Mental Health Good News

Stories about people and organizations making a difference for mental health — and fighting the stigma around mental health

A person with reddish-brown hair holds a hand-painted sign reading "PROTECT TRANS KIDS" in a crowd of protesters on a city street lined with buildings and trees.

New report shows trans students thrive when their teachers support them: 'Higher grades and belonging'

Actions as simple as asking for and affirming a student’s name and pronouns can make trans students feel substantially safer and more likely to succeed in the classroom, a new report shows.

A photo collage of an aerial view of a neighborhood, an aerial view of a solar farm, people celebrating in front of a car with a hydrogen engine, the driveway of of the Anythink Nature Library, and a collage of national park signs documented by the organization Save Our Signs

Good News This Week: August 15, 2026 - Otters, Libraries, & Signs

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

A person's hand points to a detailed street map showing areas including El Monte, Rosemead, and South El Monte, with roads marked in red and orange lines and various neighborhoods outlined in green.

Researchers find reading maps is good for our brains: 'Taxi drivers rarely die of Alzheimer's'

Problems with spatial navigation and orientation are among the earliest signs of Alzheimer's, sometimes surfacing before obvious memory loss.

iPhone displaying a "Social Media" folder with nine app icons: Facebook, Instagram, X, Messenger, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Bluesky, TikTok, and Pinterest.

New Jersey's new 'big tech' law aims to regulate kids' social media use: 'Worse than big tobacco'

The new law limits data gathering and bars some algorithmic recommendations.

Two women sit at a wooden table facing each other, both smiling and gesturing while talking. One wears a brown and white striped shirt with glasses; the other wears a dark pinstriped shirt. Drinks and a blue bag are on the table. Framed photographs hang on the white wall behind them.

Hanging out with friends is good for your mental health. This study calculated the 'perfect hang' down to the minute

A 2023 study found that catching up with friends was good for your mental health. A new poll three years later set out to calculate the length of the perfect “hang out.”

Two people sit in chairs in a wooded area, each working on a laptop computer.

5 ways to add more time in nature to your routine — even during work hours

Getting outside despite your 9‑to‑5 job can improve your mental health. Here are some expert-backed tips to spend more time in nature.

A photo of a robin perched on top of a branch

New study finds listening to birdsong in a forest lowers stress — more than any other setting

Both the natural setting and the birdsong helped independently, and the benefits were largest when combined.

A small pig wearing a pink collar and leash looks upward. The pig appears to be indoors with blurred background elements.

This 'crisis intervention therapy pig' is helping DC's homeless: 'We have to think outside the box'

Synergy the mini pig provides comfort to people in times of crisis. She also does tricks.

Woman with long brown hair wearing a white blouse, smiling while seated on a gray couch against a pink and purple gradient background.

Amid divorce, Jen Hamilton donates 100% of merch proceeds to other women in need

The nurse, turned influencer and best-selling author, is using her own challenges to help others.

A photo collage of a policeman standing, brain scans, Mayor Zohran Mamdani shaking hands with another person, an aerial view of a shoreline next to the mountains, and a scuba diver underwater

Good News This Week: July 11, 2026 - Snails, Poems, & Leopards