Skip to Content
 

Supporting Mental Health During the Holidays

Resources, Resilience, and One Father’s Journey

The holiday season is often described as a time of joy, connection, and celebration. Yet, for many, it can also be a season of heightened stress, loneliness, and grief. For those already facing challenges like financial pressures, family tensions, or mental health struggles, this time of year can feel overwhelming.

The City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) is committed to supporting residents through programs that build resilience and connection. In this post, we’ll share resources available to Milwaukeeans during this difficult season, spotlight a story of transformation through the DAD Project, and highlight expert insights from NAMI Southeast Wisconsin on navigating mental health during the holidays.

* To protect the client’s privacy, MHD has used their initials throughout this story.
 

 

JM’s Journey: Finding Strength Through Connection

For JM, a father from Milwaukee, the journey to healing began at an unexpected moment—at MHD’s Back-to-School Health Fair. It was there that he first learned about the DAD Project, a program dedicated to supporting fathers. 

During that initial conversation, JM opened up about his struggles, sharing how past challenges strained his relationships and made it difficult to create a stable environment for his children. With another baby on the way, JM felt the urgency to make a change. His candidness was met with compassion, and the program’s Fatherhood Involvement Specialist (FIS) assured him he wasn’t alone.

Through assessments and conversations, JM recognized how his mental health was closely tied to his struggles with employment and providing for his family. This realization was both difficult and empowering. With support, JM committed to addressing his mental health as a key step toward becoming the father he aspired to be.
 

A Critical Turning Point

Enrolling in the DAD Project was just the beginning. Shortly after, JM stopped responding to outreach for two weeks. When he finally called back, he revealed that he had been undergoing intensive mental health treatment and had used his only phone call to reconnect with the program. This moment underscored JM’s resilience and his commitment to prioritizing his well-being for himself and his family.

After completing treatment, JM returned to the program with a renewed focus. With the FIS’s guidance, he set and achieved his goals, securing stable employment and becoming a more present and dedicated father. Recognizing that mental health is an ongoing process, the FIS connected him to long-term support services to help him maintain his progress and continue growing as a parent. JM’s commitment to improving his mental health not only transformed his life but also created a more stable and supportive environment for his children, fostering resilience within his family.

Today, JM is thriving, a testament to the power of vulnerability, resilience, and the right support systems. By supporting parents in their mental health journey, programs like the DAD Project help create stability and resilience within families, which can positively shape the entire family’s well-being and future.

Expert Insights from NAMI Southeast Wisconsin

Mental health challenges don’t take a holiday break or discriminate. 

“You could live in River Hills, or you could live on 15th and Center. It doesn’t matter,” said Angela Reilly, a representative from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southeast Wisconsin. NAMI Southeast Wisconsin serves Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Jefferson counties, providing free access to support groups, crisis training, and outreach programs.

“Mental health is often treated as separate from your physical being, but you can’t separate it. Your mental health is part of who you are physically, and it shows up physically,” Reilly said. This interconnectedness between mental and physical health underscores why mental health care is essential.

“Mental health oftentimes manifests itself in physical form,” said Reilly. “It could be chronic pain, chronic headaches, insomnia. Taking care of your body and mind is a public health issue.”

Reilly also highlights common misconceptions, noting that symptoms like anger and irritability can sometimes signal depression. She stresses the importance of checking in with loved ones and directly asking if someone is struggling. “The fact that other people can’t see it doesn’t make it less heavy. It just means that no one else can support you if they don’t know,” Reilly said.

Holiday Mental Health Tips

Reilly offers practical advice for navigating mental health during the holidays:

Grief
Create new traditions, share fond memories, or volunteer to shift your focus

Loneliness
Engage in public spaces, join community activities, or show kindness to those who are alone

Stress
Let go of perfectionism. “We have a saying here that people need to stop ‘shoulding’ on themselves,” Reilly said. “Stop with all the ‘shoulds.’ No one has a playbook for this.”

Suicide Prevention

Ask directly if someone is struggling, ensure their safety, and connect them to resources like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or Mobile Crisis Teams

Looking Ahead: A Community of Care

JM’s journey reflects the broader mission of MHD: to build a healthier, more equitable community where individuals and families can thrive. The need for such efforts is especially critical in marginalized communities, where systemic challenges often make mental health struggles worse.

In Milwaukee County, the suicide rate among Black residents rose to the highest level in a decade in 2022[1], underscoring the urgency of addressing these disparities. Nationally, in 2020, Black men were more than four times more likely to die by suicide than their female counterparts.[2]

These alarming statistics reflect the immense burden carried by marginalized groups, particularly those living in poverty. Black Americans below the poverty line are twice as likely to report serious psychological distress compared to those with higher incomes, demonstrating the interconnectedness of economic and mental health challenges.

Despite these pressing needs, barriers to mental health care persist. Discrimination within the healthcare system and stigma surrounding mental health often prevent marginalized groups from accessing the treatment they need.

The holidays are a time for reflection, connection, and care—for ourselves and those around us. JM’s journey reminds us of the power of resilience, the importance of seeking help, and the impact of sharing our stories. When we open up about our struggles, we remind others that they are not alone.

[1] Big Cities Health Coalition
[2] Mental and Behavioral Health – Black/African Americans, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, 2024
 

MHD Services Helping Support Mental Health

Birth Outcomes Made Better (BOMB) Doula

In the Birth Outcomes Made Better program, a team of doulas offer labor and delivery support, birth planning, breastfeeding support, health education, and 12 weeks post-partum support, reducing stress and fostering a positive transition to parenthood.

Empowering Families of Milwaukee (EFM)

EFM provides a long-term home visiting program for pregnant families in the city of Milwaukee that provides pre/postpartum health education and case management support, connecting families to resources and helping them navigate challenges that could otherwise feel insurmountable. Services can be provided for up to three years.

Direct Assistance for Dads (DAD) Project

The DAD Project is a long-term home visiting program in the city of Milwaukee for expectant or parenting fathers of children up to three years old, offering parent education and case management support for up to three years, creating a supportive community for fathers, reducing isolation, encouraging mental health care, and strengthening family bonds.

Resources and Next Steps

If you or someone you know is struggling, there are many organizations in Milwaukee ready to help: