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About Janine Monico

Janine Monico is a digital marketing consultant who has managed the Healthy Minds Philly initiative website since 2015.

Stuck on Repeat: Understanding Trauma Bonds

When people talk about feeling “stuck” in a relationship they know is hurting them, they are often describing what many now call a trauma bond. What is a trauma bond? A trauma bond is an intense attachment in a relationship where there are cycles of harm and then repair. Instead of getting better over time, the relationship becomes a loop of conflict, apologies, and promises that rarely last. It can feel like being stuck on repeat: fighting, crying, saying sorry, promising it will change, and then ending up right back [...]

2026-02-18T15:00:08-05:00February 18th, 2026|Dating & Relationships, Domestic Violence, Trauma|
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When the Caregiver Needs Care

The people who spend their lives caring for others are often the last to notice when they need care themselves. They can recognize burnout a mile away — in others. But when it shows up in their own reflection, they see something else entirely: failure, weakness, laziness. I was reminded of this during a recent conversation on the Healthy Minds Philly chatline. The woman who reached out was in her early sixties. She was grieving a child she’d lost four years earlier, supporting her incarcerated son’s family, and caring full-time [...]

2026-01-28T09:20:35-05:00January 28th, 2026|Certified Peer Specialists, Lived Experience, Stress, Suicide Prevention, Support|
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Dry January Activities in Philadelphia

Each year, many people embrace Dry January, a month-long break from alcohol, to reset after the holidays and start their new year health resolutions. Whether you are curious about how alcohol-free living feels or simply want to improve your wellness habits, Dry January can support your physical and emotional well-being. Physically, even a few weeks without alcohol can lead to: better sleep improved hydration more stable energy Many people notice their skin looking brighter, their mood feeling steadier, and their mornings a little less foggy. Emotionally, Dry January can create [...]

2026-01-14T12:11:51-05:00January 14th, 2026|Addiction & Recovery|
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Spending, Stress, and Saying No: Setting Holiday Boundaries That Protect Your Mental Health

Christmas is often marketed as a season of joy, generosity, and “perfect” celebrations, but for many Philadelphia residents, it also brings real financial stress. Rising prices, higher interest rates, and expectations around gifts, travel and special meals can turn December into a month of anxiety and strain instead of joy and connection. If the idea of Holiday celebration is centered in gifts and experiences, the expenses can pile up quickly: gifts for family, office or school exchanges, donations, parties, outfits, travel, and extra food. More than half of American think [...]

2025-12-22T15:17:03-05:00December 22nd, 2025|Holidays, Self-Help|
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Healthy Minds Philly is an initiative of the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, City of Philadelphia

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