Articles
Stress and Anxiety Management the DBT Way
Anxiety and stress appear to be the next pandemic. I see so many people who are anxious, overwhelmed, edgy, panicky, full of worry, and always tense. If any of these words describe you and leave you with a constant feeling of uneasiness to all-out panic, you could be suffering from poor stress management. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or DBT was developed by Marsha Linehan in the 1970s. She had her own experiences with mental illness that perhaps gave her a unique…
Coping with Grief during the Holiday Season
“What am I going to do if something reminds me of Grandpa?” “Who is going to help me decorate the Christmas tree this year?” “I don’t have the energy or the desire to do the things I usually do during the holidays.” If you are someone who has lost a loved one, these may be some of the thoughts that are running through your mind. Although the holidays are usually associated with happiness, joy, smiles and laughter for most individuals,…
When Seasonal Changes Affect Your Moods
Seasonal Affective Disorder How does one distinguish between winter blues and more serious conditions? Many feel sluggish or down during Fall and Winter months. The winter blues are pretty common. If this sadness is profound, it may be a sign of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a form of depression which results from decreased light during the darker Fall and Winter months. With decreased sunlight, our internal biological clocks are thrown off, and it feels as though everything is…
Mindfulness- What is it?
There is a lot of talk about mindfulness, but what exactly does this mean? Mindfulness can be defined as being completely focused in the moment and paying attention to all five of your senses: As you are focusing on the moment you will also want to be aware of your: It is important not to judge yourself or your experience, but simply acknowledge thoughts and feelings as they arise, let them go, and refocus on your five senses.Benefits of mindfulness…
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
WHHI TV Newsclip with Erin Pawlak Click to watch this video.
Teens and Opioids
We hear about it frequently. It’s on the evening news, online, and we hear it in conversation. America has an opioid crisis and we’ve had one for decades. It’s nothing new really and perhaps we are even desensitized to it, but opioids and overdoses remain an issue for both adults and teens. Youth drug deaths have quadrupled over the last 20 years mainly involving fentanyl which has grown 6x since 2016 (songforcharlie.org). Over 10 million pills containing fentanyl have been…