CURRENT POSITION Librarian II, Van Wyck Branch Manager, Norfolk Public Library, VA DEGREE MLS, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 2019 FOLLOW Facebook innovativelibrarian; Podcast: anchor.fm/npl-living-freely Photo by Christopher Kendalls

Working Toward Wellness

While working at Norfolk Public Library during the pandemic, Patricia Kendalls observed an increase in the public’s needs around mental health. “I worked closely with local chapters and agencies that were providing resources to help,” she recalls. During programs, patrons would talk “about how stressed and fearful [they] were. I gleaned from these conversations that the community needed avenues to deal with the many stresses that society was facing.” 

In response, the library stepped up to sponsor a collaboration between Kendalls and licensed professional counselor Rachel Ann Dine, Living Freely: Mental Health Podcast. “The podcast was a way for individuals [to] receive help without feeling embarrassed about how they may be feeling or to worry about the financial aspect of seeking help,” Kendalls says.  

Living Freely debuted October 2020 and currently features more than 40 episodes available on eight platforms. It’s been accessed in 39 states, 36 countries, and six continents.  

Kendalls, Dine, and a marketing team manage the brand, with Kendalls and Dine developing the topics. Kendalls herself found the episodes focusing on self-care and methods of dealing with disappointment and burnout helpful, she says. The library creates bibliographies relating to the subjects.

Efforts to support the community’s mental health continue, she adds. Next fall’s episodes will look at “exploring life after the pandemic [and] healthy habits [for] a healthy mind,” with live panel discussions planned at her branch.