HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Nature has often been used by those who need a mental break or simply a pace just to relax. " The impacts, you know, people knowing about the impacts that green spaces have on mental health, I just think that it's really, really underutilized when we talk about mental health and, you know, mental illness, depression, things like that," Janna Peterson, Executive Director of 57 North Hampton shares. "So, we really wanted to kind of we're giving people a tour of the mental health resources in this area. And we want to show them like it's not it might not be talk therapy if that's something that, you know, scares you or you're not comfortable with. But you can go to the botanical gardens, you can just go outside of your backyard, you can exercise, you can eat healthy. There are so many components that go into having, you know, good mental hygiene."
57 North Hampton and Little Orange Fish are collaborating to offer The Love Hunt, a weeklong scavenger hunt promoting mental health and wellbeing resources in North Alabama. From May 21-27, participants will visit various locations and try healthy coping techniques, like spending time outdoors and connecting with others, to earn points towards the grand prize.
"So, what The Love Hunt is specifically connecting individuals throughout the Huntsville area to mental health resources that are available to them, that are kind of considered to be more so like coping skills," Tiffany Green of 57 North Hampton shares. "So maybe if it's exercising or it's cooking, or it could also just be just doing some yoga to be able to relax for the day. We're really just making sure that we push and make everyone aware, especially this being May a Mental Health Awareness Month, that there are plenty of mental health resources that you can connect to here in the Huntsville area also."
The event concludes with Love Hunt Live hosted in collaboration with R&B Vibes Live, featuring Dear Silas, a Hip Hop artist, Trumpeter, and Mental Health Advocate, performing his hit single, "I Ain't Stressin' Today."
With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, both Green and Peterson understand the value of educating the community on all available resources that extend past traditional avenues like therapy. "A lot of times we're focused more so on just the physical, but not realizing the two of them go together," Green shares. "So especially with the resources in definitely changing the funding that's happened for providing resources to mental health, that's the realization that this is really needed and how can we make those connections, especially for individuals who are not able to afford therapy services due to either insurance or due to the fact that maybe even if their insurance does cover it, does not cover the whole thing."
Huntsville Botanical Garden is also part of the event. Laura McPhail explains how the collaboration happened. "57 Northampton approached and asked us if we want to offer some programing to support the Love Hunt Scavenger Hunt. And we said, of course, yes. Nature is fantastic for mental health. And so on Thursday, May 25th, at 9:30 a.m., we're going to have a nature walk. On Friday, May 26, Light on Yoga Fitness is going to be here to give a free yoga class out on the meadow. Our mission is to connect people to plants, to improve quality of life. Quality of life includes mental health, and being out in nature is just a way to be able to disconnect, to unplug, and to reconnect with the very basic things that that make us all human. And if it rains, then we're just going to go inside the carriage house will open up the doors. And you still have the beautiful backdrop of the garden to have your fitness."
Both HBG programs are free with Garden admission. Space is limited and registration is required for each program. For more information and to register, visit hsvbg.org/events.
The Love Hunt is open to all ages and offers an opportunity for individuals, families, and groups to explore new ways of taking care of themselves and others.
For more information on how to participate, sponsor, or partner with The Love Hunt, visit their website.
ABOUT 57 NORTH HAMPTON
57 North Hampton is an Alabama-based organization that works to provide mental health therapy with licensed counselors to those without access. Additionally, they work alongside mental health professionals and local entrepreneurs to develop fun and innovative programs, events, and materials that teach mental health and coping strategies to their audience.