Through mental health articles and simple tips, we educate people on the importance of speaking out and supporting each other.
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In recent years the mental health community has become more aware of self-harm practices in the adolescent and young adult populations. Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been difficult for therapists and parents to fully understand due to its sensitive nature and the fear of suicidal ideation. Teenagers and young adults turn to this behavior to release…Continue reading Adolescents, Teenagers, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury →
HOW TO SET BOUNDARIES IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS We often hear about boundaries — and we might even know we need them in order to have healthy, fulfilling relationships. But amidst all the talk about boundaries, the three most important things about them are often overlooked. What are boundaries? How do we discover our own boundaries?…Continue reading How to Set Boundaries In Your Relationships →
February is often the month we celebrate relationships. The focus is typically on romantic and intimate relationships, but in this article, we’re going to discuss a simple concept that can help you build and maintain lasting relationships of any kind. It’s one of the seven principles that relationship researcher, John Gottman, details in his book…Continue reading Forming Lasting Relationships with Love Maps →
This time of year, everyone is getting excited to start a new year fresh with new ideas and inspirations. There is research stating we are more motivated to start working on goals at a clear milestone, such as Monday, the first day of the month, our birthday and especially the new year. Many people suffering…Continue reading Increase Motivation with Goal Setting →
How do you validate someone in a relationship while maintaining your limits? Validation is a verbal expression of empathy or accurate listening/ perceiving. It stands in contrast to praise, advice, or sympathy. Validating someone’s feelings opens space for them to feel understood from their perspective….Continue reading Validation and Limits in Relationships →
In this interview, we asked one of our volunteer licensed therapists to clarify some mental health terms and explain the difference between anxiety and panic attacks. “Your brother is a psychiatrist? So not a real doctor?” “That ride was so scary! I’m going to have a panic attack.” “I think you’re overreacting; I know people who’ve had real trauma.” These statements…Continue reading A Deep Dive Into Mental Health With Rachel White →
As human beings, we are driven to form healthy relationship attachments. From birth, we count on others for our survival, and it is normal to want safe interpersonal relationships where we are valued and encouraged to develop and grow. The world is stressful, and healthy relationships can enhance mental, emotional, and physical health, while unhealthy…Continue reading Signs You Might Be in an Unhealthy Relationship →
One of the hardest challenges one can experience is having a family member or loved one stuck in the throes of addiction. Rates of addiction in American society are extremely high. According to the American Addiction Centers, in 2017 38% of adults in the United States suffered from an addiction. The larger problem in that…Continue reading Helping a Loved One in an Addiction →
Did you freeze in disbelief in the moment of discovering your partner’s betrayal? If so, specific sounds, smells, images, or emotions may take you right back to that moment. The intensity of the event may seem to accompany you as you drift between past and present. Likewise, anxiety, anger, grief, and heartache keep your heart…Continue reading 3 Skills to Overcome Betrayal Trauma →
Who do you put as an emergency contact on paperwork? Perhaps your spouse, a parent, a sibling, if you’re Dwight Schrute, maybe your boss. That contact represents the person you most trust to handle things in the event of an emergency. It represents a relationship that is likely very important to you. So, what can you do to maintain a healthy relationship?…Continue reading How to Maintain a Healthy Relationship →
When it comes to reducing depression, focus on the small things you can control. One of my favorite anecdotes comes from the legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. He is considered possibly the greatest collegiate coach of any sport in history. At the beginning of each year, the first thing he taught his players wasn’t something flashy or mysterious, but it was simple and profound. His first lesson?…Continue reading Steps to Reduce the Challenges of Depression →
Everybody struggles. We all face adversity in some form. These are the challenges that shape us and allow us to grow. Without life’s challenges, we would never do anything. In the words of Dory in Finding Nemo when Marlon comments that he doesn’t want to let “anything happen” to his son. “Well, you can’t never let anything happen to him. Then nothing would ever happen to him.”…Continue reading The Power of Sharing Your Story →
“I really want some pogs for Christmas!” This is what I told my parents in 1995. And little did I know this would lead my family to learn an important lesson about debt and mental health. Not only did I get my beloved pogs with a new slammer, but I also got some new rollerblades and a hockey stick….Continue reading How Debt Affects Mental Health →
Am I depressed? What are the signs of depression? We live in a world where self-diagnosis has a negative connotation. If I were to use my “I did my own research” degree to determine that my common cold symptoms were caused by the black plague, I would probably be met with open mockery…Continue reading Am I Depressed? Recognizing Signs of Depression →
Trauma much like everything else, including things that say “one size fits all” is not a one size fits all. Traumatic experiences come in many different shapes and sizes and for many different reasons. When most people think of trauma, they think of a war zone or a trauma unit in a hospital….Continue reading What is Trauma? How to Move Forward →
Post-traumatic stress disorder is among the most well-known mental health conditions in modern society. Our collective understanding of PTSD and its treatment has developed since the post-WWI era when military veterans returned home suffering from ‘shell shock’ and the enlightened public of today has achieved at least a certain awareness of the toll that the trauma of warfare can have on physiological wellness….Continue reading Symptoms and Treatments of PTSD →
When you think of the word trauma what comes to mind? Many of us might think of something extraordinarily stressful or life-threatening. Maybe we think of something like a tragic accident, rape, or natural disaster. Trauma is defined as a deeply distressing or overwhelming experience that is commonly followed by emotional and physical shock. Long-term…Continue reading What is Betrayal Trauma? Finding Healing →
In a healthy relationship environment secure attachment comes naturally. Unfortunately, many children seek a secure attachment with their parents and are met with discomfort in the form of neglect and abuse. Trauma is our response to a negative event in which we feel trapped, hurt physically, or hurt mentally and emotionally….Continue reading What is Attachment Trauma? Causes and Healing →
The arguments for getting enough sleep are not met with much criticism, as it is easy to feel the negative effects of too little sleep on the brain. How then can we maximize the usefulness of our sleep, and awake feeling well-rested and prepared for the tasks of the day?…Continue reading How to Get Enough Sleep: Proper Sleep Management →
Navigating medication for mental health can sometimes be a challenge. Imagine feeling overwhelmed with feelings of anxiety and/or depression. For some, that may not be difficult to imagine because it is your reality. So, how do you handle those feelings? You may find yourself at your primary care doctor’s office to discuss your options….Continue reading Navigating Mental Health Medication →
It is easy to see that improving your finances improves your overall well-being. By taking steps towards addressing financial difficulties, anxieties can be eased and mental and physical health improved. Here are a number of steps anyone can take to ease financial stress in their lives…Continue reading 5 Steps You Can Take Today to Ease Financial Stress →
Addictive behaviors are unfortunately common across our nation for a variety of reasons. Anywhere from entertainment all the way to heavily stuck in substance use and unable to escape, these behaviors have been prevalent for a number of years across the United States and throughout the globe…Continue reading Addiction: Coping in Healthy Ways During the Isolation →
Taking care of yourself during a mental health crisis is just as important as taking care of your physical health. So how do you handle an imbalance of your mental health? When the path isn’t clear and you are suffering, options can seem very limited….Continue reading 6 Ways to Handle Your Mental Health Crisis →
I am thinking a little more about anxiety and anxious thinking today. I have two sons who started a climb yesterday up Mt. Rainier in Washington. We know they made it to the base camp last night, and I know they were going to sleep by about 7 pm and arise at 12:30 AM to begin the hike up to the summit….Continue reading 3 Things to Help With Anxious Thinking →
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic and struggling to maintain good mental health? If you are, you are not alone. It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry after any kind of uncertainty. During this unique time, it can be especially important to take care of your emotional and mental health…Continue reading Managing Your Mental Health during a Pandemic →
During this period of COVID-19, it can be helpful to understand the psychology behind panic.
In today’s world, there seem to be plenty of things to get anxious about. Anything from isolation because of COVID-19, empty grocery store shelves, or earthquakes and aftershocks have recently added to a host of already anxiety-provoking, everyday concerns…Continue reading The Psychology of Panic: What Causes It? →
In a society that encourages, promotes, and rewards the macho man and the flawless women, it is no wonder many suffers of mental health keep their mental health struggles to themselves out of fear of being second to those whose lives appear all too perfect. Too often, this secrecy produces serious outcomes such as obesity, addiction, divorce, financial ruin, and suicide as suffers attempt to cope with their symptoms in unhealthy ways. …Continue reading You Are Not Alone: Mental Health Statistics →
Throughout history, a strong stigma has existed around the topic of mental health. A stigma is something that degrades or takes away from one’s character or reputation. Evidence of mental health can be found during the middle ages but didn’t become commonplace discussion until the 1900s. As you begin educating yourself around mental health, you begin to recognize that there are levels of severity and diagnosis….Continue reading It’s Okay: Addressing the Mental Health Stigma →
Having trouble finding the right mental health therapist? If I had to choose a single obstacle that prevents more people from starting therapy than anything else, it would be the sheer task of deciding where to go. A single Google search of “therapy near me”, yields 5,480,000,000 results in .92 seconds…Continue reading Seeking Help: Finding a Mental Health Therapist →
One year ago, as I started thinking seriously about forming an organization focused on improving mental health, I began my research aimed at understanding the current needs of people experiencing mental health challenges. After a few searches online, it was quickly apparent that funding, stigma, awareness, and education were among the top challenges surrounding mental health in our society today….Continue reading Mental Health Needs More Funding →
Something that I had never considered before entering the field of Behavioral Health was the economic burden to society. As a person in recovery – both in terms of substance abuse and mental health – I was very familiar with the burden at the individual and family levels, and these are by no means insignificant….Continue reading The Cost of Ignoring Mental Health →
I am currently 24 years old, and as I have transitioned into adulthood, one thing that I have yet to be able to fully understand is how health insurance works. I wrote this article as I attempted to understand mental health and how it works with my insurance….Continue reading Health Insurance and Mental Health →
As we approach the 2020 presidential election, there are hot debates about a number of topics. From immigration to health care and gun control to the economy and taxes, there are plenty of problems to be solved. Another topic that is not discussed or debated as much is the growing mental health issues we are facing as a country….Continue reading 2020 Presidential Candidates’ Mental Health Plans →