to see a new healer, she is a licensed practical counselor, shamanic practitioner, and creative arts therapist. During our sessions, we would talk and set the road map for the work we were about to do. Then came the energy healing work, where I would lie on the table and get comfortable. She would do the energy work. I would feel the energy shifting, moving, being removed, or placed. I would see the helping spirits and the ancestors who would be in the room. I was a client for a while until I couldn’t afford to go anymore. I loved it because I would be doing the work, and the energy healing part helped boost me. My mood shifted, and I was able to stand in my power and walk this world with confidence. I hope that in 2026, I can start having regular energy work done again. I have shared my experience with energy work and my work as a healer in previous blogs, and I will continue to do so.

            Not only do I wish to have regular energy sessions, but I also want to learn more about Reiki. I am a Reiki Master Teacher, but it is always good to get a refresher course. I would love to learn new modalities and practice them. It is my dream to open my own holistic wellness business focused on mental healthcare and to take a holistic health approach to treatment. I will be posting about this journey.

            If you are interested in my healing journey, I recommend purchasing a copy of my book, With the Hands of a Healer. You can scan the QR codes below to purchase. Available in paperback, hardback, and eBook.

 Use this code for the Paperback Version.

Use this code for the Hardback version

Use this code for the eBook version

Mental Health and the Connection to Massage Therapy

 by Brian Warriner

             Massage therapy was one of my careers, and I enjoyed it when I first started. It was after I was laid off from my job in public education. I needed to do something with my life. One night, I asked out loud What am I to do with my life? What is my purpose to be? A few nights later, I was dozing off to sleep when I heard, as if my spirit guide were whispering in my ear, “Massage therapy, you are going to get into massage therapy.” That took me aback. The next day, I went looking for a school close by. I had no idea about how I was going to get there. I honestly did not know that I would be able to go. However, I applied to Harris School of Business in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. I was accepted, then the financial aid came through, which I was scared of and was not sure I was made for. However, I kept going with it. I was given a ride to school on my first day, then took the bus home. The next day, I had to wake up at 4 am to walk to the bus stop and make it to the bus station to catch another bus. I was lucky enough to have a classmate in the same program who lived in the town next to me. Moreover, I was able to carpool to school. I did not have to wake up at 4 am or catch a bus, nor did I have to sleep in the hall until school opened. It worked out well for me. I completed my education, met some great friends, and we had a great time. Then, nine months later, it was over; we completed our program and entered the workforce.

            When I started working as a massage therapist, I worked in corporate massage jobs. I worked at Hand and Stone. I worked for a small business, massaging at the local college. I opened a hand-and-stone location and was made the lead therapist. However, because the manager had a friend quit at her previous location and she hired him, she promised him the lead therapist position. As the lead therapist, I was paid to conduct hands-on auditions and training and to serve as a bridge between the therapist and management. I was fresh out of massage school, and at the time, you could be fired for no reason. The manager fired me so she could hire her friend. This action pissed me off. I moved on with the smaller business and tried to start my own massage business. However, that business did not take off. It is hard to start, run, and sustain a business without clients and money. I was doing everything that I could to get my business up and running. Unfortunately, that did not happen. I worked at another Hand and Stone location that was busy, making good money and earning great tips. I was also working double duty as a part-time spa attendant. However, my responsibilities were in the back room. I would do laundry, clean, keep the bathrooms clean and presentable, help my co-workers ensure everything was stocked, refill sheets, lubricants, and treatments, and make sure waters were ready for their clients. I never thought that I would enjoy this part of the job. Even when I did my job correctly, I would have downtime. I would go out front and make sure the refreshments were situated. I would even do anything the front desk needed help with. There was a time when there was just one person out front checking clients out. I jumped in to help without knowing what to do. Because I was not trained to use the POS system, book clients, or perform any front desk duties, I would go out there when clients were checking in. I would grab a pad and pen and ask, "If you are checking in, please come see me." I would write their names down and go into the back to let the therapists and estheticians know their clients are here. Then, once the front calmed down, I would give the list to the front so they could be checked in. I left and started at another business that lasted one month, then started teaching massage therapy, and was back working for my old boss at a different location. For about a year, I ended up walking away from my jobs because my health started to decline.

            It was not easy for me to walk away; unfortunately, I have not had a job since 2018. I miss being a massage therapist. When I started, I had a long list of massage modalities that I wanted to be certified in. Modalities like cancer massage, medical, prenatal, and more.  When I left my massage career, I left the goals and dreams that went unfulfilled. I wanted to keep teaching, but my health would not allow it. However, it has not stopped me from keeping my love for massage therapy. You might have heard me talk about it in my previous posts. This post will not be any different, as I will share my massage knowledge and the research that supports it.

The Benefits of Regular Massage Treatment

            When I taught massage therapy, the highlight for me was receiving a massage from my students. This was for both our benefit. I got to relax, and they got some feedback to help them grow as therapist. They had to learn table massage before they learned chair massage. It was my favorite class to teach. I would take my students through my chair routine, then teach them to make it their own. No matter the class I was teaching, I made sure to include ways to educate your clients on the benefits of massage therapy. First and foremost, massage therapy is not a luxury; it is part of your healthcare. Massage therapy is prescribed in Europe and recognized as a medical treatment in other parts of the world. However, in the United States, it has become a luxury.

            I would not recommend getting a massage every day because you need to relax. Once a week is ideal, especially if it is for pain management and your insurance covers it.

            Massage therapy can reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and worry (Massage for Mental Health| AMTA, n.d). It can improve your mood, decrease your physical pain, and support chronic pain management. Massage therapy is a holistic approach to treating mental health disorders and enhancing the mind-body connection. Plus, it can improve your sleep (Magill, 2024). As you are being massaged, you are releasing tension and releasing the trauma you are carrying with you. As I stated before, if you have insomnia, it can help improve your sleep (Gerlach, 2023). When you are massaged, your blood pressure increases, so you may need blood pressure medication if you have high blood pressure. However, the flow of the massage techniques is to bring fresh oxygenated blood to the muscles and skin. Your skin might be reddish pink after a massage; it is fine—this is called hyperemia. Then you drink plenty of water to help flush toxins from your system. This is what helps your sleep and allows your body to rest and repair itself, which is why sleep is so important (Keillor, 2021).

            I had a client on my table once who had an issue with her right arm. It was a brachial plexus injury, and she could not touch it or use it without there being excruciating pain radiating from it. With her in a supine position, I placed a pillow under her arm. Moreover, with a very light touch, where my fingertips barely touch her arm. I massaged her arm, and it made her cry because she was feeling better and no longer in pain. She let me do some work on her arm. When she was done with her massage, she was singing my praises and in tears because, for the first time in twenty years, she could move her arm without pain, and she could breathe without pain. Beyond that, I did not care if she tipped me well or if I got paid for the massage because knowing that I helped someone who was in pain and in need was enough payment for me.

            In conclusion, I have seen, taught, and experienced the power of massage therapy. I loved massage until I started to feel burnt out from an unbalanced schedule. When at one location, I was booked solid, and at another, I barely had anything. It was difficult for me to sit down, get up, or take a client. There are days I wish I could still be massaging, but my body cannot take that kind of work anymore. However, I do recommend you get regular massages, find a massage therapist who uses the right pressure for your comfort, and speak up when the pressure is too much or too light. Moreover, respect their time, because you are paying for it and have other clients to see as well. Tip well, because most corporate massage places do not pay their therapists well. Nevertheless, I do hope you check it out for yourself.

 

References

Massage For Mental Health | AMTA. (n.d). www.amtamassage.org

            https://www.amtamassage.org/resources/massage-and-health/mental-health/

Magill, K. (2024, June 16). Massage Therapy and Mental Health. The Centre For Health

            Innovation. Thechi.ca https://thechi.can/massagetherapy-and-mental-health/

Gerlach, J. (2023, October 1). Can Getting a Massage Improve Mental Health?

            Psychology Today. www.psychologytoday.com

            https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/beyond-mental-health/202309/can-getting-a-massage-improve-mental-health?msockid=3c615a7a3ec3684126f04bdc3fda69d9

Keillor, J. (2021, November 2). Mayo Clinic Explores The Role of Massage Therapy for

            Mental Health. Mayo Clinic Press.

            https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/mayo-clinic-explores-the-role-of massage-therapy-for-mental-health/

Exercise is Therapy

 by Brian Warriner

            Exercise is something that people dread. I know when I think of exercise, I think about working out and going to the gym. I am not one for any of that. However, something is telling me that it would be good for my mental health to get up and work out. There is just one thing: I have medical issues that require me to work within certain limits. I would have to start with physical therapy before I could go to the gym and work out. It would take time before I could get into any physical shape. Plus, I am unfamiliar with what to do, what a rep is, what counts as a rep, or what a cycle is. I am just lost in the dark, so that I can do it right and be consistent with the workouts. There is so much that I do not know when it comes to exercising. However, I could get a trainer and learn from them. The big problem is I love food too much to give up certain things to lose weight.

            However, think about exercise as part of your mental health treatment. Some studies have shown that incorporating exercise into your mental health routine can improve your well-being. There are mental, physical, and biological improvements that occur when you include exercise as part of your therapy or treatment.

The Types of Exercise

            When you start working out, you can work with a trainer to help you with meal plans, customized workouts, and help with meal prep. Now I am just talking about the basics of what I found through my research. Moreover, as it will be New Year’s, many people set their resolutions to lose weight, get in better shape, and make other lifestyle changes. I am talking in basic terms to help you incorporate exercise for your mental health purposes.

            Aerobic exercise involves activities that use oxygen to produce energy during sustained physical activity. The activities include walking, running/ jogging, cycling, swimming, jump rope, Zumba, cardio kickboxing, strength circuit, stationary bike, and elliptical (Chertoff, 2018). When you are using aerobic exercise, the duration should be 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity. You do not need to do this in one day. Break it down into smaller tasks throughout the week (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). I have created a walking schedule for myself to help build up my strength and stamina for participating in charity walks. I would gradually increase by five minutes during the following weeks. This tends to be easier on you if you are moving forward with exercise.

            Anaerobic exercise involves activities that use glucose for energy, featuring high-intensity, heart-pumping exercises performed for a short time. These kinds of activities include weightlifting, sprinting, rope battle, sledgehammer tyre slam, and ballistic training (13 Best Examples of Anaerobic Exercise, 2021). When you include these exercises in your mental health treatment, you can feel the results. Again, you should never perform 150 minutes of moderately intense or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity during the week. However, one must spread the activities throughout the week. Otherwise, you will injure yourself, and that would make you go in the opposite direction. Benefits of anaerobic exercise include enhanced muscle strength, increased bone strength, improved nerve function, cardiovascular health benefits, a strengthened respiratory system, reduced fatigue, increased energy, balanced hormones, boosted immunity, and improved blood sugar regulation. This also helps with your mental health as it releases endorphins and the feel-good hormones that get you to come back.

The Benefits of Exercise as Part of Your Therapy

            Once you incorporate exercise into your therapy or treatment, you will start to feel the benefits of working out. Benefits include improved mood, enhanced cognitive function, better sleep, increased energy, better physical health, enhanced social interaction, and stress relief (Using Exercise in Mental Health Treatment (Guide)| Therapist Aid, 2015). As well as boosting blood flow, it stimulates nerve growth and improves depressive symptoms (Ducharme, 2023).

            When you add exercise to your therapy/ treatment, it is not just for mental health. This does help decrease the recurrence of depressive and anxiety symptoms. For recovering people with a substance use disorder, it decreases the chances of relapses and the cravings for the drug of choice. It is recommended for recovering addicts to add exercise to their recovery for this reason. Suppose you are recovering from an eating disorder. In that case, it has been proven to improve treatment outcomes for eating disorders like binge eating (Using Exercise in Mental Health Treatment (Guide)| Therapist Aid, 2015).

            Getting started in exercising is difficult, especially if you are new to it. Finding the motivation to get up and do it. I think those who have incorporated a workout into their lives start like this, even if they have been doing it for some time. Finding motivation to get up and go to the gym. I hear so many who work out regularly say, “I am trying to find the motivation to go work out.” However, they find the motivation and energy to get up and prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional health.

            In conclusion, when you include exercise in your mental health treatment, you are giving yourself a chance to enhance the treatment you are employing. Whether that is psychotherapy, journaling, and exercise, you might start to feel better. I would always recommend that you discuss this with your mental health provider and a trainer, and make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to your treatment. From there, plan what works and what does not, and adjust accordingly. However, give yourself a break as you are trying to figure something new out. It will take time to start something new. As we enter a new year, you may start your New Year’s resolutions, give yourself a break, and avoid jumping in headfirst—one step at a time.

 

 

References

Chertoff, J. (2018, May 3). 10 Aerobic Exercise Examples: How to, Benefits, and more.

            Healthline; Healthline Media.

http://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/aerobic-exercises-examples#aerobic-classes

Cleveland Clinic. (2023, August 15). Aerobic Exercise. Cleveland Clinic.

            https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7050-aerobic-exercise

13 Best Examples of Anaerobic Exercise. The Fitness Phantom. (2021, January 22).

            https://thefitnessphantom.com/examples-of-anaerobic-exercises

Using Exercise in Mental Health Treatment (Guide) | Therapist Aid. (2015).

            http://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-guide/exercise-and-mental-health-treatments

Ducharme, J. (2023, February 17). Adding Exercise to Therapy May Make It More

            Effective. Time. https://time.com/6255359/exercise-during-therapy-effective/

Mental Health Day: The Reasons and Benefits Why to Take a Day Off

by Brian Warriner

            The primary purpose of this blog is to inform, educate, and highlight the importance of mental health. As such, I have been there, and I share my experience with you. Making this blog more personal while remaining broad in the information shared. Being stressed, burned out, and on the verge of a mental breakdown is never enjoyable. When I look back on my careers in public education, adult education, and in massage, it was all about service to others, and believe me, it was not easy, whether it was students who tested your patience, or the lack of support from the administrators, or clients lying to you and then trying to give a bad review of your work. When I worked as a teacher at Harris School of Business in Cherry Hill, NJ. I had a student come in late; she was so late that she missed half the night. I told her to go on break and be prepared to give a massage. She reported me to the administration, saying I refused to let her get a massage. Even after I justified my position and refused to back down. The director of education demanded that I give her an apology. I told the director that she could fire me before I did that. I am not letting one student’s constant disruption of my classroom affect the other students' education because of her lateness. From there, they continually did things to add stress. I am a strong person, and after so much crap. I quit, I stayed till the student I had in the clinic finished. When she was done, I left. The stress came from the fact that I taught at night and often taught during the day. However, I could never take a day off at night, because none of the daytime teachers were willing to cover for us night teachers. However, I was constantly covering for daytime teachers.

            When I worked two jobs, I loved it; I was not stressed out. I often played to make a smooth transition. That is how I was; I made sure I did everything I had prepared myself for in the next job. After years of this kind of action, it shot my nerves. I only took off when I was sick or I needed to do something important. It is because of this get up and go and do attitude that damaged my body. I can sit, stand, or lie down for long periods of time. You can imagine how I feel when I wake up in the morning. There was never any talk of a mental health day. It was life; you got up and moved. I lived by that motto, which is why, physically, I have osteoarthritis throughout my body. If I knew then what I know now, I would have taken advantage of those days off. Stress can make anxiety and depression worse, as well as any physical issues you have experienced. I know this from experience. Especially during the pandemic, everyone’s mental health came to the forefront. The isolation we all had to endure was difficult and made life challenging for many people (Clinic, 2022).

            Knowing that your mental health is also as important as your physical health, I would have taken the day off. To recharge and take a breather. That is in the past now. Moreover, I have it right now, this moment. I hope to educate people on the importance of prioritizing themselves and their families. They cannot replace you. Keep in mind that when you are working, you also need to take occasional days off to recharge.    

The Reasons for a Mental Health Day

            Imagine that you have been working for a year straight, no vacation or time off. You are beyond exhaustion, on the verge of burnout, and your temper and your emotions are hostile. Your sleep pattern is off because you are working what feels like around the clock. Not only are you working, but you are also concerned about financial burdens and supporting your family. You start hating your job and feel like you are either overworked or underworked.

            I have experienced being both overworked and underworked. As a massage therapist at one location, I was busy. From the moment I walked into my last client's. Even after a challenging start, I made it past my one-year mark, and the reality that the owners did not increase my commission was a harsh truth. The increased pay was just a ploy to get more employees. However, I ended up working as a therapist and the back room spa attendant. I would work days as a therapist and then come in on other days and work the back room. However, I would have a room set up just in case I needed to meet with a client. Eventually, I left that location because I was burned out.

            When I was teaching massage, I worked at another spa location, which was not very busy because I did not have a car and didn't drive. I had to stay at the spa, where I would work an eight-hour shift. Either I did not have a client, or it would be my last hour, after I had seven hours of free time beforehand. I would like this to be fixed so I can book my other appointments. It is challenging for me to sit for five hours and then stand up to perform a 50-minute massage. That applies to many people. When it was my only job, it was the same thing. If I did not break even, it was because I was, for a time, taking Uber to and from work. The tips sucked, either they were less than $10 or on a credit card. My health started to take a downward spiral. My finances went right down the crapper. I was doing everything that I could to make money. I was also working as a professional psychic medium. I did not have any clients for readings, despite my greatest efforts. It was the beginning of a desert period for me.

            To say I was stressed out does not begin to cover it. I was sick, I was mentally getting fed up, and I was just lost. I was in the biggest hole of my life. No one could help me get out of it. Depending on my circumstances, taking a mental health day would have either helped me in one position or hurt me in another. However, that would not have stopped me from taking one. I would have used the mental health day to look for another job.

The Benefits of Taking a Mental Health Day

            You have worked hard and have been stressed out. You decide to take a day off from work and your daily responsibilities. When you start to take a day off regularly, you will start to feel better. The Mayo Clinic Health System has reported on the benefits of mental health days. The results of regular mental health days include reduced feelings of burnout, improved morale and attitude, and enhanced resilience. In addition to reducing stigma, improving self-management, and increasing productivity (Theisen, 2022).

            However, you learn how to develop healthy boundaries so that when you are at home, work ends. You have reduced feelings of isolation and loneliness, and you can prevent yourself from experiencing a mental health crisis. You reduce presenteeism and long-term absenteeism (Theisen, 2022). These benefits are important, especially when you think of having a mental health crisis and needing to spend time away from work. Even though the Family and Medical Leave Act allows up to 12 weeks of paid leave (Andronic, 2025). It is important to know if you need to take time away to seek mental health help or care for someone who is going through a mental health crisis.

            Physically, you will lessen the effects of stress on your physical body. Your health will improve, and the best part is that you won't be wearing your shoulders as earrings. Stress can cause chest pains, panic attack-like symptoms, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, indigestion, and many other issues. Stress can also cause issues with your sex life. In men, it can decrease their testosterone levels and affect their sex drive. In women, it can make it harder for them to conceive and affect their menstrual cycle (American Psychological Association, 2014).

            Each of your body systems is affected by stress, and when you are dealing with chronic stress, it makes things worse. You can develop diseases because of stress. Then how good are you to yourself and your family if you are sick because of the stress of work and life, and the burdens that come with it?

What To Do on Your Mental Health Day

            You planned your mental health day, and you picked the date. However, what will you do on your mental health day? Moreover, I am sorry to the spouses out there. A mental health day is not a day for the honey-do list. That is saved for another day.

            What should you do for your mental health day? Really, anything you want, but in case you are stuck for ideas, I have some ideas. You could sleep in, spend time by your pool, or go for a hike. Make sure to disconnect from work and your responsibilities. Another great idea is to go to a spa for a massage and treatments, get up and move your body, stay off social media, and have a movie date by yourself (Health, 2025). Take yourself on a self-care date and focus solely on yourself.

            When I was a massage therapist, I was my clients' mental health day. They were my weekly regulars. They would book with me on certain days. I would know this is so, they are a 50-minute massage with aromatherapy, or an 80-minute massage with a foot treatment. They were also generous cash tips. As I was preparing to leave, I referred to another therapist who would take care of them. I was burned out.

            However, as you plan your mental health day, you should do something that recharges your battery, allows you to decompress, and digest what is going on. Give yourself the time to relax. If you take a mental health day, consider using it to attend therapy or consult a holistic practitioner, such as a reiki specialist (Skowron, 2015).

Why Employers Should Cover Mental Health Days?

            I know some companies offer mental health days for you to take when you need them. It is important to know if your company offers mental health days. If so, take advantage of them, because I cannot stress this enough: you are important, you have a family, and many special moments are coming that you need to be there for, which is why I understand both sides of this argument. I believe companies should offer their employees a mental health program that includes mental health days. As a business owner, you need to keep your employees happy. Screw them over, and you will be screwed. In my careers, I have been screwed by business owners.

            As I researched this specific topic, I found that proponents of this argument favor workers more because it benefits them in terms of both their physical and mental health, including improved morale, enhanced productivity, and a healthy work-life balance.  The other proponents are against the workers. From a policy perspective, employees may abuse the mental health policy, raise legal issues, and potentially disrupt workflow (Andronic, 2015).

            However, if you have a mental health crisis or a loved one is having a crisis, the United States has no mandate for mental health days. However, we have the Family and Medical Leave Act, which allows you to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave with job security. I know you are asking about what if one takes the Family and Medical Leave Act to seek mental health treatment. The Americans with Disabilities Act allows employers to make reasonable accommodations for their employees (Andronic, 2025).

 

References

Clinic, C. (2022, April 11). Is Taking a Mental Health Day Actually Good For You? Cleveland Clinic.

                https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-taking-a-mental-health-day-actually-good-for-you

Theisen, A. (2022, October 4). Recharge With a Planned Mental Health Day. Mayo Clinic Health System.

                https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/recharge-with-planned-mental-health-day

Andronic, S. (2025, August 26). Should Employers Offer Mental Health to Employees? Mediatopia for Work.

                Mediatopia.com. https://mediatopia.com/en/forwork/articles/should-employers-offer-mental-health-days-to-employees

American Psychological Association. (2024, October 21). Stress Effects on the Body.

American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body

Health, R.M. (2025, March 4). The Importance of Mental Health Days: Why It is Good to Take a Break Sometimes.

                Relief Mental Health. https://reliefmh.com/blog/the-importance-of-mental-health-days-why-its-good-to-take-a-break-sometimes

Skowron, C. (2025, April 23). Mental Health Days: Restorative or Risk? Psychology Today.

                https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-different-kind-of-therapy/202504/mental-health-days-restorative-or-risk?msockid=3c615a7a3ec3644126f04bdc3fda6969