Some degree of uncertainty has always been part of the human experience. Yet, for many of us, uncertainty feels like the strongest constant in our lives. Between the seemingly endless cycle of news and social media updates highlighting change and conflict in the country and around the world, along with pressures at work, economic uncertainty, and family responsibilities, it can feel difficult to find solid ground.

Even when events don’t affect us directly, they can still weigh on our sense of security and well-being. Uncertainty around the world can bring feelings of anxiousness or powerlessness that make it harder to cope with the uncertainties in our own lives.

While we can’t completely control our circumstances or predict what lies ahead, we can develop the skills to cope with uncertainty, whether personal, social, political, or otherwise. This could mean focusing on what we can control (e.g., the Serenity Prayer method), staying connected with others (e.g., co-regulation), or simply giving ourselves permission to take things one day at a time (e.g., the daily intention method). We don’t have to have all the answers—coping means finding ways to care for ourselves and one another when the path ahead is unclear.

The resources below and throughout the FEAP site can help you discover practical skills for stress management, intentional coping, and self-care to better support yourself and those around you. Still, you don’t have to navigate uncertainty alone. Whether you’re facing a significant challenge or simply need someone to talk to, FEAP is here to help. Our confidential, no-cost consultation services are available to you and the adult members of your household.

Yours in well-being

Beth Danehy, Director, FEAP

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Upcoming Webinars

Skillful Change and Transitions

November 17, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.

Join this Hoos Well reward-eligible webinar with UVA Professor Lili Powell to learn skills to navigate change and transitions mindfully.

Skillful Change Webinar

Group Events

Reset Space

December 8, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Take an hour to step away, reset, and recharge—giving both your body and mind the space to relax. In this interactive session, you’ll learn practical, evidence-based strategies for managing stress in real time.

Register for Reset Space

Take a Science-Backed Mental Well-Being Screening powered by AiBerry!

UVA FEAP cares about your mental health and offers a variety of confidential screenings at no cost. These screenings can help you better understand symptoms such as feeling down, empty, or hopeless, as well as thoughts or experiences that may feel unusual, confusing, or concerning.

Take a Confidential Well-Being Screening

Confidential Consultation

We want to remind you that FEAP’s 11 consultants are here to support you. Every conversation is completely confidential, so you can seek help with confidence. Whether you’re navigating a difficult time, workplace challenges, family concerns, stress, or something else, our consultants are available to support you at no cost.

Request a Confidential Consultation

Contact FEAP

• FEAP (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-243-2643 (uvafeap.com)

• Crisis & Care Coordinator (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-995-8305 (uvafeap.com)

• FEAP After-Hours Support: 434-243-2643

In October 2024, I wrote in this newsletter about maintaining our center during times of uncertainty. Two years later, here we are. Lately, concerns about ongoing conflicts and protests abroad, severe storms and fires, changes to medical coverage, and the race to develop AI without clear guidelines are increasing stress for many of us. Breaking news arrives nearly daily, and we are processing more information than ever, often while being asked to do more with less time to rest and restore. Add the pulls of our personal relationships and responsibilities, and it’s no wonder so many of us feel stretched thin.

In the American Psychological Association’s 2025 Stress in America survey, about half of adults said they felt isolated or left out, which is stressful for us as creatures who seek belonging. Closer to home, our UVA community has navigated significant leadership transitions, reduced research funding affecting our faculty, and changes in health care and potential access, adding another layer of uncertainty to whatever we are already carrying.

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Understanding Uncertainty

If we take a moment to unpack uncertainty itself, it often comes down to anything that threatens what feels secure, predictable, and safe: our health, our finances, our relationships, our roles. When someone asks us, “Well, when can we ever be certain about what will happen today, much less the next moment?” we have to admit that much of life is outside our control. Still, our brains keep seeking what feels consistent, comforting, or safe.

In fact, many neuroscientists now describe the brain as a “prediction engine,” constantly using what it knows to guess what comes next. Neuroscientist Karl Friston, one of the leading voices on this idea, says reducing uncertainty “is a fundamental drive for nearly everything we do.” Systems theory tells us that families, workplaces, and even our own bodies tend to hold on to what is familiar, sometimes even when it isn’t healthy. Stepping into the unfamiliar brings stress, and the more we feel is at risk, the more stress we feel. That is why our rituals, traditions, and habits matter so much: they tell our brains what to expect.

It is also why waiting can be so hard. Waiting for treatment to take effect, for the surgeon to come out after a partner’s operation, or for word on whether a job is secure can feel even harder than hearing difficult news itself. Researchers at University College London found exactly this: people were more stressed when there was a 50% chance of a mild shock than when they knew for certain it was coming. As one of the researchers put it, “The most stressful scenario is when you really don’t know.” This waiting can feed our sense of uncertainty.

When Uncertainty Becomes Chaos

When uncertainty piles up, it can start to feel like chaos, what yogis call chitta vritti, the “fluctuations” of the mind. Our thoughts race, and it gets harder to keep track of the everyday signals that usually tell us all is well. Many of us are uncomfortable with gray areas. We do better with clarity, structure, and shared expectations, both at work and at home. When choices are unclear, messages are mixed, and boundaries blur, our capacity to tolerate the unknown begins to shrink. Physicists call disorder “entropy,” and as a recent Scientific American article explains, our brains work constantly to hold it at bay, using information to bring a little order to the chaos. When the rules we have relied on suddenly change, Friston says, rebuilding our picture of the world “would effectively look like a grief reaction.”

Now add real life. Maybe you are giving everything you have at work during a time of organizational change while a medical bill sits unopened on the kitchen counter. Maybe you are sitting beside a parent during treatment, or trying to make sense of a sibling’s diagnosis from three states away, while still answering emails. Maybe a current loss is stirring up memories of other hard times. Family therapist Pauline Boss calls some of these “ambiguous losses,” losses without clear answers or closure, like watching a partner or parent change through illness or injury, or not knowing whether our financial footing will hold. Add the steady stream of news we are all processing, and whether we feel overwhelmed, morally distressed, or just plain tapped out, we can slip into system overload. So how do we cope in a way that can carry us through time?

Finding Our Ground

Here is the encouraging news: our minds and nervous systems are not just where stress shows up. They are also our best tools for managing it. Psychiatrist Dan Siegel describes a “window of tolerance,” the zone where we can feel stress and still think clearly, stay connected, and respond rather than react. Uncertainty can push us outside of that window, either into racing thoughts and fight-or-flight, or into shutting down and going numb. But our nervous system has a built-in brake as well as an accelerator. Slow breathing, movement, rest, and the steadying presence of another person all help engage that brake and bring us back inside the window. With practice, the window can even expand while we develop our ability to maintain our center.

When life feels unpredictable, it is natural to want to retreat. Neuroscientists call this the “dark room” problem: hiding away somewhere safe and predictable can help in the short term, but if we stay too long, the world only becomes more unfamiliar, and avoidance can deepen anxiety and low mood. As Philip Kendall, an anxiety researcher at Temple University, puts it, “The more you avoid, the more you think your prediction was accurate.” A better path is to stay gently curious and to step out in small ways. Neuroscientist Laura Harrison, who evacuated her family during the 2025 Los Angeles fires, says managing the stress of uncertainty is like building a muscle: you start with small challenges, and over time you learn to face larger ones. “If you expect to be surprised,” she says, “you can come back more quickly.”

Psychologist Ann Masten calls resilience “ordinary magic,” because it is built from everyday things: routines, relationships, and small acts of care. Each small practice sends a message that we are safe, or at least safer in this moment than the last one, and lets our citta vritti—the restless 'waves of the mind'—rest. Here are three areas to practice, whether you are worried about money, caring for someone who is sick, or simply carrying more than usual: connection, resilience, and rest.

1. Connection: Within Ourselves and With Each Other

Connecting within

Connection begins on the inside. Pause and check in: How am I feeling right now? Where am I holding tension? Maybe it is a clenched jaw in the hospital waiting room, or a knot in your stomach when you open your banking app. Simply naming the feeling—“I’m scared” or “I’m overwhelmed”—can help calm the brain’s alarm system. Brain-imaging research at UCLA found that putting feelings into words reduces activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain that sounds the alarm (Lieberman et al., 2007).

Then ask yourself: What strengths do I already have? Think of another hard time you got through. What helped then? Maybe it was humor, faith, patience, or your ability to stay steady for others. Those strengths are still yours, and research suggests that using them on purpose can lift our well-being.

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Connecting with each other

Connection with others is one of our strongest buffers against stress; people with strong relationships tend to live longer, healthier lives. Yet when we are struggling, it is tempting to withdraw. Financial stress in particular often comes with a sense of shame that keeps us quiet, and telling even one trusted person what you are facing can lighten the load. If you are caring for a parent, partner, sibling, or child, let people help. When someone offers a meal, a ride, or an hour of company, say yes.

Connection flows both ways, too. One study found that on stressful days, people who did small kind things for others, like holding a door or asking if someone needed help, were less weighed down by that stress. Healthy connection also includes setting limits that give you time and space. It is okay to say, “I’m not ready to talk about my son’s diagnosis today,” or “I need to think about that before I decide.” You can also ask for help in small ways that feel tangible and simple yet can effectively lighten your load.

Try it now: Name one feeling and one strength you have right now. Then send a two-line text to someone you trust, simply to say you are thinking of them, or that you could use a call.

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2. Resilience: Move and Regulate

Stress as an emotion is meant to move. Our fight-or-flight response gets our bodies ready for action, and when that energy has nowhere to go, it lingers as tension, irritability, or restlessness. Over time, this buildup of tension can lead to exhaustion. Moving our bodies helps that stagnant stress dissipate. A large 2023 review of more than 1,000 studies found that physical activity, including walking and yoga, eased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and distress. You don’t need a gym membership or a lot of time: a walk around the hospital parking lot, a stretch between meetings, or a jog around the block after dinner all count.

You can also calm your nervous system right where you are: in the car before a hard appointment, in the elevator, or at your desk. Take five slow, deep breaths from the belly, with the same count in and out. Or lengthen your exhale, as if you are gently blowing bubbles. Stanford researchers found that just five minutes a day of breathing with long, slow exhales improved mood and eased anxiety over the course of a month (Balban et al., 2023).

Try it now: Stand up, roll your shoulders, and take three slow breaths with a long, gentle exhale. Notice what shifts.

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3. Rest: Letting the Mind Settle

When money is tight or someone you love is sick, rest can feel selfish or impossible. It isn’t selfish, and it doesn’t have to be big. Rest is what makes resilience possible. Sleep matters more than we often realize: one study found that after a sleepless night, the brain’s emotional centers were more than 60% more reactive, which helps explain why everything feels harder when we are tired.

If worries about bills or a loved one’s health keep you up at night, try jotting them down and setting aside a specific “worry time” the next day to deal with them. In one study, this simple practice reduced worry, anxiety, and sleeplessness. During the day, look for small pauses: research shows that even a break of 10 minutes or less can restore energy, and time outdoors helps quiet the repetitive worry that keeps the mind spinning. Even brief pauses tell our minds it is safe to return to the ground.

Try it now: Write down the worry that feels loudest right now and choose a time tomorrow when you will come back to it. Then set it aside for tonight.

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Stepping Forward Together

Uncertainty is part of being human, and none of us can control everything that lies ahead. But we can return to center by connecting within ourselves and with one another, by building resilience one small practice at a time, and by allowing ourselves to rest. If you are facing pressures and stressors that create uncertainty or simply feeling the weight of these uncertain times, you don’t have to carry it alone. FEAP is here to support you during this time or any time.

Contact FEAP

• FEAP (8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday): 434-243-2643 (uvafeap.com)

• FEAP After-Hours Support: 434-243-2643

About Adele

Adele Logan O’Keefe

Dr. Adele Logan O’Keefe brings over 30 years of experience in counseling and therapeutic education. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the College of William & Mary.

A Licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia, she specializes in stress, anxiety, and healing from trauma. Her studies in empathy, resilience, and leadership development create a unique blend of knowledge and approaches for fostering health and vibrance in the workplace.

Most of us living in Charlottesville or elsewhere in Virginia are privileged each October with beautiful foliage in vibrant colors. Seeing the trees bright and waving in the wind feels like they’re celebrating their entrance into dormancy—signaling to all of us that it is time to rest, and that rest is good, rest is necessary.

Yet, somewhere along the way, many of us learned to think of rest as something to be earned rather than something we need. We push through, postpone taking a break or taking time off, and attach our busyness to our self-worth. But nature reminds us that seasons of rest are part of what makes future growth possible.

As we move into the final months of the year, I hope you’ll give yourself permission to slow down when you can. I encourage you to take a walk among the changing leaves, spend time with loved ones, or simply allow yourself a quiet evening. Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is follow the example of the trees.

At FEAP, we’re here to support you. If you feel getting good rest isn't manageable, our confidential, no-cost services can help you find a more sustainable way forward.

Yours in well-being,
Beth Danehy, Director, FEAP

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Step Forward Together | FEAP Substack

What FEAP is and What FEAP isn’t

The FEAP administrative team receives many questions—some straightforward, others more complex, and all of them important. We appreciate every question because reaching out is often the first step toward getting support…

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a month ago · UVA FEAP

Upcoming Webinars

Transforming Crisis into Resilience, Hope, and Advocacy for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

September 29, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.

Suicide survivor, mental health advocate, global speaker, best-selling author, and award-winning filmmaker Kevin Hines will share his inspiring story of hope, survival, celebration of life, and the lessons he has learned about resilience, recovery, and the life-saving power of human connection.

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Managing Anxiety in Uncertain Times
October 28, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.

Join this Hoos Well reward-eligible webinar to learn how to better tolerate uncertainty without assuming the worst, recognize factors that can maintain or intensify anxiety, and balance staying informed with managing stress and emotional distress.

Managing Anxiety in Uncertain Times

Group Events

Reset Space

September 13, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Take an hour to step away, reset, and recharge—giving both your body and mind the space to relax. In this interactive session, you’ll learn practical, evidence-based strategies for managing stress in real time.

Register for Reset Space

Take a Science-Backed Mental Well-Being Screening powered by AiBerry!

National Depression Screening Day is October 8.

UVA FEAP cares about your mental health and offers a variety of confidential screenings at no cost. These screenings can help you better understand symptoms such as feeling down, empty, or hopeless, as well as thoughts or experiences that may feel unusual, confusing, or concerning.

Take a Confidential Well-Being Screening

Confidential Consultation

We want to remind you that FEAP’s 11 consultants are here to support you. Every conversation is completely confidential, so you can seek help with confidence. Whether you’re navigating a difficult time, workplace challenges, family concerns, stress, or something else, our consultants are available to support you at no cost.

Request a Confidential Consultation

Contact FEAP

• FEAP (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-243-2643 (uvafeap.com)

• Crisis & Care Coordinator (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-995-8305 (uvafeap.com)

• FEAP After-Hours Support: 434-243-2643

When we think about Open Enrollment, it can be easy to focus on premiums, deductibles, prescriptions, and other costs. Those things matter. But choosing your benefits is also an opportunity to think about how you want to care for your mental health and overall well-being in the year ahead.

Mental and physical health are not separate parts of our lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that mental health is closely linked to physical health and that each can influence the other. For example, some mental health conditions can increase the risk of chronic physical conditions, while living with a chronic condition can increase the risk of experiencing mental health concerns. The National Institute of Mental Health similarly notes that people living with chronic disease have a higher risk of depression and that depression can also make managing physical health more difficult.

That connection is one reason it can be helpful to look beyond your immediate medical needs when making benefit decisions.

FEAP Is Here—Regardless of Your Health Plan

The Faculty and Employee Assistance Program (FEAP) is available to UVA employees at no cost, whether or not you are enrolled in the UVA Health Plan.

FEAP provides confidential, professional support for the challenges that can affect your work, relationships, well-being, or everyday life. You do not need to be experiencing a crisis or have a mental health diagnosis to reach out. FEAP can help with everything from stress, grief, relationships, and major life changes to everyday challenges that are simply making life more difficult.

Your Health Plan Can Expand Your Options

While you do not need to enroll in the UVA Health Plan to use FEAP, health plan enrollment can give you access to additional mental health and well-being resources.

UVA’s benefits include options for virtual and in-person mental health care, including resources such as Teladoc, Rula, Talkspace, and Array at Home.

Enrollment in the UVA Health Plan also provides access to the Hoos Well portal, where eligible employees can engage with programs supporting physical, emotional, financial, and social well-being—and earn up to $500 in rewards through qualifying well-being activities.

That means your benefits can work together. FEAP may be the place you start when you want to talk through what is happening or identify the kind of support you need. Your health plan can provide additional pathways when ongoing therapy, behavioral health treatment, or other health care services are appropriate.

Compare Mental Health Costs Before You Enroll

Mental health care can also look different depending on the health plan you choose.

For Plan Year 2027, UVA HR’s Interactive Comparison of Benefits tool allows you to explore covered in-network costs across Health Savings, UVA PPO, and Choice Health. Under Mental Health & Rehabilitation Services, for example, you can compare costs for inpatient and outpatient mental health and substance use treatment. You can also explore costs for services such as Teladoc mental health therapy.

The tool isn’t limited to mental health. You can use it to compare costs for many of the health care services you or your family may need during the year. Rather than choosing a plan based only on its premium, consider exploring the services you expect to use—and some you hope you will never need.

Think About the Whole You

Open Enrollment is ultimately about preparing for the year ahead. None of us can predict every health care need that may arise, but we can take time to understand the resources available to us.

As you review your 2027 benefits, consider both your physical and mental health needs. Look at the cost of care, explore the mental health resources available through each plan, and remember that support does not begin or end with health insurance.

FEAP is here for you at no cost. And if you participate in the UVA Health Plan, your benefits can provide additional tools, providers, and well-being resources to help you care for your whole health.

Open Enrollment Support Opportunities

Reach out for Well-Being Support

For personalized guidance, the Faculty and Employee Assistance Program (FEAP) offers consultations, virtual resources, and immediate support to help you achieve your goals.

Request a Confidential Consultation

About the Author

Shane M. Moran

Shane Moran is a Communications Specialist with UVA HR, where he supports the communications and marketing efforts for UVA’s Total Rewards Programs. He is dedicated to sharing vital information with faculty and staff about physical and mental health, aiming to help them stay healthy and fulfilled as they contribute to the University’s 2030 Plan vision—to be both great and good.

Shane holds a degree in Government and English from the College of William & Mary and is currently pursuing an MFA in Poetry at New York University Paris.

I’ve collected some of the questions I’m asked most often, along with answers that may help you better understand what FEAP does, what we don’t do, and how to connect with us.

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What does FEAP do?

FEAP:

• Supports employees at no cost.

• Provides confidential support.

• Helps members of our community learn and practice skills that can strengthen well-being and resilience.

• Provides legal referrals through a contracted service.

• Shares information about community resources through our Care and Crisis Coordinator.

• Helps individuals connect with other UVA support services, such as the Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights or the Ombuds.

What doesn’t FEAP do?

FEAP does not:

• Negotiate disputes.

• Provide monetary assistance, although we may be able to connect you with a resource that can help.

• Answer legal questions directly, although we can refer you to a service that provides a free 30-minute consultation.

• Provide support for HR services such as Education Benefits, Disability, Retirement, Workers’ Compensation, Career Development, benefit elections, or similar HR programs.

What kinds of things can I talk with FEAP about?

You can talk with FEAP about anything that is affecting your life or well-being. It does not have to be a major problem or a crisis.

Our consultants do not evaluate whether your reason for coming in is “serious enough.” In fact, we encourage people to reach out before an issue has grown into a crisis.

FEAP can also help you build coping skills for the everyday challenges and lower-intensity disruptions that are part of life. Practicing those skills now can make them easier to draw on when you experience something more difficult later.

We believe getting support for an issue—regardless of its size—is an investment in your future well-being.

How can I contact FEAP?

During Business Hours

We will answer or respond as quickly as possible.

The person answering the phone is a member of our administrative team, not one of our counselors. If you are calling to schedule an appointment, please be prepared to discuss scheduling options. Having your calendar available can make the process easier.

After 4:30 p.m.

If you call after 4:30 p.m., you may not receive a response until the next business day. If you are unable to reach us, please leave a message.

Messages or emails received after 5 p.m. generally will not be seen until the following business morning.

Ways We Communicate

Email

We check our email throughout the day.

Whenever possible, please do not send sensitive information or appointment details by email. Instead, we encourage you to use our secure Request an Appointment form, available through the link below and at the top right of the FEAP website.

Website

Schedule an appointment

FEAP For You

FEAP is a no-cost, confidential benefit to UVA Faculty and Staff that is short term, confidential and offers supports that include touch base screenings, curated articles and videos, assisting individuals in locating resources, and short-term counseling.

About the Author

Originally raised outside of Rochester, New York, Eric brings a dynamic perspective shaped by his experiences in a diverse and vibrant community. He holds a Bachelor of Science in English from San Jose State University, where he graduated in 2005.

Eric dedicated two years to teaching High School English, before changing his career path and becoming the Community Education Manager with the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Red Cross and then a Customer Support Specialist with the County of Santa Clara’s Department of Social Services, where he helped support a team of 50 Social Workers and began learning project management.

He volunteered with Gentiva Hospice in San Jose, CA, for three years, supporting patients and families during challenging times. Currently, he volunteers with Four County Players in Ruckersville, VA, contributing to the local arts community. Outside of his professional commitments, Eric is an avid reader and gardener. He cultivates an herb garden and makes his own fruit wine.

September is a month of endings and beginnings—the end of summer and the beginning of fall. If you have children, they are likely back in the classroom. Work demands are picking up again. There is a transitional nature to September that can feel strange, as if existing between two states.

That’s why I think we can learn from September. Sometimes our bodies, our circumstances, or our moods are in places that are difficult to define—somewhere between summer and fall. Somewhere between eager and still settling in. We’re often carrying excitement and uncertainty, energy and fatigue, gratitude and grief.

Clarity reveals itself to us with time and consistency. Denying any of these feelings or pushing through them without noticing their coexistence is like cleaning your glasses with oily fingertips. So, while the temptation may be to rush through these in-between seasons, transitions ask for patience, flexibility, and compassion with ourselves as we adjust to what comes next.

Still, if your season of transition feels like it’s gotten too heavy, FEAP is here to support you. Sometimes simply having someone to talk to can make the space between where you are and where you’re going feel a little more manageable.

Yours in well-being,
Beth Danehy, Director, FEAP

Explore FEAP Services

Subscribe now

Request an Appointment

Upcoming Webinars

Transforming Crisis into Resilience, Hope, and Advocacy for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

September 29, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.

Suicide survivor, mental health advocate, global speaker, best-selling author, and award-winning filmmaker Kevin Hines will share his inspiring story of hope, survival, celebration of life, and the lessons he has learned about resilience, recovery, and the life-saving power of human connection.

Register for Transforming Crisis

Group Events

Reset Space

September 8, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Take an hour to step away, reset, and recharge—giving both your body and mind the space to relax. In this interactive session, you’ll learn practical, evidence-based strategies for managing stress in real time.

Register for Reset Space

Take a Science-Backed Mental Well-Being Screening powered by AiBerry!

UVA FEAP cares about your mental health and offers a variety of confidential screenings at no cost. These include screenings related to feeling down or empty, as well as experiencing thoughts that may feel unusual, confusing, or concerning.

Take a Confidential Well-Being Screening

Confidential Consultation

We want to remind you that FEAP’s 11 consultants are here to support you. Every conversation is completely confidential, so you can seek help with confidence. Whether you’re navigating a difficult time, workplace challenges, family concerns, stress, or something else, our consultants are available to support you at no cost.

Request a Confidential Consultation

Contact FEAP

• FEAP (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-243-2643 (uvafeap.com)

• Crisis & Care Coordinator (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-995-8305 (uvafeap.com)

• FEAP After-Hours Support: 434-243-2643

World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10 reminds us to honor those we've lost, raise awareness, and advocate for systemic change by addressing the broader cultural and environmental factors contributing to suffering and suicide. National Suicide Prevention Week, observed around this day, is focused on sharing resources and stories to further the cause.

Suicide Statistics

According to the CDC WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Reports and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) statistics for 2023:

• Suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 49,300 people (49,316 deaths). [nimh.nih.gov], [cdc.gov]

• The U.S. suicide rate remains substantially higher than it was two decades ago. The age-adjusted suicide rate increased from 10.8 deaths per 100,000 in 2003 to 14.1 in 2023, an increase of approximately 31%. [cdc.gov]

• Suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death among people ages 10-14, 15-24, and 25-44. It was the 5th leading cause of death for ages 45-54 and the 8th leading cause for ages 55-64. [nimh.nih.gov], [sprc.org]

There were more than twice as many suicides (49,316) as homicides (22,830) in the United States. [nimh.nih.gov]

Although suicide deaths declined slightly in 2024, suicide remains a major public health concern. CDC provisional data indicate that 48,824 people died by suicide in 2024, which is approximately one death every 11 minutes. Ongoing challenges include mental health conditions, substance use disorders, social isolation, economic stressors, and disparities in access to behavioral health care and support services. [cdc.gov]

Sources: CDC Suicide Data and Statistics; CDC National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief No. 541; National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Workplace-Related Risks

The workplace is a key environment that may contribute to an increased suicide risk. Job stress, low support, and access to lethal means have been identified as contributors. In 2017, suicide deaths among individuals of working-age increased by 40%, with five major industry groups showing the highest rates: Mining, Quarrying, Oil and Gas Extraction, Construction, Landscaping, and Maintenance. Auto repair, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting, and Transportation and Warehousing are also industries of higher concern. Among Healthcare, physicians, dentists, and pharmacists rank among the top ten most affected.

Role of the Manager in Preventing Suicide

Managers are well-positioned to notice if employees are struggling and can take the first steps to help. Creating a work environment that fosters communication, belonging, and respect can significantly decrease suicide risk. Stigma can prevent people from seeking help, but managers can reassure employees that mental health problems are real and treatable, and discuss them as openly as physical illnesses.

Warning Signs That May Appear in the Workplace

Managers and coworkers may notice:

• Talking about feeling trapped, hopeless, or being a burden.

• Significant changes in mood, behavior, or performance.

• Increased absenteeism or withdrawal from colleagues.

• Declining work quality or concentration.

• Increased substance use.

• Giving away possessions or discussing death.

• Expressing feelings that others would be “better off without me.”

If you or someone you know shows these signs, seek help by calling the Lifeline (988).

Know the Risk Factors

Risk factors include mental disorders, substance use, job loss, lack of social support, and access to lethal means. Cultural and religious beliefs, stigma, and exposure to others who have died by suicide also play a role.

Protective Workplace Factors

Organizations can help reduce risk by:

• Promoting psychological safety and supportive leadership.

• Providing access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).

• Training leaders to recognize and respond to mental health concerns.

• Reducing stigma around mental health treatment.

• Encouraging work-life balance and manageable workloads.

• Building connectedness and peer support.

• Implementing comprehensive workplace suicide prevention programs.

Responding to Those at Risk

If an employee shows signs of immediate risk, take action:

1. Call 911 if self-harm seems imminent.

2. Contact your workplace’s EAP or the Lifeline (988) for guidance.

   1. for UVA you can contact FEAP’s Crisis & Care Coordination

3. Stay with the person until help arrives, and maintain contact for ongoing support.

Workplace Strategies to Prevent Suicide

Evidence-based strategies include promoting help-seeking behaviors, integrating wellness programs, referring workers to supportive services, and creating crisis response plans. It’s essential to foster social connectedness and reduce access to lethal means for those at risk.

We can all make a difference in reversing rising suicide rates, regardless of our industry. Sometimes, all it takes is a calm, listening ear, a caring colleague, and assurance that they are not alone.

Other times, they need connections to mental health or crisis services. Regardless of our industry or occupation, we all have a role in reversing rising suicide rates in our nation.

The CDC has recommended eight evidence-based strategies to help prevent suicide

• Promoting help-seeking behavior, particularly for mental health and substance misuse care.

• Integrating workplace health, safety, and wellness programs to enhance overall worker well-being.

• Referring workers to financial and other supportive services.

• Facilitating time off and benefits to cover supportive services.

• Training personnel to detect and respond to suicide risk. The workplace is crucial for noticing signs of distress, checking in with colleagues, and connecting them to appropriate services.

• Creating opportunities for social connectedness among employees.

• Reducing access to lethal means for individuals at risk.

• Developing a crisis response plan that addresses the needs of co-workers, friends, family, and others who might also be at risk.

Community-Based Strategies Cited by the CDC

• Strengthening economic supports

• Improving access to and delivery of care

• Teaching coping and problem-solving skills

• Reporting suicide responsibly, avoiding contagion

Consider Cultural Differences

Cultural background affects how people respond to problems, including attitudes toward suicide and help-seeking. Tailor your response to accommodate these differences; for example, some individuals may prefer speaking with a faith leader rather than a mental health provider.

What Managers and Coworkers Should Remember

• Take all warning signs seriously.

• Listen more than you speak.

• Do not promise secrecy when safety is involved.

• Focus on connecting the person with professional help, such as FEAP.

• Follow organizational procedures for responding to a mental health crisis.

• Continue supportive follow-up after the immediate crisis has passed.

Crisis Contact Information:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org

• Regional Call Center: 434-230-9704

• Local Crisis Numbers:

  • Region Ten CSB: 434-972-1800 (regionten.org)

  • Harrisonburg Rockingham CSB: 540.434.1766 (hrcsb.org)

  • Encompass Community Supports: (540) 617-0774 (encompasscommunitysupports.org) 

FEAP’s Approach to Suicide Prevention

A 2023 study highlighted increased suicidal ideation and attempts during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among adults and clinical patients. In response, FEAP has implemented routine risk assessment using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale at the initial appointment. Protocols are in place to determine the appropriate level of required care and, if necessary, a safety plan is completed with the employee.

The Crisis & Care Coordinator (CCC) role has improved responsiveness to crises and provided timely consultations and interventions, including safety evaluations and referrals. FEAP also provides after-hours and weekend support by skilled mental health professionals, ensuring continuous access to crisis intervention if needed.

Contact FEAP

• FEAP (8am-5pm M-F): 434-243-2643 (uvafeap.com)

• Crisis & Care Coordinator (8am-5pm M-F): 434-995-8305 (uvafeap.com)

• FEAP After-Hours Support: 434-243-2643

About the Author

Rodney Diehl

With over 25 years of experience in hospital and community mental health and substance use services, Rodney specializes in Crisis Intervention and Emergency Services. He has extensive experience in assessment and diagnosis, brief individual therapy, case management, community education and training, and anger management group facilitation. He is committed to providing trauma-informed, culturally competent care with a person-centered, strengths-based approach.

One of the biggest misconceptions about suicide is that talking about it will put the idea into someone’s head. In reality, asking someone directly about suicide can lower anxiety, open the door to an honest conversation, and help a person feel less alone.

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Know the Facts

Misconceptions about suicide can make it harder to recognize when someone needs support—or make us hesitant to reach out.

Myth: Talking about suicide encourages someone to attempt suicide.

Fact: Asking directly about suicidal thoughts does not encourage suicide. An open, compassionate conversation can provide relief and give someone an opportunity to talk about what they are experiencing.

Myth: Once someone is suicidal, nothing can be done.

Fact: Most suicidal crises are temporary. Support, resources, hope, and professional help can play an important role in helping someone through a crisis.

Myth: Suicide happens without warning.

Fact: A person experiencing suicidal thoughts may show warning signs or give clues about what they are experiencing. Recognizing those signs and responding can help save a life.

What Should You Do?

If you notice warning signs or someone shares that they are struggling:

• Stay calm, present, and nonjudgmental.

• Ask directly: “Are you thinking about suicide?” or “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”

• Listen and give them space to talk about what they are experiencing.

• Work with them to help keep them safe.

• Connect them with professional support, such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a counselor, physician, social worker, or other mental health professional.

• If you do not believe you can keep the person—or yourself—safe, get help immediately. If 911 is needed, tell the dispatcher that the person may be at risk for suicide and, if available, request a mental health crisis professional.

When possible, make sure someone remains with the person until professional help is available.

Words Matter

The language we use can help reduce stigma around suicide. Consider saying someone “died by suicide” rather than “committed suicide.” The word committed can carry associations with crime or wrongdoing, while died by suicide describes the death without adding judgment or shame.

You Don’t Have to Be a Mental Health Professional

You do not need to have all the answers. Your role is not to solve someone’s crisis alone.

Sometimes, one of the most important things you can do is notice, ask, listen, and help someone connect with support.

Talking about suicide can be difficult, but it can also be a relief for someone who has been carrying those thoughts alone. Your willingness to have a caring, direct conversation may be an important first step toward getting them the help they need.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. If there is an immediate threat to life or safety, seek emergency help.

Remember: Asking about suicide does not cause suicide. A direct, compassionate conversation can open the door to support.

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Mary and Pam both train Mental Health First Aid.

Mental Health First Aid Training
September 26, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Interested in becoming certified in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)? An upcoming two-day 8hr training is now open for registration.

Mental Health First Aid Training

About Pam

Pam specializes in marriage and family education, tailoring her passion for healthy marriages and the survival of families to create a distinctive, practical, and creative coaching method that merges life experience and clinical techniques.

She recognizes through personal experience and working in community mental health, how families and communities can be impacted from the exposure to mental illness, substance abuse, and trauma. Through those purposeful experiences Pamela has made it her purpose to encourage, restore and empower - meeting people right where they are.

Also an author, storyteller, professional life and relationship coach, motivational speaker, small group facilitator, Prepare-Enrich Facilitator, Mediator, and former host of The Hamilton Exchange Radio, Pam brings a wealth of experience to her consultations.

About Mary

Mary Sherman

A member of the FEAP team since 1996, Mary Sherman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Employee Assistance Professional in Virginia.

Mary offers expertise in coaching, stress management, and more, helping individuals navigate diverse personal and workplace challenges.

As we anticipate August and a new academic year, I've been reflecting on how much of what people carry remains unseen.

In my role, I have the privilege of hearing about some of your experiences. While my perspective is necessarily limited, those conversations offer a window into the personal and professional demands faculty and staff are navigating every day.

At work, we see only a part of one another's lives. What may be less visible are the cumulative stressors people are carrying: losses both large and small; uncertainty about health, finances, and the future; caregiving responsibilities; difficult relationships or estrangement; and the ongoing effort of navigating an increasingly complex world.

While important work continues to move forward across the institution, there may also be a quiet recognition that doing so requires more effort than it once did.
When life feels demanding, it can be tempting to place our own needs at the bottom of the list and view seeking support as something we'll get to later.

I’d like to gently remind you that mental and emotional support are not luxuries, they are essential to sustaining yourself through difficult seasons with greater capacity, perspective, and connection.

At FEAP, we’re here to support you. Our confidential, no-cost services are available whether you’re navigating a specific challenge or simply feeling the weight of accumulated stressors. You do not have to carry it alone.

Yours in well-being,
Beth Danehy, Director, FEAP

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Step Forward Together | FEAP Substack

Mental Health Minute Challenge

Before opening your email each morning, pause and take three slow, deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose for a count of three, then exhale through pursed lips for a count of five. After your final breath, set a positive intention for the day, such as…

Read more

3 months ago · UVA FEAP

Upcoming Webinars

Coping With Grief: Understanding and Adapting to Loss

August 27, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.

Grief is a natural response to loss that can affect emotional, cognitive, physical, and interpersonal well-being. Dr. J. Kim Penberthy will introduce practical coping strategies, including mindfulness, self-compassion, social connection, manageable routines, and meaningful remembrance

Register for Coping with Grief

Transforming Crisis into Resilience, Hope, and Advocacy for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

September 29, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.

Suicide survivor, mental health advocate, global speaker, best-selling author, and award-winning filmmaker Kevin Hines will share his inspiring story of hope, survival, celebration of life, and the lessons he has learned about resilience, recovery, and the life-saving power of human connection.

Register for Transforming Crisis

Group Events

Reset Space

August 11, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Take an hour to step away, reset, and recharge—giving both your body and mind the space to relax. In this interactive session, you’ll learn practical, evidence-based strategies for managing stress in real time.

Register for Reset Space

FEAP is available for individual consultation and short term, focused counseling for a variety of personal issues and common concerns—including helping you discover best steps for finding long-term personalized care.

Take a Confidential Well-Being Screening

Confidential Consultation

We want to remind you that FEAP's 11 consultants are here to support you. Every conversation is completely confidential, so you can seek help with confidence. Whether you're navigating a difficult time, workplace challenges, family concerns, stress, or something else, our consultants are available to support you at no cost.

Request a Confidential Consultation

Contact FEAP

• FEAP (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-243-2643 (uvafeap.com)

• Crisis & Care Coordinator (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-995-8305 (uvafeap.com)

• FEAP After-Hours Support: 434-243-2643

Before opening your email each morning, pause and take three slow, deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose for a count of three, then exhale through pursed lips for a count of five. After your final breath, set a positive intention for the day, such as, “Today I will look for joy,” or “Today I will focus on what I can control.”

Why it works:
Taking a few deep breaths can help calm the body’s stress response, clear your mind, and improve focus. Setting a positive intention helps direct your attention toward what matters most and can make it easier to notice moments of joy, gratitude, or accomplishment throughout the day.

Try it throughout August and see how you feel.

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July is a time wrapped in fireworks, cookouts, vacations, and celebrations. It can feel like the whole world is thrilled—but what do we do if we're not feeling that way?

For some, this season brings excitement and connection. For others, it may come alongside grief, financial stress, family tension, loneliness, uncertainty, or simply the weight of the constant changes happening in the world. Many of us experience both at the same time.

One of the healthiest things we can do is give ourselves permission to feel what we're actually feeling and release what we think we should be feeling. We don't have to force ourselves to be cheerful, attend every gathering, or pretend everything is okay. In fact, acknowledging difficult emotions is often the first step toward coping with them in healthy, meaningful ways.

This month, following Independence Day, perhaps we can also practice a different kind of independence: freeing ourselves from the pressure to perform. Perhaps we can make space for honesty, self-compassion, and the habits that truly support our well-being. Caring for ourselves means learning to navigate life's challenges one day at a time. And if it ever feels too difficult, please know FEAP is here to support you.

Yours in well-being,
Beth Danehy, Director, FEAP

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Request an Appointment

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Upcoming Webinars

Exploring Confidence: Strategy, Trust, and The Narrative

July 21, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.

Join this webinar to demystify confidence and reframe it as a skill that can be built through preparation, strategy, self-awareness, and intentional action. Participants will explore how the stories we tell ourselves shape the way we show up, and how being equipped with tools, language, and a clear personal narrative can strengthen confidence in everyday life, leadership, work, and relationships.

Register for Exploring Confidence

Group Events

Reset Space

August 11, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Take an hour to step away, reset, and recharge—giving both your body and mind the space to relax. In this interactive session, you’ll learn practical, evidence-based strategies for managing stress in real time.

Register for Reset Space

FEAP is available for individual consultation and short term, focused counseling for a variety of personal issues and common concerns—including helping you discover best steps for finding long-term personalized care.

Take a Confidential Well-Being Screening

Request a Confidential Consultation

Contact FEAP

• FEAP (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-243-2643 (uvafeap.com)

• Crisis & Care Coordinator (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-995-8305 (uvafeap.com)

• FEAP After-Hours Support: 434-243-2643

Whether you’re returning from a vacation, caring for a loved one, recovering from an illness, taking parental leave, attending to personal matters, or simply stepping away from work for a few days, coming back can be an adjustment. For me, the transition itself felt surprisingly demanding.

When we’ve been away from work for a period of time, our brains often have a chance to shift away from the demands of the workday. Then, almost overnight, we’re back to making decisions, solving problems, responding to emails, and juggling competing priorities. That abrupt shift can leave us feeling tired, distracted, or overwhelmed—even if our time away was restorative.

I’ve noticed that the combination of a full inbox, a growing to-do list, and the pressure to catch up quickly can feel like a fast track to burnout. It can also lead to decision fatigue and make it harder to focus.

If you’ve returned from time away feeling a little slow, scattered, or mentally fatigued, try not to interpret that as a sign you didn’t make good use of your time away. Instead, it may simply be part of the natural adjustment back into work. Like any transition, it takes time.

The good news is that while this adjustment is normal, it doesn’t have to be unnecessarily difficult. Here are six research-backed strategies that can help make the return a little smoother.

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Ease Back In—Don’t Sprint

If possible, avoid treating your first day back as a race to catch up. Research suggests that easing into work by tackling lighter or more familiar tasks first can reduce feelings of overload and help you regain momentum more effectively.

Set Clear Priorities

It’s tempting to try to do everything at once, but competing priorities often increase stress while reducing productivity. Instead, identify one or two high-priority tasks for each day during your first week back. A clear plan can help restore focus and confidence.

Protect Your Attention

Our brains don’t switch between tasks as efficiently as we often think. Constantly bouncing between email, meetings, and projects creates “attention residue,” making it harder to concentrate.

Try checking email at designated times or scheduling at least one uninterrupted block for focused work. Whatever approach you choose, look for ways to reduce unnecessary task switching.

Re-establish Your Routine

Returning to familiar routines helps signal to your brain that it’s time to shift back into work mode. Consistent sleep, regular meals, physical activity, and your usual morning routine can all help make the transition feel smoother.

Expect a Temporary Dip

Research on the “post-vacation blues” suggests it’s common to experience a brief dip in motivation, energy, or productivity after returning to work. Give yourself permission to ease back into your workload. Rather than expecting peak performance immediately, focus on making steady progress during your first week.

Continue Caring for Your Well-Being

One of the greatest benefits of vacation is the opportunity to recharge. Try not to lose those gains by immediately overcommitting yourself.

Remember to:

• Take meaningful breaks throughout the day.

• Set realistic expectations for yourself.

• Protect time for sleep, movement, and the activities that help you recharge outside of work.

Returning from vacation doesn’t mean you have to leave behind everything that made you feel refreshed. Give yourself a little grace as you settle back into your routine. With a bit of patience and intention, you can carry some of that renewed energy into the weeks ahead.

But remember, you don’t have to navigate life’s transitions alone.

FEAP is available as a free and confidential resource for employees and their adult household members. Whether you’re adjusting after time away, managing work-related stress, navigating a life change, or simply looking for someone to talk to, support is available.

Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do isn’t to push through—it’s to reach out. Whenever you need it, FEAP is here to help.

Request a Confidential Consultation

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About Beth

Beth Danehy

Beth joined FEAP in August 2019, coming from the University of Rochester where she was the Director the Employee Assistance Program and an Assistant in Psychiatry. Ms. Danehy is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and has completed Mastery Training for Coaches from the Arbinger Institute. Prior to becoming an Employee Assistance professional, Ms. Danehy was an Advanced Practitioner Mediator in private practice. Ms. Danehy has extensive experience in bio/psycho/social assessment, worksite and manager consultations, conflict and communication coaching, and mediation and couples therapy. Member Employee Assistance Professionals Association, International Association of Employee Assistance Professionals in Education, and American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy.

June arrives with longer days, warmer evenings, and the unmistakable feeling that summer has begun. It may bring memories of school letting out, afternoons spent outdoors, and a season that seemed to stretch endlessly ahead. Fittingly, one theory suggests that the name June may be connected to the Latin word juvenis, meaning “young people” or “youth.” Whether or not that is the true origin, June offers us an opportunity to reconnect with our sense of play, curiosity and renewal.

As responsibilities accumulate and schedules fill, it can be natural to focus on what needs to be done while forgetting to ask ourselves a simpler question: “What do I need?” The answer may be more rest, more play, more connection, or simply a little time outdoors. The things that nourished us when we were younger often still have something to teach us today.

This month, consider checking in with yourself with the same kindness and attention you might offer a child you care about. What would help you feel energized, supported, and cared for? What have you been putting off that might bring you happiness?

At FEAP, we’re here to support you during any month of year. Whether you’re navigating stress, seeking balance, or simply looking for ways to reconnect with yourself, our confidential, no-cost services are available to help.

This June, take a moment to listen to your needs, embrace a little curiosity, and remember to enjoy the season.

Yours in well-being,
Beth Danehy, Director, FEAP

Explore FEAP Services

Request an Appointment

Subscribe now

Upcoming Webinars

Exploring Confidence: Strategy, Trust, and The Narrative

July 21, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.

Join this webinar to demystify confidence and reframe it as a skill that can be built through preparation, strategy, self-awareness, and intentional action. Participants will explore how the stories we tell ourselves shape the way we show up, and how being equipped with tools, language, and a clear personal narrative can strengthen confidence in everyday life, leadership, work, and relationships.

Register for Exploring Confidence

Group Events

Reset Space

August 11, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Take an hour to step away, reset, and recharge—giving both your body and mind the space to relax. In this interactive session, you’ll learn practical, evidence-based strategies for managing stress in real time.

Register for Reset Space

FEAP is available for individual consultation and short term, focused counseling for a variety of personal issues and common concerns—including helping you discover best steps for finding long-term personalized care.

Contact FEAP

• FEAP (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-243-2643 (uvafeap.com)

• Crisis & Care Coordinator (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-995-8305 (uvafeap.com)

• FEAP After-Hours Support: 434-243-2643

For many families, the transition into summer is a relief. The backpacks are finally put away. Children no longer need to wake up quite so early. There is an undeniable ease to this time of year.

But that feeling doesn’t last forever.

Almost immediately, many parents and caregivers realize that the structure school naturally provides is gone. For working parents especially, summer can feel like a long stretch of figuring things out one day at a time.

And that can be exhausting. Parenting doesn’t look the same for all of us. Some families have flexible schedules, work from home, live near relatives, or have access to camps and childcare. Others are balancing full-time, in-person work with limited childcare options and very little backup support.

Wherever you fall on that spectrum, I encourage you not to get caught up in the idea of creating the perfect summer. Instead, focus on building just enough structure, connection, and support to help the season feel manageable—for both you and your family.

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Building a Simple Summer Rhythm

One of the biggest adjustments for children during the summer is the sudden loss of routine. School provides a built-in structure that many of us only notice once it’s gone.

Creating a simple, repeatable rhythm can help both you and your child feel more grounded throughout the season.

For Work-from-Home and Stay-at-Home Parents

A few simple practices can help create predictability:

• Keep meal times somewhat consistent.

• Create designated quiet times.

• Use visual schedules for younger children.

• Let children know when you are available and when you are “at work.”

Even something as simple as a color-coded system can help:

• Green: Parent is available

• Yellow: Interrupt only if it’s important

• Red: In a meeting

Clear signals can reduce interruptions and help children feel secure knowing when they will have your attention.

Schedule Connection on Purpose

Many parents carry guilt during the summer. Whether you work from home, outside the home, or are a full-time caregiver, this season can make it feel as though you’re not spending enough time with your children—even when their needs are being met.

One way to reduce that pressure is to schedule connection intentionally rather than hoping it happens during already busy days.

Consider:

• Having lunch together once a week

• Taking a morning walk

• Playing a quick game during the day

• Stopping for ice cream after work

• Inviting your child to help cook a meal

The most meaningful moments are often the most consistent ones. There is no need for every interaction to feel special or elaborate. Over the course of a summer, consistency will likely matter more to your child than the scale of any individual activity.

Structure the Kitchen

Without some rhythm around meals and snacks, the kitchen can quickly become a source of daily stress.

A little structure can go a long way:

• Set general windows for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

• Create designated snack bins.

• Keep easy, repeatable lunch options available.

Reducing constant decision-making can help prevent:

• Hearing “There’s nothing to eat” every afternoon

• Constant grazing and over-snacking

• Food waste during a time of rising grocery costs

Groceries are expensive enough without the refrigerator becoming an all-day vending machine. Planning can help with that.

If Flexibility Is Possible, Use It

If your role allows for flexibility, even small adjustments can make a difference:

• A shifted schedule

• One remote day per week

• Half-day adjustments

• Shared caregiving responsibilities with a partner

Sometimes small changes create meaningful breathing room for everyone involved.

Understand Your Situation and Be Proactive

You may hear advice about “leaning on your village.” That can be helpful—if you have one available and accessible.

If you do have support from friends, family, or neighbors, reaching out before you’re overwhelmed can make a significant difference. Many parents wait until they are already drowning before reaching out for support.

Try to:

• Send the text early.

• Coordinate the playdate early.

• Ask the grandparents early.

Sometimes people genuinely want to help—they just need advance notice and a clear opportunity to step in.

One simple strategy is to send family members the dates your children are available and ask, “Who wants what days?” It helps everyone plan ahead, gives children built-in connection time with family, and prevents parents from scrambling at the last minute.

And honestly? It gives you a break too. Yes, parents need breaks, and no, you do not need to feel guilty about that.

It is also important to respect the people who are helping you. If a friend, neighbor, or grandparent agrees to step in, communicate clearly, honor the plans you make, and be mindful of their time and energy too. People are often more willing to continue helping when they feel appreciated rather than overwhelmed.

If you do not have that kind of support system, or if you’re looking for structured options that provide additional relief and predictability, the following community resources may help.

Local Summer Resources

Albemarle County Parks & Recreation

• Ages 6–13

• Approximately $220 for two weeks

• Full-day structure from morning through late afternoon

Charlottesville Parks & Recreation

• Ages 6–13

• Approximately $76–125 per week

• Full-day programming

YMCA of Central Virginia

• Summer camps and youth programming

• Financial assistance may be available

Boys & Girls Clubs

• Structured, supervised environments

• Often lower-cost and community-focused

Local libraries, community centers, and nonprofit organizations may also offer:

• Free events

• Reading programs

• Drop-in activities

• Teen volunteer opportunities

Sharon Hostler Child Development Center (For UVA Employees)

Through Bright Horizons, UVA employees may have access to school-age backup care.

• Up to 15 days of care

• Cost: $15 per day, per child

• Maximum cost: $25 per day per family

Availability is limited (approximately 12–14 spots per day), so planning ahead is encouraged.

Redefining What a “Good Summer” Means

At some point, most parents will hear it:

“I’m bored.”

It can help to reframe boredom—not as a problem that needs to be solved immediately, but as an opportunity to build independence, creativity, and self-awareness.

Early in the summer, consider talking with your child about:

• What boredom feels like

• Ways to entertain themselves

• When to seek connection and when to engage in independent play

Because often, boredom is not really about having nothing to do. It’s about wanting connection. Parents are not meant to function as full-time entertainers all summer long.

When connection is needed, it doesn’t have to be elaborate. Some simple ideas include:

• Playing a quick board game

• Having a water balloon challenge

• Creating a short scavenger hunt

• Cooking a meal together

• Reading side by side

The goal is to create enough structure, creativity, and connection that everyone feels seen and supported—not emotionally exhausted by July.

It can also be easy to compare your summer to what you see others doing.

The family vacations.
The camps.
The packed calendars.
The social media highlights.

But a successful summer doesn’t have to look like any of those things.

Sometimes a successful summer looks like this:

• Everyone was fed.

• Everyone stayed reasonably healthy and steady.

• Work responsibilities were managed.

• Your children felt loved and cared for.

That counts. It really does. And honestly? For many working parents, that is more than enough.

What If It Starts to Feel Like Too Much?

You don’t have to wait until you’re overwhelmed to reach out for support.

FEAP is available as a free and confidential resource for employees and their families. Whether you need help managing stress, navigating a challenge, finding childcare resources, or simply talking things through with someone, support is available.

Reaching out doesn’t have to be a last resort. It can be part of how you care for yourself and your family throughout the summer—one day at a time.

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About Pam

Pam specializes in marriage and family education, tailoring her passion for healthy marriages and the survival of families to create a distinctive, practical, and creative coaching method that merges life experience and clinical techniques.

She recognizes through personal experience and working in community mental health, how families and communities can be impacted from the exposure to mental illness, substance abuse, and trauma. Through those purposeful experiences Pamela has made it her purpose to encourage, restore and empower - meeting people right where they are.

Also an author, storyteller, professional life and relationship coach, motivational speaker, small group facilitator, Prepare-Enrich Facilitator, Mediator, and former host of The Hamilton Exchange Radio, Pam brings a wealth of experience to her consultations.

From a young age, many boys are taught to bottle up their emotions. “Big boys don’t cry” may seem like a harmless phrase, but over time it can encourage emotional suppression and reinforce the idea that vulnerability is weakness. Eventually, some men may feel trapped by emotional pain they no longer know how to express. This can lead to a powder keg of negative emotions. While, women are about 1.2 times more likely to attempt suicide, men tend to use more lethal methods and are often more intent on completing the act, likely in response to long-term emotional suppression.

This is why Men’s Mental Health Month is so important. According to the National Institutes of Health, men report experiencing emotions such as sadness at rates similar to women. However, social conditioning often encourages men across racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds to suppress vulnerability and rely instead on more socially acceptable expressions of distress, such as anger or aggression.

As a culture, we need to encourage men to stop waiting until they are ready to explode and start caring for their mental health proactively. Men are far less likely to discuss stress, anxiety, depression, or loneliness, and therefore less likely to seek support. Yet mental health screenings, counseling, and honest conversations remain some of the most effective tools we have for preventing crisis and promoting well-being.

Many men’s negative relationship with help-seeking can also affect their mental health. Many men postpone routine medical appointments due to busy schedules, fear of bad news, financial concerns, or cultural expectations to “tough it out.” This can lead to missed opportunities to detect conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer when they are most treatable. Physical and mental health are deeply connected, and untreated health concerns can increase stress, anxiety, and a diminished sense of well-being.

Mental health is also influenced by our daily habits. Nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and community all play important roles in how we feel. Many of us can remember fathers, grandfathers, or other men in our lives working long hours, sacrificing sleep, skipping exercise, eating whatever was convenient, and putting everyone else’s needs ahead of their own. Sometimes this comes from a desire to provide for family. Sometimes it comes from avoiding difficult emotions. Often it is a combination of both.

While hard work and sacrifice can be admirable, there can be unintended consequences when self-care is consistently neglected. Emotions that are ignored do not disappear, and providing for others at the expense of one’s own mental health can eventually lead to burnout, resentment, isolation, and decreased well-being. In the long run, caring for yourself is one of the ways you care for those who depend on you.

So, men—This Men’s Mental Health Month, I want to challenge you to take a small step in putting your mental health first. Take an AiBerry screening. AiBerry offers 12 quick and confidential mental health screenings that can help you check in with yourself and better understand your emotional well-being. Answer some questions and see how you’re doing.

Take a Mental Health Screening

Everyone, I also want to challenge you to check in with a man who is important to you. Sometimes a simple conversation can make a meaningful difference.

Ten Questions to Help Start the Conversation

1. How have you really been doing lately?

2. What’s been taking up most of your energy recently?

3. What has been stressing you out the most?

4. Do you feel you’ve been getting enough sleep?

5. What is something you’ve been thinking about that you haven’t talked much about?

6. What has been bringing you joy lately?

7. Have you felt like you’ve been getting the support you need?

8. Is there anything you wish people understood better about your life?

9. What is one thing you need right now that you’re not getting?

10. How can I better support you?

Reach out for Support

Prioritizing and discussing your mental health is not a sign of weakness, and seeking help is a normal part of being human. At FEAP, we are committed to supporting employees and their families through every stage of life. Whether you are looking for someone to talk to, resources to help manage stress, or simply a place to start, our confidential, no-cost services are here for you. This month, let’s make space for honest conversations, meaningful check-ins, and the reminder that none of us are meant to carry life’s challenges alone.

Request a Confidential Consultation

• FEAP (8am-5pm M-F): 434-243-2643 (uvafeap.com)

• Crisis & Care Coordinator (8am-5pm M-F): 434-995-8305 (uvafeap.com)

• FEAP After-Hours Support: 434-243-2643

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About Rodney

Rodney Diehl

With over 25 years of experience in hospital and community mental health and substance use services, Rodney specializes in Crisis Intervention and Emergency Services. He has extensive experience in assessment and diagnosis, brief individual therapy, case management, community education and training, and anger management group facilitation. He is committed to providing trauma-informed, culturally competent care with a person-centered, strengths-based approach.

May—especially in Charlottesville—is marked by caps and gowns, ceremonies, and preparations for new chapters. In a way that can feel difficult to keep up with, the month invites us to look ahead to summer. Calendars begin to fill quickly, and just when it seems time for a breather, expectations often rise again. For many of us, these next few months represent accomplishment, transition, celebration, and anticipation.

Though this season can be exciting, I know it is not easy for everyone. Someone has to plan the graduation party. Someone has to make sure the kids have summer plans. If we’ve graduated, there may be pressure to figure everything out. Or perhaps you are looking forward to a vacation but still have a boatload of work to get through first. Whatever your situation, it is important to take care of yourself during this season.

It seems fitting that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Even during busy and celebratory seasons, we still need time to pause and reconnect with our needs. Doing so can help us show up more fully for our communities and celebrate with less anxiety. We do not have to solve every problem today, and we can afford to be gentle with ourselves. Without ignoring our responsibilities, we can continue finding ways to sustain and care for ourselves.

Not sure how to do that? At FEAP, we are here to support you through every season. Whether you are navigating stress, burnout, uncertainty, or simply seeking support during a demanding time, our confidential, no-cost services are here for you.

Yours in well-being,
Beth Danehy, Director, FEAP

Explore FEAP Services

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Upcoming Webinars

Healthy Brain Aging: What You Can Do to Reduce Your Risk for Dementia

June 4, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.

Join this Hoos Well reward-eligible webinar to recognize your risk factors for developing dementia and learn what you and your primary care team can do to reduce your risk of dementia.

Register for Healthy Brain Aging

Exploring Confidence: Strategy, Trust, and The Narrative

July 21, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.

Join this Hoos Well reward-eligible webinar to demystify confidence and reframe it as a skill that can be built through preparation, strategy, self-awareness, and intentional action. Participants will explore how the stories we tell ourselves shape the way we show up, and how being equipped with tools, language, and a clear personal narrative can strengthen confidence in everyday life, leadership, work, and relationships.

Register for Exploring Confidence

FREE! Mental Health First Aid Training

Two-Day Training

May 28, 12:00 noon – 4:30 p.m.
2420 Old Ivy Rd | HR Collaboration Space, Third Floor, Old Ivy Hall

May 29 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
2420 Old Ivy Rd | Rooms 131 & 133, First Floor, Old Ivy Hall

Register by emailing Mary Sherman at mbs5n@virginia.edu.

Group Events

Reset Space

June 9, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Take an hour to step away, reset, and recharge—giving both your body and mind the space to relax. In this interactive session, you’ll learn practical, evidence-based strategies for managing stress in real time.

Register for Reset Space

Writing Through Estrangement (FINAL SESSION)

June 9, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Join Shane Moran and Beth Danehy for the final Writing Through Estrangement.
This offering is for anyone living with estrangement from an immediate family member—parent, child, sibling, or guardian—whether the distance was chosen or not. Together we’ll explore how to live with separation through brief readings, gentle reflective writing, and optional sharing. This is not a reconciliation or therapy group.

Register for Writing Offering

FEAP is available for individual consultation and short term, focused counseling for a variety of personal issues and common concerns—including helping you discover best steps for finding long-term personalized care.

Contact FEAP

• FEAP (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-243-2643 (uvafeap.com)

• Crisis & Care Coordinator (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F): 434-995-8305 (uvafeap.com)

• FEAP After-Hours Support: 434-243-2643

We use this opportunity, both in May and throughout the year, to normalize conversations about mental health, reduce stigma, and encourage everyone to prioritize their well-being. Just as importantly, we strive to build a community of mental well-being advocates. As interest continues to grow, more individuals are seeking to expand their knowledge, learn how to support others, and help create environments that are inclusive and supportive for all.

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FEAP Well-Being Walk Recap

On May 6, FEAP hosted the Third Annual Well-Being Walk in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. We were proud to partner with the Contemplative Sciences Center, Hoos Well, and additional campus collaborators:

• Department of Student Health and Wellness and Counseling & Psychological Services

• Center for Faculty Wellbeing and Development

• Staff Senate

• UVA Recreation

• Compassionate Care Initiative

• Thriving Youth in a Digital Environment (TYDE)

• UVA Police Department

• UVA HR Career Navigation

• Office of Team Wellbeing

• Employee Resource Groups

• UVA Health System Ombuds

How You Can Support Mental Health Awareness at Work

There are many ways you can promote mental well-being within your workplace:

• Invite FEAP to your team or department:

  • 1-hour Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention seminar

  • 15-minute FEAP Orientation

  • 30-minute Skill-building session integrated into an existing staff meeting

• Stay informed and share resources:

  • Read the monthly FEAP newsletter for upcoming events and educational opportunities

  • Share events and resources through your team’s internal communications

• Participate in community events:

  • Attend events such as the Well-Being Walk or World Mental Health Day

  • Encourage colleagues to join you

• Complete Mental Health First Aid Training:

  • An 8-hour certification program that equips participants to support others experiencing mental health challenges

  • Upcoming sessions:

    • May 28, 12:00–4:30 PM — 2420 Old Ivy Rd, 3rd Floor (HR Collab Space)

    • May 29, 8:30 AM–1:00 PM — 2420 Old Ivy Rd, 1st Floor (Rooms 131/133)

    • To register, contact Mary Sherman at mbs5n@virginia.edu

• Attend the Thrive Together Webinar Series:

  • Monthly emotional well-being sessions designed to build knowledge and provide practical tools for managing your well-being.

• Partner with FEAP

  • Contact Mary Sherman at mbs5n@virginia.edu if you want to partner with FEAP in supporting mental health awareness in the workplace. You can also share with Mary what you are doing to support mental wellbeing like this Mental Health First Aider :
    

By taking any one of these steps, we can each play a role in fostering a culture that values and supports mental health.

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About Mary

Mary Sherman

A member of the FEAP team since 1996, Mary Sherman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Employee Assistance Professional in Virginia.

Mary offers expertise in coaching, stress management, and more, helping individuals navigate diverse personal and workplace challenges.

I’ve written to you all before about how Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affect both my personal and professional life. And while I’d made changes that genuinely helped—increased physical activity, less drinking, more sleep, and so on—by February, I still felt completely drained.

I reached out to my doctor, who suggested stimulants, though she explained it would take a couple visits for a re-diagnosis—yada yada yada. A re-diagnosis? HA! Friends, some days I think I need a brain transplant. I thought, I don’t think that we need to gather more evidence here.

I was frustrated because I was trying my best. I’d made new social connections, I was reading, I do purposeful work—literally, I had just gotten back from Paris. I couldn’t understand my lack of motivation, and I needed help.

I’d been prescribed ADHD medication before, and I treated it like some kind of super drug. I didn’t enjoy being stimulated every day, so I’d wait until I had a big project, take it as needed, then stop again. Whether I needed to prove I had ADHD again or not, I knew stimulants weren’t really the answer.

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Once I told her that, my doctor suggested an antidepressant.

An antidepressant?

Although I struggle with depression during the darker months, I’d never tried one—mostly because there was a stigma around it in my family. My mother was skeptical that depression was even a real medical issue, and my father could become almost theatrical about imagined long-term side effects. But I felt I needed to do something.

So she prescribed me an antidepressant, which costs pennies compared to the ADHD medication, and still I kept forgetting to take it. HA! ADHD preventing me from doing the thing that was supposed to help me. Not surprising at all.

It wasn’t until I started feeling physically uncomfortable from taking the prescription so irregularly that I realized I needed to lock in.

Toward the end of April, I started taking my antidepressant every day. I’m more productive, more motivated, and I feel more in charge of my well-being. When I told my mother, she admitted she thinks she may have felt depressed her entire life. She said she might visit a doctor now. I don’t think she has yet, but it still felt like a major first step for us—acknowledging what is true.

Sometimes we need help, and that help looks different for everyone. What matters most is that we take our mental health seriously and make the choices that are right for ourselves.

Three Simple Ways to Take Charge of Your Mental Health

1. Request a Confidential Consultation with FEAP
   
   Even though FEAP does not offer diagnosis or prescription services, starting with FEAP can be really helpful. FEAP is available for individual consultation and short term, focused counseling for a variety of personal issues and common concerns—including helping you discover best steps for finding long-term personalized care.
   

   Request a Confidential Consultation

2. Find a PCP
   
   Having a PCP can help you access medical support for your mental well-being while building a long-term relationship with someone who understands both your physical and emotional health needs. UVA employees enrolled in a UVA Health Plan also have access to the UVA Employee Primary Care Clinic, which offers preventative care, same-day visits, medication management, and other primary care services designed to make healthcare more accessible for the UVA community.

Learn More About UVA Primary Care Clinic

3. UVA Health Plan Members, Sign Up for Teladoc
   
   Teladoc offers health plan member access to licensed therapists and psychiatrists for stress, anxiety, depression, and medication management seven days a week.

Learn More about Teladoc

About Shane

Shane Moran

Shane Moran is a Communications Specialist with UVA HR, where he supports the communications and marketing efforts for UVA’s Total Rewards programs. He is dedicated to sharing vital information with faculty and staff about physical and mental health, aiming to help them stay healthy and fulfilled as they contribute to the University’s 2030 Plan vision—to be both great and good.

Shane holds a degree in Government and English from the College of William & Mary and is currently pursuing an MFA in Poetry at New York University Paris.

Last fall I obtained my Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification, and I better understand that managing mental health is an ongoing process that doesn’t start when there is a “problem.” More than ever, I’ve realized that just as we practice preventive care for our physical bodies through annual check-ups, lab work, and vaccines, we also need to take preventive measures for our mental health.

Here are four ways I like to support my mental health:

Making Healthy Food Choices

Making healthy food choices is a huge part of caring for my mental health. I do my best to eat wholesome foods balanced with healthy fats and foods full of naturally sourced vitamins and minerals.

Interestingly, I noticed that decreasing my consumption of refined sugar helped reduce inflammation in my body and improved my overall brain health.

Moving My Body

Physical movement is non-negotiable for me. While I don’t prioritize intense workouts, I ensure I get moving. A simple walk around the block during my lunch break or after work helps me decompress.

When I’m on site, I sometimes walk to a bathroom on another floor or find a private area to jump up and down or shake off stressful energy. It may sound silly, but once I paid attention to how intuitive children and animals are with their movement and how it helps them regulate, I thought I should give it a try. It’s helped me reset in a short time, especially if I’m not home.

Practicing Mindfulness and Meditative Activities

I often use guided meditation apps or listen to calming soundscapes. Others prefer prayer or chanting to help calm their mind and recenter themselves. Creating an environment of quiet and calm helps me regulate and stop stress or anxiety from festering or taking over my day. Another mindful practice includes journaling—whether writing, typing, or speaking—I’ve found that getting thoughts down helps me find clarity in what I’m feeling or thinking.

Socializing and Therapy

Lastly, I find that talking to someone is always helpful to clear my mind. Whether you try therapy, talking to a trusted friend or family member, or spending time with community groups—talking to someone can help you process thoughts and most importantly feel connected to another person.

Taking One Step at a Time

Getting my MHFA certification helped me more clearly recognize that caring for my mental health doesn’t have to be overwhelming. When I want to integrate a new practice, I start by adding one small, intentional tool to my mental health kit at a time. We have the agency to explore new ways to care for ourselves as life changes, but we don’t have to do it all at once.

Finding Support

Sometimes, there are things that feel too big to solve in one conversation with a friend or family member, and you don’t know the next step or which small tool to integrate. And that’s okay because at no cost, you can access real-time support from FEAP.

At FEAP you can meet, confidentially, with a consultant and discuss an issue. The consultant can listen, help you make a plan, and even refer you to services in the area if they recommend long-term support. Using FEAP is a great first step in figuring out what you might need to best support yourself.

Request a Confidential Consultation

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About LaTrice

LaTrice King

Hi! I’m LaTrice. I work in the UVA Office of Clinical Research. I recently obtained my MHFA certification in the Fall of 2025. As someone who naturally leans inward, I value the quieter and more intuitive ways that support mental health.

Taking the MHFA course was such an insightful experience. It highlighted all the ways that I had internalized stigma around mental health, challenging me to alter my views on mental health challenges. At the end of the course, I re-evaluated my current mental health self-care plan. I have since reached out to my own health team to find support with my mental health, while releasing the internalized stigma and shame around medical care.

In addition to conventional approaches, I very much enjoy mindful nature walks, yoga, qigong, and meditation. And am always looking for more evidence-informed, culturally-attuned, integrative practices.

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Transitioning into motherhood shouldn’t be an isolated experience. Mothers in postpartum—while experiencing this profound physical and emotional transformation—often have to balance logistical demands, professional responsibilities, and a pressure to return to normal. A new life often brings joy and celebration, but for mothers in postpartum there can also be an unspoken uncertainty and strain. Recognizing the intersection of the experience of identity shift, physical recovery, societal expectations, and systemic challenges that mothers face can help us better support this transition.

In the last ten years, the world has begun to further emphasize the need for more research and open dialogue around maternal mental health. Still, there is a lot of work ahead in ensuring consistent and equitable access to mental healthcare for women. One in five women experience a mood or anxiety disorder during pregnancy or within the first year postpartum. At the same time, 70% will downplay their symptoms and a significant majority won’t receive the necessary care.

The gap is a result of structural and cultural pressures and failures making it difficult to ask for help and prioritize healing—resulting in an ongoing stigma among mothers, their doctors, and those around them. In the end, maternal mental health challenges are common, treatable and worth sustained attention and care.

When my first child was born last year, there was a clear sense of how I should be: grateful, happy, fulfilled. And while these emotions were certainly present, they moved beneath undercurrents of sadness, loneliness, and anger—feelings that, in the presence of my beautiful baby, were harder to share with those around me.

Like many new parents, I figured things would get easier with time—and I just had to stick it out. However, months passed and the early support gradually faded as my responsibilities at work and family life grew more demanding. All the while, the challenges remained. Maternal mental health challenges persist—and sometimes deepen—well beyond the immediate postpartum period. This is why ongoing care and connection is vital in the first year following the birth of a child.

The postpartum experience is a deeply personal one, but it is also inherently relational. It affects families, workplaces, and communities—shaping how people show up for themselves and others. For many mothers in postpartum, interdependence can be vital for a healthy postpartum—no one is meant to navigate this journey alone.

Although this work is best done in community, it is essential if you’ve recently had a baby to check-in with yourself honestly, ask for help, request flexibility and compassion, and be intentional about seeking connection rather than retreating into isolation.

Today is World Maternal Mental Health Day. The day offers us an opportunity to recommit to this collective work—to continue awareness, curiosity, compassionate dialogue, and systems of support that honor the full complexity of the transition into motherhood and make space for authentic healing to unfold. If you’re a part of someone’s postpartum support team—supervisor, significant other, spouse family member, or close friend—here are three practical steps you can take to ensure you are there for the mother in postpartum:

1. Check in regularly and make support feel normal

   1. Offer supportive presence by listening without trying to solve or fix everything–often just being present matters most.

   2. Acknowledge and validate what they are experiencing, what they are going through is real.

   3. Remind them they don’t have to handle everything alone, whether that means leaning on those they trust or reaching out for professional support if they need it.
      

2. Offer specific logistical help

   1. When people said, “let me know if you need anything,” I rarely (if ever) followed up. Asking for help can be hard, especially when everyday tasks feel overwhelming postpartum. Offering concrete, hands-on support like preparing a meal, doing laundry, running errands, or caring for the baby removes that burden for the new parent and creates space for rest while easing stress and supporting emotional healing.

3. If you can, support your loved one’s sleep and physical recovery

   1. Encouraging guilt-free rest while someone else cares for the baby can make a meaningful difference, even small improvements in sleep help lower the risk of anxiety and depression.

   2. Supporting your loved one with keeping up with postpartum checkups and recovery care also helps with their physical healing and overall well-being during this transition.

Together, these small but consistent acts of empathy, practical help, and encouragement create a strong foundation of proactive, intentional support that can make a meaningful difference in your loved one’s recovery and transition into motherhood.

As always, FEAP is here to support you. Whether you are navigating postpartum stress, need help supporting someone who is, or something else, you do not have to go through it alone.

Reach out for Support

For personalized guidance, the Faculty and Employee Assistance Program (FEAP) offers consultations, virtual resources, and immediate support to help you achieve your goals.

Request a Confidential Consultation

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About the Author

Emily Keenan

Emily holds a Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has a diverse background in community-based and outpatient counseling, as well as health and wellness coaching. With extensive experience working with adults, adolescents, children, and families, she has a clinical focus on stress, anxiety, trauma, burnout, and interpersonal relationships. Emily is also passionate about supporting parents as they navigate the complexities of family dynamics and child development. She integrates an attachment-focused, person-centered, and strengths-based approach to help clients build positive relationships with themselves and others.

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