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The Power of Presence
Have you ever gone to an event or celebration and by the end of it felt like you missed it? Shared a story with someone and thought the other person had no clue what you said? Went to dinner where it seemed your dinner dates were more interested in their phone than you? Or have you sat back in a crowded space and felt completely alone-like no one was paying attention? If you have, you are not alone. We are living a in time where many people, places, and things are competing for our focus and attention. Distractions are plenty. Staying focused is more challenging than ever. We long for…
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Should I Take Medication For My Mental Health?
Depending on who you talk to, this question could have a lot of different answers. While some folks can answer this question for themselves with a very easy yes or a very easy no, others find themselves somewhere in between, and are not so sure about what path they want to take. While this article will in no way attempt to answer that question for you and your unique circumstances, it will give you a few things to think about as you are making this very important decision for your mental health. What is psychotropic medication? Firstly, when we talk about medication for your mental health, we are usually referring…
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The Enlightened Couple
Thousands of years ago, the Buddhist Zen Master Yunmen was asked, “What is enlightenment?”. Yunmen’s reply was simple: “An appropriate response.” Seems easy enough, right? How does a couple live an enlightened relationship? Is it possible that if we simply have an appropriate response, that all of our arguments and relational angst will wash away? Maybe. If you’re like me, though, you might be taking note that you are only nominally familiar with Zen Buddhist teachings, though they seem peaceful and wonderful. And you certainly are feeling a little far from enlightened, and definitely a little less than polished when it comes to finding the appropriate response. What is an…
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Escaping the Avoidance Trap
When the summer heat made its way into town this year, I was excited about getting to cool off in my above ground pool. But, there was a problem. The pool was a murky, dark lagoon of sticks, leaves, and algae. Plus, it smelled terrible. Now if you are thinking, “How did she let her pool get that bad?” Please know, it’s a question I asked myself many times. The truth is the pool didn’t turn into a murky mess overnight. It was a slow progression over a period of 10 months. It all started with me missing cleaning it once one week which turned into two weeks then two…
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5 Benefits of Premarital Counseling
Deciding who you will spend the rest of your life with is one of the most serious decisions you will ever make. Planning a wedding requires a lot of time, energy, and money to get all of the details for your big day just right. However, planning for an actual marriage goes far beyond the wedding day. If you and your future spouse would like to build a love that lasts a lifetime, consider the following benefits to seeking premarital counseling: Provides an Opportunity to Address Issues Oftentimes, having necessary conversations about serious marriage topics can be uncomfortable and challenging for couples to navigate alone. Premarital counseling is a great…
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Athletes and the Mental Game
Embracing a Mind-Body-Spirit Connection to Create Your Best Performance Why Did I Feel This Way? Not once in my training had I ever even come close to the required swim pace I would need for this race. IronMan regulations give you 1 hour and 10 minutes tops to complete the swim distance or you are not allowed to move on to the bike and run portion. My fastest time as of yet was something like 2 hours. The day before the race, I became completely depressed. Panic and hopelessness were close behind, and shut down wasn’t too far after. What had happened to all the courage I had felt? My…
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5 Ways to Support Children with ADHD
Does your child have ADHD? Do you ever feel stuck or overwhelmed trying to connect and communicate with your ADHD child? You are not alone. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is very common in children. Children with ADHD can have difficulty paying attention and concentrating. They can also be hyperactive or impulsive. While some children cope well with their symptoms, other children have more difficulty. Here are five ways you can support children with ADHD. Create a Schedule Making a schedule and sticking to it may seem impossible for busy parents. Creating a schedule, though, can make your child’s day organized and predictable. Parents can begin by slowly integrating…
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4 Ways To Cope With Anxiety
Have you ever woken up and felt anxious? Almost like there is a weight on your chest that you can’t explain? You dread starting the day and want to crawl back in bed and hide from the world around you. Do you find it hard to cope with anxiety? This is the whisper (or yell) of anxiety trying to creep its way in. In my own life and work as a therapist, I have found that anxiety, in some form or fashion, is something many people struggle with. With everything happening in the world, it’s not surprising. For some anxiety is debilitating, for others it is a small feeling that…
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Therapy is for Everyone
Over the past decade in my work as a therapist, I have had the privilege to talk with people of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences. Through my interactions with others, I have realized therapy is for everyone. There are many reasons people seek therapy (also known as counseling). Maybe it’s because they’re going through difficult life transitions, experiencing unbearable grief, struggling in their relationships, or stressed out about life. Other reasons people seek therapy is because they are uncertain of how to navigate overwhelming feelings, traumatic experiences, conflict within their family, their child’s big feelings or behaviors, or something else entirely. Gone are the days when therapy is just for…
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4 Reasons to Seek Couples Therapy
Relationships are hard work. This is often easy to forget in the beginning when the relationship is fresh and new. So often we become involved with others and think that because we love them, that is enough to conquer all. Love is amazing and it is wonderful to be in love with another person. We often forget that relationships live on more than love. We need communication, connection, compassion, forgiveness, and love to make a relationship work. It usually isn’t until we start struggling in our relationship that we realize this. It can be very difficult to accept when our relationship may be unhealthy. This is even more true in…
