Mental Health Blog

What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is being fully present in the moment. It is achieved through heightened awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and physical body. While depression is worrying about the past and anxiety is worrying about the future, mindfulness means being right there in the present moment.  The defining feature of mindfulness is non-judgmental awareness…. Continue Reading →

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes radical shifts in thinking, feeling, and behaving. Formerly known as manic depression, bipolar disorder involves the occurrence of extreme, polarized moods. Debilitating depression will rotate with euphoria, impulsivity, and agitation. The onset, frequency, and length of mood episodes vary from person to person, making the illness quite individualized… Continue Reading →

Nature is deeply connected to who we are as human beings. For this reason, a multitude of studies show that spending time in nature greatly increases feelings of well being, and reduces the risk for mental health disorders. Going for a walk outside has emerged as one of the most widely used coping skills, especially… Continue Reading →

“The alarm went off, and I hit snooze. What’s the point of getting up today? If I get up, I’ll have to shower. Then I will have to go to work and pretend to be ok. I’ll probably spend most of the day crying in the bathroom. Everyone hates me anyways. I’m sad all the… Continue Reading →

The unfolding pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty in our lives. We are all effected by it. Freedoms like leaving our house have been labeled dangerous. We have lost liberties that were never questioned before. We have been humbled by the power of the natural world. In adapting to the changes, we’ve had to… Continue Reading →

Relationship issues are a common reason people seek counseling. Unhealthy relationship dynamics develop and persist for a variety of reasons. Identifying the nature of the presenting problem is essential for working toward resolution. Sometimes the issues are rooted in codependent behaviors. Codependency is not a mental health disorder, but it is the cause of many… Continue Reading →

Researchers continue to explore how trauma is a strong indicator of negative health outcomes. In fact, the trauma response impacts all systems of the body. Most impacted are the central nervous system (the brain) and the cardiovascular system. Brain imaging reveals a decrease in the size of the amygdala. This is the part of the…

Anger is a powerful emotion. While not a disorder itself, it can be a symptom of other disorders like depression, anxiety, addiction, and mood disorders. Underlying emotions like sadness, shame, fear, or disappointment play a significant role in how anger develops. Take a look at the following image: Think about the last time you got… Continue Reading →

It’s always fascinated me how much people resist change, considering life itself can been sliced apart and simmered down to the mere sum of a million changes, big and small. In fact, the better we are at changing, and handling the associated stress, the more adaptive we are to living. Thus, the more productive we… Continue Reading →

Many Young Adults Struggle with Depression, Anxiety, and Feeling Unfulfilled. One overlooked condition for young adults is loneliness. This problem is prominent in people ages 18-24. A study done by George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, in Fairfax, Va. found that 1,200 patients reported to their doctor feeling lonely, isolated and left… Continue Reading →