Self-Care Summer - Exploring Brooklyn With Intention

With disrupted routines and pressure to make the most of the season, it can sometimes feel like a struggle to maintain your mental health during the summer. However, wellness in the summer doesn’t have to mean journaling or meditation. Summer in New York City serves as a perfect opportunity to spend time outside and experience wellness in a new, balanced way. Local activities—like outdoor movies or street fairs—support emotional balance through movement, connection, and joy. According to the APA, even light outdoor activity can ease anxiety. In addition to the benefits of sunlight on enhanced mood, it is also important in supporting physical health including bone health and immune system functioning. This season, let simple pleasures become part of your self-care - just don’t forget your sunscreen! Here are some ways to experience Brooklyn this summer:  

Enjoy a Free Concert in Prospect Park

Looking for a budget friendly performance? Look no further! BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! offers free various performances throughout the summer. The performing arts festival takes place each summer in Prospect Park at Lena Horne Bandshell. Start your day with a picnic in the sunlight, and as the sun goes down experience the joy of performance. If it’s a Sunday, you can even catch a bite at Smorgasburg - a food festival in the park. In addition to the fun you'll have, studies have demonstrated the benefits of music including brain stimulation and improved heart rate. 

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens 

Wanting to connect with nature without leaving the borough? Visit the botanical gardens to take a stroll throughout the scenery. Bring a book to read while you sit amongst the flowers, or invite a friend to catch up with you as you discover beautiful plant life. The botanical gardens offer special free days for New Yorkers as well as a portion of free daily tickets through their community ticket program to be booked ahead of time. 

Watch the Sunset & a Movie at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Bridge Park offers the perfect place to sit and enjoy the sunset. If you’re looking to add some movement into your day, you can start in Manhattan for a walk across the bridge, and make your way to the park before the sun goes down. After sunset, you can stay and watch a free movie screening. Whether alone or with friends, attending a movie screening solo also serves as an effective way to be surrounded by your fellow Brooklyn community. Community connections like this can ease feelings of loneliness, in turn supporting emotional well-being. 

Take a Beach Trip 

What better way to enjoy the summer sun than a beach day? New Yorkers are lucky enough to have access to multiple beaches only a train ride away! Whether you want a stroll on the boardwalk in Coney Island, or to lounge in the sand at the Rockaways, you can take a subway to the ocean front. Perhaps you can bring a journal, and spend some mindful time with yourself as you listen to the waves. Mindfulness allows you to focus on the present moment with intention. Activities such as journaling or meditating on the waves have been shown to ease symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety. 

Move with Outdoor Yoga Class 

Harvard University Health notes, “Changing your posture, breathing, and rhythm can all change your brain, thereby reducing stress, depression, and anxiety, and leading to a feeling of well-being.” Yoga serves as an opportunity to connect with both your mind and body. This summer, take opportunity with free yoga classes including sunrise yoga in Domino Park. 

Taking care of your mental health is part of enjoying your summer! Find ways to move your body, soak in some vitamin D, and bond with your community. If you need support to find balance or want to start therapy, our therapists are here for you.

Written by:

Bri Vigorito

Mental Health Counseling Intern