For a full index of Articles, please scroll down to the bottom of the page.
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As a mental health professional, I have worked with families, teens and young adults for almost a decade. One thing that I repeatedly see is the power struggle parents have with their children. More specifically, in regards to their mental health treatment. It’s common to have a parent call me to either get their child into the Adolescent IOP or into individual therapy to help their child who is maybe self-harming or struggling with suicidal thoughts and impulsivity only to have the kid refuse to go. I’ve seen parents back away from treatment at that point and not encourage their child to try therapy. Parents sometimes worry that their kid will “act out” or get “worse” if they are made to go to therapy. Kids have threatened their parents with their own repercussions if they are forced into therapy.
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A quick, practical way to regain composure
This phrase is applicable on so many fronts. As a parent, when you watch your kids grow up or do things that you warned them about. As a pet owner, when your pet is sick and you can’t figure out what is wrong or stop it. As a boyfriend/girlfriend when the other breaks up with you. As a spouse when you are going through tough times (e.g. divorce, separation). When you lose a loved one. These are just a few examples of when things are out of your control, but you just cannot stop thinking about them.
I was recently asked this question by a client of mine. My answer was, “absolutely!” We’ve all experienced burnout from work, school, family and other stressors. Sometimes, we just need a break and there is nothing wrong with admitting that and taking ac-tion on it. If you work fulltime, you typically get sick time and vacation time but Ameri-cans are notorious for not using either. Based on recent statistics, Americans on average take 16.2 days of vacation a year. Back in 2000, we took on average 3 weeks of vacation (npr.org). Looking at sick time, studies show that 69% of Americans don’t take sick days (alternet.org). Those are some eye opening numbers!
I had two deaths in my life within ten weeks. One was my friend since age 12, with many shared experiences, history and, common values, many laughs and tears were shared together. The other lived with us for almost 18 years and was never very far away, never the left the house overnight, and understood how to be a companion to myself and children whether we were sick or happy, or really down. One had fur. One did not. One death was very sudden with no hint it was coming. The other gave us a week of guessing, vet appointments and trying to do all the right things. They were both difficult and gut wrenching. Having two deaths in a short time is so difficult, I don't have words to describe it, heartbroken works, but only so much. I walked around literally feeling as if I was punched in the heart. Loss is so much more than words can describe.
Becoming More of a Positive Person
We often hear about how we need to engage in physical exercise in order to be healthy. There are many options for physical exercise. We can do aerobic exercise to increase breathing and heart rate; there are anaerobic options which strengthen muscles; flexibility exercises stretch muscles and help keep us limber; balance exercises are very important to prevent falls, especially as we age. All of these activities strengthen and reprogram specific parts of the brain. However, how often do we hear about the importance of reprogramming our brains from being a negative individual to being a positive person?
In our rapidly paced society where we are expected to be working, connected to others and responsive 24/7 we might not notice the effects situations are having on us. Stress can be beneficial to us in small doses, in that it assists us in completing tasks and be productive. However, intensity and frequency of stress can creep into our daily lives and have an impact on our mental health.
I'd like to talk about self-esteem.
- How highly do you view yourself?
- Do you love and respect yourself?
- Do you feel confident in the choices that you make and the way that you live your life?
We all have a certain level of self-esteem. It often develops in childhood and can be changed as we grow and learn throughout life. In my work, I've recognized that low self-esteem often contributes to symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Full Article Index
- “I WAS TRYING TO ACT NORMAL…”
- Adjusting to Life During Coronavirus
- All or Nothing Thinking and Various Other Popular Cognitive Distortions
- Anger Iceberg - Erin Pawlak
- Appropriate Levels of Care in Mental Health
- Are Politics Affecting You Emotionally?
- Are You a Parent or a Friend to Your Child?
- Bipolar Disorder (Supporting Your Loved Ones)
- BWG Fall Newsletter
- Can Family Members Help Someone Get Off Drugs?
- CARF Accreditation 2018
- CARF Accreditation Fall 2015
- Choosing a University or College
- Chronic Pain
- Confidence and Self-Esteem
- Creating Positive Self Talk to Increase Healthy Habits
- Deep Breathing Through Tough Times (For Kids)
- Did PTSD Exist Before Viet Nam?
- Doing Your Part to Decrease the Mental Health Stigma
- Effective Communication
- Emotion Regulation Skills
- Fall 2020
- Fall is Upon Us…. And so is CampusTherapy.com!
- For Parents: How To Deal With The Financial Stressors of Kids and College
- Grief and Loss: Just what is “Normal” Anyway?
- Happy Spring!
- How Do I Know if I Have a Substance Abuse Problem?
- How Does Stress Affect My Physical Health
- How to "Reset" Ourselves
- How to Deal with Work Related Stress
- How to Survive the COVID Fatigue Holiday Season
- How to talk to your kids about drugs
- Hurry Up, Let's Slow Down
- Improving Sleep - Especially During COVID-19
- Is it acceptable to take a mental health day from work/school?
- Let’s Talk About Love
- Managing Relationships Through the Holidays
- Managing Stress
- Mental Health Patients and the Emergency Room
- Mindfulness For Stress Reduction
- Myths about Suicide
- New Year 2020
- New Year 2021
- New Year's Resolution: Evaluation Time
- Oh My God, I’m losing control!
- Options for College Related Stress
- Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Becomes Unhealthy
- Parents, Teens and Mental Health
- Poklar's Ponderings, Parents Hang in There
- Protecting Our Children
- Reprogramming Your Brain
- Social Media Detox
- Special Notice regarding COVID-19
- Spring 2020
- Summer 2020
- Supporting Survivors of Sexual Assault
- Teens Who Struggle With Suicidal Thoughts
- Teens, Entitlement and Instant Gratification
- Ten DBT Techniques for Anxiety
- Ten Years of Health and Wellness
- The Benefits of Group Therapy
- The Heroin Epidemic
- The New Trend: Teens, Vaping and Juuls
- The Power of Positivity
- Therapeutic Benefits of Dogs
- Thirteen Things to Consider and Ways to Open Communication
- Thriving During Divorce
- Tips for Parents who have Pre-Teens and Teens who Struggle with Depression and Anxiety
- Tips On Preventing The Cold Weather Blues
- Understanding Grief
- Validating Kids as They Deal with Anxiety
- Ways to Learn New Life Skills
- What Really Matters?
- What To Do In Case COVID Never Ends by Michael Pollak
- What to Look for if Someone You Care About May Have a Problem with Alcohol
- What's Your Boundary
- When Seasonal Changes Affect Your Moods
- When Someone You Love Struggles with Depression and Anxiety
- When To Be Concerned About College Related Stress
- Who you voted for does not have to define you