Leaning Towards Values in the Face of Uncertainty: A Focus on Value Based Decision Making By Sarah Walls, LCSW The COVID-19 pandemic and the stay at home orders have changed how people live out their day-to-day lives. Office meetings are now held in the living room (possibly with children or pets attending) and we are...
Anxiety is a very common experience for people and can be quite unnerving at times. Typically, the more we expose ourselves to these situations the easier they tend to get. Whereas the more we avoid these things that bring us anxiety the larger the anxiety can get. Although avoidance can feel good in the short...
This month we focus on how you can connect more with your husband, wife, spouse or significant other with one simple weekly task. It’s called the couples check-in. When you think about it, anyone who has worked a job has likely had to attend weekly meetings, huddles, or get togethers with co-workers. This time is...
Active listening is a method of listening and replying that improves understanding. It can be one of the first steps we take to reduce tension in a situation and where we can begin to find solutions to problems. Active listening is when we do not only hear the words someone is saying, but we process...
Addiction can involve the use of many different types of substances, including alcohol, opioids, nicotine, marijuana and even addictive behaviors such as gambling. Studies have shown that addictive behaviors share certain neurological features such as reward and reinforcement. Alcohol abuse occurs when an individual drinks in a situation, manner, frequency or amount where that individual...
Relationships are not easy, and maintaining one takes work from each person involved. There are ways to enhance the bond between a couple and it takes commitment, mutual respect and effort. Every relationship is different, and no relationship is perfect. However, you can use some strategies to keep your relationship healthy and positive. When communicating...
Although summer tends to be seen as a season of joy and happiness, it can surprisingly contribute to increased anxiety. Warm weather can contribute to health issues including lack of sleep and dehydration. These can contiribute to the body feeling more stressed and thus more anxious. Your mental well-being can be negatively impacted during the...
Research has shown that nature can impact our mental health and well-being. Our environment can increase or decrease our stress levels, which then impacts our physical and mental health. Environmental stressors can make us feel anxious, depressed, helpless and more. These can manifest physically into higher blood pressure, increased heart rate, weaker immune system and...
There are many reasons that can make us anxious, and usually the root cause of it is something we cannot change. Coping with anxiety means changing what you can and accepting the rest. Normal anxiety comes from our ancestors being put in situations where a fight or flight response would arise, such as staying safe...
Spending time on hobbies you enjoy can improve your well-being and mental health. They are a great way to relax and unwind from your daily routines. Hobbies can be reading, art, music, learning a new skill or simply doing something outdoors. The great thing about hobbies is there are no rules on what one can...
