How the Change of Seasons Affects Your Mood
You might be familiar with the term "seasonal depression" indicating the more depressed moods some people feel once the warm days of summer start to wane and the longer nights of fall and winter begin to set in. You yourself might have firsthand experience of this condition. What some don't realize, however, is that seasonal depression — formally known as seasonal affective disorder — is actually a real mental health condition that you don't have to handle on your own. With the right self-care tools, you'll be equipped to handle seasonal affective disorder and capable of continuing through even the [...]
Becoming a New Parent
Congratulations, you are a new parent! Having a child is a change physically, emotionally, and mentally, and you may have noticed some unexpected changes. Maybe you and your partner are fighting more; maybe you feel different emotionally; maybe you've become more withdrawn. These changes are normal, and there is no shame in asking for help to get you back to being the person you want to be. Open Up About How You’re Feeling Many people hesitate to share that they are fighting more with their partner, or experiencing sadness when they have a new baby. They fear being labeled as [...]
Dealing With Change in Life
It's the nature of growing up that we have to face changes, both big and small, in our lives. Moving to a new home, shifting friend groups, the loss of family members and transitioning to college and into independence are big milestones we experience as we age. As adolescents, we may struggle with change and rely on our parents and caregivers to support us emotionally. As adults, we're often left to our own devices in learning how to handle change and figure out tools for coping with stress that comes alongside big adjustments. If you're struggling to juggle living a [...]
How to Tell if You’ll Benefit from Therapy Even if You Feel “Fine”
It can be hard to know when therapy is the right option for you. It's common to have the perception that therapy is only for people who qualify with a mental health diagnosis or have intense trauma. You may feel like your problems aren't worthy of treatment because they're not as serious as someone else's. The reality is that there are no qualifying criteria to sign up for therapy. While it's much more pertinent and time-sensitive for certain disorders, seeking therapy for mental health is for everyone. Even the smartest, most self-aware, healthy and organized people can reap major benefits [...]
Coping With Depression
We all experiences emotional highs and lows in life. Sometimes we have periods of longer lows or lows that seem more difficult, but if your life has felt like a continual low period for more than two months, it might be time to consider whether clinical depression is the culprit. Understanding depression Depression is a mood disorder that is characterized by persistent sadness. When most people talk about depression they are referring to clinical depression or major depressive order. There are other depressive disorders, like persistent depressive disorder, postpartum depression and bipolar disorders. The main feature of major depressive disorder [...]
What Does Low Self-Esteem Mean?
All people have a unique perspective on who they are and what they have to offer. Many of our thoughts about ourselves come from the world around us, like our achievements and accolades, like a degree; our position, such as a job or a parent; or what we've been told by others. Our self-perception is also grounded in the thoughts we have about ourselves and whether the patterns of thoughts that replay in our minds are positive, neutral or negative. Our self-perception, how we think and feel about ourselves, colors our everyday life. A positive image of oneself can bestow [...]
Coping as a Child of an Alcoholic
If you experienced the emotional distress of being the child of an alcoholic, you're well aware of the effects it has had on your adult life. Like all adults, our family life and upbringing have a significant impact on our later years. Learning how to cope as a child of an alcoholic continues on even after moving out and moving on with our lives. How does an alcoholic parent affect a child? Having a parent who struggles with a substance use disorder can create ripple effects through the years. First, we'll look at how an alcoholic parent affects a child [...]
Why Self-Care for Caregivers is Important for Their Mental Health
Being in the role of a caregiver brings mixed emotions. You may have volunteered for the role or fallen into it. You may be caring for your own parents or have a child with special needs. You may be caring for a friend or family member. You could be caring for someone who has a terminal diagnosis like cancer, or a lifelong condition like down syndrome. Regardless of the circumstances, you face and how you ended up as the primary caregiver of someone you love, there's no doubt that the extra energy and love needed to do the job well [...]
Howdy Partner! Counseling is a Partnership
The relationship a person has with a therapist or counselor is often called the "therapeutic alliance." This bond of trust and growth is the key to successful healing and effective practice. If you're a counselor, social worker, therapist or other mental health specialist, here's what you need to know about the partnership within counseling relationships. What is the therapeutic alliance? The relationship between a mental health care expert and a client is called the therapeutic relationship, or therapeutic alliance. This relationship can be appropriate, professional and useful resulting in a positive experience for the client. The relationship can also be [...]
