Blog
Learn more about our counseling services, our experienced therapists, and other tidbits about the world of mental health.
Creative Ideas for Coping Skills During a Pandemic - a Video Series
Our very own Susannah Bales has put together a video series on coping skills during this coronavirus pandemic. Take a break (or 5) to learn some ways to take care of yourself while social-distancing.
11 Things You Can Do to Cope With Coronavirus Anxiety
During this novel coronavirus pandemic, lots of emotions are running high. Anxiety is one that fits the situation but also feels overwhelming when it gets intense or out of hand. Here are some things to try to mitigate your anxiety response.
4 Tips for Self-Care While Social Distancing
Well, here we are, folks. Many of us are voluntarily self-quarantining, practicing social distancing, or have a mandated quarantine in order to help society “flatten the curve” of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Your day-to-day may now look very different, consisting of Zoom calls and Google Hangouts, or work may have dried up if you are in one of the industries affected by the closing or canceling. Maybe you are stuck at home...with your houseplants, your pets, your partners, and your kids for company.
4 Stereotypes About Self Care That Aren't Always True
Lately, self-care has been a hot topic in the media. As with a lot of things in the media, some of the content can be misconstrued and easily cause confusion. We often hear people talking about the benefits of self-care, but what really is it? Does everyone’s self-care look the same? It’s girly, right? There is just not enough time in the day! Read below to debunk these four common myths about self-care.
7 Habits to Help Achieve High Self-Esteem
Low self-esteem. Insecurity. They happen to every person at some point in their life. Even that one person who seems to be so comfortable in their own skin has, at some point, felt insecure. Even though everyone has insecurities, it is important that they don’t get in the way of your happiness and everyday functioning. Severe insecurity can lead to issues in romantic relationships, friendships, and the relationship you have with yourself. The good thing is that you have the power to overcome these feelings.
Here is a list of habits you can incorporate into your everyday life to help improve your self-esteem:
What I Wish Everyone Knew About Latinx Mental Health
I recently read this article on the importance of removing the stigma around mental health in the Latinx community. After reading the article I found myself ruminating on 3 concepts: 1) What MH stigma looks like specifically for the Latinx community, 2) How privacy and religion come into play, and 3) Bi-culturalism. As a Latinx therapist, I feel like the word stigma doesn’t fully capture the nuances of the general Latinx outlook on mental health.
5 Holiday Tips You Need To Learn Now
If you’re like me, you forget to do important tasks when there’s a lot to get done. You have the feeling that you are supposed to be doing something, but you can’t quite put your finger on it. If your mind is constantly racing, there is no way you will be able to remember everything, and that’s totally normal! My solution has been to write EVERYTHING down.
10 Ways to Survive the Holidays
The holiday season is a stressful time for so many reasons: your crazy relatives, sleeping in your old bedroom again, all the food…you know what I mean. The key to surviving the holidays – nay I say, thriving through the holidays -- is to be like a Boy/Girl Scout – always prepared!
To help you prepare, I’ve created this list of tips you can use to survive any family interaction the holiday season can throw at you!
5 Ways to Increase Quality Communication
Do you feel like your family, significant other, or friends just don’t “get” you? Are they unaware of when you are upset or stressed? Do you argue, but never seem to get to a solid solution? You may have issues with communication. The thing about communication is that it can always be improved. Nobody is a perfect communicator, but the important thing is that you try. Quality communication is crucial in work relationships, marriages, friendships, parenting, and any other situation in which you interact with others.
Enjoy my tips on how to increase the quality of your communication:
Signs You Might be Over-Stressed
Are you gearing back up for the new school year? Starting a new job with more responsibilities? A stay-at-home mom with 3 under 3? With all the excitement of starting new classes and meeting new people, stress can creep up on you or hit you all at once.
Let’s Talk About Talking. What is Talk Therapy?
I often get the question, “What is psychotherapy?” In essence it’s similar to mental health counseling or talk therapy. What actually happens in the process of this type of therapy is often misunderstood. As a therapist, I frequently hear about feelings of shame and weakness associated with coming to psychotherapy. Here I hope to reduce the stigma attached to seeking mental health treatment by highlighting some of the many benefits of psychotherapy.
It’s Not September Anymore…
...a quick note on suicide awareness
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) designates September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. You may be thinking at this point, “That’s great Erin, but it’s not September anymore,” and you’d be right. I wanted to get on the bandwagon last month, but schedules don’t always go as planned, so here is my September blog post delivered to you in October.
6 Ways to Make Therapy Affordable
...and a free therapy calculator!
I may be biased, but I know that therapy is a really valuable resource to help people get through life’s challenges and to tackle mental illness. I also know that there is a gap between the large number of people who need therapy and the small number of affordable ways to get it. A number of things contribute to this gap...
Coping Skill Are Stupid…
...and other lies depression tells you.
Last month I wrote a blog post about coping skills. I outlined what they are and gave you some basic ones to help you get started in building your “toolkit.” It’s not lost on me; however, that as necessary as coping skills are, the ones I gave you sometimes just don’t cut it. So today I’m presenting some different, more nuanced coping skills for one particular situation: depression.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Coping Skills
Have you been hearing a lot about “coping skills” lately? I know I have… but one thing I’ve noticed missing from the “coping skills” conversation is a clear definition of what they actually are! In this article I talk about what coping skills are, why they help, and how to build more. Check it out and let me know what your go-to coping skills are!
How NOT to Choose a Therapist
Wondering how to pick a therapist out of the sea of faces online? Here are some tips for what TO do and what NOT TO do.
