May is Mental Health Awareness Month and a local professional believes the often swept under the rug mentality surrounding mental health issues is starting to become less commonplace.

Jessica Smiley with Heritage Behavioral Health Services believes there is better conversation surrounding issues like anxiety and depression and then better supports for those issues as well.

For May 2021, Smiley says they want people to feel comfortable with any feelings they are experiencing. She hopes people will begin to connect at a deeper level, especially when things are not going well.

According to Smiley, if feelings of anxiety or depression are lasting for a while and impacting day-to-day relationships or productivity, then it is time to recognize something may be going on that needs to be addressed.

Smiley encourages a visit to heritagenet.org if you are struggling and need someone to talk to. She emphasizes there are so many resources to tap into, and hopes anyone struggling will take advantage of those.

Additionally, for anyone that receives correspondence from someone struggling, she encourages just listening and doing as little to make it about themselves and keep the listening reflective.