Change can be both positive and negative depending on the circumstances. Sometimes life unexpectedly changes. Naturally, this can be extremely uncomfortable. Acceptance and adjustment are both challenges that come with change. It is understandable that unexpected and negative life changes are difficult, but it can feel confusing that positive life changes can be equally as difficult to initiate and adjust to.
Read MoreIn a world increasingly valuing mental health, it's time to clear the fog surrounding common misconceptions about therapy. Understanding the truth is the first step toward a brighter, more resilient, and mentally healthy future.
Read More“Are you listening?” It’s a question we often get asked both as children and adults. How can we show the other person we are talking to that we are engaged in their conversation? Trying to practice the idea of “active listening” may allow the other person to feel heard and thus creates a better conversation and elicits better communication. Here are some tips to help you stay engaged in conversations:
Read MoreOur society has an expectation that individuals prioritize work in ways that may not be healthy for the body or mind. It is important to take a step back and reflect on how work may be impacting stress levels.
Read MoreHere are some hepful tips that can help in building and maintaining connected parent-child relationships in single-parent family arrangements:
Read MoreSelf-care is important for our mind and bodies. It allows us to take a break from the stress of daily life and fully focus on ourselves and what we need to decompress. There are many ways to practice self-care but when you are in a moment of stress or anxiety it can be hard to remember them. Here are some simple trips and tricks to help you find a self care method that works for you!
Read MoreHappy New Year! With the new year brings up everyone’s dreaded question: what is your new year’s resolution? Goal setting, especially for the entire year can be overwhelming. People often don’t know where to begin or how to create attainable and measurable goals. And when you don’t see immediate results, it is easy to get discouraged. However, there are ways we can help set up your goals and help you realize that they can be attainable.
Read MoreWith holiday parties still in full swing this week, and new years right around the corner, it can be hard to stay grounded and relaxed with all the chaos. There is a lot going on at this time of the year and decisions can be harder to make. The DBT skill, “Wise Mind,” can help you recognize your reactions to the chaos and how to channel them into better reactions to your full plate.
Read MoreAs the winter season starts and daylight lessens, some may feel the effects of the changing seasons. Recognizing the beginning feelings that the gloomy weather may be getting to you, is super important in helping manage it for the rest of the winter. In the winter, it’s normal for people to not get as much sunlight as they do in the spring/summer months. Because of this, it can lead to feelings of sadness, feeling tired, and fatigue.
Read MoreThe holiday season can be a time of joy, connection, and celebration. The season can also present its own unique challenges, like disruptions in routines, reminders of loved ones lost, increased financial stress, and more. A NAMI survey from 2014 found that 64% of people with mental health conditions report that the holidays worsened their symptoms! Below are some ways to preemptively manage some of these stressors that might arise:
Read MoreThe core of self-compassion starts with treating yourself with kindness, care, and empathy. It involves unconditionally accepting yourself in any given situation. Self-compassion includes a tremendous amount of kindness, to yourself. This allows us to have balance in our lives and accept every situation for what it is, while being nice to ourselves.
Read MoreThe colder, darker months of the year have arrived. During these months of the year, you may find yourself staying indoors more often to avoid the cold, having lower motivation to workout, and the warmer sweeter foods may take over the front row of your pantry. However, it's important to remember the positive relationship between exercising and your mental health and well-being.
Read MorePracticing gratitude is proven to be an effective coping skill with positive outcomes for mental health. It is different than simply “looking at the bright side”. Rather than reframing negative thoughts into positive ones, gratitude practice is intentionally noticing the things that you don’t typically pay attention to.
Read MoreWe all experience some form of anxiety in our lives. Nerves are common and worry is a natural emotion. But when does our worry become to much? How do we know if our anxiety is excessive? Here are some early warning signs for anxiety disorders, and things to look out for if you think you may want to talk to someone regarding your anxiety:
Read MoreIf you’re currently or have in the past experienced a loss of a loved one, you may be familiar with the Grief process. Grief consists of stages that the person experiences and these stages are fluid. The stages of grief are- denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. If you find yourself constantly flowing through each stage, maybe day by day, that’s completely normal. Everyone within a family system experiences the stages of grief and could be at different times. Here are some tips if you’re currently experiencing grief-
Read MoreDo you ever feel burnt out after looking at your social media pages? Do you ever scroll for hours on end and forget what you were supposed to be doing instead? Social media is a great tool for connection, education, and so many other supportive aspects. However, it can also be a reason we’re so burnt out. Social media, like anything else in our lives, needs a balance. Here are some tips to help us find this balance and be more mindful about our online presence.
Read MoreTo understand the negative impacts of labeling food and lifestyle choices it is important to first understand what diet culture is and how it impacts our society. Kate Willsky at Equip Health defines diet culture as “a system of social beliefs and expectations that values thinness above all.” Diet culture equates thinness to health and views larger bodies, and those in larger bodies who are not on the pursuit to become thin, as shameful. Diet culture connects body size and food choices to morality. Those who are thin are put on a pedestal and those who don’t fit within these standards are put down.
Read MoreDr. Daniel Amen came up with the term Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) in the 1990s. These are negative, gloomy, and complaining thoughts that just seem to show. We can all get these at different times. The more they build up, the more distress we experience and have to manage. Below are different types of ANTs and different strategies for beginning to challenge them. ANTs are part of a cycle that interact with our feelings and behaviors; this is a cycle that can be broken!
Read MoreFor you as a parent it may often feel like the hard parenting moments last a lifetime. Sometimes, your child’s 15-minute tantrum over having to clean up their room feels unbearable and incessant. While you know you’re doing the right thing by teaching them responsibility, you start to question your decision and ask yourself “Is this really worth it?” when your head starts to spin hearing your child complain over and over again. Well, this is where using dialectics may come in handy!
Read MoreAs a parent, it can be difficult to meet all of the many physical needs of your child, and when it comes to their emotional needs the challenge can be even greater! It is easy to remember that your child needs food, water, shelter, and safety. But what are some of the other emotional needs that a growing individual can benefit from having in order to thrive and reach their full potential? What are some of the most memorable experiences you remember having as a child that made you feel happy, seen, and important?
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