Communication, Mental Health Topics, Religion & Spirituality Energy reading for beginners: What’s really happening when the vibes are off by Wistar Murray on Apr 8, 2022 Have you ever walked into a crowded room and sensed negative energy? Do you feel uncomfortable being around someone in a bad mood? Do you avoid certain people because they emit weird vibes? Do you ever cancel plans with friends because “the vibes are off”? What exactly are you picking…
Ask a Therapist, Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics I am feeling super overwhelmed and alone: What are some things that I can do to calm down? by Emily Simonian, M.A., LMFT on Apr 7, 2022 Q: I am feeling super overwhelmed and alone. What are some things that I can do to calm down? A: We’re so sorry to hear that you’re feeling overwhelmed and alone. Those feelings are really difficult and we understand that it can be hard to find ways to calm and…
Mental Health Topics, Self-Improvement How to be more intentional with your time: Identifying time sucks and making downtime more restorative by Shannon Kersey, LPA on Apr 7, 2022 168 hours. That is how many hours are in each week. Did you know that? I certainly did not; I never thought to do the math. Someone recently recommended the book, “I Know How She Does It” by Laura Vanderkam. Truthfully, it is written for a specific group of people…
Children, Teens, & Adolescents, Grief & Loss, Mental Health Topics Grief camp for kids: Helping children find the sun after enormous loss by Wistar Murray on Apr 7, 2022 Child therapists know that children grieve differently from adults, and they also understand how a child’s unique grieving process might be overlooked in the midst of significant loss. Children who experience the death of someone close to them are often surrounded by adult suffering. They might not want to burden…
Mental Health Topics, Personality, Relationships Why are men and women with dark personality traits more likely to cheat on their partners? by Jason Crosby on Apr 7, 2022 Few scandals are able to hurt a romantic partner more than infidelity. In most relationships, monogamy is not only an unspoken rule, it’s a requirement; without it, monogamous relationships just couldn’t exist. For some, this means forgoing monogamy, while some remain faithfully committed to the sole person of their choice….
Grief & Loss, Mental Health Topics, Self-Care Grieving the loss of a pet: Self-care essentials and when to seek counseling by Taylor Bennett on Apr 5, 2022 In January of last year, my boyfriend and I jumped on the bandwagon and adopted a pandemic puppy. We named her Summer (thought it fitting for a golden retriever) and quickly fell in love. She’s like our child — we’ve watched her grow into the stick-loving, ball-chasing, somersaulting, silly, loving,…
Beginning Therapy, Mental Health Topics What is geek therapy? What are its benefits? by Wistar Murray on Apr 1, 2022 Geek therapy is a mental health intervention that incorporates so-called nerd culture into the therapeutic process. It’s a method that mental health professionals can utilize to reach clients who are interested in anime, gaming, comics, and other traditionally “nerdy” pursuits. Geek therapy operates on the principle of affinity, meaning that…
Bipolar Disorder, Disorders, Mental Health Topics What does it feel like to have bipolar disorder? Firsthand accounts of the bipolar experience by Wistar Murray on Mar 30, 2022 Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder characterized by extreme fluctuations in mood. These emotional shifts may take place over the course of hours, weeks, or months, and are often accompanied by drastic changes in behavior and functioning. There are three main types of bipolar disorder. People with bipolar I (type…
Media Use, Mental Health Topics, Psychology Misinformation nation: How false news can influence us mentally and emotionally by Jason Crosby on Mar 29, 2022 No one enjoys being lied to—but chances are, you’re absorbing some form of misleading or skewed information every day. This is known as misinformation—purposefully deviant reporting that aims to trigger an emotional response, usually in favor of the creator’s own biases. It can spread like wildfire across social media platforms,…
Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics, Work & Careers Identifying and addressing feelings of inadequacy at work by Taylor Bennett on Mar 29, 2022 Feelings of inadequacy appear when you feel like you don’t measure up to your coworkers, but these thoughts you’re having may not reflect reality. Unhelpful comparisons, self-criticism, poor coping habits, and unrealistic expectations can often play a key role in how you currently feel. Even if there’s no reason to…
Mental Health Topics, Relationships Parasocial relationships: The good, the bad, and the boy bands by Wistar Murray on Mar 25, 2022 My five-year-old daughter has a self-professed “crush” on Tae Young, who is a cartoon member of the early 2000s fictional boy band 4*Town, which is featured in the 2022 Disney Pixar movie “Turning Red.” (I know, my head is spinning too.) I can’t tell if my daughter thinks Tae is…
Life Transition, Mental Health Topics, Psychology 4 essential tips for dealing with moving stress, plus the psychology behind why we hate relocating by Jason Crosby on Mar 24, 2022 Thinking about arriving at your new destination might be exciting, but getting there is often anything but. Moving can churn up some seriously intense levels of stress; anyone who’s ever relocated to a new home or apartment may understand the feeling well. Relocating can be difficult to manage, without us…