Happy Hour
Janet Lewis Muth, coordinator of the Rice County Mental Health Collaborative, is teaching a course on positive psychology to help people be more proactive about their mental health on a daily basis. (Photo courtesy of RCMHC)
If You Go
What: Happy Hour; a 10-session course on positive psychology offered through the Rice County Mental Health Collaborative
When: Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., starting on Jan. 9
Where: Greenvale Park Elementary School
Details: The course is free and open to the public. To register, email Janet Lewis Muth at info@rcmhc.org.
Posted: Friday, January 3, 2014 2:23 pm
Southernminn
Posted on
January 3, 2014
It’s freezing. The car won’t start. My hands are dry – again. I don’t feel good.
With winter’s recent artic blasts, it’s not a stretch to see why these thoughts might be swirling through the heads of many Minnesotans but, according to Janet Lewis Muth, it’s not helpful. Though few take the time to reflect on their mood, mindset or on which emotions they focus their attention, these all can have a huge effect on overall health and life satisfaction.
To help people understand how small daily actions and choices may be influencing their mental and physical health, Muth, the coordinator of the Rice County Mental Health Collaborative, is offering a 10-session course called Happy Hour to let people in on the secrets and benefits of positive psychology.
“Positive psychology is not just smiley faces and positive thinking,” said Muth, who is skeptical of touchy-feely remedies herself. “It is the study of what is right and good with people and how we can learn to replicate that.”
The program, which starts a new session in Northfield on Jan. 9, was piloted by the Mental Health Collaborative two years ago in an effort to take a more preventative approach to mental health problems and promote positive well-being.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in four adults in the United States suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year, making mental disorders the leading cause of disability in both the United States and Canada. Yet unlike the flu and other physical illnesses, little is done to prevent the onset of these disorders.
But with Muth’s simple 10-week class, dozens of people are already seeing measurable health progress by focusing a little more on the positives and being intentional about mental health.
“We found that we’re seeing a reduction in depression symptoms and people’s overall satisfaction with life goes up,” said Muth. “[The class] helps participants reframe how they are living their lives and how they spend their energy and attention. Where we choose to place our attention is a huge piece.”
After completing the program this fall, Faribault resident Jackie Jarvis is now starting to approach situations very differently than she did prior to taking the class.
“If I’m driving and someone cuts me off, my immediate reaction might be to get all upset and explosive. But if I get all worked up about it, what does that do for me?” asked Jarvis. “Now I question negative views I might have. Instead of jumping to conclusions, I take a step back and dispute those beliefs.”
Barb Budahl, another Happy Hour alum, found Muth’s session on positive mental attributes to be particularly helpful in her daily life.
“Each week we focused on something different, but what I enjoyed most was identifying character strengths and virtues,” said Budahl. “Sometimes they are so overlooked. Now I look at things differently and try to focus on creating a positive upward spiral instead of a downward spiral.”
From gratitude journaling to finding meaning in activities and relationships, Muth teaches strategies that are scientifically proven to improve mental health and quality of life.
“I would definitely recommend it to anyone,” said Jarvis. “It’s an eye opener.”
Reach reporter Erin O'Neill in Faribault at 333-3132 or in Northfield at 645-1115, or follow her on Twitter.com @ReporterONeill.
© 2014 Southernminn.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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