Reducing Stress
Summer is over and fall is here. This means change is near or has already started. For some, it may have never stopped. With busy work schedules and children is school, you may never feel like you have any time for yourself. Next, the holiday season will be here, and we will all be wondering where the year went. Here are ten holiday coping tips to get you through the season: Go outside and watch the birds and other animals. Nature is a great escape and a good way to clear your mind. Leave all gadgets behind and just enjoy being…
Read MoreWe all know what it feels like to be stressed. Stress can happen for many different reasons. Deadlines at work, taking care of the children, paying the bills, etc. Nobody is exempt from stress. And, while some stress might be good, meaning it might help push you a bit. Too much of stress, is not good. There will be times in your life that you feel very stressed. What’s important is that you learn to cope with stress. It’s easy to gravitate towards unhealthy coping mechanisms such as: food, alcohol and even drugs. These may help for a little while,…
Read MoreWe’ve all felt overwhelmed at one time or another. This can last a day, week, month or a year. That feeling of being overwhelmed, just doesn’t go away. For whatever reason, going to work or just getting through the day can feel really hard. Maybe, there is an environment stressor, or you are struggling with anxiety or depression. Maybe, you’ve had your heard broken or have gone through a life-threatening illness. There are many different reasons as to why you are feeling overwhelmed. Or, maybe there isn’t a cause, you just can’t shake the feeling. Whatever the case may be,…
Read MoreMaybe you weren’t expecting this but I’m going to talk about depression in this article. Depression affects many people. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 19 million Americans suffer from it. At some point in their life, 10%-25% of women will become depressed and 5%-12% of men will become depressed. Depression isn’t fun and it can be debilitating. Here are five signs that you are depressed: You laugh and cry at times that don’t call for it. In psychology this is also known as “inappropriate affect.” This is when you over-react to insignificant sadness, and ignore major league bad news.…
Read MoreThe answer is yes. Let’s review what The Four Horsemen are: Criticism, Defensiveness, Contempt and Stonewalling. They are the four biggest predictors of divorce. This is based from The Gottmans research. They have done over four decades of research in working with couples. They have found that there is overlap into the workplace. They have also found that when couples stop using The Four Horsemen in their relationship and change how they communicate with one another, they will change how they communicate with people outside the relationship. Not only will they see their relationship change, they will see other relationships…
Read More“Always speak politely to an enraged dragon.” Steven Brust As a therapist, I hear it all the time. ‘I just can’t do this, or I’m just not good enough, etc.’ It’s easy to put yourself down. We all have an inner dialogue, it’s natural. Unfortunately, many people use it to beat themselves up. This can really bring you down. It’s true, we are what we think. Your thoughts will affect how you feel. Here are five tips to help conquer your inner dragon: Learn to relax. This is a great way to make your inner dragon go away. Take a yoga…
Read MoreIn today’s society, we are faced with many stresses at the work place. Will the company that you’re working at down size? There are many interruptions, which makes it difficult to focus. If you work in a cube, you may be tired of hearing the person next to you argue with their spouse on the phone. Sleep deprivation is at it’s worst. 40% of adults say they lie awake at night worrying about work. Here are five tips to help eliminate stress at work: Take a deep breath. Sounds simple and it is. When people are stressed they either hold…
Read MoreWe’ve all been there. Slept through the alarm clock, car is low on fuel, forgot to pick up coffee, the baby won’t stop crying, etc. Minor things can trigger bad days. As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I have found it’s best not to catastrophize. Don’t let the small things ruin a perfectly good day. In our society it is easy to focus on the negative. All you have to do is watch the news. Here are five tips that can help you turn around a bad day: Start your day by stating five things you are grateful for. No…
Read MoreI went out to dinner with a couple of friends last night, and as we were chatting one of my friends made a comment that she needs to change the chatter in her head. She needs to stop putting herself down and telling herself that she is stupid and ugly. I immediately complimented her. She is a smart and attractive woman. She thinks this way because she is single. Now, is there any truth to what she is saying? I know plenty of smart and attractive single people. As a Therapist, it amazes me how many people tell themselves horrible…
Read MoreLet’s face it life doesn’t always go our way. Regardless, of who you are life is full of surprises. It’s best to embrace change and keep moving on. Here are ten tips that can help when life get’s tough: They keep in control. They don’t give away their power. They stay happy. They don’t complain. They don’t waste energy on things they can’t control. They celebrate other people’s success. They don’t resent that success. They enjoy their time alone. They don’t fear being alone. They expend their mental energy wisely. They don’t spend time on unproductive thoughts. They tolerate discomfort.…
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