Being present and experiencing the world around us is so important. Around the holidays, many of us experience a wide array of emotions, from stress and overwhelm, to joy, excitement, and love. Grounding in the here and now can be a great way to slow down and experience the world around you. Here are two […]
ADHD can mean a lot of different things for different people. Some may be more restless, hyperactive, fidgeting, and constantly on the move. Others may seem constantly one step behind, not seem to listen to what you’re saying, forget things, lose track of things, and always be off-task. Some may have a combination of these, […]
Suicide help can be an intimidating topic Even using the word suicide can halt a conversation. Unfortunately, this tends to lead to fear, shame, and silence. What we know – undoubtedly – is that fear, shame, and silence are not the answer. Below are a few things to know about suicide help, and a few […]
Being a kid with social anxiety isn’t easy. As adults, many of us still have difficulty sitting down at a table and introducing ourselves to a group of strangers. In fact, many of us can say that if given the choice, we would likely choose not to be in that situation. Remember that your child […]
May is Mental Health Awareness month. There are so many great organizations out there that are championing this cause, and pressing for understanding, awareness, and treatment of mental health disorders, including www.breakthestigma.org and www.nami.org. Please consider visiting these sites, and sharing them widely. We at Hope Springs are passionate about bringing awareness and empathy to […]
We are a culture that CONSUMES We are great consumers of food, coffee, alcohol, information, clothes, cars, concerts – if there is a thing, and that thing is good, we consume as much of it as we can. Sometimes, this tendency is harmless; then again, sometimes, it’s a pretty big problem. One of the ways […]
Distraction sneaks up on us. For example, Nina sits down to the computer. She has just a few things to get done, and she’s got maybe half an hour before she’ll have to get up, get dinner going, and get that load of laundry in the wash. As she starts to get working, she suddenly […]
Being grateful doesn’t mean finding good things to drown out the bad, or to somehow say that you’re not allowed to feel grumpy because you have things to be grateful for. Ultimately, it’s trying to remind ourselves that often we have both; that our lives are both wonderful and difficult, light and heavy, fun and frustrating. It’s taking on a practice that says maybe sometimes you get to be grumpy and grateful.
A wise friend once said to me:
“Mollie, you’d never buy a footlong sub and then tell yourself – ‘I better eat this all in one bite.’”
At the time, I had a good laugh. And now, years later, I think of this all the time. Because when you put it that way, it makes so much sense – it’s crazy to set an expectation like that. You’d choke, you’d be sick, and you’d feel really terrible about that sandwich.
Psychological and neuropsychological assessments can cover a broad range of areas, including cognitive functioning, intellectual functioning, attention, learning, social skills, personality, career, and psychological health and well-being. Concerns in these areas can surface at home, school, or work, and sometimes in all three. While these concerns are sometimes identified early in children, assessments can be valuable tools for individuals across the lifespan. An “assessment” will vary based on what areas you are looking at, but often includes paper-and-pencil questionnaires, interviews, and activities that you would do with your psychologist provider to gather information and help answer your questions.
Sometimes, just coming back to the things we can reach out and touch, the things we hear, see, smell, or even taste can be helpful. Other times, it can be helpful to be prepared ahead of time, to keep a few little tokens on hand that are soothing, enjoyable, and use our physical senses.
