United Church of Christ Mental Health Network

Working to reduce stigma & promote the inclusion of people with mental illnesses/brain disorders.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
DONATE
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Board Members
    • Our Partners
    • Request Our Logo
    • Join Our Board
  • WISE Certification
    • What is Becoming WISE?
    • How to Begin the WISE Process
    • WISE Congregations
    • Contact WISE
  • Resources
    • Congregational Toolkits
    • Mental Health Resource Links
    • Suicide Prevention Awareness
    • Mental Health Sunday
    • MHN at UCC General Synod 2021
    • Press Releases
  • Open & Affirming
    • Announcement of Our ONA Designation
    • Our ONA Covenant
    • Video: Why We Became ONA
    • Support for Ban on Conversion Therapy
  • News
    • UCC Mental Health Network Offers New Resources to Address Youth and Trauma
    • UCC Mental Health Network Designated Open and Affirming Ministry
    • Caring for Our Communities Amid Tragedy
    • Condemning Violence Against AAPI Community
    • Sign Up for MHN News
  • The Journey Continues Blog
  • Trauma & Youth Resources
  • Contact the MHN

Fall Blues as A Liminal Space for Solidarity by Rev. Nancy Rosas

September 26, 2022 By Rev. Nancy Rosas

Photo by Nancy Rosas

A few days ago, I had a phone visit with a dear friend who is a visual artist and who loves using her body to tell stories. We met in Denver, CO and while we both lived there, we connected through our love for our culture, and our love of visual and performative arts and rituals that encourage the healing of mind, body, and soul, and the bridging of realities, peoples, and communities. Now we each live on the opposite coast from each other.

After catching up about our summer’s joys we acknowledged our common experience with end-of-summer-time-sadness known as Fall Blues –the mild or intense feelings people may experience as the daylight shortens, the weather turns colder, the leaves of the trees begin to fall and it start to be clear that the winter months are on their way. Some of these feelings can be sadness, depression, irritability, lethargy, anxiety, and disinterest in things that usually bring us joy.

The first time I experienced Fall Blues was when I lived in Denver and although it was a mild case, I still went to the place of asking, “What is wrong with me? I live in Sunshine Central, there is nothing wrong with my life right now, why am I feeling sad, lethargic, sleepy and anxious?” But then I learned about Fall Blues and how the decrease of vitamin D — known as the sunshine vitamin — and serotonin impacts our bodies and minds. Then, during one of our visits with my friend, she shared her experience, and that encouraged me to shared mine. I realized that I was not the only one going through the Fall Blues! Naming and sharing our experiences was healing and liberating, it took away the stigma placed on us by culture and society.

Since eating nutritious food, staying physically active, engaging in practices to support and ease the mind and spirit, and connection with nature and community are some of the things recommended to help with Fall Blues, my friend and I added to our visits the practices of eating together, enjoying a hot chocolate in the sun room of my house, and a ritual in the garden with flowers and herbs to acknowledge the turning of the seasons. During the ritual we would name the gifts of Summer, acknowledge the Fall Blues, and then set intentions and speak our dreams and hopes for the new season. Divine solidarity became flesh in the listening, caring, sharing, eating, and practicing together with my friend, and it helped us both to get through the Fall Blues.

As we journey into this Fall, if you are a person who experiences Fall Blues, know that you are not alone in this experience. I encourage you to offer compassion and love to yourself, nutritious food for your body, practices that ease your mind, body and soul, and to seek professional help if you need it. You are worthy of all of this love and care at this time and always!

With you in the journey,

Rev. Nancy Rosas

Rev. Nancy Rosas (she/her/hers) is the Pastor of Pilgrim-St. Luke’s United Church of Christ, a WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged) for mental health spiritual community in Buffalo, NY.  She encourages and nurtures her sense of joy and resilience through the practices of yoga and meditation, photography, gardening, writing, and being outdoors on a regular basis.

Filed Under: Anxiety, Community, Depression, Healthy Living, Mental Health, Mental Health Network, self care, UCC, United Church of Christ

Quick Navigation

  • Congregational Toolkits
  • Donate
  • Who We Are
  • Becoming WISE
  • WISE IKC Fall Webinar 2020
  • Contact

Our Partners

  • The United Church of Christ
  • UCC Disabilities Ministries
  • Advocate Aurora Health – The Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation

Stay Connected

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP
Request to Use WISE Logo

Copyright © 2023 · United Church of Christ Mental Health Network · Log in