Category: Mental Health

7 Absolutes for Good Self-Care if You or a Family Member Has Anxiety

Many people have anxiety or a child or family member who is anxious. It might be that there is a history of worrying or stress. Maybe the person avoids doing things that are scary, like approaching dogs, making speeches, or driving. Maybe the person tends to be overly careful or repetitive about hand-washing or cleaning. If the anxiety is distressing to the person, or interferes with the way s/he wants to live her life, she may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are common, and recent research has found that 1 in 3 people are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.

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Self-Care and Self-Compassion Improves Parenting

Self-compassion is an important part of parenting children and adolescents.  A few years ago, the Washington Post published an article called “Teaching Children Self-Compassion by Modeling it Ourselves” by Mandy Lange.  The article addresses the idea that children learn how to respond to their difficulties, stressors, and mistakes through their own experiences, and through what […]

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Depressed Girl in Bed

Depression in Children and Adolescents: How to Help

Depression affects children, adolescents, and adults. It affects people from all income levels and ethnic backgrounds. Research estimates indicate that at least 2-6% of all children and 10-35 % of all adults are diagnosed with depression in their lifetime. Unfortunately, less than 20% of children receive the help that they need. Because you are now reading this, you are taking action to help your child, and that is a very important choice.

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Heart Puzzle

Autism Spectrum Disorder: What It Is and How to Help

“Autism” is a term with which many people are familiar.  Autism impacts many families, either in their own family, or through a relative or a friend.  However, many people still struggle to understand what it means, how to identify it, and how to help.  To make matters more confusing, autism is called many different things, and […]

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Girl with ADHD

ADHD In Girls

ADHD is a common topic among parents, schools, and health providers. But ADHD in girls is an elusive concept. Allison was always labeled a “Tom Boy.” When other girls were playing with dolls, reading, or coloring, she was outside playing with the neighbor boys. She preferred softball, kickball, riding her bike. She could never sit […]

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Checking news on devices

How to Survive Tragic News Headlines

There have been many tragic events in the news lately. Whenever we even look at headlines, we are alerted to heartbreak, both locally and abroad. Because of the 24-hour news cycle, messages about shootings, plane crashes, assaults, abuse and human rights violations are always present.

The news can be violent, depressing and emotionally-charged. It may feel like our world is deteriorating quickly, even when it’s not.

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Parenting Depression

Depression in Teens Impacts Parent Depression

Depression is serious business, particularly in children and adolescents.  Depression impacts about of 20 percent of teens prior to adulthood, and research supports that these numbers are increasing.  Sadly, when depression rates increase, so do rates of suicide, self-injury, and substance abuse.  Many times, as parents, we struggle with how to help and what to […]

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social media depression

When Social Media Depression Happens to You

Marissa opened her Facebook page, and saw a picture of her college roommate with her family.  Her college roommate was celebrating her 15th wedding anniversary, and shared a picture of herself and her family on a Disney cruise to the Caribbean, with a hashtag of #itsawonderfullife.  Marissa groaned, and then started to cry.  Not only […]

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