When you are craving something ooey-gooey and comforting, this elevated reinvention of the classic grilled cheese does the trick. For true comfort, pair it with homemade tomato soup topped with pumpernickel croutons and basil chiffonade. This sandwich can be personalized with your favorite fillings or simply stick to cheese. Likewise, switch to whole wheat bread for a more healthful treat.

Most workers report high levels of job-related stress that impacts productivity and leads to anxiety, sleep loss and depression.

Our culture commonly defines success as having money and power, which perpetuates a lifestyle in which people drive themselves too hard and neglect sleep, family and mental health. Eventually, we suffer the physical and mental consequences of our life choices for very little reward.

If we supported whole happiness and whole success, we would enjoy a happier, healthier, more productive population. This works within ourselves, too.

How we measure our own success impacts our mental health. If we equate success with money or material goods, every time we perceive a want, we perceive a corresponding failure. When we look past the important aspects of our lives like health, happiness and friendship, we fail to maintain the healthy habits that nourish mental health.

How do you define success? Are there any aspects of your life that suffer as a result? The first annual Third Metric Conference proposed a new diagram of success that includes an equal importance for areas like sleep, wisdom, health, friendship, passion and family.

When we nourish the whole of our lives, we become wholly happy. By giving attention to all of our needs rather than neglecting ourselves, we open ourselves to joy, passion, and the true meaning of success.

Recommended Book of the Week
"Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life" by John Kabat-Zinn

When I first arrived at Brookhaven, I was a very lost, scared, nervous person.

The heat of summer is the traditional time to take vacation – the sun is shining, the weather is (hopefully) fair, kids are on vacation and a majority of the world is celebrating the long days and warm nights.

Summer vacation is more than just a celebration and a time to recharge. It can also be helpful for mental health recovery and continued wellness.

When we leave our homes to go on vacation, we enjoy freedom from daily routines like dishwashing, laundry, cooking, gardening, and work. But being in a new place far from home also changes our perceptions. We are open to new and different experiences when we travel, things we might not necessarily be exposed to in our usual environments. We are open to new modes of transportation, new languages and new skills. New skills and perspectives can be used when we return home. They freshen our routines and give us new avenues for solving issues as they arise.

Similarly, when we are on vacation, we distance ourselves from our problems. That is not to say that vacation should be used as an escape not to deal with problems. But studies show that a physical distance gives us the opportunity to think more creatively and calmly about solutions.

This is one reason that Brookhaven Retreat is so successful at treating women with mood disorders, anxiety, borderline personality disorder and substance abuse. Women who enter its residential treatment program are more open to treatment solutions, and gain new perspectives and skills that can be used to process issues and emotionally regulate. Women gain the distance from their daily lives necessary to examine and recover from illness.

Distance from daily routine allows women to relax and grow both at Brookhaven Retreat and on vacation. Traveling is an important opportunity to self-develop and create a happier life.

July 4 and the summer holidays have arrived. For women with mental health and substance abuse issues, summer can be an emotionally difficult time of year. Culturally, summer is known as a time to enjoy vacation, relax and feel carefree. Yet for women suffering from mental illness, this cultural expectation can aggravate anxiety, grief and depression.

While winter weather is well known for causing seasonal depression, summer can be equally distressing. Despite the long and sunny days, summer depression is actually quite common. Rising temperatures and high humidity both increase irritability and depression. Women are also more likely to stay inside where sunshine cannot stimulate the body’s production of mood-boosting vitamin D.

The vacation season can be especially difficult for women dealing with bereavement and loss. There is nothing more painful for a woman dealing with grief than to find herself alone, emotionally hungry and unable to process her loss. Summer can be very triggering, making women more likely to isolate and thus worsen their condition.

Although women may be reluctant to seek treatment during the summer holidays, their wellbeing, happiness and future may depend on this help. This summer, Brookhaven Retreat encourages women to note how they feel and what aspects of their schedule could be causing them to feel this way. Residential treatment can help develop the self-awareness and confidence needed to manage emotions and behaviors that contribute to summertime depression.

Women with depression, anxiety and substance abuse issues frequently isolate from family and friends in an attempt to avoid painful emotions. Brookhaven Retreat teaches the women in its recovery program to nurture continued wellness through routine healthy habits. National Picnic Month is the perfect opportunity to self-care, spend time with loved ones and reap the benefits of the outdoors.

Research shows that time outdoors reduces risk of depression. Brookhaven Retreat finds that time spent in nature also calms anxiety, boosts mood and encourages positivity. Friendships are similarly essential to a woman’s emotional health; they provide support during the most difficult moments in life and boost happiness and self-esteem while reducing stress.

Mental health treatment encourages women to reconnect with and nurture their friendships as a valuable aspect of recovery. A picnic celebration is an opportunity for women to connect with peers and is a lot of fun.

Brookhaven Retreat’s team of chefs recommend women pack a salad made from a variety of brightly-colored vegetables and omega-3 rich walnuts. A whole wheat sandwich, container of dressing and a fruit salad keeps lunch as simple as possible and allows women to remain stress free while focusing on the outdoors.

Brookhaven Retreat encourages women to celebrate mental wellness with a picnic, sun, fun and good company this July.