New Program Aims to Teach Americans to be More Hopeful

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*The International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression Introduces a 10-Day Challenge Dedicated to Teaching and Learning Hope *

*RENO, NV / ACCESSWIRE / May 5, 2021 / *Many Americans are struggling with mental wellness in the wake of the pandemic and are falling deeper into despair and helplessness, the two ingredients of hopelessness. Hope is a critical component to improving mental health and it can be learned. To help those struggling with hopelessness, a free program, the 10-Day Global Hope Challenge, launches May 10^th for Mental Health Awareness Month from the International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression (iFred), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to teaching how to create, maintain, and grow hope.

During the 10-Day Global Hope Challenge, participants will learn the "what," "why," and "how" of hope, to help strengthen their own hopeful mindsets. The program includes a free downloadable workbook, daily activities to put hope into action, and video messages as well as other tools for support and encouragement. The program is available in English and Spanish, and anyone can sign up at https://www.ifred.org/global-hope-challenge.

"There are too many people feeling hopeless, and it is manifesting in our society as violence, gun use, addiction, self-harm, depression, and suicide," said Kathryn Goetzke, Founder of iFred and Creator of Hopeful Minds, Hopeful Cities, and the Hope Matrix. "By teaching hope we aim to arm individuals and communities with the tools to go from despair to positive feelings, and from helplessness to inspired action."

During the 10-Day Global Hope Challenge, participants learn actions to improve hope as well as the Five Keys to Hope, which include:

· Identifying and Managing the Stress Response
· Fostering Habits for Happiness
· Taking Inspired Actions Using SMART Goals
· Cultivating Your Hope Network
· Overcoming Challenges to Hope

"Practicing happiness habits and putting the Five Keys to Hope into action are the foundation to individuals and communities leading more positive, hopeful lives," said Ms. Goetzke. "Hope can reduce violence, worry, internalizing failure, and it can also improve life outcomes."

Increased hope also protects against anxiety and depression, which has become another health crisis due to the impact of COVID-19 on populations around the world.

Research shows hope is teachable, and higher levels of hope correspond to greater emotional and psychological wellbeing, as well as athletic performance, workplace engagement, and future levels of anxiety and depression.

The Global Hope Challenge also allows participants to measure their own Hope using the Adult Snyder Hope Scale to see their starting point and understand the progress they are making to improving hope.

"When hope is increased, we see many aspects of life improve including personal relationships, health, and academic and job performance," said Ms. Goetzke.

The 10-Day Global Hope Challenge is part of the Hopeful Cities initiative, which kicked off in March of 2021 with the support of the City of Reno. The 10-Day Global Hope Challenge is based on the free, global Hopeful Minds curriculums for parents, educators, and students. The Hopeful Minds curriculums contains new updates due to the impact of the pandemic, and includes remote compliant lessons, meet National Health Education Standards, offer bullying-prevention strategies, are trauma-informed, and aim to equip parents, teachers, and students with critical hope skills.

On May 6, 2021, Ms. Goetzke joins the City of Reno and other guests for a Yelp Event to teach the Five Keys of Hope and show attendees how to activate hope in their communities.

To take the 10-Day Global Hope Challenge, visit: globalhopechallenge.com

*About iFred*

The mission of International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression (iFred) is to shine a positive light on depression and eliminate the stigma associated with mental health through prevention, research, and education. iFred is creating a shift in society's negative perception of hopelessness, the primary symptom of depression and anxiety and a key predictor of suicide, through positive imagery and branding, establishing the sunflower and color yellow as the international symbols of hope, engaging leaders and celebrities about their own mental health challenges, educating on the biology and brain, and teaching all about the "how-to" of hope with Hopeful Minds.

*About Hopeful Minds*

Hopeful Minds created by a world-renowned advisory board, is the first, free global program to operationalize and teach hope. The program was featured as an innovation by the World Bank, and the BBC did a documentary featuring it called ‘Teens on the Edge' in Northern Ireland

*About Hopeful Cities*

Hopeful Cities™, an iFred.org project, is a citywide campaign anyone can implement, that teaches about the Science of Hope. The first-ever Hopeful City launched in Reno, NV. It was created as a marketing plan in action that operationalizes hope as it creates awareness about the importance of it. It is a website full of resources any city can implement, and aims to equip the "how-to" of hope wherever it is needed: in the workplace, community, schools, and at home. Find out more at www.hopefulcities.org.

*Media Contact: *

Shay Pantano
Pantano Media & Marketing
spantano@pantanomm.com
212-731-9770

*SOURCE: *iFred
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