Jennifer Bashant of Guilderland, who has worked in a mental-health clinic, in a county jail, as a school social worker, and as a research scientist for the state’s Office of Mental Health, now runs a business called Building Better Futures. She combines her expertise from academic degrees with a hands-on approach to help teachers, parents, and businesses navigate challenges. During the pandemic, her focus has shifted to schools, supporting people through stressful times — teaching positive psychology resilience, and being trauma informed. People, often unknowingly, create narratives about themselves, sometimes listening to a too-often critical inner voice. “You can write a restraining order for that voice,” says Bashant, which creates a new neural pathway in the brain. For everyone struggling through the pandemic, Bashant says, “Don’t be hard on yourself. Feel your feelings … Don’t compare what you’re doing now with what you did a year ago … Do the best you can.”

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