Let’s talk about mental health and the importance of taking care of ourselves as a network

12th september 2025 – The catastrophe caused by the DANA left a deep emotional wound across the entire population. In the first days and weeks, it was the local associations that addressed the immediate needs and stood by the people affected. But now it is time for them to also learn to take care of themselves and be better prepared for the future.

For this reason, under the title “Taking care of ourselves as a network,” educational psychologist and Picanya resident, Pepa Izquierdo, will give a talk with the aim of placing mental health at the center of community life after the DANA.

It will take place on Tuesday, September 30, at 6:00 p.m., at the Ateneu Musical i Mercantil of Paiporta (c/ Antonio Machado, 1), and it will be aimed at all associations in the region.

Pepa Izquierdo will address how to identify signs of emotional distress, especially among young people, and will offer practical tools to strengthen the community network. In addition, the need to break taboos and recognize that mental health, just like physical health, requires constant care will be highlighted.

“Anxiety, sadness, or a feeling of disconnection are increasingly accompanying adolescents and young people. Knowing how to identify these signs and learning to take care of oneself is essential,” explains Izquierdo.

“The DANA has been a turning point that has once again highlighted the vital importance of local entities. Associations are spaces for meeting and mutual support, and that is why they also need to incorporate this perspective,” points out Julio Huerta, director of the Foundation.
He also adds: “Community resilience is not improvised: it is built with foresight, trust, and permanent structures. That is why supporting associations in their own emotional health is fundamental.”

This activity, framed within the School of Associations, will include an afternoon snack to encourage coexistence and the exchange of experiences, and requires prior registration through the enabled form.

About Pepa Izquierdo
Pepa Izquierdo Cortés is a psychologist and professor of educational guidance. She works as a counselor in the Specific Guidance Units of the Department of Education of Valencia, where she advises schools on issues such as self-harm and suicidal ideation, among others. She has been an associate professor at the Faculty of Psychology of Valencia. In addition, she received the 2022 CIDAP Award and is the author of CUÍDOME, a book recently published by the SENTIR publishing house, which is a program for the prevention and care of mental health aimed at young adolescents. Likewise, Pepa is a member of the Deontological Commission of the Official College of Psychology and advisor to its governing board, a member of the Occupational Health Committee of the Department of Education, and a regular speaker at courses, conferences, and seminars.