Teens and children are often so excited about the end of the school year. They count down the days until they are free from homework and long days in the classroom. They list all of the fun ways they are going to spend their free time in between vacations or other fun events they have planned. Unfortunately, this excitement is...[ read more ]
Have you ever read an article, watched a video, or heard a story that shook your emotional foundation? I read an article recently that was written in graphic detail about a murder. The murder impacted several people I know and care about. When I read the article, I could not help but think about how the victim’s loved ones would...[ read more ]
Happy Mothers' Day to all mothers including past, present, soon to be mothers, step-mothers (a.k.a. bonus moms), and grieving mothers. There are often a lot of mixed emotions on this holiday. Many mothers and children have experienced losses that make it difficult to enjoy their day with the loved ones still with them. Here is a list of ways to...[ read more ]
Self-harm, also referred to as self-injurious behavior, refers to actions people take to injure themselves through a variety of methods including but not limited to cutting, punching, biting, or burning themselves. The motivation for self-harm varies, but the goal of these behaviors is typically to cope with negative emotions. Self-harm is not limited to specific genders or age groups. Many...[ read more ]
We have all heard it. “Just take a deep breath.” When I talk to clients about taking deep breaths, they typically say they have tried that tactic before, and it did not work for them. The problem is they have not been taking deep BELLY breaths. Imagine you are very anxious, and your breathing is shallow and fast. When you...[ read more ]
Mindfulness is best described as a set of skills that provides a “moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment” (Davis & Hayes, 2011). When people respond to situations without judgment, they are not labeling the experience as good or bad, but they accept their experience with an attitude of curiosity. People practicing Buddhism have been using mindfulness for centuries to...[ read more ]
Children love the holidays and most count down the days until Christmas or other fun holidays. However, I know several adults who dread the holidays. What changes? At what point does fun turn into stress? Several factors are at fault including increased demands for time and finances. Traveling, grief, poor self-care, and working too much can cause holiday stress. Fortunately,...[ read more ]
Most people are aware they have values, but they may not have considered which values are most important to them. When trying to understand what makes us feel satisfied with our lives, we may mistakenly skip over examining our values. This is a problem because when our lives are not in alignment with our values, anxiety, mood disturbances, relationship problems,...[ read more ]
What if the secret to healing a wound was to focus on the parts that are not wounded? This may sound ridiculous, but this odd strategy works! A deficit in modern psychology is its emphasis on wounds. For example, the DSM5 is a book used by professionals in the field of psychology to identify groups of symptoms and label them...[ read more ]
Have you found yourself having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep? Sleep is crucial for functioning during the day. Insomnia can make it difficult to be productive at work and home. It can also cause emotional problems. There are several strategies you can use tonight to improve your sleep. 1. Decrease your caffeine intake. Stop consuming caffeine at least 6...[ read more ]
