Many of us take care of our physical health without thinking twice about it: We eat and we exercise; we stretch and relax; we moisturize dry skin and apply sunscreen; and we consult a doctor when we feel physically ill or hurt. But when it comes to our mental and…
Remember when you thought you’d graduate high school or college and land your dream job making at least six figures, right out of the gate? Well, chances are you’re a few years down the road from that, still busting your tail to buy that new jacket you’ve had your eye…
Today was hard. Hardest day so far. This virtual teaching is so hard. You feel like you’re failing at your job because nothing is easy or smooth, and nothing works like it’s supposed to work. And you feel like you’re failing your family because of the non-stop working and troubleshooting.”…
Whether you’re familiar with the popular TV series Schitt’s Creek or not, you’ve probably seen the viral video that’s going around right now. It’s a short clip from season 2, episode 2 where mother and son duo, David and Moira, attempt to cook a family meal together. In the scene,…
Greetings Sonya, What an interesting question: “How do you know when it’s time to switch jobs?” There are certainly a lot of different perspectives on this topic. I’ll give you my take, with the caveat that if you ask someone else, they might have different but equally valuable advice. Most…
Many people have ideas about what the holidays spent with your family “should” be like. You’d expect your family members to love each other and be thankful for the time they get to spend together. Sadly, the reality for some families is much more complex. The truth is that many…
I have a patient, Ben, who used to dread heading home for the holidays. Due to the constant criticism from his parents, he and his family found it extremely difficult to relax and enjoy themselves. As soon as Ben walked through the door of his parents’ home, he felt ill…
Intense feelings of despair. Anxiety. Hopelessness, Loss of interest. Mood swings. Irritability. Social isolation. What do all of these things have in common? They’re symptoms of depression—and well-known symptoms, at that. As we grow more comfortable talking about mental health and mental illness, depression is often a topic of interest…
Zinc, exercise, Vitamin D and potential stress busters top the list of new possibilities to supplement the widespread use of antidepressant medications. This new research is groundbreaking because antidepressants have been found to only work about half of the time, and they tend to bring upon unwanted side effects. The…
Burnout is trudging to your desk each morning and barely putting a dent in your to-do list. It’s feeling depleted even after a full night’s rest. Burnout is exhaustion; and when you experience it, you know it. Burnout results from chronic stress at work that hasn’t been properly managed. Here…
There are many practices for stress relief, like meditating, journaling, and deep breathing. But one underrated technique deserves our attention: humor! Humor helps with stress reduction by relaxing muscles, eliminating distressing emotions, and adding perspective. Here are 3 tips for using it to your benefit: One, access your favorite quick…
Pets can bring an overwhelming amount of fun, joy, and love to our lives—additionally, they can help to soothe any feelings of loneliness. Dogs, cats, and other pets love their owners unconditionally and in showing this love are able to help us feel happy again. The positive impact doesn’t stop…
