The Power of the Room

How Surroundings Impact Mental Health

BY BEATRICE TATEM, PH.D., LPC-S, NCC, ACS

THE IDEA OF WRITING ABOUT THE POWER WITHIN A room came to me early one morning on my way to work. I was talking to a good friend about the therapy room as a healing environment and the comfort, support, and peace it can provide. I recall saying, “our conversation will be a really good topic to discuss in BayouLife, I think I will save it for their next home edition.” He commented, “some things must be written in the moment in which it resonates within your thoughts and not put off for a later time; it is on your mind to write about it for a reason.” I was reminded in this instance how thoughts and actions often align with life occurrences. As fate would have it, it is BayouLife’s spring home edition and it is May, National Mental Health Awareness Month. The theme this year focuses on the impact surroundings have on one’s mental health. This national campaign calls for individuals to look around as well as look within. The month of May in the mental health world is designated as a time to raise awareness of those living with mental health and/or behavioral issues. May is also a time when the campaign attempts to reduce the stigma many encounter when seeking mental health services. The stigma often associated with mental health and receiving assistance has long existed, thank goodness this is starting to change.

The relationship between our surroundings and our mental health has proven to be significant. In acknowledgement of the multitude of people confronting their mental illness I am addressing this year’s Mental Health Awareness theme. I consider the surroundings one experiences when working, studying, socializing and/or residing as important to one’s day to day well-being. Although, it is not always the case, ideally, the spaces and places we navigate provide us with some of our basic needs, for love, nurturing, food, safety and stable housing.

Making changes to your surroundings can foster feelings of comfort, security, and appropriate stimulation for the activities you are partaking in. There are many ways to create and foster an environment supportive of your mental health. We must first begin by being aware of our surroundings and willingly taking the time to self-evaluate as to the degree our environment affects our life. I recommend selecting decor with color and textures that stimulate your senses and awaken your emotions. Choose colors that energize you when necessary and are soothing when needed. Decorate each room with a unique theme to suit different moods and feelings. Grow houseplants or keep fresh flowers as décor to minimize odors naturally while being aesthetically pleasing. Go green, get clean, and detox for your mental wellness. Green is the color used to symbolize the continual awareness of mental health. It is also a symbol of mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and depression. Surroundings that are unorganized, unkept, full of debris and poorly cleaned can be depressing to see. Some people describe cleaning as cathartic and the results of ridding their homes of physical clutter as emotionally uplifting. Let the light shine in. Identify opportunities and ways to bring natural lighting into your room. Inadequate lighting can contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression while limited access to green spaces or nature contributes to feelings of stress. My suggestion is to do an emotional detox and free your surrounding spaces of unhealthy relationships, chaos, distractions, and toxic behaviors. Designate areas of your home for working, entertaining, and unwinding. Everyone needs alone time for just being, tocreate your own sanctuary where you can meditate and sit with yourself.

As a therapist it would be remiss of me to discuss the power of the room and the impact surroundings have on our mental health and not mention the therapy room. My perspective on the power of the therapy room has been shaped by the comments and feedback of clients I have served. In my opinion it is in the therapy room where individuals invite me into their lives as they share their stories, secrets, and inner thoughts, while I listen. The therapy room is an environment where we become acquainted with one another on an emotional level and through the clinical process the client learns trust. It is place where the individual, after having fallen, gets back up and begins to plan what to do next. Daily I attempt to create an environment of intentional peace and genuine warmth in hopes of empowering, encouraging, and supporting. In this room I take in the energy, spirit, and feelings of the individual. It is where I am reminded how difficult life can be for some and as a client recently commented, “just how hard it is to be human when the world around me seems to be so difficult and inhumane.” It is a space that allows one to move closer to themself even when they are unsure of themselves. The therapy room is an emotional zone where the client can tear emotional walls and barriers down to freely express themselves. It is where tissues are strategically placed to catch tears, and decorated mirrors are positioned as décor for those desiring to check their tear-stained faces before exiting the room. The therapy room is a safe place where words hug the individual and regardless of the issues presented, they are worthy of respect and acceptance.

It has been my experience as a therapist when people recognize the connection between environment and mental well-being, they are more eager to make changes to their personal environments to meet their mental health needs. May we all be a part of this year’s Mental Health campaign in support of those dealing with mental health issues. Perhaps we can each take the time to look around and look within and contribute to the power of the room.

For more information on counseling and outreach services contact Dr. Beatrice Tatem at Wellness Initiatives, LLC, 2485 Tower Drive, Suite 10 Monroe, La 71201, 318-410-1555 or at btatem.bt@gmail.com.