• • Wellbeing Center Information
  • Program Information
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A FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT NEW TO THE YMCA

Since its inception more than 150 years ago, YMCAs have considered mental health to be one of the three pillars of wellbeing. It can be seen in early communications in the late 1800s that directed our work. The spirit, mind, and body logo from generations ago gave equal prominence to the interconnection of mental health and physical health.

Mental health is how we think, feel and act. At the Y, we recognize that we all have mental health, and mental health is an important part of our physical health and social-emotional well-being, as well as a core component of our identity.

Although the Y has addressed this prior to the pandemic, we have been more intentional in our programming and staffing. Kim Adie has recently been promoted to the Y’s Director of Wellbeing. In this capacity, she has helped to create a culture that better supports mental health within the YMCA by developing and managing programs and services connected to the new Wellbeing Center at the Nashua YMCA. She is charged with further developing strong partnerships with other experts and organizations to help break down barriers that prevent to people from taking care of their physical and mental health.

According to Chief Operating Officer Joseph Manzoli, “By nurturing relationships with community health and wellness agencies and partners, Kim will focus on ensuring high quality programs and services are in place for members to connect their mental health with their physical health. The Director of Wellbeing will create or partner with others to offer programs and services for a wide variety of people from youth to teens to families to seniors and beyond so as to strengthen the impact the YMCA has on the overall health of our community.”

“I’m excited to make a further impact in my new role. The Y has always been invested in mental health, but the global pandemic really forced us to figure out how we can best support our community in a different capacity. We all have mental health but what it looks like or means to you is probably different than your neighbor. What you do each day to positively impact your mental health differs from person to person too.” Kim said.

She shared that there are two new dedicated spaces being transformed at the Y for programming such as mindfulness, yoga, and meditation as well as a room to host community partners and presentations, support groups and other programs.

The YMCA is a welcoming community hub.  By partnering with local experts to come and speak at the Y, we’re trying to help banish the stigma around mental health. You can come here and get a work out in but you can also come here and take care of your spirit.  We welcome all to come and learn about a variety of mental well-being topics.

YMCA WELLBEING CENTER

Located in the Nashua YMCA at 24 Stadium Drive, the YMCA Wellbeing Center will be utilized as a space for the Y and our partners to promote positive mental health.

The Wellbeing Center is proud to offer its spaces to a variety of partners in the Greater Nashua Community to better support the needs of our community. Some of those partners are:

• Greater Nashua Mental Health

• Friends of Aine

• Nashua Department of Public Health

• The Youth Council

Come learn about the Y’s two new dedicated spaces which have been transformed for programming such as mindfulness, yoga, and meditation as well as a room to host community partners and presentations, support groups and other programs.

Positive mental health can be supported in community settings, like the Y, in addition to traditional clinical settings. The Y supports the mental health of individuals and communities in all of the work we do to help people reach their full potential—whether that’s supporting youth in our summer camps, partnering with our community to help address poverty, or helping people achieve their best physical health.

Would you like to share your thoughts with our healthy living staff? You can reach them at eholt@nmymca.org or 603.689.2663.

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PROGRAMS

We are committed to supporting and nurturing adults, families and youth who can navigate the future and contribute to the community, by delivering programs which are equally rooted in evidenced-based practices and mental health modalities. We do this alongside great partners like Greater Nashua Mental Health, Friends of Aine, Nashua Department of Public Health, the Youth Council, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Southern New Hampshire Health, Dartmouth Hitchcock and other local organizations.

Partnership Programs

The Wellbeing Center is proud to offer its spaces to a variety of partners in the Greater Nashua Community to better support the needs of our community. For example, St. Joseph Hospital is utilizing our space for monthly grief support programming. If you’d like to visit the space and see if it could be beneficial to your organization’s needs, please reach out to Eirikur Holt, Director of Healthy Living, at eholt@nmymca.org or 603.689.2663 to set up a visit.

YMCA Programs

The Y has added a variety of mindfulness and meditation programs to help provide more opportunities for our members to slow down and find their zen.

• Yin Yoga: a slower-paced version of yoga where the poses are held for a long period of time to target joints and ligaments rather than focusing on the muscles. The poses are passive and performed while seated or in a reclining position. The poses are held with the muscles fully relaxed, allowing time and gravity to deepen the stretch and target the fascia. The time spent holding these asanas is similar to meditation.

• Yoga Nidra: a Sanskrit term meaning “yogic sleep” is a deep relaxation technique and a form of meditation. The body is completely relaxed and awareness is turned inward by listening to a set of instructions; much like a guided meditation. This class results in deep relaxation and expands the individual’s self-awareness.

• Chakras: Most traditions agree that there are seven main chakras and the ideal state is one in which all seven are open, allowing a balanced flow of energy. Learn about each of the energy centers and yoga poses that go along with each one to help bring balance to your life.

• Meditation: Meditation is a contemplative practice; a means of quieting, focusing and transforming the mind. Meditation cultivates self-awareness, and provides the optimum conditions for practicing the skill of mindfulness. Generally, the goal of meditation is to intensify personal and spiritual growth, in addition to calming the mind and body.

YMCA Wellness Events

Alongside these programs we are consistently offering classes and other mental health/healthy living events in the Wellbeing Center. You can view and register for these events here: Wellbeing Center Events

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RESOURCES

If you or someone you know is struggling and needs help, there are resources within our community that are there to support you. Listed below are organizations here to help meet your needs.

Suicide Prevention Resources:

Crisis Text Line: TEXT 741741
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: CALL 1.800.273.TALK (8255)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Spanish): CALL 1.888.628.9454
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Options for Deaf and Hard of Hearing): CALL 1.800.799.4889
NH Rapid Response Access Point for 24/7 Behavioral Health Crisis Support: CALL or TEXT 1.833.710.6477

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