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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.

Men’s Health Month: Chasing Brady

As a 35-year-old man, it’s taken me awhile to accept that my body is getting older. I have been an athlete for most of my life, participating in one or two sports each season year-round until college. When I was no longer in organized sports, I had no trouble jumping right back in. If you needed an extra for flag-football, I could jog over to the field, sprint the whole game, head home to clean up, and then go out at 10pm with friends. Now, I’m still active, but I run out of steam, recovery takes longer, my joints ache constantly, bruises never seem to heal, and if I do head out with friends I am home long before 10.  The good news is: the guys I play hockey and softball with are just as old (if not older) and facing the same challenges. If, like me, you have finally accepted that you are getting older, consider these tips to help you stay active and healthy. Get some sleep Sleep is important at any age. When we were younger sleep was not only important for recovery, but also for the growth of our brains and bodies. Most recovery happens in deep sleep, which unfortunately may be harder to reach in adulthood. Establishing a routine is helpful for falling asleep and [...]

2021-07-31T13:03:06-04:00June 21st, 2019|Awareness, Lived Experience, Self-Help|
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Fast Facts: Men’s Health Month

Women of DBHIDS Supporting Men's Health Month by Wearing Blue June is Men’s Health Month - a time to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.  Consider these statistics: 450,000 men die of cardiovascular disease each year (CDC). More than 700,000 men are diagnosed with a type of cancer each year; 300,000 of those cases will result in death (Men’s Health Resource Center). 230,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. It’s the second leading cause of death in men (Cancer.org)  More than 60% of adult American men are overweight or obese (National Institutes of Health). As part of an educational campaign for men’s health, The Cleveland Clinic surveyed more than 500 American men ages 18-70 about their use of healthcare resources and found:  Only 3 out of 5 men get annual physicals Over 40% of men only go to the doctor when they think they have a serious medical condition More than half of men said their health wasn’t something they talk about. It’s time for men to take a proactive approach to health - both physical and mental health. While you’re here, take a quick screening. Then review these guidelines for keeping an eye on your physical health:     

2021-01-02T21:53:39-05:00June 14th, 2019|Awareness, Men's Health, Self-Help, Stress|
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Addiction: A Story of Love and Loss

We met when I was 16 years old, and nearly 20 years and several serious relationships later, he remains the love of my life. His smile, his sense of humor, and his ever-giving selflessness are what I loved the most about him. Drugs took that all away. Early on, I wasn’t as concerned about his drug use because he worked full time in construction and went to community college at night. It was 2003, and I lived in the dorms at Temple University. We saw each other on weekends and occasionally during the week; but I had no idea how the disease of addiction was developing.  Looking back now, it makes sense considering his family’s cycle of addiction. His own father had overdosed a few years prior, and other members of his immediate family were in various stages of addiction. For his 22nd birthday, we took a trip to Ft. Lauderdale. While there, he never wanted to leave the hotel and unbeknownst to me, he was going through withdrawal. Recognizing how serious his addiction was, our relationship quickly fell apart. I was pregnant with our son and we had little to no contact during that time. But when our son was born in July 2006, he came to the hospital, and I was in complete denial of his addiction. We [...]

2021-07-31T13:03:15-04:00June 5th, 2019|Addiction & Recovery, Lived Experience|
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A Colorful Legacy: A Mural Arts Story

Author: Laure Biron, MSS, LSW, is the Porch Light Program Director for Mural Arts Philadelphia. Also a practicing psychotherapist, she has worked for Mural Arts since 2008, beginning in the Art Education department and working additionally in Restorative Justice, Special Projects, and currently, the Porch Light Program At Mural Arts, we believe that hands-on art-making provides a strong pathway for individual and community healing.  Our Porch Light program, a joint collaboration with the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, focuses on achieving universal health and wellness among Philadelphians, especially those living with mental health issues or trauma. We do this by providing opportunities to contribute to meaningful works of public art. Alongside the mural-making workshops and paint days that have taken place across our city, a series of important conversations have been crafted for audiences around Philadelphia to talk about what barriers and disparities exist for their health.  How does bias and racism impact the health of our communities, and especially, for men and boys of color?  One shining example comes to mind. Colorful Legacy by Willis "Nomo" Humphrey & Keir Johnston. Photo by Steve Weinik. In 2015 Mural Arts Philadelphia Porch Light Program completed a critical project as part of our Signature Project series in West Philadelphia. Willis "Nomo" Humphrey and Kier Johnston worked [...]

2021-01-02T19:59:38-05:00May 13th, 2019|Community|
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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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