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...]
Key Ways to Cope With the Pressures of Single-Parenting in the Pandemic
There have been plenty of conversations about parenting during the pandemic. But what about the challenges of being a single parent in the age of lockdowns, economic crises, and social strife? Surely, this presents some very unique and daunting obstacles that linger even as vaccinations increase. Of course, single-parenting, in general, presents … [Read more...]
Dating Couples, Should You Focus on Friendship First?
In the world of rom-coms and celebrity love, the idea of the “friend zone” is undesirable. It’s where people (usually males are depicted) often feel stuck and unseen by the person for whom they feel attraction. This misguided concept undermines the essential value of friendships. It also underestimates the vital role friendship might play … [Read more...]
Parenting Perfection Isn’t Real! Why You Shouldn’t Let Social Media Shame You
Social media is an excellent trickster. Every single day, it tells you tall tales. These deceptions are carefully designed to keep you wanting, comparing, and chasing. Who could be responsible for this conspiracy? Well… it could be the social media companies themselves or the advertisers. It could be the friends or followers. Sometimes, it’s you. … [Read more...]
Racial Bias in Healthcare: What It Is & How it Undermines Your Mental Health
If you’re unsure about a product, at least you can read the label before you buy it. However, there are times when certain ingredients are invisible. They play a major role but you may not even know they are present. Case in point: racial bias in healthcare. The world of medical professionals strives to give equal care — in theory. … [Read more...]
Are You Traumatized By Political Unrest? How to Know and How to Cope
We live in an age when words like "traumatized", "anxious", and "depressed" have become common descriptors for far too many of us. And the phrase "global pandemic", on its own, aptly describes how we got here. However, the past year or so has also provided a seemingly endless succession of life-altering events. For example, the patchwork of … [Read more...]
Parenting & Political Turmoil: How to Manage Your Emotions & Meet Your Children’s Needs
We’re heading into spring 2021. As we progress into this year, we can now see that 2020 was not an anomaly. The many crises of last year either linger or have transformed into something new. Of course, this very much relates to the pandemic and the related mitigation tactics. But, as you know, there’s much more going on. Political turmoil … [Read more...]