Self-Care Basics
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As the year comes to a close, the hot topic around the water cooler is New Year’s resolutions. The barrage of questions comes in. “What are you gonna work on?” “You tryna lose weight like everyone else?” “What are you gonna quit?” We stop and think, as we are presented with these questions. We reflect on…
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Tip prior to reading: “Rock bottom” oft refers to substance use and addiction. I left the majority of terminology broad to allow it to be applied to other areas such as mental health and self-care. Feel free to apply as needed. While running a group therapy session about three or four years ago during my…
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Like the vast majority of Earth’s population, I dread the commercialization of the holiday season. Everywhere you look there are ads for this year’s gizmo, gadget, and whatchamacallit. The ads have a way of guilt tripping you into spending hundreds of dollars and making you believe that your loved one cannot live without the unnecessary…
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The tardigrade, aka “water bear,” is one of the most resilient animals ever discovered. Tardigrades are microscopic, eight-legged, segmented creatures discovered back in 1773, but only recently are scientists beginning to understand its capabilities. They have been known to go thirty years without food or water. Tardigrades can resist freezing temperatures close to absolute zero…
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It always seems like anxiety strikes us at the worst possible moments. That feeling of pure dread looms overhead, as you fall deeper into a dark abyss of hopelessness. Usually, the feeling is followed with chest pain, headaches, dizziness, clammy palms, perspiration, stomach pain, and nausea. Let me let you in on a little secret…
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I am going to boast a little here. I have done a good job at developing my ability to leave work at the office and my personal life at home. Every so often though, I have a session that throws me for a loop. It is one of those sessions that hits close to home…
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Loss comes in many forms- loss of a pet, loved one, home, job, relationship, health, identity, etc. Loss stirs up a mixture of emotions that span across the spectrum. More often than not though, the feelings associated with the loss take on a negative connotation. It also does not discriminate, and will ultimately affect all…
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For my full-time job, I conduct individual counseling with young adults between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five. I quickly noticed a trend with this population. They struggled with what direction to go with their future. It was not that they were not motivated, but rather lost, confused, and unsure. They genuinely do not know…
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As much as we might find it annoying, criticism is all around us. Journalists write up editorials about hot topics in the news. Sports commentators discuss the ins and outs of the latest blockbuster trade. Moviegoers put in their two cents about the next film to hit the big screen. Our parents judge our every…
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I envy those who can tap into the right side of their brain. It boggles my mind looking at paintings, reading stories/poetry, or listening to song lyrics. I ponder where the creator’s mind was at the time they crafted their masterpiece. It never ceases to amaze me that this stranger opened the door to the…
The Caring Counselor 