When you lose someone close to you, that grief never fully goes away—but you do learn to cope with it over time. Several effective coping techniques include talking with loved ones about your pain, remembering all of the good in your life, engaging in your favorite activities, and consulting with…
Narcissists are self-obsessed and control others for their personal gain; they’re notorious for using a few specific tactics for getting and maintaining this control. First, narcissists guarantee success by targeting codependents: They also try to make others feel special using compliments and flattery. They then go on to play with…
I’m about to put myself out of a job. Okay, I may be exaggerating a bit, but I do think the following idea could decrease a lot of arguments and lead to better relationships. Introducing: The Internal Emotion Thermometer Let’s first think about the concept of having an internal emotion…
Forgive yourself. Let it go. Forget about it. Move on. It’s easy to say, but so much harder to actually do! We all mess up sometimes, whether it’s lashing out at a friend, engaging in self-destructive behavior, or cutting corners at work. And with those mistakes often come overwhelming feelings…
Self-care topics have never been more popular on social media platforms, but many influencers share tips and advice that they aren’t qualified to give. This misleads their followers, acting as an ineffective replacement for real self-care practices. Toxic self-care tips may tell us we need to cancel plans or take…
Manipulation can come from a lot of sources, but it hurts most when it comes from our loved ones. Intimate partners with dark personality traits may use a variety of subversive tactics to exercise control and achieve their own goals. Gaslighting, emotional blackmail, and the weaponization of love can all…
You probably don’t think twice about turning on the news or reading the latest stories online about what’s happening in the world. But did you know that too much news exposure can seriously harm your mental health and wellbeing? People are consuming more media than ever before. Even before COVID,…
According to Mental Health America (MHA), women experience depression about twice as often as men. That said, several studies and surveys have also shown that men are less likely to seek help for things like depression—which might create a false idea that women are more likely to struggle with this mental health problem. The…
Click here to schedule online counseling at Thriveworks. Hello. My name is Laney Stenquist. I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Therapist. I work at the Thriveworks location in Alexandria, Virginia. I am here to answer a question and the question is, “is it normal to have a meltdown amid COVID-19?” Short…
Food cravings can strike at any moment, leaving you with an important decision: to give in or to conquer those cravings. It’s okay to indulge, but if you’d rather defeat those food cravings, there are a few important strategies that can help you do so, of which involve transforming your…
When we find ourselves in frustrating situations, we might experience an emotional meltdown, which results from difficult feelings. Fortunately, there are healthy ways to respond to an emotional meltdown, of which include understanding one’s frustrations, tuning into one’s physical self, and breathing. If you’re feeling frustrated and on the verge…
Traumatic stress leaves you feeling terrible. When you’re experiencing traumatic stress, your body tenses and gives in to physiological changes that can lead to digestive issues and headaches. When children experience this kind of overwhelming emotion, it limits their ability to engage positively in learning. Curiosity is a result of…