May is Mental Health Awareness Month
This month NCH2 is promoting getting outside and engaging with nature for mental health awareness and  to promote way you are engaging with #Tools2ThriveOutside.

Share your hashtags and activities by posting a picture and a brief description and tagging @nch2network on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag us in your pictures using your #Tools2ThriveOutside using any of these hashtag: #Tools2ThriveOutside, #MHM2022_outside, #MHM2022_NCH2

Mental Health America's theme this year for May is Mental Health Awareness Month is Back to Basics. Check out last year's calendar of daily tips and tools to get outside, click here to take a look. Continue to visit this page throughout May for more events, resources,  and information about May as Mental Health Month and NCH2's Tools2ThriveOutside campaign.
Header Image Photo by Jonas Mohamadi
​Week 4 Recommended Activities, Local Events, and Educational Opportunities



​Monday, May 23rd
  • “Together for Mental Health” is the theme that the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI) is promoting for Mental Health Awareness Month. A group of 45 Chicago area organizations, advocates, and residents came together last week to map out new nature resources on the Southeast corner, an area that has been polluted and wasted for decades. Much More is needed but grateful for new investments and cleanup.

Tuesday, May 24th
  • ​“Said the River: imagine everything you can imagine, then keep on going.” Mary Oliver.
    One of the basic ways of taking care of your mental health is to “take care of your spirit”  Immersing yourself in nature through sight, sound, whole body experience is an essential tool to thrive. Step outside, listen to our natural world, and breathe deeply.

Wednesday, May 25th
  • ​Listen closely to the morning birdsong. Spring migration is songbirds is fading but we will always have our yearlong residents! Today as the heaviness of the world swirls around us hold with you the words of poet David Whyte “ The blessing of the morning light to you, may it find you even in your invisible appearances, may you be seen to have risen from some other place you know and have known in the darkness and that that carries all you need. May you see what is hidden in you as a place of hospitality and shadowed shelter, may what is hidden in you become your gift to give…”
  • Plan to attend Forest Preserves of Cook County: Bird Walk on May 31st - Join a naturalist as we explore this preserve while looking for local birds. For more information, click here.



​Thursday, May 26th
  • ​“Shut your eyes, breathe slowly and listen to the thousand leaves slapping like ocean water rushing up the sand so often not appreciated when, instead, passers-by watch the green shimmering” shhhhh In the sound, she said, she found peace. From Cottonwood Sounds Chelsea Peterson. Today listen to the trees comforting us and if you want, hug one or two, in gratitude for all they offer us.​




​Friday, May 27th
  • Discover your mental health in nature: The trees are singing today. Find your local tree grove, forest, or woodland. Spears woods is my go to place. Song sparrow, common yellowthroats, and field sparrows in the prairie and Baltimore Orioles color the sky. Where do you go ?
​Week 3 Recommended Activities, Local Events, and Educational Opportunities




​Monday, May 16th
  • One of the best ways to relieve stress, sadness, and anxiety is to spend quality time with friends, family, and community. El Paseo Community Garden near Pilsen in Chicago has a Wellness Coalition that offers many ways to heal from grief, cultivate well-being, and tell your story. Elpaseogarden.org/wellness-coalition


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Tuesday, May 17th
  • Cross a creek! Ask a friend or family member and walk a trail along a nearby creek. Gentle water flow is great listening. Local creeks in the Chicago region include Crooked Creek in Palos Heights.



​Wednesday, May 18th
  • Getting your hands in the soul, planting a garden, planting a tree—all ways to restore yourself and to unfocus on your to do list. Whether in your parkway or in a nearby community garden, planting a tree in community brings joy AND helps the Earth. Each Wednesday the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Cook County gives away Free oak saplings at its treatment plants. Grab one today!! Or help Nordson Green Earth plant a mini forest on Friday in Markham as a volunteer!


​Thursday, May 19th
  • Are you interested in family and community gardening? It's a great way to build deeper connections to the people around you and to the earth you are on! Check out the local gardens in your area and make some new friends.
  • Star Farm www.starfarmchicago.com/programs/#family-garden-days

Photo by Mark Stebnick


​Friday, May 20th
Photo by Orione Conceição



​Saturday, May 21th
  • ​Family Saturday -  Did you know the Forest Preserves of Cook County has multiple family events weekly and restorative nature events almost every day? While you may be resting today, check out events like Nature Storytime on May 23rd or Open Nature Play Day on May 25th. Plan to attend an event this week - find other FPCC events: fpdcc.com/events/
Sunday, May 22nd​​
  • Why not Rest? Set aside your phone, listen to music, get a solid night’s sleep (7-8 hours) and restore.
​Week 2 Recommended Activities, Local Events, and Educational Opportunities
Monday, May 9th



​Tuesday, May 10th
  • Take a walk in your nearest wooded area. Our trees help us quiet, de-stress and open up our minds. Bring a friend or your pet to enjoy nature with you. Take a picture of the canopy, trees above you and how they touch the sky.

Wednesday, May 11th
  • It’s bird migration in the great lakes region. Did you that last night almost 4 MILLION birds flew above us? They are heading to cooler climates to nest and raise their young. Join a bird walk today, tomorrow. The forest Preserves of Cook County is hosting several bird walks today, tomorrow and this weekend. #birdthepreserves.
  • ​Bird Walk; ​Thu, May 12 • 8 am; Join a naturalist as we explore this preserve while looking for local birds. Learn more here.
  • World Migratory Bird Day Walk;  Sat, May 14 • 7 am - 8:30 am; Take an early morning walk in search of birds making their way north. Bring binoculars, limited pairs to lend. Learn more here.
  • “The Big Sit” Birdwatching; Sat, May 14 • 8 am - 12 pm; Stop and sit a while, as we see how many birds we can spot or hear without leaving a 17-foot circle. Binoculars and guidance provided. Learn more here.



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​Thursday, May 12th
  • Have a Relaxing Time outside by Participating in some Yoga or doing some painting of your surroundings.
  • Plan to Attend A Yoga and Paint Meditation Retreat on May 14th from 2 - 4PM in Oak Park.  Can't wait to flow again with you and new friends! Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/giweyr9C
Friday, May 13th
  • Try a Forest Therapy Walk. Immerse yourself in nature and experience the healing effects of forest therapy or Shinrin-Yoki (Japanese for forest bathing). Identify what senses Are affected by the World around you!
  • Attend a Forest Therapy Walk on Friday, May 13th, 12:30 – 2:30pm at Knoch Knolls Greenway, through the Conservation Foundation. The walk is not about the destination, but instead the awakening of your senses to the natural environment around you. Reconnect with nature during these mindful walks with a certified Forest Therapy guide. This year’s walks cost $20/person. The walk is held entirely outdoors. Be prepared to walk over uneven terrain. Wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes. Meets at the stone circle/ledge south of the parking lot and in front of the bridge. Participants must be 12 years and older. Minors must be accompanied by a legal guardian. To register, click here.

Photo by Magda Ehlers
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Saturday, May 14th
Sunday, May 15th
  • Why not Rest? Set aside your phone, listen to music, get a solid night’s sleep (7-8 hours) and restore.
  • Restorative Events Happening May 15th
    • Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods: FUSEDChicago Beyond the Surface Exhibition Opening and Rivers Empyrean Strings Concert. Join us at Brushwood Center for this exciting exhibition opening, followed by a free outdoor strings performance of "Rivers Empyrean" by Fifth House Ensemble.  The exhibition features work by members of FUSEDChicago, an organization of artists based in the Midwest who share an interest in encaustic, a method of making art using pigmented beeswax and damar resin (crystalized tree sap).  After enjoying the art, experience the concert! "Rivers Empyrean" traces the life cycle of water from its metaphorical descent from the heavens as rain,  to its long journey in streams and rivers informed by conservation experts and ecologists. For more information and registration, click here.
    • Chicago Botanic Garden: Spring in the Woods Walk. Enjoy spring’s beauty in McDonald Woods—from delicate wildflowers and budding trees to the sounds of birdsong. Get involved with our community science program, Budburst, and observe flowers blooming and new leaves growing. Find out how to be part of our new EcoQuest monthly challenges and how to submit observations with our mobile app. Then set out on self-guided walk in McDonald Woods. (A short trail loop is about 1/3 mile; the longer trail loop is about 2/3 mile.) We’ll have one guided woods walk, lasting approximately 45 minutes, at 1 p.m. Dress for the weather. If there is heavy, persistent rain, the program will be cancelled. Free; regular parking and admission fees apply. Meet at McDonald Woods Shelter. For more information, click here.
Week 1 Recommended Activities, Local Events, and Educational Opportunities
Monday, March 2nd
  • Spring native flowers emerging from cooler gray days here in Chicago region. What have you flowers have you admired. tell us!
  • Homegrown National Park is a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants and creating new ecological networks. Their mission is to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function because every human being on this planet needs diverse highly productive ecosystems to survive. This includes beautiful native wildflowers!
    Want to get involved? Check out these local native plant sales with information on how and where to plant.
    In Evanston:     Bird Buzz Native Plant Sale!
    In the wider Chicago area: Chicago Living Corridors Native Plant Sales! Sales are grouped by county, proceeding north to south, and were originally organized chronologically within county.   ​​
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Tuesday, March 3rd
  • ​Back to basics for your mental health— this bullfrog enjoys a sit in the gentle rain. Noticing nature and talking a walk in the rain with or without an umbrella helps clear the mind. Today is a good day for it!


​Wednesday, March 4th
  • "I am among the trees especially the willows and the honey locust, they give off such hints of gladness, I would almost say that they save me, and daily. I am so distant from the hope of myself, in which I have goodness, and discernment, and never hurry through the world but walk slowly and now often. Around me the trees stir in their leaves and call out, “stay awhile.” The light flows from their branches. And they call again, “it’s simple “ they say, “ and you too have come into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine.” Mary Oliver.
  • Adventure out today in the sunshine and hug a tree, feel it’s skin, OR have it hug you—we need one!​
Thursday, March 5th
  • Noticing Nature: Water, Feathers, and Birdsong. Did you know Natural sounds on their own can have positive health benefits, such as decreased pain, lowered stress, improved mood, and enhanced cognitive performance? Step Outside and Listen to Nature.
  • ​Read a summary of "A synthesis of health benefits of natural sounds and their distribution in
    national parks." Buxton, R. T., A. L. Pearson, C. Allou, K. Fristrup and G. Wittemyer
    https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/118/14/e2013097118.full.pdf, here by local Northwestern student and NCH2 Media Editor Emma Crumpton.​​

Photo by Diego Madrigal
Friday, March 6th
  • ​Friday Fungi -- fungi nurture trees through the Wood Wide Web. How are you nurturing yourself and Others this weekend? 
  • Learn more about the relationship between fungi and tree health in this New York Times article by clicking here.
    • Coming up: Brushwood Center’s Inaugural Mother Earth Market . Join Saturday and Sunday, May 7 & 8 for a weekend of art, music and nature at Brushwood Center, featuring artists, artisans, businesses and organizations who are inspired my Mother Earth, and are working for a more sustainable future. Can't make it to the in-person market or want to make sure you don't miss out on something really special? No problem! Visit our website starting at 9am on April 30 for first pick of a large selection of items from our amazing collection of artists and artisans.  Items purchased online can be either shipped directly to you, or can be picked later up at Brushwood Center. For more information about everything happening during this event and registration, click here.
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Saturday, March 7th
Sunday, March 8th
  • Day of Rest, Set aside your phone, listen to music, get a solid night’s sleep (7-8 hours) and restore.
DISCLAIMER: All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only. This information should not replace a medical consultation or treatment plan given by a qualified healthcare provider. 
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