In the age of social media, gestures are often mistaken for progress. For example, consider the recent discussions about racism. Sustainable social change is not created by profile pictures or memes. If history teaches us anything it’s that justice is a marathon, not a sprint. Hence, one of the most powerful steps you can take is to plant … [Read more...]
Living Your Happily Ever After? Why Couples Counseling Matters Now
There’s good news about individual therapy. For the vast majority of people, it no longer carries a stigma in many situations. If you tell someone you’re going to counseling, you’re likely to get praised for practicing self-care. But what about couples counseling? Well, unfortunately, the progress is a little slower in that realm. Studies … [Read more...]
What Male Depression Looks and Sounds Like: 5 Common Signs
Male depression is often overlooked and under-discussed. The reasons for this are varied. First, this mood disorder is more common in women. In addition, men are less likely to seek a diagnosis for what they’re feeling. Women are about twice as likely to struggle with a depressive disorder. But four times as many men die each year by suicide. … [Read more...]
Your Partner’s Addicted to Gambling: What Do You Do Now?
One of the most important foundations of any relationship? Trust. Sadly, that trust can be shattered by addiction. If drugs or alcohol come immediately to mind, that’s not unusual. Yet, gambling addiction can just as easily tear apart an otherwise loving couple. Gambling addiction is less commonly discussed and often, less obvious. … [Read more...]
Coping With the Pain of Pregnancy Loss
There are many, many forms of grief. When you experience pregnancy loss, it is no less a loss than any death in the family. However, in this case, it is also the loss of innocence, a season of life that once seemed natural and inevitable. Suddenly your potential parenting future is up in the air. All of your plans ripped away. All the sweet moments … [Read more...]
On-Screen Trauma: What You Shouldn’t Believe About Media Depictions
The "fake news" phenomenon is not limited to just news. Inaccuracies run rampant all across all forms of media. From pop culture to social media, we are falling victim to artificial intelligence algorithms. The deceptions are convincing. The fallout can be bad news. Let’s take, for example, media depictions as they relate to mental health. The … [Read more...]
Zoom Anxiety: How to Cope When You Dread the Next Video Chat
How quickly things change. A little more than a year ago, you may have been stressing over what we now distinguish as an "in-person" work meeting. What should I wear? Will I be asked to speak? Am I prepared? Today, you can have all the same questions — and more — when attending a Zoom meeting. You now have to factor in the reality of what’s … [Read more...]
Try These 4 Positive Mental Practices to Cope as COVID-19 Continues
It’s not over yet. Layers of stress and fear have been laid down for more than a year. Regardless of the specifics (case count, vaccines, masks/no masks, etc.), few people will be able to flip the positive switch. The next year (at least) is shaping up to be a process. If nothing else, it will be a slow transition. All of this adds up to an ongoing … [Read more...]
Your Community Cares: How POC Can Secure Solid Emotional Support
Everyone needs emotional support. For some people, this truism presents quite a quandary when community spaces feel unsafe. People of color (POC) experience our mainstream society in a unique way. They exist within a system that is often unfair. In some cases, it's even rigged against them. There has been a lot of talk about white privilege and … [Read more...]
Pandemic Depression: How to Help Your Hurting Teen
Teenagers can be mighty adaptable — within reason. The events of the past year or so have stretched everyone to their limits. For teens, this has meant the loss of a crucial year of growing, learning, and bonding. Their rhythm has been disrupted. They’ve undergone unexpected adjustments. Life, in many ways, feels like it’s been turned upside down. … [Read more...]