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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…
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How to Support a Child’s Mental Health
A child’s mental health is often not considered, especially with very young children. In reality, though, children of all ages can struggle with mental health issues. According to the CDC, 1 in 6 children aged 2-8 years has a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder (17.4%). ADHD, depression, and anxiety are common areas of concern seen in children aged 3-17 years. With proper knowledge, we can learn how to support a child’s mental health. What Does Positive Mental Health Look Like? Learning and implementing effective coping skills for challenging behaviors influences positive mental health. Having a toolbox of coping skills can help your child function better at home and at school.…
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Good Teachers Have Scary Thoughts
It was my first (and only) year teaching. Though my background was in mental health, I thought I would try my hand at education. Sure, it was an incredible learning curve to be a teacher, but, all things considered, I did pretty well. My classroom was one of clear and high expectations, kindness, creativity, mutual respect, and learning. I had great reviews from administration, fantastic results on evaluations, and my supervisors were encouraging me to continue the teaching path. But good teachers can have scary thoughts. What I would never let anyone know was that, while on the outside I seemed to have a pretty well-put together classroom, on the…
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3 Ways to Feel Happier This Year
When I was younger I used to believe happiness was a byproduct of a perfect set of ideal conditions. Somehow if I met and married the right person, had a beautiful, big house, found the right job, and had 3 children and a dog then happiness would surely follow. If you’ve walked the earth long enough, you’ve probably come to realize life is no fairytale. The perfect set of conditions does not exist. My life never arrived at what I perceived would equal happiness. Yet, along the way I have learned what happier people tend to do more than those who feel happiness is like a long lost relative. And…
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The Power of Presence
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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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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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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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Move Forward In 2021
I don’t know about you, but I’m glad it’s 2021. If you’re like me, I’m sure you are ready to move forward in 2021. Especially after last year. There’s something about starting a new year that brings excitement and hope for what is to come. Many times a new year provides an opportunity to change the things in your life you may not be happy with. Which is why, many people make new year’s resolutions. But, if you are struggling to put one step in front the other, it may be a good idea to reflect on what you made it through in 2020. Reflection can often be the starting…
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Managing Holiday Stress
The holiday season can be a fun time for individuals and families. It often brings people together in celebration. But, with all the joy a holiday season can bring, it can also lead to stress and overwhelm. If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed by all the holiday joy, pay attention to how you feel. Protecting your mental health during the holiday season is important. To manage holiday stress: Prioritize The first step in managing holiday stress is to get clear on your priorities this holiday season. Is it having memorable experiences with your family? Is it to show your coworkers how much you appreciate them? Or, it’s spending time honoring…
