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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.

Recovery After Strokes: Ignacio’s Story

Ignacio is a 50-year-old Argentine tango dancer and instructor. He moved to Philadelphia less than two years ago from Argentina to live with his partner, Meredith. Their life together took an unexpected turn in March 2024, when he suffered a life-threatening cerebrovascular accident (CVA). The Day Everything Changed On March 9, 2024, Ignacio was at home with Meredith when he began to feel ill. He lost mobility and his gaze became blurred. After emergency services arrived, Ignacio was transferred to Temple University Hospital, where his life was saved with an [...]

2025-05-20T09:46:25-04:00May 20th, 2025|Awareness, Lived Experience, Stress|
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Tango Into Community

Meredith is a renown tango performer and teacher with deep roots in Philadelphia. Her talent has taken her dancing all over the world, but now she is at home running the Philadelphia Argentinean Tango School in Fishtown. For 26 years, tango has been her anchor, providing a sense of belonging that had long eluded her. "Tango has been the first long-term consistent community that I have been part of," Meredith shares, highlighting the profound effect this dance form has had on her well-being. Her childhood was marked by loss and [...]

2025-07-21T09:26:14-04:00May 13th, 2025|Depression, Lived Experience, Music and Mental Health, Self-Help|
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The Power of Social Tango Dancing: Community, Growth, and Calm

During summer, Philadelphia comes alive with festivals and public events, giving residents many chances to try new activities. These celebrations help people discover things that can enhance their well-being and bring global cultures into the city through music, food, art, and community gatherings. These occasions are a great time to embrace social dancing. A fun way to enhance overall well-being, social dancing offers physical, mental, and social benefits—such as increased confidence, reduced stress, and new friendships. To help Philadelphians discover how social dancing can improve health and happiness, HealthyMindsPhilly visited [...]

2025-07-21T09:26:22-04:00May 6th, 2025|Depression, Lived Experience, Mental Health, Music and Mental Health, Self-Help|
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Runner’s High in Recovery: A Natural High That Heals

For those in recovery, the word high can carry heavy weight. But there’s a different kind of high called runner’s high, and for some people in recovery, it can be a source of peace and clarity. What is a High? A "high" is a brain event that happens when the "reward circuit" overacts. This overaction is experienced as relaxation, or heightened sensory perception, or euphoria. A high is a normal brain response to life experiences, such as seeing a loved-one, having fun with friends, or enjoying physical activity. Highs can [...]

2025-04-08T11:16:52-04:00April 14th, 2025|Addiction & Recovery|
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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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