Mental health is an essential aspect of our well-being, yet it is often neglected and stigmatized. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, countless people have faced heightened anxiety, depression, and stress. To tackle these critical issues, we had the opportunity to discuss mental health with Dr. Shannan Crawford, an accomplished clinical psychologist with well over a decade of experience.
In this blog, we will delve into her insights and expertise, as well as her personal journey of overcoming the stigma surrounding mental health treatment.
Dr. Shannan Crawford: A Passionate Advocate for Mental Health
Dr. Shannan Crawford is a licensed clinical psychologist, distinguished conference speaker, experienced adjunct professor, leading innovator in Restoring Self-Cohesion (RSC) and engaging podcast host of Unlock U with Dr. Shannan Crawford. Born in California and passionate about traveling the world, Dr. Crawford received her APA-accredited Doctoral and Master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA.
As the CEO of Crawford Clinics, she leads a team of mental health counselors offering the most cutting-edge psychotherapy services, coaching, and consulting, tailored to client’s unique needs.
With an engaging personality and a wealth of knowledge, Dr. Crawford is a sought-after national and international speaker on topics such as, mental health, leadership, and relationships.
She excels in empowering and equipping business entrepreneurs, ministry leaders, not-for-profit forerunners, and women’s groups with the necessary internal grit to fulfill their purpose and leave a lasting, positive impact on the world.
Speaking Engagements: A Platform for Change
Dr. Crawford bravely shares from her own experience of growing up with mental health struggles such as depression, anxiety, eating disorder, perfectionism, co-dependence, low self-esteem, and self-harm. As a forerunning voice championing the need to proactively address mental health in society, she normalizes struggles, depathologizing symptoms, and equips audiences with knowledge, practical take-aways, and hope.
As a survivor herself, she loves to inspire others with unquenchable hope that, with the Restoring-Self-Cohesion approach, it is possible to feel like yourself again, to experience internal peace, pervasive joy, and cultivate a grounding sense of purpose and meaning.
Debunking Mental Health Misconceptions
Dr. Crawford often encounters misconceptions regarding mental health, such as the notion that mental health is a “willpower issue” or seeking treatment signifies weakness. Contrarily, addressing mental health concerns is just as crucial as attending to physical health issues. Ignoring mental health can lead to long-term negative consequences.
Dispelling “willpower techniques”
Dr. Crawford shares, “So many people walk around with shame as their same struggles keep reemerging no matter how hard they try. An overly simplistic approach to mental health leads people knowing WHAT to do but not equipped to know HOW to do it. So many techniques focus on changing conscious thoughts and developing new habits. While changing beliefs and habits are essential, such approaches do not encompass the full complexity of your psychological makeup. Think of your conscious mind like the software of your internal supercomputer. While your unconscious mind is like the hard drive. Compared to the hard drive, it is relatively easy to upgrade our internal software by improving our thoughts and developing new habits. Upgrading the hard drive of your unconscious mind however, is far more nuanced and requires a more sophisticated psychological model. RSC appreciates the complexity of each facet of the unique – conscious and unconscious – parts of you that comprise your sense of Self. When we only upgrade our thoughts and behaviors, we are teaching people to ignore their heart and emotions that are trying to tell them something. Willpower techniques encourage your mind to assert control over your emotions. While you don’t want your emotions to control you, neither do you want your mind to control you. You are a multifaceted, brilliantly complex being designed for each part of you to fluidly interface with the other parts of you. When there is an internal feud between your head and heart, rather than asserting control, it would be more helpful to identify the source to the misalignment. This is the process we use in RSC to help our clients understand the unconscious dynamics producing their mental health symptoms. Once the underlying sources can be identified, the target interventions are easy to apply. There is so much more, but for now, think of your internal world is a supercomputer that will properly function again – once the internal bugs and viruses are resolved, and the hard drive is upgraded to be compatible with your software.”
Dispelling “seeking help is weakness”
We then asked Dr. Crawford about the common sentiment that seeking help is a sign of weakness. Dr. Crawford spoke candidly, “We all agree that getting regular health check ups help us detect health conditions early on so treatments can be started quickly. How much more important is it to have regular mental health check ups in which we create a culture around brain and soul health. Humans are fascinatingly complex and brilliantly designed. Accordingly, things can get out of alignment. That is not a sign of weakness no more than it would be to experience a misalignment in your vertebrae causing back pain. Governments and organizations hire outside consultants to help improve organizational functioning, professionals attend regular continuing education, we are encouraged to get regular health screenings, goodness, we even take our cars in to get serviced regularly. How much more important is it to proactively invest in mental health. Our world would be vastly different if we could create a cultural norm of proactively seeking mental health as a lifestyle of enrichment, rather than a last ditch effort when the problems have escalated to the point that it is highly complex and challenging to try to resolve the mental health crisis. Waiting to go to a therapist until you’re really struggling is like waiting to see your oncologist until it’s stage 4 cancer. We are hoping to get ahead of many of the mental health crises by creating a cultural value and corporate value for proactive mental health. We do this through Crawford Care.
The Importance of Therapy in Mental Health Treatment
Therapy plays a vital role in treating mental health concerns. Dr. Crawford highlights how therapy offers support and teaches individuals the necessary skills to manage their mental well-being. She also acknowledges the diverse therapy approaches available and encourages people to find the most suitable method for their needs.
Breaking the Stigma: Seeking Treatment
The stigma surrounding mental health often deters individuals from seeking treatment. Dr. Crawford shares her personal experience of overcoming feelings of shame and guilt before seeking help. She asserts that, “seeking treatment is a sign of strength and self-awareness rather than weakness. It requires courage to recognize the need for help and prioritize your mental well-being. There are many people who are impacted by the quality of your mental health. By neglecting yourself, you will actually impact many more people in the long run. By prioritizing your mental health, you will have more bandwidth to be a blessing and asset to the people around you.”
Tips for Maintaining Mental Health
At Crawford Clinics, we emphasize the importance of self-care in prioritizing mental health. Here are some practical tips to help you prioritize your mental well-being:
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- Exercise regularly: Physical activity has been proven to boost mood, alleviate stress, improve brain health and enhance overall mental health. Unlock U podcast – Exercise
- Nutrition: your body runs on the good or bad fuel you put in it. Food is either medicine or it is poison. Learn how to foster mental health through the power of healthy food: Unlock U podcast – Nutrition for mental health
- Practice mindfulness: Incorporate meditation, deep breathing, or other relaxation techniques into your daily routine to help manage stress and anxiety: Unlock U podcast – Breathing for your health
- Brain and blood health: Life is in the blood AND the brain is the engine of our mental health. Foster a lifestyle of heating healthy and avoiding toxins to help promote blood health and brain health: Unlock U podcast – life is in the blood
- Stay connected: Maintain meaningful relationships with friends and family, as social connections are vital for mental well-being. Unlock U podcast – how to love well
- Set boundaries: Learn to say “no” and establish healthy boundaries to protect your mental and emotional well-being: Unlock U Podcast – setting boundaries
- Get enough sleep: Prioritize a good night’s sleep, as it plays a crucial role in maintaining mental health. sleep tips
- Improve your thoughts: Every thought creates a chain reaction affecting your hormones, mood, behaviors, cravings, and impulses. Learn how to take your thoughts captive rather than being controlled by your thoughts: Unlock U podcast – Change your thoughts
- Learn HOW to process your emotions: many people ignore their emotions. Think of your emotions as the alert on your car dashboard notifying you that something needs to be addressed. Stuffing your emotions leads to future triggers. But improperly releasing anger or sadness can lead to more depression. It is vital in mental health to learn how to release emotion properly: Unlock U podcast – process emotions PROPERLY
- Seek professional help: If you are struggling, do not hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional for guidance and support. Develop the internal skills to turn your internal dictator into a coach Unlock U podcast – change your internal voice from dictator to coach
By incorporating these tips into your life, you can take proactive steps to prioritize your mental health and cultivate a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.
Take Action for Mental Health Today!
Now is the time to prioritize mental health for yourself and those around you. Embrace the tips shared above, break the stigma, and help create a supportive environment for mental well-being. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, and together, we can make a difference.
To learn more about Dr. Shannan Crawford’s work, book a speaking engagement, or explore the services provided by Crawford Clinics, contact Dr. Crawford and her team today! +1 817-601-5540.
Your involvement can contribute to a more understanding and inclusive world for mental health. Let’s work together to create a future where mental well-being is valued and prioritized.
