Journaling is a powerful tool. It serves as an outlet, allowing us to express our emotions and process our thoughts without fear of judgment — there is no need or temptation to censor ourselves when we’re writing to and for nobody but ourselves. What a gift. And yet, for some,…
Coping strategies (referred to interchangeably as coping mechanisms or coping skills) are behaviors that are designed to help us reduce the negative emotions associated with difficult events, situations, relationships, and more. Coping mechanisms may be learned both consciously or unconsciously. Learning and implementing healthy coping strategies is a routine part…
No matter how strong you are, the truth is that divorce is hard, and it is sure to affect you in one way or another. Divorce means that a chapter of your life is ending, and it can be difficult to come to that realization — and even harder to…
If you’re wondering how to best take care of yourself, self-care may seem like the obvious answer. But exactly how self-care should be executed might not be clear. It’s a process that’s about more than looking good or feeling better than we did the previous day. Self-care is about sustainability—on…
To be fully present as a human being—that’s the goal of mindfulness. Though it sounds lofty, being mindful isn’t nearly as difficult or strenuous as it appears on the surface. Mindfulness is about coming to terms with reality and how our personal experiences truly make us feel. It’s about the…
About one in six kids in the United States struggle with a treatable mental health disorder, and only half of them get the professional help they need. As a parent or caregiver, you provide consistent support for your child. You help teach them how to navigate life’s challenges. An important…
For those of us in the West, yoga and meditation have never been more popular. It’s now commonplace to have a yoga studio membership, to spend the weekend at a mindfulness retreat, or to follow along as a YouTuber or TikToker guides you through a virtual session. In mental health…
If you ever doubted the mental health benefits of being close to nature, you need look no further than recent research on green spaces and the Covid-19 pandemic. Population studies show that people who lived near green spaces during the pandemic fared better mentally than people with limited access to…
I always wanted to volunteer in my late teens and early twenties but felt like life was so chaotic that trying to support anyone else was probably too much. So instead, I spent several years waiting for the “perfect time” for life to calm down. Once I arrived at a…
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,…
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,…
A holiday feast should be a joyous occasion, where people clink glasses and indulge in deliciousness and reinforce their bonds of love. But all too often these banquets conclude with a substantial portion of the guests laid up on the couch, dealing with heartburn, hating themselves for their gluttony. (This…
