How to Intentionally Consume Media: Promoting Emotional Resilience

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How to Intentionally Consume Media: Promoting Emotional Resilience

We find ourselves in a time when it has become increasingly challenging to ignore the elephant in the room - that is the state of the world and our country. For some time now, it has been a commonplace experience for many of us to wake up to yet another breaking news headline that often has our jaws on the floor and leaves us feeling quite vulnerable and heavy inside. Ironically, a lot of us sometimes find ourselves unable to stop the infamous doomscrolling (repeated, compulsive, algorithmic content consumption) and put our devices aside. It’s a vicious cycle.

We may not have the ability to click a button or to snap our fingers to enact the change that will bring us relief or a renewed sense of safety and security, but we can change how we engage with the content presented to us in a way that does not lead to existential dread, helplessness, and hopelessness about our current sociopolitical circumstances.

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Attachment Styles & Their Impact on Adult Relationships

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Attachment Styles & Their Impact on Adult Relationships

When we think of our current relationships, we may often wonder why we feel safe and connected in some, but in others, we feel anxious or distant. Sound familiar? This idea of the way we connect, or sometimes struggle to connect, with others often traces back to a concept known as attachment styles. These patterns are how we relate to others in society, influenced early in our childhood, that continue to shape our relationships within adulthood.

The good news you ask? Having some clarity of your attachment style can not only help you build healthier connections, but also feel more empowered in your relationships and shift away from generational patterns.

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How to Heal from Betrayal Trauma

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How to Heal from Betrayal Trauma

When someone you trust deeply breaks that trust, it can feel like your whole world has been turned upside down. Your mind may feel like it is spinning, and everything around you can start to seem strange or unreal. You might try to talk with your partner about what happened, hoping they will understand your pain. But instead, your emotions may be brushed aside or minimized. You may hear things like, “It’s not that big of a deal,” or “You’re overreacting.” When this happens, you can start to doubt your own feelings and thoughts. You may wonder if you are the problem or if you are imagining things. Slowly, you begin to lose trust in yourself.

You may also feel constantly on edge, watching for signs of what your partner might do next. You might check their phone, social media, or other resources more than you ever have before. You might feel suspicious, anxious, or scared, even if you were never this way in the past. As everything changes, it may feel like you no longer recognize yourself—or your partner.

All of these reactions are common. In fact, they are normal responses to something called betrayal trauma.

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Creating Joy in the Dark Winter Months

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Creating Joy in the Dark Winter Months

January and February can feel like they stretch on forever, especially if you’re navigating constant sickness, a string of canceled plans and disrupted New Year’s Resolutions, icy weather forecasts that keep you stuck inside, or post-holiday blues. Many people find this to be one of the toughest times of the year, which is why the third Monday in January is sometimes referred to as “Blue Monday.” For parents with young kids, this time of year can feel especially isolating, increasing the parenting load.

Cultivating joy and resiliency in the midst of these challenging months can be essential for getting through them without seeing a decline in your mental health. There are several mental shifts that you can make to increase joy in the midst of the struggle of these months. I’m going to share with you four mental strategies to support yourself and create joy.

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Capitalizing on the good days: How weather can impact motivation and mental health

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Capitalizing on the good days: How weather can impact motivation and mental health

It’s no secret that the weather has an impact on our mood. Over the last few months, clients have shared concerns with lack of motivation, increased sadness, and overall negative mood. The climate in which we live gives way for dark, cold, and dreary months during the winter which most people refer to as the “winter blues”. I talk with my clients about Seasonal Depression and how it is highly relevant to that time of year. They report not wanting to get out of bed, struggle to complete everyday tasks and even the thought of leaving the home is dreadful. Though this season feels like it goes on forever, you may have noticed slightly warmer and sunnier days. These days may have felt much lighter or “happier” to you which means Spring is here. The trees are blooming, it’s getting darker later in the evening, and nature is coming back to life! How exciting?!

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