Research shows that pets have many mental health benefits – including reducing stress, anxiety, and loneliness, and improving mood. According to a survey by the Human Animal Relations Research Institute (HABRI), 74% of pet owners said owning a pet improves their mental health. Most pet owners know that petting your dog or cat is a […]
Therapist Blog
Boundaries in Relationships
Setting Appropriate Boundaries in a Healthy Relationship Relationships involve people from different backgrounds and have different meanings to different people. Understanding the concept of healthy relationships can help you understand and have positive experiences in these areas of life. Healthy relationships are based on communication, trust, love, and respect; they are based on identifying what […]
Anger Management Tips
Anger is a common reaction to events that seem unfair or that you have been victimized. Research shows that anger is especially common when you’ve been betrayed by someone else. This is most common in trauma cases involving exploitation or violence. Anger is a normal, healthy emotion, neither good nor bad. Like any emotion, it […]
How Do I Cope?
We’ve all heard the recommendation that we “cope” with the struggles that we have in life. But what does that even mean? There are several ways to cope with a problem or strong emotions, and they can either be healthy or unhealthy. For example, after a long day at work, some people will go to […]
Navigating Guilt
Brené Brown, a shame and vulnerability researcher, once said: “I’m just going to say it: I’m pro-guilt. Guilt is good. Guilt helps us stay on track because it’s about our behavior. It occurs when we compare something we’ve done – or failed to do – with our values.” Although we typically think of the pain […]
Attachment Styles
What’s Your Attachment Style? How would your partner or a friend describe you within your relationships? Maybe you have been described as clingy or a loner. Maybe you see yourself as needy or constantly need reassurance from those who are close to you. No matter how you present in relationships, the way you interact with […]
Blue Zones
What’s the Buzz? Imagine places where people don’t just live longer; they thrive for decades, dancing through life well into their hundreds. These places exist, and I am fascinated by this phenomenon. These places are like the Fountain of Youth, but real places where people live on into their 100s. The pursuit of longevity is […]
ADHD
“I have a hard time making friends at school.” “I feel like the kids don’t like me and they don’t want to talk to me.” “Most people think I am dumb, and they don’t want to get to know me.” “I’ve said some things out of impulse and now everyone is gossiping about me around […]
Self-Care Tip
Develop a Hobby Recently, the concept of self-care has been taking the proverbial market by storm. We see the term on social media feeds, during our online searches, maybe even google a few YouTube videos about it. But what does it mean? It means to take the time to replenish and do what is necessary […]
Self-Care: Part III
List of Ideas I hear many people speak of not taking lunch or their 15-minute breaks at work because they have too much work to do. Research shows, “Employees who take breaks are more productive and creative. Breaks keep workers focused and engaged… which enables them to complete their tasks… with fewer errors” (Ferguson, n.d.). […]
