Community Care IS Mental Health Care

May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a time to raise awareness, advocate for access, and remind ourselves that mental health is essential health. But this year, many of us aren’t just navigating our own stress. We’re holding a kind of collective exhaustion. The state of America — and the world — feels fragile. The attacks on human rights, the gutting of systems meant to protect us, the normalization of burnout ... it’s no wonder so many are running on empty.

We can often feel like we are alone, and all we can do is look out for ourselves. As if individual resilience is the cure for systemic harm. As clinicians, advocates, and humans, we know better. We know that healing is relational — that a regulated nervous system thrives in co-regulation. And that in times like these, community care is more than a luxury — it’s a lifeline.

This is where community care comes in. Community care means relying on our fellow humans to meet our needs, rather than institutions, especially when those institutions are actively harming us. This is a common practice in Queer and BIPOC communities - two populations generally harmed by institutions at large.

So, how can you lean into community care this May? Read on for tips from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling! 

1. Redefine Care Beyond the Individual

We live in a culture that valorizes self-sufficiency and hustle. While mental health therapy is a wonderful tool and powerful for our own self-awareness and coping ability, it is often framed as a private, individual solution to a deeply collective problem. Community care invites us to zoom out. It asks: What if the support we need isn’t something we have to earn? What if wellness isn't a solo performance?

This shift starts with unlearning. Unlearning the idea that needing others makes us weak. Unlearning the pressure to always be okay. And learning, instead, that healing often happens between us, not just within us.

To begin that mindset shift, you can:

• Reflect on where you've internalized hyper-independence as the only valid form of strength.

• Name the ways others have shown up for you in small, meaningful ways — let that count as care.

• Practice receiving support, not just offering it — even if it feels uncomfortable.

• Reframe mutual aid or shared caregiving as acts of emotional wellness, not charity.

• Remember that isolation isn’t a personal failure — it’s a symptom of the systems we live in.
  

2. Normalize Asking For and Offering Support

Many of us were raised in environments where support was transactional, withheld, or stigmatized. This makes asking for help feel risky — or even shameful. But community care thrives when we give ourselves permission to be human. When we normalize sharing our emotional burden. When we practice offering and receiving care with openness, not guilt.

Building this skill takes time, and it often starts small. You don’t have to make a dramatic ask or organize a formal support system overnight. Think of it as slowly expanding your capacity for closeness — allowing others to witness you, and learning to witness them in return.

To normalize asking for support, try to:

• Practice using direct, low-pressure language when asking for support (“Can I vent for a few minutes?” or “Would you be open to helping me with this?”).

• Offer care in the way someone prefers to receive it — ask what that looks like for them instead of assuming.

• Set up informal “care pods” with friends, neighbors, or coworkers — groups where mutual support is intentional.

• Model help-seeking behavior so others feel permission to do the same — especially in spaces where vulnerability is rare.

• Share local mental health or mutual aid resources — offering direction is sometimes just as powerful as direct support.
  

3. Build Micro-Communities of Belonging

Not everyone has access to extended family, trusted friendships, or faith communities. But all of us deserve to feel held somewhere. The idea of “community” can feel overwhelming — especially when we’re burned out. But what if we start small? What if we create constellations of care — micro-communities — wherever we already are?

These pockets of connection don’t require perfection. They thrive on consistency, consent, and shared values. They remind us we don’t have to do everything for everyone — we just need to show up for each other in the ways we can, when we can.

To foster more connection, you can:

• Create group text check-ins or recurring calls with people you trust — and don’t wait for a crisis to reach out.

• Cook meals for one another, trade childcare, or offer rides — practical support builds emotional trust.

• Host low-pressure, screen-free gatherings — sometimes healing happens best around a dinner table or a quiet walk.

• Offer presence, not solutions, when someone is hurting — listening is an action.

• Name your values out loud: “In this group, we celebrate rest,” or “We show up with care, not judgment.”
  

Community Care Resources in North Carolina

In times when systemic support feels lacking, community-driven organizations step in to provide essential services and solidarity. Below is a curated list of resources in North Carolina that offer support to trans and queer individuals, undocumented communities, and those seeking abortion services. These organizations exemplify the power of collective care and resilience.​

Support for Trans and Queer Communities

• Equality North Carolina: The oldest statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization in the U.S., offering resources on healthcare, legal rights, and community programs. ​Wikipedia+1Equality North Carolina+1

• LGBT Center of Raleigh: Provides support groups, educational programs, and resources for the LGBTQ community in Raleigh and surrounding areas. ​

• LGBTQ Center of Durham: Offers programs like Friends Aging Quirkily (F.A.Q.) and a library focused on LGBTQ life, aiming to strengthen community ties. ​LGBTQ Center Durham+1Duke Health+1

• Trans Youth Emergency Project: Provides emergency grants and one-on-one support for families of transgender youth affected by anti-trans legislation in North Carolina. ​Campaign for Southern Equality

• PFLAG North Carolina Chapters: Offers support, education, and advocacy for LGBTQ individuals and their families across various NC locations. ​PFLAG
  

Resources for Undocumented and Immigrant Communities

• North Carolina Justice Center – Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project: Provides legal assistance, advocacy, and educational resources to protect and empower immigrant communities. ​UndocuCarolina+1CWS Durham+1

• NC Immigrant Solidarity Fund: A grassroots effort offering financial assistance to vulnerable immigrant families facing emergencies. ​CWS Durham

• UndocuCarolina: A resource hub connecting undocumented students and families with local organizations offering various support services. ​UndocuCarolina

• Center for New North Carolinians (UNCG): Promotes access and integration for immigrants and refugees through direct services and community partnerships. ​The Center for New North Carolinians
  

Abortion Access and Reproductive Health Support

• Carolina Abortion Fund: Offers financial assistance and support for individuals seeking abortion services in North and South Carolina. ​Carolina Abortion Fund

• ACLU of North Carolina – Abortion Access Guide: Provides a comprehensive guide to understanding abortion laws and accessing services in North Carolina. ​ACLU of North Carolina
  

Speaking of mental community care: if you want more holistic help, look no further than Rise and Thrive Counseling. Our holistic counselors can help address all areas of life. Reach out today to learn more. We look forward to hearing from you!