Coping means to invest own conscious effort, to solve personal and interpersonal problems, in order to try to master, minimize or tolerate stress and conflict. The psychological coping mechanisms are commonly termed coping strategies or coping skills.
These days, there is a lot going on in the world. We are coping with scary diseases, job changes, job locations, and health changes. Many of us have lost loved ones since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Given all of these things, varying degrees of stress, anxiety, depression, and fear are common. Life can feel pretty […]
Having a hard time is a pretty normal thing right now. Here are some tips that may help you to better support others (and yourself). There are many people having a hard time right now. If you are one of them, please know that you are not alone. Feeling afraid, hurt, frustrated, or overwhelmed is […]
By Dahlia Garofalo, B.A. and Cindy Nichols Anderson, Ph.D. ABPP Be yourself? That seems like such a tall order. Yet, identity helps us feel grounded and capable. It increases our agency, purpose, and confidence. It also helps us connect with society, loved ones, and people working towards common goals. After COVID-19 (and many of its […]
Emotional regulation seems like a complicated process. But in fact, it is something that we all use every day. Consider these examples where self-regulation may be helpful: Situation 1: You are driving home from work, and a car cuts you off in traffic, proceeding to drive very slowly in the lane in front of you. You are frustrated […]
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 […]
Music is powerful Music has existed from the earliest of times to the streaming services of today. Many of us can think of a song connected to something important in our lives. It could a vacation, a fun day with friends, or graduation. When we hear that song again, it often brings back memories of people, events, and […]
Gratitude is the practice of noticing good things in our world. It means taking the time to see the small, things that happen to us every day.
The summer before college represents a huge transition between high school graduation and leaving for school in the fall. Families are proud, excited, worried, and quite busy. There is much to do and prepare for, especially if that teen is headed to college in the fall. The summer after graduation is an exciting and overwhelming […]
It can be overwhelming and confusing when you are the victim of name-calling. This article helps you to better understand and respond.
Kindness is an important concept to understand. We are programmed to be kind to one another, even though sometimes it seems that the world has lost this instinct. You can train yourself to be kinder, and as a result, you may also be happier, healthier, and find more meaning in your life. Kindness makes us […]
Getting angry is a part of life. None of us will live a life free of stressors, and sometimes, whether we want it to or not, anger bubbles up as we try to deal with our stress. Anger is natural, but the behaviors that come out of anger can be scary, hurtful, and harmful. Below […]
Values are not always something that we consider. Many of us go through our lives, doing the best we can, doing what we think we need to do. Many of us had parents that taught us how to behave, and how to think about the world. But values are more than that. Russ Harris states, “Values […]
