Keeping Ashland Healthy - Episode 126 – May is Mental Health MonthKeeping Ashland Healthy - Episode 126 – May is Mental Health Month
Keeping Ashland Healthy
May is Mental Health Month—and this year, we’re focusing on a simple idea: more good days, together. But what does a “good day” really mean? It’s not always happiness or productivity. Sometimes it’s just getting through, feeling a little more...
16:27•12 May 2026
More Good Days Together: Mental Health Month in Ashland County
Episode Overview
- Shift focus from labels and diagnoses to how people actually live, cope and connect day to day.
- Define for yourself what a good day means, aiming for realistic improvements rather than constant happiness or productivity.
- Support mental health through basics like sleep, movement, nutrition, time outside and eating with others to reduce isolation.
- Prioritise what you can control—your actions, words, boundaries and use of time—rather than external events or other people’s opinions.
- Use small, consistent steps such as brief walks, simple acts of kindness and contact with friends, family or pets to build steady progress.
“People are not problems to be solved.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? On Keeping Ashland Healthy, Executive Director David Ross talks frankly about May as Mental Health Month and what "more good days, together" can actually look like for real people in Ashland County.
Rather than getting stuck on diagnoses and labels, he keeps bringing the focus back to everyday life: stress, relationships, meaning, and the simple fact that "five out of five people are managing life right now." You’ll hear him challenge the idea that a good day has to be productive or cheerful; instead, it might just mean feeling a bit calmer or a bit less alone.
This episode is especially helpful for anyone juggling mental health, physical health and substance use stressors, and for families who want practical, local ideas rather than theory. Ross talks about sleep, movement, nutrition and social connection as the basics, then adds some light-hearted touches—like joking about Thanksgiving food fights—while stressing the importance of eating together, spending time outside in Ashland’s parks, and simply showing up at community events.
He walks through simple, science-backed ways to boost dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins, and shares an office favourite on promoting a healthier mindset: focus on what’s in your control rather than the weather, world events, or what others think of you. Kindness, he notes, is a “twofer” that helps you and the people around you. There’s also a warm nod to pets as emotional support, routine builders and quiet companions on tough days.
Throughout, Ross emphasises small, realistic steps—half a glass of water, a short walk, a quick text to a friend—over grand overnight change. If you’re looking for grounded, local talk about mental health and recovery that treats you as a person rather than a problem, this one might spark some simple changes you can actually keep up. What would a genuinely good day look like for you?
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