LIFTWELL is an initiative at the Center for Global Mental Health focused on adapting and delivering scalable mental health and psychosocial support interventions for communities facing stress, displacement, and barriers to care.
The project centers on the World Health Organization’s Self-Help Plus, or SH+, a brief, group-based stress management intervention designed to support people experiencing adversity. SH+ teaches practical skills drawn from acceptance and commitment therapy, including grounding, unhooking from difficult thoughts, acting on personal values, making room for difficult emotions, and practicing kindness toward oneself and others. Through LIFTWELL, our team adapts SH+ for different communities using culturally responsive, community-informed, and low-barrier delivery approaches. Our work includes animated and digitized SH+ materials, group workshops, app-based delivery models, and partnerships with schools, community organizations, and student support services.
Current LIFTWELL projects
SH+ for immigrant families in New York City
In collaboration with community partners, LIFTWELL is adapting SH+ for Spanish-speaking immigrant families in New York City. This work focuses on improving access to stress management tools, supporting family well-being, and using accessible digital formats such as short animated videos.
SH+ for international students
This project responds to the unique stressors international students may face, including adjustment to a new cultural and academic environment, isolation, uncertainty, and barriers to mental health care. The project includes formative research, adapted SH+ materials, and pilot implementation of SH+ workshops.
Digital and app-based SH+ delivery
The team is developing and evaluating digital approaches to SH+ delivery, including animated videos and app-based tools. This work explores whether brief, accessible, and flexible digital formats can support engagement with SH+ skills while maintaining fidelity to the original intervention.
