Anxiety, Mental Health Topics Anticipation anxiety: How to stop the “what if” in our heads by Shannon Kersey, LPA on Jan 13, 2022 Do you remember the last time you rode a roller coaster? Unfortunately for me, it has been over 20 years. I have developed vertigo as I have gotten older, and I’m scared to go on one now. However, I can still remember the nervous butterflies as the ride creaked higher…
Media Use, Mental Health Topics The mental health impact of Instagram and TikTok on young adults by Jason Crosby on Jan 12, 2022 You’ve read it a thousand times: Social media apps can wreak havoc on our mental health. Many of us (if not all) have heard that distant “ding” that resonates off the kitchen counter and experienced the sudden surge of curiosity — only to discover it’s a spam message, or worse,…
Anxiety, Mental Health Topics, Self-Improvement AITA (Am I the A**hole?): Our online quest to extinguish moral anxiety by Wistar Murray on Jan 10, 2022 In case you missed it, there’s a place on the internet called r/AmItheA**hole (AITA) which aims to determine which party should be blamed in ethical disputes. For example, someone posts the following (paraphrased) moral quandary on Reddit’s AITA forum: “My friend’s baby was crying, so I gave her a sip…
Mental Health Topics, Self-Care What to do when the power goes out: Mental health edition by Taylor Bennett on Jan 7, 2022 On January 3rd, a snowstorm pummelled the East Coast, and Fredericksburg, Virginia (my home) got the brunt of it. The first couple hours of snowfall were idyllic. I enjoyed the white, winter backdrop in the window behind me, as I sipped my coffee and completed the day’s journal entry (hello,…
Media Use, Mental Health Topics, Psychology, Relationships What is character bonding? Exploring the connection we feel with fictional characters by Jason Crosby on Jan 7, 2022 Ask anyone headed to watch the next Marvel flick: It’s hard not to idolize the heroines and heroes within the realms of popular fiction. Whether they’re on the silver screen, in books, TV series, or even video games, many of us admire these depictions of larger-than-life characters. But, even though…
Mental Health Topics, Work & Careers Mental health in the workplace: Understanding the importance of mental health at work by Jason Crosby on Dec 27, 2021 Workplace conversations and goals are often centered on productivity and team building. These are beneficial to building the right company culture, but it’s essential to address the mental health needs of the modern employee. Many businesses are doing more than ever to support employee mental health, and they’re finding that…
Mental Health Topics, Relationships How to deal with toxic friends: Tips for identifying friendship red flags and maintaining boundaries by Jason Crosby on Dec 20, 2021 Toxic relationships are everywhere: We can have an unhealthy attachment to our parents, our partners, even our phones— anything that we interact with, really. Yet rarely do we take a look at our friends. This might be important, considering they’re the people we often vent to about everything (and everyone)…
Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics, Relationships Exploring the deep bonds between humans and their companion animals by Wistar Murray on Dec 15, 2021 For tens of thousands of years humans have been passionate about their fur babies. The deep bonds between Homo sapiens and other animal species seem so common and obvious that they’ve only recently been studied scientifically. So how did we get from throwing food scraps to wolves at the outskirts…
Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics How to regulate your emotions using the Internal Emotion Thermometer, a therapist’s tried and true technique by Shannon Kersey, LPA on Dec 13, 2021 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…
Beginning Therapy, Family, Mental Health Topics A comprehensive guide to family therapy: Different approaches, how it can help, and when to schedule a session by Wistar Murray on Dec 13, 2021 Family bonds are rich, complex, profound – and sometimes painful. Family can both build us up and break us down. But in its ideal state, a family is the crucible in which we can become our best and truest selves. That’s where family therapy can help. Licensed family therapists at…
Mental Health Topics, Psychology, Work & Careers How psychologists can assist in criminal investigations using offender profiling by Wistar Murray on Dec 10, 2021 Psychology is applied in law enforcement and the justice system in a variety of ways, some with more mass appeal than others. For example, most people are familiar with the concept of criminal profiling through television shows like “Criminal Minds” and “Mindhunter” as well as books like “The Silence of…
Men's Issues, Mental Health Topics How to be a supportive male ally in the workplace: 5 allyship strategies by Jason Crosby on Dec 9, 2021 Within the past several years, the term “allyship” has been commonly used in relation to movements such as BLM, or the LGBTQIA+ community—referring to a non-community member who goes out of their way to provide support socially and emotionally to those who experience higher instances of discrimination. With large social…