Mental Health Topics

Counseling is an incredibly useful tool for all who utilize it. Yes, it is exceptionally effective for those who present symptoms of a serious mental illness like depression or anxiety or posttraumatic stress disorder. But it is also exceptionally effective for those who aren’t diagnosed with a mental disorder. Counseling…

I am kind. I am smart. I am important. It might sound like I’m bragging, but I assure you I’m not—I’m just practicing some positive affirmations! Have you ever heard of these? They’re basically positive statements or phrases that you say to give yourself a boost of confidence. And once…

I am a planner. Always have been, always will be. Now, I don’t keep an agenda like most planners—I make detailed lists instead, outlining my days, my weeks, sometimes my months. The idea is that I need to know what’s going to happen before it actually happens… or at the…

Not too long ago, I went through a messy breakup. One that left me feeling depressed and overwhelmingly lonely. Fortunately, however, after a month or so of sulking around, I decided to embrace the chance to rediscover my independence. I saw my friends and family every now and then, but…

Have you ever experienced the deep desperation that comes with loneliness? You’re excited to finally get home after work, but as soon as you walk in the door and plop down on the couch, a darkness looms. Or maybe you’ve spent the past few days fulfilling one social obligation after…

I have good news: you are capable of overcoming those feelings of loneliness that have been hanging around. And the better news is that you’ll reap additional benefits in the process. So, what does it take? It takes stepping outside of yourself and stepping up to help others. While there…

A few days ago, I was having an initial session with a new client. She works at a well-known New York Investment Banking company, a job she felt extremely proud to have. Like me, she was an HBCU grad but had only worked in Corporate America for 5 years in…

Many of us enjoy a cold beer or a tall glass of wine every now and again. It helps to “take the edge off,” to calm us down after a long week. But what we often fail to realize is that alcohol affects each one of us differently—and as tempting…

Instead of setting New Year’s resolutions, I set New Month’s resolutions. So, rather than brainstorming a few different goals to tackle throughout the year, I set one main goal to tackle each month. In January, I set a fairly simple goal of journaling each night. In February, I (regrettably) challenged…

If you’re anything like me, you don’t take change or rejection well… which means you probably don’t take breakups so well. I mean, who does? Breakups—whether you’re the one who has initiated the split or not—aren’t fun. In fact, they’re the very opposite of fun: they’re emotionally, mentally, sometimes even…

For some, it’s just a game. But for others, it’s a lifestyle. I’m talking about the players of course, but there’s another group that fits the bill: die-hard sports fans. For players and die-hard sports fans alike, there’s more on the line than a game lost and a slight blow…

Depression—a mental health disorder characterized by a depressed mood, which causes significant impairment in one’s everyday life—is the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to a recent study by the World Health Organization. This illness comes with crippling symptoms, from feelings of hopelessness to fatigue, irritability, and suicidal thoughts. Some…