Mental health is health: A conversation with Carevide’s director of behavioral health

Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. However, trying to figure out where to start can sometimes feel overwhelming.

To help make mental health easier to understand, we sat down with Jeanie Dunlap, a licensed clinical social worker and the director of behavioral health at Carevide. Dunlap shares simple daily habits for a healthy mind and explains how Carevide combines mental health support with regular doctor visits to make getting help easier than ever.

Proper maintenance for mind and body

Just like managing a long-term physical condition, Dunlap says keeping your mind healthy requires regular, intentional effort.

“If you have diabetes or allergies, you are going to do the maintenance and try to keep yourself healthy,” she says. “It is the same for mental health. It requires maintenance to stay healthy.”

Dunlap emphasizes that mental health is health and should be treated like it. She encourages people to invest in things that keep the body and mind at their best both mentally and physically.

“A lot of time these things intersect and you can do both at the same time,” Dunlap says. “Eating a balanced diet, taking a walk, getting enough sleep and drinking water all help both your mental and physical health.”

Emotional and physical benefits go hand in hand, she adds.

“Spending time with friends, listening to music, meditating and journaling are all things that can help your mental health,” Dunlap says. “But they are also proven to help your physical health.”

Better care through an integrated approach

Carevide uses the primary care behavioral health model to give patients immediate, in-clinic tools without the typical barriers of traditional therapy.

“Patients can access mental health services at their Carevide health center without waiting for a referral or dedicating an hour a week to therapy,” Dunlap says. “We provide real interventions for real problems, while keeping it on-site and time-limited.”

This team-based approach has proven highly beneficial for patients over time.

“The beauty of it is, the interventions that the behavioral health provider encourages, the primary care provider is also going to continue to work with you on,” Dunlap says. “So, you build more skills each visit.”

Giving mental health care a chance

For individuals who might feel nervous or hesitant about taking the first step toward behavioral health support, Dunlap offers a simple invitation.

“Give us one visit,” Dunlap says. “One 30-minute timeframe where we get to know you a little, so you can see if the interventions offered are helpful.”

She notes that there is no pressure or long-term commitment required from the patient.

“If you do not feel that it is a good fit,” Dunlap says. “Then you are not obligated to come back for behavioral health services.”

Simple habits and healthy boundaries

Protecting your daily well-being does not require a total lifestyle overhaul; instead, it starts with one active habit and one firm boundary.

“Take a 15-to-30-minute walk each day, get some sunshine and fresh air, and focus on what you see, hear, feel and smell,” Dunlap says. “This is called a mindfulness walk, which can help improve focus, reduce stress, improve blood pressure and boost mood.”

When it comes to personal boundaries, she reminds patients that protecting their time is essential.

“Say no to things that stress you out,” Dunlap says. “If you are a people pleaser and feel the need to do everything for everyone, recognize that ‘no’ is a complete sentence.”

She encourages patients to use this boundary when a request compromises their well-being.

“You are allowed to use it when what is being asked pushes you into not being able to care for yourself or your family,” Dunlap says.

Brief interventions available

Carevide’s behavioral health services are structured to be short, effective and directly connected to a patient’s medical team.

“We offer integrated, brief-intervention care,” Dunlap says. “This means one-to-six visits that last between 15 and 30 minutes and are scheduled one at a time, usually a few weeks apart.”

During these sessions, the behavioral health specialist listens and offers practical solutions, and helps patients focus on self-care.

“If you are wanting to schedule an appointment, you can call our offices or speak to your primary care provider,” Dunlap says. “The only requirement to see a behavioral health provider at Carevide is that you have a medical provider at Carevide first, either through one of our women’s health providers or a primary care provider.”

Schedule an appointment today

Behavioral health services are available at Carevide health centers in Greenville, Kaufman, Cooper and Sulphur Springs. Call 903.455.5958 to schedule an appointment at any of these convenient locations.