What is Mental/Emotional Wellness in this Modern World?

July 22, 2026

It seems like there is a wellness market for everything now. Some would speculate that our human realities are moving into “conscious awakening”. There are coaches, diets, lifestyle “hacks”, and a wellness product for just about everything. Nevertheless, the symptoms of mental / emotional disease such as depression and anxiety are more prevalent than ever across nearly all human demographics.

While there may be many new-found socially acceptable dialogues surrounding mental health and generational traumas, this collective recognition alone has not lowered the instances of suicide, addiction, and self-harm —> especially amongst younger generations - where we would hope to see the healing shift. If anything, growing up in a “dying world” is often shrugged off as the new normal, while another day facilitated by a growing variety of coping mechanisms goes by. Meanwhile, seeds of movements looking to entheogenic practices, somatic therapies, and other forms of returning to Indigenous healing wisdom have begun to sprout and take root on a global scale.

This juxtaposition of the crippling amounts of self-care and healing retreats next to the rising mental health crisis brings me to the s that perhaps it’s time we remember that our mass experience of mental disease is a built-in gage of sorts. When we know Earth personally we cannot help but be conscious of how are destinies are eternally intertwined. And, it seems, that even in this compartmentalized state such as the modern Human is, we cannot escape our internal emergency-switch that reminds us we are headed only for destruction if we Continue living these ways.

This is meant in no way to oversimplify or diminish the anguish of those (practically everyone currently, statistically speaking) who struggle with their mental health. It's just to say that, it's only natural while we continue to live in ways that are actively killing Earth, and all of her creatures (including Humanity) that we will never be mentally or emotionally well - neither individually nor collectively. Our lives are largely overrun by convoluted constructs of the human species. It’s highly probable that we could seek as much medication, education, and healing as the world has to offer and still feel that angst deep inside until we change our ways of life on Earth back to fulfilling our specialization(s) as a species.

My late mother was the esteemed Doctor of Psychology, Dr. Lisa Michelle Wilson. After decades of wellness journies including diet, exercise, medications, and conventional + non conventional therapies she lost her mental/ emotional health battle and took her own life. I can still vividly recall being a little girl and screaming to my mom while she was in the midst of completing her PHD, “is your whole life - my entire childhood- worth a piece of paper?!?”.

Now, as an adult, of course I feel awful for nay saying her dreams and drive. But the raw emotion was real, and I stand by it —> what is all of the mental health treatment, therapy, and wellness practices worth if we aren’t living with Earth again, rather than mining her as a dead resource? Time in Nature, nurturing, crafting, storytelling, and spending our time with the relations ho we cherish is what gives Humans a sense of fulfillment, and it's no coincidence. In other words, if you’re currently living within a modernized (esp. capitalistic) culture/ society while feeling emotionally and mentally well there may be something desperately wrong with your internal compass. Living like this should make us feel depressed, anxious, and isolated—> in fact, it was designed to.

With that being said, many times it does take the first steps of getting support with our mental / emotional health to even get through the day. Many of the most promising therapeutic modalities for establishing and maintaining mental health share qualities of tapping into our potential for neuroplasticity (and in the case of intergenerational trauma, the plasticity of our mitochondria ) via the creation of new healthy pathways in our minds and bodies. While there are currently unprecedented numbers of people struggling with mental health, there are likewise generations of Humans who are coming back together to repair, remember, and heal - together, falling back in love with Earth, and ourselves in the process.

There are so many reasons to - keep going, keep growing - and, I am so honored to be related to so many outstanding Humans working for good. My favorite exciting developments in supporting mental health combines our pervasive use of technology with holistic therapies that have been shown to forge and fortify new pathways in our brains —> making way for recalling Ancestral wisdom and having the mental / emotional bandwidth to hear the call back to Earth. Newly launched, Medicinal Media is providing exciting steps on finding our ways back to fulfillment and mental health rather than numbing to cope. It was founded partially by the LALA - or Dr. Lisa Michelle Wilson - Foundation, and is yet another example of humanity finding ways back to Earth.

CLICK HERE to check out Medicinal Media for more Reasons to Stay Hopeful - Healthy Media for Young People and their Families

Blog Update - July 2026

In the Seasons that have passed since this blog post was initially published via the world wide internet, so much goodness has unfolded for Medicinal Media. As an organization they have continued to spread waves of hope, education, and connection to youth and their families. Providing young people with real stories - their stories - about ho everyday more Humans are striving and thriving for a better tomorrow ripples out through the generations - washing away the lie that Earth is doomed. Contrary to the propaganda that had us wondering if we are a sickness on Earth, we are continuing to come together to remember that when we fulfill our specialization(s) as a species we again exist within a harmonious and symbiotic reality.

As for my hypothesis that living with Earth is an - if not the most - effective way to find our way back to mental and emotional wellness ....well I have had the real privilege to fully try that out. Thanks to the very generous and contentious founders of Medicinal Media - Mike and Melissa Wilson - my children and I have had the absolute honor of building a center for children and their families in the Amazon Rain Forrest dedicated to healing with Earth and the Arts. Last year we set out to build (a modest) self-sustainable urban community center for the arts within a rural community of Perú, with only a few plan sketches, and a few (greatly appreciated) Trees on the lot. All along the way, we have laid down prayers, shed tears, planted, and practiced era pretta. Being supported in this work by members of our own biological family has been more healing than words can say - this is what intergenerational healing can look like. Deep layers of healing my mental health patterns have been allowed to finally surface and be given the healing space they have deserved for so long - some from previous phases of trauma we simply did not have time to address, as well as patterns from generations who never got this golden opportunity - to BE. From this reciprocal place of support for Earth and Humanity we can come back into our natural state - Human Beings.

Please feel free to check out a few of our favorite books and e-books that explore the inherent connections between Earth's wellness and our mental health as Human Beings.

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Also in Original Instructions School Blog

5 Minute Postpartum protein waffles (with medicinal 🌿 Plantas)

May 18, 2026

This Apple Cinamon Oats protein waffle recipe is generally affordable, easy to prepare, and filling in all of the right ways. Making a double or triple batch to leave behind, frozen in a tuperware for your client to just post in the toaster is very popular with clients as well!

Now, ya'll know i' measure by memory + feeling, but here goes;

Ingredients:

🌾 3 cups (ish) non gmo flour
🌿 1 handful whole non gmo Oats
🧪 1 heaping tabelspoon baking poder
🍏 1 Apple, peeled and finely chopped

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