Did you know that May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and that May 9th is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day? Did you also know that according to the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, one out of every five children experience some form of mental disorder annually? Starting in 1949, the Mental… Read more
Nowadays, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is almost an internet trend. There are a number of social media sites that glorify incorrect notions about what OCD is and are instead redefining it as the preference for neatness and pleasing visual aesthetics. A number of memes, quizzes, and image-based articles confirm how the internet is slowing changing… Read more
Are you considering attending a group therapy session or has your therapist started to encourage you to “try one out”? While many people are familiar with the traditional psychotherapy model of one therapist to one individual, they are often not as familiar with group psychotherapy. To help familiarize yourself with what group therapy actually entails,… Read more
Trauma is a tricky subject. The word “trauma” gets thrown around quite a bit and there seems to be a subjective nature to its definition. With the mentioning of trauma often comes the phrase “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” (PTSD), which is a legitimate mental disorder listed within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders… Read more
ADD, or attention deficit disorder, is the outdated term for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). In 1987, the American Psychological Association discontinued the use of the term ADD and instead replaced it with ADHD. However, in modern times both terms are thrown about and sometimes this can cause major confusion. In a modern context, ADD… Read more
While parenting is one of the greatest joys in life, it is also one of the most challenging. Parents are responsible for not only meeting their child’s physical and emotional needs, but also teaching them life skills, social skills, and appropriate behaviors. For new parents, overwhelmed parents, or parents with a mental health condition, this… Read more
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly referred to as ADHD, can have very different effects of children and adults based on their biological sex. In fact, ADHD is exhibited differently in females than it is in males. Because of this difference, ADHD is more commonly diagnosed in males, yet research has found that it affects both sexes… Read more
Relationships are hard. There’s just no getting around that fact. The perfect, yet effortless relationships of sitcoms are nothing more than hopeful myths. To truly have a great relationship, you’re going to have to work at it every day. Part of this work is recognizing when your relationship needs something different than what you’ve been… Read more
When many people hear the term “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” or PTSD, they picture war veterans, survivors of violent attacks, or people who have been through a natural disaster. However, PTSD can also affect children, especially those with adverse childhood experiences (ACE). According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 4% of children have been… Read more
There are different approaches to psychotherapy available and finding an option that works best for you is the key to a successful outcome. Group therapy is one approach to psychotherapy that some people have found to be quite beneficial. You may have heard of group therapy and have begun to wonder if this would be… Read more
When it comes to finding effective treatment methods for depression, every person is different. While medications are widely used to treat the mood disorder, they may not be effective in everyone. Some people may not even want to consider turning to medication at all, and will seek alternative options to help them manage their disorders…. Read more
You’re probably aware that exercise can help you feel better physically. Lift weights, and you can get stronger. Stretch regularly, and you can become more flexible. Start running, and you can increase your stamina. But the benefits of exercise don’t stop with your body; they extend to your mind. Physical and mental health are more… Read more
While mental health is just as important as physical health, the mental health system is not as transparent. Nevertheless, if you are dealing with mental health concerns, knowing where to seek treatment is the first important step. Often the terms “psychologist” and “psychiatrists” are thrown about, even used interchangeably by some individuals, but what do… Read more
The teenage years are tough on both teenagers and their parents. As your child navigates this tricky terrain between childhood and adulthood, they will start to try to define and assert their identity, which is stressful for both parties involved. While some strife and disobedience are to be expected during the teenage years, there comes… Read more
It’s normal for your emotions to fluctuate throughout the day. You might feel content upon waking up, exasperated while waiting for a late bus, or ecstatic upon getting a pay raise. But have you ever experienced a rapid change in your emotions, for seemingly no reason? Mood swings are extreme and sudden changes in a… Read more
It can be difficult enough for a grown adult to realize that he or she may be struggling with a mental health disorder. You can imagine how hard life is for children with mental disorders, who have no idea why they seem or feel different from “normal” children. That’s where parents and other caring adults… Read more
The medical world is always changing, but something that doesn’t change is the information provided by our own bodies. From muscle tension to brainwave activity, our bodies can tell us so much about our internal reactions to stress. Biofeedback collects that information, which can then be used to train a patient’s brain. As the patient… Read more
One of the most common myths about therapy is that it’s only for people with mental disorders, or those struggling with trauma. But really, therapy isn’t just for people who “need” it. It can benefit everyone, even perfectly happy, healthy people; the ultimate goal of therapy is to help you become a more productive, better… Read more
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common mental health condition that affects about 10% of the U.S. population, according to CHADD. Even with all of the advancements in science and technology over the years, ADHD can still be a tricky condition to diagnose. Thorough testing is required for determining the precise type of ADHD… Read more
Most relationships go through natural ebbs and flows. When a relationship is experiencing a lull due to a conflict, marriage counseling (or couples counseling) is a great way to acquire the tools to get past the low point of the relationship and improve the relationship for both parties. Couples counseling is a type of therapy… Read more
It can be difficult for parents to distinguish whether a child is exhibiting disruptive, but normal, behavior, or whether the child is showing symptoms of a larger issue. Human behavior is prone to swings, but children especially can display erratic behavior. Not all tantrums are symptomatic of a disorder, but sometimes they can be. Making… Read more
Depression is a mood disorder that causes prolonged feelings of sadness or disinterest. Sometimes referred to as clinical depression, the disorder can lead to a variety of emotional and physical issues. The symptoms of depression can make it difficult to complete day-to-day activities and can cause strain in personal relationships. For individuals experiencing the symptoms… Read more
Despite being very common, there is a lot of confusion concerning the medical terminology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some people say ADD (attention deficit disorder) when they mean ADHD, and others say ADHD when they’re describing a type of ADHD that used to be called ADD. It can all get very confusing in… Read more
Dogs provide humans with a fluffy and adorable pal that offers loyal companionship. It’s no wonder that dogs are so popular, as many as 37% of households in the United States have a dog. Most dogs simply make their owners happier people. For people with disabilities or mental health conditions, dogs can provide an even… Read more
For parents, the relatively pressure-free life of a child or teenager can seem like a walk in the park in comparison to the busy and fast-paced lives adults live. But children and teenagers often struggle with the same issues that adults do, including depression. Though, the symptoms in depression in adolescents are different that than… Read more
We all want to perform at our best. Whether that is physically performing in a sport or activity, or mentally performing at school or work, the better our minds and bodies are able to perform, the more success we’re going to have. When medical conditions and symptoms are obstructing us from performing at the best… Read more
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a complex mental health condition to understand and diagnose. Especially in children, as it is normal for a child to occasionally display symptoms that are associated with ADHD. But it’s important for parents to recognize and identify prolonged and persistent symptoms of ADHD in children, as the disorder, when… Read more
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic and long-lasting personality disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, recurring obsessive thoughts. People who suffer from OCD will often try and alleviate their unwanted and stressful thoughts by compulsively performing tasks repeatedly. The symptoms that accompany OCD can interfere with all aspects of life, such as work, school,… Read more
While you may not be familiar with the term gaslighting, you might be familiar with the description and the toll it can cause on a relationship. Gaslighting is a tactic in which a person or entity manipulates another person in the hopes of acquiring power of them. Often times this manipulation leads to the victim… Read more
Most of us spend the majority of our time going to work, working our jobs, thinking about our work, and preparing for the next work day. With such large chunk of our time and thoughts being devoted to our jobs, whether or not we’re enjoying our work will have a significant impact on your mental… Read more