[Seoul District News] Gangbuk-gu Conducts Healing Walks on Opaesan Forest Trail, Bukhansan Dullegil, Bukseoul Dream Forest, etc.; Forest Healing Programs and Health Stretching by Story Instructors Also Offered... Seongdong-gu Supports Youth Specialized Psychological Therapy to Overcome COVID-19 Depression... Gangnam-gu Operates Mobile Mental Health Counseling Bus ‘Maeum Anshim Bus’... Dongdaemun-gu Dapsimni Library Hosts ‘Spring of the Heart, Everyday Happiness’ with Authors
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangbuk-gu (District Mayor Park Kyum-soo) is operating the ‘Doran Doran Good Road Healing Walk’ program to heal the tired bodies and minds of its residents.
‘Doran Doran Good Road Healing Walk’ is a program where participants walk along forest trails such as Opaesan Forest Trail, Bukhansan Dullegil, and Buk Seoul Dream Forest with a storytelling instructor, learning about the history and culture of Gangbuk-gu.
The program is operated together by instructor Kang Se-hoon (Chairman of People Who Visit Forests) and professional healthcare personnel.
Participants can also take part in forest healing programs such as meditation and communication methods with the storytelling instructor, and enjoy programs like how to use trekking poles, health stretching, and nutrition quizzes. Additionally, they can learn how to take life photos in nature.
The district provides health measurement results before and after the healing walk for continuous health management of residents. Participants can directly see the effects of walking exercise through measurements of blood pressure, blood sugar, and body fat analysis before and after walking.
Any Gangbuk-gu resident can apply for the healing walk program. For more details, please contact the Gangbuk-gu Health Promotion Division.
Park Kyum-soo, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said, “Through this program, I hope residents recover from their tired daily lives by walking together with local community members. We will strive to continuously expand programs that residents can enjoy by utilizing Gangbuk-gu’s natural resources.”
Seongdong-gu (District Mayor Jung Won-oh) supports 50% of counseling fees for adolescents receiving counseling at private professional counseling institutions.
Any adolescent aged 9 to 24 residing in Seongdong-gu who is experiencing difficulties due to academic stress or COVID-19 depression can apply to receive psychological counseling and examination fees up to 800,000 KRW per person annually.
Starting in July, counseling institution-specific vouchers will be issued to eligible applicants via Zero Pay gift certificates on mobile devices, which can be used at private counseling institutions designated by the district.
The district is currently recruiting three private counseling institutions, including medical institutions with psychiatrists on staff and organizations with qualified mental health clinical psychologists, to provide counseling services to adolescents by July 23.
This project was established to support adolescents who are gradually returning to normal life after COVID-19 but still suffer from mental difficulties such as depression and lethargy due to significant changes in daily life.
It promotes in-depth counseling through certified professional psychological counselors, expanding communication channels to understand adolescents’ psychological difficulties and allowing counseling without waiting by setting preferred time slots for convenience.
Furthermore, the district plans to actively identify adolescents in need of counseling through cooperation with institutions such as the Seongdong-gu Youth Counseling Welfare Center and crisis screening tests to ensure professional counseling is provided.
Except for current beneficiaries of child and adolescent psychological support services and youth mental health support projects, counseling fee support applications can be made at the Seongdong-gu Youth Counseling Welfare Center at any time.
Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “This project was launched to enable those in this important developmental stage of psychological, emotional, and social independence to receive active psychological counseling. We will continue to encourage and support adolescents to grow up healthily.”
Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jeon Soon-gyun) is operating the ‘Mind Relief Bus,’ which visits areas densely populated by vulnerable groups to detect mental health issues early and support treatment for residents.
The Mind Relief Bus offers various free psychological support services, including mental health checkups and counseling, stress measurement, and healing programs.
Last month on the 19th, the district operated the Mind Relief Bus at the Gangnam-gu Single-Person Household Community Center, receiving positive responses from young people. On the 16th of this month, services were provided to 42 participants at the Gangnam-gu Mental Health Welfare Center, which relocated to Segok-dong last December. On October 13, the bus will visit Taehwa Christian Social Welfare Center, and on November 3, Suseo Comprehensive Social Welfare Center to continue suicide prevention activities and psychological counseling.
Participants classified as high-risk for mental health during counseling are linked to medical institutions and can receive counseling services at the Mental Health Welfare Center.
Yang Oh-seung, Director of Gangnam-gu Public Health Center, said, “The Mind Relief Bus project was planned to help manage the mental health of those in blind spots of mental health services and to promote the Gangnam-gu Mental Health Welfare Center. We will continue to support residents struggling with depression, stress, and other difficulties to foster healthy community members and build a local safety net.”
Dongdaemun-gu (District Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) Dapsimni Library (Director Song Min-seon) will operate the ‘Mind Happiness & Daily Life Recovery Special Lectures’ twice on July 7 and 14 to help residents recover their daily lives following the lifting of social distancing measures.
The ‘Mind Happiness & Daily Life Recovery Special Lectures’ are part of the ‘Mind Spring, Daily Happiness Service’ program, supported by the Dongdaemun-gu Public Health Center’s Community Health Division, and will feature two meetings with authors of psychology books selected to care for residents’ mental health.
This special lecture series invites author Jung Moon-jung, who wrote ‘How to Smile and Deal with Rude People,’ and author Yoon Seo-jin, who wrote ‘Nevertheless, I Want to Get Along Well with You.’ On July 7 at 7 p.m., Jung Moon-jung will give a special lecture titled ‘How to Build the Muscle of Self-Expression,’ and on July 14 from 10 a.m., Yoon Seo-jin will engage with residents on ‘Healthy Communication Methods within Families.’
Residents wishing to participate can register on the Dapsimni Library website under the Culture Yard section, with a maximum of 20 participants per session on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information, please contact Dapsimni Library.
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