The changing seasons throughout the year can often result in changes in our mood and mental health. Many people experience increased sadness and a lack of energy in the winter months, as the days get colder and shorter. Incorporating self-care into our routines can help to combat the negative effects of winter and support our [...]
Category: Self Care
Self-Care Idea: Nature Walks to Nurture Mental Health
Spending time outdoors can be one of the easiest and most accessible ways to support your mental health. Many studies have shown that being in nature can lower stress, reduce anxiety, and even boost creativity and focus. Beyond the health benefits, there is something grounding about nature that can offer a sense of calmness that [...]
Understanding Therapy
Therapy is a private and supportive space where you talk with a trained professional about your thoughts, feelings, and challenges. It's a place to better understand yourself and learn ways to feel and cope better. Here are the different types of therapy: Individual Therapy: One-on-one with the clinician In one-on-one therapy, what you share with [...]
Grieving During the Holidays
This time of year can be especially difficult for those grieving. The losses we experience can be losing a loved one, losing a pet, a home, or a job. In the absence of those we love and things we cherish, we are grieving the sense of security and stability they’ve once brought us. Grief can [...]
Self-Care Ideas for the Upcoming Holidays
The holiday season can be a joyful time filled with celebration, but it can also bring stress and overwhelm. Taking time for self-care is essential to ensure you’re able to enjoy the festivities and maintain your well-being. Here are some self-care ideas to help you navigate the upcoming holidays with ease: Scented Candles I love [...]
The Healing Power of Animals
Many of us have grown up with pets, know someone who owns a pet, or are simply lovers of animals. Animals have a unique way of comforting us without even needing to speak to us. By being around animals, we can feel a safe, nonjudgmental space that can provide moments of calm and happiness to [...]
The Art of Taking Your Time
Life can be so hectic and overwhelming that it feels difficult to put our foot on the brakes and slow down. Often, we are surrounded by external pressures that place value in performing at a faster pace; while this can still be productive sometimes, we are likely to burn ourselves out if we aren’t able [...]
Are my boundaries being violated?
Boundaries are limits we have set in our personal or professional lives that help protect our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. When boundaries are crossed, there can be a wide range of signs/symptoms, including mild discomfort to significant clinical distress. But sometimes, it’s hard to know if it is a genuine boundary violation or miscommunication, [...]
Four Everyday Habits That Support Mental Health
Mental health is complex, and at times, it can seem overwhelming or exhausting to keep up with everything we need to do to support our mental well-being. Sometimes, the most helpful changes aren’t big or complicated, but simple, everyday habits to include in our daily routine. When we check in with ourselves, it is helpful [...]
Anxiety Visualized as a Thief
We are all acquainted with anxiety to one degree or another. Our minds become preoccupied with thoughts such as: “What if I’m missing something?” or “What if I look like a fool in front of these new people?” When questions like these swirl around in our minds unchecked, we can be kept in an anxious [...]
Nature’s Free Therapy
When was the last time you went to a park? Do you take breaks to go outside during your day? A growing body of research indicates that spending time in nature can reduce stress, increase feelings of happiness, and promote overall well-being. A study conducted by the University of Michigan found that spending just 20 [...]
What to Consider When Looking for a Therapist
Seeking support for your mental health is a big step, and it can be hard to know where to start once you’ve decided to try (or return to) talk therapy. Start by asking yourself whether virtual or in-person therapy is more suitable for you and your life. While there are many opinions out there on [...]
Summer Time Sadness: Seasonal Affective Disorder in the Summer
We often hear of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) occurring in the winter, when the days are shorter, typically lacking sunshine and warmth. Although most frequently presenting itself during the winter months, some individuals affected by SAD may experience it during the summer months, sometimes even ending in the fall or winter. Seasonal Affective Disorder presents [...]
Prioritizing Mental Wellness as an Introvert
If you are an introvert, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, drained, and even misunderstood. The idea of talking to others can be exhausting at times, and having alone time is necessary to recharge. To maintain mental health and well-being, developing self-care strategies that create balance and align with your needs is important. [...]
Gratitude for Our Day-to-Day
In a world of instant gratification and “keeping-up-with-the-Joneses," it is easy to begin to begrudge our day-to-day life. Our routine. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to keep life interesting by shaking up our “ordinary” lives now and then by going and doing something fun, novel, etc. What I am referencing here is more of the [...]
Do We Need Couples Counseling or Discernment Counseling?
When couples face significant relationship struggles, seeking professional help can be a transformative step. However, not all couples therapy approaches serve the same purpose. Two common but distinct paths are discernment counseling and couples counseling. Understanding the differences between these approaches can help you choose the right fit for your unique situation. What is Discernment [...]
Mental “Spring Cleaning”
As physical clutter can be distracting, so can unprocessed emotions. As human beings, it is easy for our brains to get cluttered in negative thoughts, unresolved emotions, and more to-do items than we have time to handle. This all can build in our minds and result in stress, anxiety and burnout. Making time to sit [...]
Redefining Love this February: Self-Love is Essential
February is filled with symbols of love, like red roses, pink hearts, sweet chocolates, and romantic gestures. In today’s society, it is a month to celebrate love in relationships. But what if we begin by reconsidering what love truly means? Social pressure encourages prioritizing others in relationships and self-lessness, but is loving yourself actually selfish? [...]
What is Love?
There are many different ways many different people will define love. Mister Rogers said: “Love isn't a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like struggle. To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.” I believe that to be true. [...]
The Benefits of Pet Ownership
I recently saw a reel on Instagram of a woman covered in pet fur cleaning up a pet mess arguing that the pet mom life was a necessity. It was silly and funny and got me thinking about my own circumstances. I am a busy military spouse with 3 children, and a traveling husband, and [...]
Exercise and Mental Health
Exercise is a regular part of a healthy lifestyle. Moving our bodies is an important part of our cardiorespiratory health, improving bone density, and reducing the risk of developing various diseases including cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and certain cancers. Studies have shown that human beings may have an innate drive to move based on [...]
Adult Time Management: A New Perspective
How are those New Year’s resolutions and goals progressing? I recently came across a statistic revealing that only 25% of people stick with their goals beyond January. Many of my sessions during the winter months center on motivation and behavioral activation, as clients grapple with maintaining momentum. When it comes to managing time as an [...]
Nurturing Your Mind, Body, and Spirit: Self-Care Journal Prompts for Your Well-Being
Self-care isn't just about pampering ourselves with bubble baths or a spa day—it’s a holistic practice that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit. Tending to these three parts of ourselves is essential for maintaining the energy and balance we need to show up fully in our work, relationships, and daily commitments. But, self-care is deeply [...]
Rethinking New Year’s Resolutions: Alternatives for a More Intentional 2025
Since before the decorations were off the tree and all the Hanukkah candles were lit, I’ve been asking people about New Year’s resolutions. Not necessarily what those resolutions are, but how they feel about making them. Some folks don’t bother making them because they feel it’s an exercise in failure. That was the view of [...]
The Holidays: ‘Tis the Season of Limits and Boundaries
Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, Yule, or any other big family event, it’s an exciting, festive time filled with cheer and good food. For many, it’s a time to reconnect with relatives and family friends you haven’t seen in a year or more. However, it can also be a time when stress is high [...]
Look for the “saints” walking among us…
Imagine Dragon’s song “Demons” came on the other day, and, in the aftermath of recent hurricanes, its opening lines struck me differently than they had before. Before I explain, I would first like to clarify that I am not speaking to the victims of the hurricanes, nor am I proposing an interpretation of the song. [...]
Election Self-Care
As election season approaches, it often brings significant stress for many individuals. The heightened emotions and contradicting views surrounding political campaigns can spark distressing debates and conflicts, straining relationships with friends, family, and coworkers. The overwhelming barrage of news content creates a sense of urgency and anxiety, complicating distinguishing fact from fiction. At the same [...]
Knit or Crochet Your Fears Away…
I have always been a crafter enjoying the time I spend sitting relaxing and participating in a repetitive task that eventually leads to a feeling of accomplishment. I especially like knitting and crocheting. I love the way my mind relaxes as my fingers work on the task getting better with each stitch. As an anxious [...]
Strengthening Therapeutic Connections Through Pets in Telehealth Therapy
“Time spent with cats is never wasted.” - Not Sigmund Freud “I, as is well known, do not like cats. “ - SIGMUND FREUD The bond between people and their animals evolved through history, from utilitarian farm cats and hunting dogs to cherished family members in their own right. As people became more socially isolated, [...]
Avoiding Compassion Fatigue in an Online World
We live part of our lives online. Many of us have multiple social media accounts across many, many different apps. Online often feels inescapable. We are consistently being told about current events that we “must” care about. Oftentimes, we cannot avoid an article, a TikTok, or an Instagram reel about something happening in the world. [...]
Healthy Boundaries
An overall theme I have been noticing is boundaries or lack of boundaries. With the holidays upon us, people have been struggling with issues concerning family, friends, trauma, loss, grief, etc. The holiday season brings up many emotions for people, the good, the bad and the ugly. How do we manage and cope with all [...]
Do you struggle with body image?
Body image is how you see yourself when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind. It encompasses everything from the shape of your body (including height and weight) to what you believe about your own appearance. Many of us internalize external messages starting at a young age that can [...]
Self-Care Exercises
What is self-care and why is it important? Self-care means taking care of oneself by engaging in activities that promote wellness. These areas of wellness include emotional, physical, mental, social, spiritual, practical, and professional well-being. It is crucial that you address each of these areas to better cope with various stressors and find balance in [...]
Emotional Hunger vs. Physical Hunger
Have you ever used food to cope with stress or any other emotion? Sometimes people use food to avoid emotional discomfort or distract themselves from distressing thoughts. First, take a few deep breaths, and acknowledge that you’re human! It happens! Today, you are going to learn the difference between two different types of Hunger: Emotional [...]
On Being Self-Compassionate
“If my friend was struggling with the same thing I am, would I speak to them the way I just spoke to myself?” This is a question that I encourage clients to ask themselves when I hear them being overly self-critical. It serves as an introduction to the importance of exercising self-compassion when improving our [...]
Diet & Exercise: Why It’s Easier Said Than Done
There's no doubt our diet affects mental health. Ugh, the same dance it seems: two steps forward, one step back. Try this, don’t eat that! So many frustrations when it comes to diet and exercise often lead to feelings of shame and overwhelm. I have a unique perspective on diet and exercise as a trauma [...]
Dealing with Chronic Pain
Dopesick is a drama miniseries on Hulu and I believe on Disney Plus. The eight-part drama series is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Beth Macy, examining the dreadful causes and effects of the opioid crisis unleashed in large part on the United States by Purdue Pharma, and its “non-addictive” painkiller [...]
On Saying Yes
Self care is all the rage and, in most articles, memes, and TikTok advice it’s all about saying no to things. That is something that is a challenge for many of us, and saying no is an important skill. That said, so is saying yes. When was the last time you said yes to something? [...]
Sometimes It’s Not Just One Thing That Can Help Us Maintain our Healing
Over the past few years, it has been both a personal and professional observation that the people who have been successful on their mental health wellness path utilize many different coping strategies and coping skills. Often, I think we all sometimes, in one form or another, look for the “quick fix” or the one thing [...]
The Productivity Paradox
How many times have you found yourself with a canceled appointment and you frantically looked for something to do to fill that space? We’ve all been there. Not wanting to waste a single moment of possible productivity. Somewhere along the way we’ve managed to attach our happiness and success to our productivity. This has resulted [...]
Five Morning Routines to Start Your Day Off Right
This month for Mental Health Awareness Month, I wanted to share five morning routines that can help start your day off right. Taking time for self-care is so important - even the smallest change in routine devoted to self-care can make a big difference in your day. Here are Five Helpful Morning Routines: 1. Meditation: [...]
Tips on Self-Care
How to add Self-Care to your daily routine. As the saying goes, "an empty tank will take you exactly nowhere. Take time to refuel." Self-care is not selfish so erase that concept from your mind. If anything, it benefits not only you but those who are around you. You cannot properly care for others [...]
Where Self-Compassion and Boundaries Intersect
Self-compassion and boundary-setting are two things that I find myself very energized to work with in the therapy space. When I heard Brené Brown speaking about the intersection between these two topics (on a recent episode of Armchair Expert) I knew I wanted to elaborate further. What Do Compassionate People Have In Common? Let’s first [...]
Intention setting: a better way to start the day
How often do you hit the snooze on your alarm and rush through your morning routine when you finally get out of bed? Maybe you do get up when your alarm goes off the first time, but you immediately start thinking of the many things on your to-do list for the day. Either way, we [...]
Scavenger hunt, anyone?
So, who doesn't like a good scavenger hunt? Not only are they fun, but scavenger hunts also help children work on essential skills like problem-solving. It also helps to reinforce act-out methods they have been taught by parents or teachers in a physical way, leading to increased retention. They are also easy to customize to [...]
What Can YOU Do To Take Care Of Your Mental Health?
It is crucial that you take care of your mental wellness now more than ever before. Mental wellness or good mental health is thinking, feeling, and interacting in ways that help you enjoy life and effectively deal with challenging situations. Without mental wellness, people are unable to fulfill their full potential or play an active [...]
5 Tips for Improved Mindfulness Walking in 2022
IT TOOK A STORM TO HELP ME BE PRESENT! Walking for 50 minutes at the end of each day is routine for me. I lace up, insert my Air Pods, select a playlist, and off I go. I pass dogs on leashes, food delivery people, kids on the playground… I think you get the picture. [...]
The Holidays and Being Body Positive
The Holidays can be a magical time of year. For many people the holidays are a time for giving, making memories, spending quality time with loved ones, and… eating good food! Unfortunately, many of us can fall into engagement with negative self-talk resulting in feelings of shame and guilt during this time of year when [...]
Self-Soothing vs. Self-Care
The term self-care has become extremely well known over the past few years. We talk about it at work, school, with our kids and with our families. But what actually is self-care? Believe it or not, self-care is not putting on your face mask at the end of the night or listening to relaxing music [...]
Sleep Hygiene
Sleep. We love it, we hate it. It can be a source of rest, but also a source of stress. When 50-70 million people in the United States suffer from a diagnosable sleep disorder, it’s clear that it is a prevalent issue. It affects our physical, mental, and emotional health. Just like you brush your [...]
How to Cope with your Eating Disorder and the Holidays
Dr. Michael Deitz at Healthy Minds Therapy continues the conversation about eating disorders. The holidays are stressful times but they are especially stressful for someone recovering from an eating disorder when so much emphasis is put on food. Just remember, it is just one day! Eating Disorders Part 2 In case you missed it, [...]
Exercise and Mental Health
When I was a teenager I thoroughly enjoyed sports, such a volleyball and horseback riding. I left high school and when I went to college I no longer participated in these fun sports. This was when I began to notice my mental health was suffering. College was hard work, stressful, and time-consuming. I tried to [...]
The Myth About Mindfulness
Mindfulness... it doesn't work. This is a common concern I hear from clients, and it usually includes a recent story about how breathing didn't help calm them down when they were in the midst of a panic attack. Of course it didn't work. Mindfulness is an incredible tool, but it's not the only useful coping [...]
10 Ways to Build and Maintain Boundaries
Many people know what the word “boundaries” means, but they have no idea what they are. You might think of boundaries as something like a wired fence or a brick wall used to keep people out. Boundaries are a way to take care of ourselves. They reinforce self-love and self-respect by limiting the access that [...]
How to be Mindful (Part 2)
Mindfulness practice can help us increase our ability to regulate emotions, decrease stress and manage anxiety and depression. It can help us to focus our attention and observe our thoughts and feelings without judgment. Here are 10 additional mindfulness exercises to do throughout the day to guide you along the path to find more peace [...]
Educate Yourself About Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are very serious mental health conditions with physical ramifications. There are a lot of false narratives spread throughout society. Eating disorders affect about 30 million Americans at some point in their lives. Many factors can lead to an eating disorder such as environmental influences, genetic influences, and trauma influences. Dr. Deitz has worked [...]
Therapy: A Last Resort?
When thinking about going to therapy, we often feel like it’s a last-resort option. After we have tried to figure things out for ourselves, talked with family or friends, or even tried Google or YouTube, it’s only THEN that we think about reaching out to a professional. Only if the problems we are facing seem [...]
Thoughts on Slowing Down when Overwhelmed
As we near the end of summer there is a dampening of the energy that was here earlier in the year. People are experiencing transitions in their lives as they return to working onsite, as they distance, again, and as they experience other changes in their lives including returning to school. With these, there can [...]
Misconceptions About Therapy
It is not uncommon to have some people’s first appointments with me go a little like this: “I’m not sure why I am here. I don’t think I really need therapy but my (mom, dad, sibling, friend) suggested it so I figured, why not?” When I ask them why they think they do not need [...]
Stress Management: Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive Muscle Relaxation is an incredible skill to help manage stress, anxiety, panic, and any unpleasant feeling. It’s also great if you just want to relax! It’s a great way to ground your mind AND your body and can be done anywhere. How It Works You can either find a guided progressive muscle relaxation exercise [...]
Can’t Stop Ruminating? Let’s Talk About WHAT You Can Do
I have quite a few clients come to me who have trouble with rumination. Something negative happened in the past, maybe it was yesterday or maybe it was a few years ago. Sometimes no matter how hard we try we cannot stop thinking about certain things. Common questions we ask ourselves when ruminating are “Why [...]
Spiral Grounding Technique
The Spiral Technique is really great for when a disturbing thought or memory seems to keep coming up for you in daily life. It is a technique that helps to take the focus off of the disturbance and the sensations that come up in your body when you think of this event. Here is how [...]
Starting Therapy—A Profound Act of Self-Care
Therapy is not just for dealing with a crisis. It can be beneficial for anyone dealing with mental health challenges, experiencing high levels of stress or who simply wants to gain more knowledge and awareness. Therapy can be a great place to learn and practice new skills as people take on changes and stressors associated [...]
What Does Self-Care Actually Look Like?
When you think of self-care, I’m sure a few different things come to mind. Relaxing, doing yoga, getting a massage, putting on your favorite mud mask until your face is so tight you can’t smile…. Yes, all these things are great. But are they really the basis of what grounds you and makes you feel [...]
Thoughts on Self-Compassion
Self-compassion is something that many of us struggle with. We are sometimes hard on ourselves as we strive to do better or live up to expectations that we set for ourselves. It can be a heavyweight to carry. Many years ago, I attended a talk on the Dalai Lama’s book How to Be Compassionate. I [...]
Do I Own My Story or Does My Story Own Me?
When it comes to trauma, we as counselors must assess the trauma narrative continuum, which is the degree to which our clients “own” their stories and to what degree the stories “own” our clients. I learned this concept from a one-time supervisor and now mentor and friend. I found it immediately relatable in my own [...]
What is Unconditional Love, Really?
Years ago, I bought my best friend a very expensive gift, despite things being tight financially for me. I did this because I adored this friend. She truly wanted this gift. It meant a lot to her and I wanted more than anything to make her happy. I wanted her to know how important she [...]
Managing the Post Holiday Blues
We’ve all been there…the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over and the post-holiday blues can tend to set in. All the gifts have been opened, friends and family have left town and we must settle back into our daily routines. The cold and dark months of January and February can cause us to [...]
Efficient Problem Solving
By Shelton Piland, Supervisee in Clinical Social Work in Northern, VA Patients frequently come to me for advice when they encounter a problem and do not know what to do, where to go next or how to address the problem. We are usually able to work together to dissect the issue and make a plan [...]
Finding Your Snowflake in this 2020 Blizzard: A Quick Guide to Holiday Grief and Loss
By Diane Bonilla, MA, Licensed Professional Counselor in Northern Virginia The holiday season is upon us and life is marching forward, but for some, your minds and your hearts are standing still, grieving the death of a loved one amidst what feels like an incoming storm. Even if the loss is from the past, holiday time [...]
What if I feel worse after a therapy session and not better?
By Jasmine Payne, Licensed Professional Counselor Therapy is hard work. It is rewarding but sometimes it can be overwhelming, sometimes it is frustrating, and sometimes it is sad. The quote “it gets worse before it gets better” seems applicable here. Re-training your brain, healing trauma, and unlearning unhealthy coping mechanisms are not simple tasks. And while [...]
You’ve Got This! Three Holistic Steps to Managing Anxiety
By Diane Bonilla, MA, Licensed Professional Counselor in Northern Virginia The two most important things to understand about anxiety are that it is universally experienced and that it is holistically managed. You are absolutely not alone in experiencing anxiety, though it can feel that way. Anxiety symptoms can impact our emotional, physical and spiritual health. [...]
Our Mental Shortcuts and Bias’ in Decision-Making
By Dr. Debra Rezendes, HMT Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy in Northern Virginia Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have found myself coveting more time to read and learn. I have gleaned much from these conversations and trainings and have found them helpful in considering the various ways in which I may openly [...]
Staying Connected with Family During Covid
This pandemic has been hard! In many, unprecedented ways, we are all trying to figure out how to cope and manage the stress of the coronavirus shutdowns, restrictions, and isolation. For a lot of us, it has been especially difficult in the lead-up to holidays, knowing that it may be the first time in our lives [...]
How to Take a Break from an Argument: The Right Way
By Jasmine Payne, Licensed Professional Counselor The holiday season can be stressful… not to mention, we are amidst a pandemic and coming down from a very tense election season. Although family gatherings may be limited this year, it is likely we will be in more frequent communication with various relatives. If you are in a [...]
10 Ways To Elevate Mood During A Pandemic
By Grace Kim, Resident in Counseling in Northern Virginia We are well under eight months into the current COVID-19 pandemic that started back in early March. For some, the pandemic has been the perfect opportunity for rest, reconnecting with those we lost touch with and completing tasks we’ve been putting off for some time now. [...]
Thoughts on Stressful Conversations
By Jackie Carrera, MSEd, Resident In Counseling in Northern Virginia There are difficult conversations taking place as we experience worry concerning different areas of our lives. A lot has happened during the past six plus months and it has been a stressful time for many of us. I wrote about communication in a previous post [...]
Couples, COVID, and Cabin Fever
By Jasmine Payne, Licensed Professional Counselor Back at the beginning of 2020 weren’t we all wishing we could spend more quality time at home with our loved ones or our partners? When true quality time was only able to be squeezed into the weekends or maybe weeknights (if the dishes got put away and the [...]
Worry and Growth
By Jackie Carrera, MSEd, Resident in Counseling in Northern Virginia I’ve been thinking about the struggles that we have been experiencing during this stay-at-home period. It has been a challenging time and many people are experiencing a lot of worry or fear. I have seen this in the art world, with friends, and hear it [...]
Two Arrows (Emotional Objectivity)
By Bruce Craig, MA, Resident in Counseling in Northern Virginia There is a Buddhist metaphor that I have found to be a great way to think about emotional objectivity. When something difficult happens in life, as can be expected from time to time, we often internalize how we feel about it subjectively. This is where [...]
Boundaries: How I Can Love You & Me at the Same Time
By Jasmine Payne, Licensed Professional Counselor We have all heard the word boundaries. What do you think of when you hear it? Common answers include: a brick wall, a barrier, a way to keep people out, a line drawn in the sand, something that keeps me safe, or a tall privacy fence. These are all great [...]
Keeping It REAL as a Parent!
By Mary Jackson, MSW is a Supervisee in Clinical Social Work in Northern Virginia Parents…this one is for you! Have you ever had one of those days when you feel as if you are going to LOSE IT? Recently I did. It wasn’t just parenting that had me overwhelmed. It was the sum of EVERYTHING. [...]
Find Your Calm or Safe Place – A Relaxation Technique
By Jack Fox, M.A. Resident in Counseling in Northern Virginia This time of the year is rife with transitions, which can be stressful for everyone. Especially with the pandemic continuing, we are under a lot of pressure as the new school year begins and children start classes online or adults try to figure out childcare. [...]
Cultivating Positive Mental Focus – Part 4
By Bruce Craig, MA, Resident in Counseling in Northern Virginia In everything and everyone we encounter in life there will be aspects we appreciate and aspects we maybe don’t prefer. As we discussed in earlier articles of this series our minds naturally focus on the negative first because this was necessary in some ways for [...]
Art-Making and Mental Health
By Jackie Carrera, MSEd, Resident in Counseling in Northern Virginia Creativity and mental health go hand in hand. I am a visual artist who enjoys painting, working with pottery, and photography. I turned to art-making during a high stress time in my life and it helped me find balance. One of the texts that taught [...]
Self-care ideas!
By Kayla White, M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Resident in Counseling If you are anything like me, practicing self-care and self-love can often get placed on the back burner. Also, I am not a proclaimed morning person, so other than those things I NEED to do, I've learned they likely won't get done until I'm [...]
Body Positivity vs. Body Neutrality
When Body Positivity Seems Impossible, Aim for Body Neutrality By Grace Kim, Resident in Counseling in Northern Virginia The idea that a woman’s body should look a certain way has been reinforced through social media, movies, magazines and even our parents. This concept doesn’t only apply to women, but men as well. Societal standards have [...]
When “Fake it til’ you Make it” Doesn’t Work
By Jasmine Payne, Licensed Professional Counselor Many of us have heard the sentiment “fake it until you make it.” It implies that if you can imitate or pretend to have certain qualities or emotions like happiness, confidence, or competence that you will eventually obtain them genuinely. While this works for some people, it does [...]
Challenging Your Negative Thoughts
By Shelton Piland, Supervisee in Clinical Social Work in Northern, VA During this uncertain time we all may be more prone to depression, anxiety and poor self-esteem. Irrational negative thoughts could be the culprit! Since many of us are stuck at home, social media use has been on the rise. We may accomplish one thing, feel good [...]
Three Tools to Calm a Stressed-Out Family
By Dr. Debra Rezendes, HMT Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy in Northern Virginia The last three months of 2020 has brought a wave of stress and anxiety for most families. While I share the sentiments of wanting to be whisked away to a secluded beach, our present circumstances allow us to be intentional about [...]
Learning to Notice Emotions Early and Objectively – Part 2
By Bruce Craig, Resident in Counseling in Northern Virginia Emotions are here for a reason and every human will feel the full range of emotions at one point or another in their lives. This is to say that emotions are not something we should be afraid of or try to avoid in any way. We [...]
Positive Impacts of Journaling
By Kayla White, M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling in Northern Virginia Journaling allows people to clarify their thoughts and feelings, thereby gaining valuable self-knowledge. It's also a good problem-solving tool; oftentimes, one can hash out a problem and come up with solutions more easily on paper. Here are some of the studied positive impacts of [...]
Self-Compassion Break
Photo by Michelle on Unsplash By Dr. Debra Rezendes, HMT Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy in Northern Virginia For so many, the recent months have required a bit of flexibility. The pandemic has left many individuals, parents, and families juggling multiple roles. We are all trying to figure things out day by day. In moments of high [...]
How to Make Your Social Media Consumption More Intentional in 2 Steps
By Jasmine Payne, Licensed Professional Counselor Social media and technology are intertwined in our day-to-day lives. Many of us have built up profiles, sent and accepted hundreds of friend requests, and followed various pages over the last several years. When was the last time you checked in on all those platforms and cleansed the things [...]
How are you, really? Make your mental health a priority.
Photo by Dhaya Eddine Bentaleb on Unsplash The world looks a little different than it did a few weeks ago. For many, this has brought to surface many stresses. The stress from pivoting into your new roles and responsibilities, along with social distancing and isolation, has led to an increase in depression. Here is how depression can show [...]
Mental Health Do’s and Don’ts during Quarantine!
By Grace Kim, Resident in Counseling Most of us are stumped on what to do while we’re locked down in our homes. We’ve re-watched all the Harry Potter movies. We’ve binge-watched all the seasons of our favorite shows on Netflix. We’ve “cleaned” our kitchens and our rooms. We’ve emptied out our pantries and shelves once [...]
6 ways to thrive when working from home – Guaranteed to nail it
By now, most of us have had to make the shift from daily commutes and traffic jams, to coordinating schedules with spouses and getting used to a new normal of working at home. It’s normal for feelings of stress, anxiety, anger and even grief to happen when major shifts like these happen in your life. [...]
Keeping Your Peace of Mind Amidst the Chaos
By Jasmine Payne, Licensed Professional Counselor There is so much going on right now and so much of it is out of our control. This is an unprecedented time and situation. Many of us are faced with trying to figure out what a new normal looks like. The most important thing to remember is there [...]
Navigating Uncharted Waters: COVID-19
By Dr. Debra Rezendes, HMT Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy We are in uncharted territory together as our community braces to contain the impact of COVID-19. Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash As a parent, you have likely had to shape-shift into many forms this week—comforter, fear-slayer, information-gatherer, preparer, and more recently teacher. You have likely [...]
Three Calming Activities
To help anxious children (and you!) that can be done in the home! By Kayla White, M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash These activities are great for children and adults to help them practice mindfulness, live in the here and now, and learn to reduce symptoms of anxiety. Progressive Muscle Relaxation: What is [...]
Was it luck, good fortune or a coincidence?
By Jack Fox, M.A., Resident in Counseling Photo by Amy Reed on Unsplash When something positive or good happens to you or occurs in your life, are you able to take credit for it or do you attribute it to something like luck, good fortune, or even just a fluke or coincidence? There are many times we can [...]
Sleep and Mental Health
By Jack Fox, M.A., Resident in Counseling Photo by Jonathan Fink on Unsplash In almost all the different mental health issues that people face, a common factor is troubles with sleep. While there are many factors that affect how a person is sleeping, there are a few easy ways to help improve the quality of the sleep we [...]
Protect Your Mental Health From the Dark Sides of Social Media
By Kayla White, M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling Photo by William Iven on Unsplash It's easier said than done to detox yourself from social media. It is everywhere and, if you are like most, you have the fear of missing out. But social media has many dark sides and it is in the best interest of your own [...]
Mindful Self Compassion
By Bruce Craig, Resident in Counseling Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash In the last couple of blog articles, we have covered how to begin tuning in to our mental process to begin noticing moment-to-moment what our mind is up to. As we tune into this process, it is likely you will notice some negative self-talk. These negative [...]
Change is hard. But worth it.
By Jack Fox, M.A., Resident in Counseling Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash Are you healthy and well, or just comfortable? Comfort can be a tricky subject when dealing with health and wellness. Often times, individuals find themselves in poor health, either mentally or physically, because they are comfortable and unwilling to change. Humans are conditioned to seek the [...]
Noticing the Mental Process
By Bruce Craig, Resident in Counseling Pixabay Image Practicing Mindfulness in your daily life as often as possible can give us the power to become less reactive to thoughts and feelings. We can begin to intentionally notice what are mind is up to and begin to retrain it to operate in a more useful way. [...]
5 Ways For a Stress-Free Sleep
By Kayla White, M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Resident in Counseling Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash We’ve all been there. You turn to look at the clock and it’s 2:00 am, then 3:00am. You have to get up in a few hours but, you are still wide awake with what feels like a million thoughts running [...]
New Year, New You?
Photo by Danil Aksenov on Unsplash By Dr. Debra Rezendes, HMT Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy As one year closes and another begins, it is natural to think of what we hope the journey ahead entails. Certainly, New Year's resolutions can be guide posts to help us stay on track towards big goals. But often, we tend [...]
Tips for dealing with stress over the holidays
By Jack Fox, M.A., Resident in Counseling Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash We know the stress of the holidays can be a lot. Here are two simple tips to keep in mind to keep stress at bay. 1) Don’t break the bank to try and show you love or care. Many people try to show their family and [...]
Do The Next Right Thing
Photo by Dustin Belt on Unsplash By Alison Morogiello, MEd, NCC , Resident in Counseling Upon viewing the new “Frozen II” movie with my two young nieces, there was a mantra throughout the film that allowed the characters to move forward when things felt hopeless. “Do the next right thing”. Sometimes in life, we are faced with overwhelming [...]
The 5 Signs of Burnout
By Dr. Debra Rezendes, HMT Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy During the holidays, there can be a lot of emotional resources going out. One way that we can practice self-care is to recognize the signs of burnout and pull back when we feel like too much of ourselves is going into caring for others. [...]
Gut Microbes and Mental Health!
By Kayla White, M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Resident in Counseling Photo by Brandless on Unsplash It's no secret that mental health and the gut-brain membrane is a new, flourishing research area! One study found that Coprococcus seems to have a pathway related to dopamine, a key brain signal involved in depression, although they have no evidence how this [...]
Supporting Families in the Fourth Trimester
By Dr. Debra Rezendes, HMT Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy Photo by Liane Metzler on Unsplash My social media feed has been bursting with pictures of mothers to be and new babies entering the world. I love the moment a family meets their little one. And, I also know from working with hundreds of mothers and families, [...]
Daily Mindfulness Practice Basics
By Bruce Craig, Resident in Counseling Photo by Simon Migaj on Unsplash A simple and effective way to cultivate a more calm and peaceful life is to take the time to notice the thoughts that lead to our feelings. Our brains are always thinking even if we are not tuned into our thoughts. These thoughts lead to feelings whether [...]
If we treat our body well, our mind will be happy too! 💗
Photo by Fezbot2000 on Unsplash By Alison Whitehouse, Resident in Counseling Research continues to support the connection between physical health and mental health. When we are sick with a cold, we often feel depressed or fatigued. When we are stressed or anxious, our body tenses up, or we may have digestive problems. Our mind and body are a [...]
What I Do For Fun & How It Helps Me Grow
Photo copy write Practice of the Practice Most of us wear many hats, often leaving us to feel stretched thin, uninspired and exhausted. As a wife, mother, clinician and business owner, it’s important I do things to keep me feeling motivated, energized and excited. If you are feeling overwhelmed and are looking for some ways [...]