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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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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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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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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…
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Online Therapy for Depression
If you are feeling depressed, you may wonder if online therapy is right for you. There are many benefits of online therapy for depression. Finding help can often be the turning point to help you get from hopeless to hopeful. What is depression? We all go through various struggles, losses, or events in our life, leading us to feel down, sad, or overwhelmed. However, depression is more than just feeling down. Depression can change how you think, feel, and act in your day to day life. It causes feelings of hopelessness or despair that won’t go away, inferring with your ability to work, sleep, eat, engage with others, and enjoy…
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Strategies for Working From Home
If you have been working for home over the past several weeks and have had some difficulty “getting in the swing of things”, just know it takes time to adjust to a new reality or routine. Working from home can be a great way to maintain social distancing while also being able to work. However, working for home is not without its challenges. Here are some strategies for working from home that may help you during this transition. Take Time to Exercise In times of increased stress, it’s important to give your body opportunities to release tension. One way of doing this is by exercise. Just taking a walk outside…
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How to Challenge Anxious Thoughts
Do you ever experience anxious thoughts you can’t escape? You are not alone. Many times we can get wrapped up in our head with our thoughts spinning out of control. And, instead of trying to find a way out or forward, we often dig down deeper into a hole of no return. When you find yourself struggling with anxiety, go back to your ABCs and take a moment to reflect about your situation before you react. Attention Notice what your mind is saying. The first step to being able to figure out everything that’s going on is to just start by noticing what you are actually thinking. Write your thoughts…
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Mental Health Checklist During Times of Uncertainty
Now, more than ever, it’s important to do things that support your physical and mental health as well. During times of uncertainty, it’s hard to know what you should be doing to maintain your mental health. Here are 9 things to do during this time to take care of yourself to be able to fully show up for the people who need you. I got out of bed and took a deep breath in and out Especially during this time, it’s important to make sure you are getting adequate rest. Many will experience “sleepless” nights during times of uncertainty. But, try to identify what may be contributing to your trouble…
