For many children, returning to school can be a mix of emotions, from excitement to nervousness, especially when thinking about fitting in and making friends. Social pressure and peer relationships impact school life and can sometimes feel difficult and overwhelming...
Mental health and physical health are closely interconnected, with each one impacting the other. When an individual is physically healthy, they are more likely to experience positive mental health outcomes. Likewise, when someone is mentally healthy, they are more...
Are you aware that bullying exists among children and adults? According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), bullying is a form of violence that includes any unwanted aggressive behavior that involves a perceived power of imbalance, that inflicts harm repeatedly...
Finding Hope & Resilience in Stressful Times In the darkest of times, hope has the power to sustain us. While the world is experiencing great turmoil, remember that humanity’s strength lies in resilience and the unwavering spirit to overcome. Throughout history,...
Are you one of the 29% of adults who made a New Year’s resolution related to your mental health? Or are you among the 25% expected to feel MORE stress in 2023? Indeed, a lot can cause stress in our lives – continued inflation, increased cost of living and an uncertain...
Each new year, many of us contemplate ways to become the best versions of ourselves and reach our goals. We make resolutions to start taking our health seriously by joining gyms and eating healthy. However, we may overlook one important factor that can improve every...
Has there ever been a moment when you hear a song and it sums up that particular moment perfectly? Maybe you’ve connected to a song so much that you just had to get up and move. Possibly you’ve been painting and had chills go through your body? The beat of a drum, a...
Virtual reality (VR) offers clients a three-dimensional environment, generating a sense of immersion in another world in which the client interacts. Although the environments are artificial, the human brain does amazing things with it – it experiences the environment...
While it may still feel like summer outside, the rumble of school buses and displays of school supplies at every store are a sure sign the new school year is in full swing. As students go back to class, they also must adjust to early mornings, new classmates, teachers...
I have spent the majority of my career in mental health, working with youth and young adults, so I know that what happens to you as a child plays a significant role in the person you become. When we’re young, our brain is elastic and ready to adapt to our...
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic there has been an increase in mental health issues like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder found in women. According to a study at the University of Chicago Medicine, “29% of women reported symptoms of...
We all need rest to function well in each area of our lives. Sleep, exercise, video games and spending time with loved ones are a few examples of activities commonly used to recharge. But sometimes, what you think is a break is actually a form of escapism that saps...
Children are small people with very big emotions. Although they can show you what they are feeling, most children have yet to attach a name to their feelings and have not learned healthy ways of dealing with their emotions. As children grow, they face many challenges...
If this year has taught me anything, it is that there is a lot of stuff I cannot change. That realization has brought on frequent feelings of powerlessness, helplessness and frustration. It has also sometimes brought about anger, sadness and a downright desire to just...
Many women can often feel like we have the world on our shoulders. We often carry not only our stress but the stress of our loved ones and those closest to us. Often, women can feel isolated, unsupported, and even depressed because of various challenges. Over time,...
Lately, I have found myself in a place that I have not been in a very long time and I am not sure how to take it all in. In this place, I am more consistently prioritizing myself and my needs. In this place, I am not obsessing over every detail and I am resisting my...
It’s times like this when I miss morning coffee with friends the most. We all feel so stressed from working during a pandemic, worrying about the health of our families and the people we serve. We fear for our health, our finances, and our lives – worst of all we feel...
Out of habit and routine, I begin my day with a fresh cup of coffee (or two). I like it rich and strong, with the perfect amount of cream and sugar. While the coffee is brewing and my home is filling up with that comforting aroma, I tidy up the kitchen, and scroll...
Stress is a part of life. However, with COVID-19 being our new normal, along with the recent ongoing struggles for racial justice in the Black community, we have more to be stressed about than ever. Recognizing that you are feeling stressed or may potentially...
Teenagers need time alone. Â It is essential to their cognitive and emotional development. However, time alone can be hard to come by when families are staying home and there is little private space. I want to share the story of a teenager I know. James is 17 and...
Over the past few weeks, ‘social distancing’ has become a phrase most of us use several times each day. And while some of you may have found it easy to translate to a different kind of life while quarantined, others are living alone or are far from family and friends....
