Veronica Foster, The Sea Within

01/08/2026

01/08/2026

In 2026, the mental health landscape continues to evolve in ways that reflect how people are choosing to care for their emotional well‑being, not just individually, but culturally.

Research shows a significant rise in psychotherapy use among adults in the U.S., with telehealth playing a key role in increasing access. Nearly 40% of adults using outpatient psychotherapy in recent studies accessed at least one session via teletherapy. (ScienceDaily, 2024)

Platforms like Meru Health this trend: therapist-supported digital programs that combine structured tools, skills-based exercises, and evidence-based interventions. These programs have been shown to support symptom reduction in depression and anxiety, with measurable outcomes and high completion rates. https://www.meruhealth.com/

At the same time, private practice remains a core setting for deep, individualized therapeutic work, especially for relational, trauma-informed, and long-term growth. Both models highlight an important cultural moment: more people are prioritizing their emotional health and seeking care that fits their life, values, and circumstances.

The most meaningful aspect of this shift isn’t just the platform, it’s the values accompanying it: self-compassion, resilience, openness, and connection. Your journey toward understanding, growth, and well-being is part of a broader movement toward a more compassionate, accessible, and emotionally literate world.

01/05/2026

Dartmouth’s launch of an Arts and Nature Rx program is more than good news, it’s a powerful institutional acknowledgment of a truth many of us already know: healing is relational.

Our nervous systems are wired for connection, designed to co-regulate and find safety through community and the natural world. This shift toward social prescribing reflects science catching up to ancient wisdom that we heal together, not in isolation.

And you don’t need a formal prescription to begin. The capacity for resilience and self-compassion already lives within you, waiting to be activated through intentional connection. The journey to wellness is, at its core, a return to yourself and often, that path is found alongside others.