On Tuesday evening, November 26, over 40 parishioners gathered in Pagoumian Hall to attend a timely Emotional Health Check seminar by Der Nareg. With the approaching holidays becoming a season of celebration and joy, it can also be a period of stress, loneliness, and sadness for many. The audience was riveted as Der Nareg emphasized recognizing and acknowledging our feelings to support our mental health. Through case studies and his own experiences, Der Nareg explained complex concepts with great clarity. He dove into dysfunctional behaviors that can emerge in times of stress due to suppressed feelings, and he provided us the tools to identify these behaviors in ourselves and others, which is an essential step toward the resolution and healing process.
Most importantly, Der Nareg helped us understand that we are not alone in our journey and that there are steps all of us can take to understand our feelings and improve our mental health. Thank you, Der Nareg, for this much-needed discussion. You left us with important tools to help recognize and nurture our feelings as we each walk our journey to wellness.