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Why Every Family Should Have Weekly Meetings, and How to do them Successfully
As families grow and change, it’s important to stay connected and communicate regularly. One way to do this is by having a family meeting. By setting aside time to talk about important topics, you can strengthen your relationships and work together to achieve your goals. To make the most of your family meetings, consider using the FAMLY acronym: Focus on the Good Start your family meeting by talking about the positives. Share good news, celebrate accomplishments, and express gratitude for each other. This sets a positive tone for the rest of the meeting and reminds everyone of the good things in their lives. Focusing on the good can also help…
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5 Strategies to Take Care of Your Mental Health This Summer
When summer arrives, there’s often time for fun and freedom. The season also brings a break from our usual routines. However, it’s important to remember that taking care of our mental health is still important. By using some simple strategies, we can make sure to take care of our minds and make the most of this sunny (and hot) season. Embrace Nature and Sunshine Summer is full of opportunities to get out in nature. You can enjoy it by getting on the water at one of the many lakes around CENLA, on the Cane River in Natchitoches, or hiking in the Kisatchie National Forest. Spending time in nature has been…
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Marathons and Mental Health Part 4: Calling Yourself By Your Rightful Name
I’m not much of a TV or movie watcher, but Into the Wild is a fantastic biography that tops the list. Disillusioned with modern wealth and a high-stress, high-conflict home, Christopher McCandless leaves home after high school graduation, roaming through North America as a vagabond and hippie, his location completely unknown to his family. He takes on the name “Alexander Supertramp” and introduces himself this way in light-hearted fashion to everyone he befriends, which is basically everyone he meets. His travels, and his life, end in the wilderness of Alaska, where, after wasting away on a limited food supply, he is done in after eating a plant he thought was…
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Marathons and Mental Health Part 3: Who Decided That Was A Failure Anyway?
It was the spring of this year, and quickly getting hotter. It was now or never. It was time to go back and do what I had attempted to do in the winter, and failed at–run a 50 mile race through the Wild Azalea Trail. Notably, my attempt earlier in the year was hot on the heels of near-perfect training. I had followed a training plan religiously, done the whole self-care regimen, honed in my nutrition, and regularly checked in with a physical therapist to make sure everything was working the way it should. When race day arrived, I failed miserably. As in, I barely got started. I had three…
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Marathons and Mental Health Part 2: Check the Terrain
In Part 1 of this series, we took a look at the transient nature of life’s challenges–that’s a fancy way of saying that if things feel rough and you want to quit, just hang on, because it will likely get better. We found some tips and tricks to help us navigate those challenges when they’re happening, such as remembering our self-care strategies, taking moments to stop and breathe, keeping the bigger perspective that challenges do pass, and perhaps more importantly, that they create fertile ground for personal growth. I felt as though the last trick up our sleeve deserved a little more attention, though, and that is this: Look down…
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Marathons and Mental Health Part 1: What Running has Taught Me About Life and All Its Breakdowns
It NEVER fails. Whether I’m running a 5k, a marathon, a half or full IronMan, I always feel the worst–and ready to quit–when I’m only a third of the way in. It doesn’t make sense really. Logically, mile 3 would be harder than mile 1. Rationally, mile 80 should feel a lot worse than mile 20. But it’s actually not true. And for me, here’s why: That awful, insidious, toxic, poisonous thought takes root in my psyche and slowly spreads its tendrils throughout my body: “This is hard. It’s going to keep getting harder. I’ll never be able to do this.” This thought miraculously turns my blood to lead and…
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5 Tips to Reduce Summer Stress
Summer can be a fun time for children and families, but it can also be stressful when kids are out of school. Summers are supposed to be about vacation, water sports, ice cream, and other fun outdoor activities with your children and family. However, when routines are disrupted, and kids become bored it can lead to a more stressful experience. Parents must find their children activities to engage in or find somewhere for their children to go. Summer activities can be hard to find and very expensive. This can all lead to an increase in stress for the entire family. Here are some ways to deal with summer stress when…
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Mental Health Tips for People Living in Small Towns
People living in small towns can find it difficult to find ways to stay mentally healthy. This can be due to lack of activities or even counseling services in small town areas. It can feel defeating sometimes when you want to feel healthier, both physically and mentally, but don’t know where to start. As someone who grew up in a rural town in Natchitoches Parish and grew up in Natchitoches, mental health was not something that was really discussed or explored. Since our counseling practice recently opened, it has become more apparent that people who have lived their entire lives in this small town may not know all that there…
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Getting Mentally Prepared for College
Preparing for college can be an exciting and challenging time. The months between high school graduation and starting college can often be filled with highs and lows emotionally and mentally. It can be scary to prepare for possibly moving away from home for the first time. There are so many things to think about, such as decorating a dorm or apartment, worry about finances, and fears about meeting new people. It can be overwhelming even with a lot of support from family and friends. Here are some steps to get mentally prepared for college: Develop a positive mindset College can be an intimidating experience, but it is important to approach…
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Mental Health and First Responders
First responders work hard to protect our communities and maintain our safety. Their work often involves engaging in very stressful and traumatic situations. They often encounter difficult situations many times a day. Frequent encounters with those struggling with mental health issues can cause compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is a mental response to helping others in stress. These encounters can also create misconceptions about individuals with mental health challenges. Misconceptions can create a stigma surrounding seeking mental health support for first responders. Even though a stigma exists, many first responders struggle with mental health difficulties. Reports show 85% of first responders have experienced symptoms of mental health disorders. Depression and PTSD…
