Have you ever felt stuck in a therapy session? Have you felt like you weren’t getting what you need or wanted? This is NORMAL and this is okay. If it happens once in a blue moon, it may not be a problem. But if it’s occurring more and more often, then it’s important to address it head-on. What can you do to figure out what’s going on and what you can do to get what you need from therapy? We’ll walk you through it…
Read MoreDo you ever find yourself jumping to a worst-case scenario or the worst possible conclusion? Do you ever feel like you are a failure if you received a low letter grade on one test, or received a little negative feedback at work? Maybe you and your partner got into a fight, and you immediately think that they are going to break-up with you? It’s more common that you think for people to experience these distortions in thought, or what’s referred to as a cognitive distortion. Cognitive distortions often lead to stronger emotional reactions than we’d like. Luckily, we have the power to control these cognitive distortions and in turn, minimize our emotional reactions. How can we do this? Let’s dive in…
Read MoreYou may sometimes wonder why you feel a certain way at one moment and then experience a completely different feeling just a few minutes later. We experience a range of emotions on a daily basis, and they are all important in their own way. The big question is: why? Emotions are crucial to our lives because they serve a variety of purposes. They guide us through stressful situations and help us connect with others in friendships and relationships, among others. At the same time, emotions are complicated; they can be difficult to understand. Sometimes, it may seem like life would be easier if we didn't have to undergo the ups and downs that emotions play in our lives. So why are they so important?
Read MoreAre you interested in practicing gratitude? Have you heard about the benefits of doing so, but you’re not sure where to start? Let’s talk about gratitude. Gratitude is actively noticing and appreciating aspects of your life that you are thankful for. It’s sometimes like second nature to focus on the negative. When you think about the negative, it’s easy to forget about the things that you’re grateful for. So how can you overcome that tendency and shift your focus to one of gratitude? Here are some tips to increase gratefulness in your life…
Read MoreOften times, perfectionism is romanticized by our society. People are praised for being particular, hyper-detail-oriented, and exceptionally thorough in school, at home, or at the office, etc. While goal-setting and having high standards is beneficial in most settings, there can also be a dark side to perfectionism. Perfectionism can have a negative effect on people’s mental health in a variety of ways. Consider the following reasons as to why striving to be perfect can become dangerous…
Read MoreHave your emotions felt out of control lately? It’s hard to be your best self during a pandemic. Trying to keep the family calm so that you all get along is a major undertaking—let alone keeping your own emotions in-check. Though it would be nice, you can’t ever have complete control over how you feel. The best you can do is to develop better emotion regulation skills so that you’re not feeling emotionally drained by the end of the day. Here are some DBT-inspired tips and tricks to manage an endless list of to-do’s while maintaining your composure…
Read MoreDo you feel like you’re stuck in the same quarantine routine? If you and your family have been following the same cycle since quarantine began, it might be time for a change. Following the same patterns of behavior can make you feel anxious, hopeless, or frustrated. You’re often on autopilot, going through the motions of typical tasks while your mind wanders and worries about other things. Luckily, there is a way to break out of these patterns of behavior and have an improved connection to daily experiences: mindfulness! Mindfulness helps you break the cycle of passive “autopilot” behavior. You build awareness of what’s happening around you without letting your emotions take control. Mindfulness isn’t as complicated as you might think. Here are some simple ways to incorporate mindfulness into your routine and find meaning in mundane experiences…
Read MoreDialectics are two opposing forces, feelings, or situations that happen simultaneously. For example, quarantine is hard AND we will get through it. By thinking and acting dialectically, you can keep your emotions calm AND you can look through a new lens to see two truths in a situation. Dialectics is the foundation of DBT. It teaches us that there is an opposite of everything and we tend to be most effective when we find balance between opposites. In DBT, it is particularly important to balance the idea of acceptance and change. However, it’s very difficult to stay in a neutral or calm emotional state lately if you use the word “but” often or if you tend to discount positives with negatives. Manage your emotions more effectively and keep your cool by practicing dialectics! Here are some tips on how to think and act dialectically right now…
Read MoreDo you wish you could break a bad habit, but you don’t know how? Habits like nail biting, procrastinating, smoking, or spending too much time online often impede on our daily productivity. They make us frustrated with ourselves and in the end, they do us more harm than good. Don’t keep wondering why you simply cannot stop your bad habit. You can break the cycle of negative behavior and save precious time. Explore these three helpful tips to learn why it is so difficult to break these bad habits and discover what you can do to make a change today…
Read MoreDo you ever wish you could break free of old habits that aren’t working? Making a change is easier said than done. Luckily, recent studies in neuroplasticity are proving that the seeds of change live in all of us. We all have the ability to rewire our brains for success because of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is a medical term that describes the brain’s ability to continually create new neural paths, as well as disconnect the paths that are no longer used. Research indicates that these pathways are not set in stone; they can be changed at any time or any age! By rewiring your neural pathways, you can let go of old, unhealthy habits and create new, healthy ones. Here are some ways to harness the power of neuroplasticity and form new roads to success…
Read MoreAre you struggling with a problem that you just can’t solve? Do you want to make a change, but you don’t know how? When facing a challenge, there are are various ways to respond. You can figure out a solution to the problem, you can change how you feel about the issue, you can accept reality, you can stay miserable, or you can make things worse by acting out or using negative coping skills. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to come up with a solution or change how you feel about a problem. In those cases, try accepting reality by practicing radical acceptance. Let’s explore why it’s beneficial to accept reality and how radical acceptance works…
Read MoreParenting can be a struggle sometimes. When your young child is misbehaving, or your teenager’s behavior is out of control, you may naturally feel frustrated, concerned, and unsure of how to respond. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to parenting, there are ways to decrease stress (for parents and kids) and help your children grow. One option is conscious parenting. Conscious parenting is a mindful, parent-focused approach to parenting. It essentially says that in order to help our children, we must first help ourselves. For example, when your children act up, conscious parenting encourages you to think about your response and your state of mind before you react. Are you going to act on impulse or respond from a place of calm? Let’s learn more about how to be a conscious parent…
Read MoreNowadays, there are many things fighting for our attention at once. We live in a world where everything is instantaneous—where there’s an excess of digital and interpersonal stimuli that pulls us from what we’re currently doing. With so many distractions, our attention is often split between multiple things at once. When our attention is divided, we’re not as focused in the moment. How do we focus on what’s right in front of us and avoid distractions? We can use mindfulness to cultivate our attention and enhance our experiences. Let’s explore how to go about this…
Read MoreWe all have boundaries, or limits that we establish for ourselves. Setting boundaries is the way we communicate what is okay and what is not okay in our relationships and friendships. Knowing what your boundaries are and what you are comfortable with in your life is very important for your safety and your self-respect. If you know what you are okay with, then you know to speak your mind when you don’t want to engage in something or with someone that creates uncertainty. You can assert your boundaries in a number of different ways. Here are a few examples…
Read MoreThe practice of mindfulness has surged in popularity over the last few years—and for very good reasons. Unfortunately, some people are still uninformed or confused about exactly why it is beneficial to incorporate mindfulness techniques into their lives. Are you wondering what all the buzz is about? Read on for some reasons why leading a more mindful life can have far-reaching positive effects…
Read MoreDo you ever go into a situation thinking that things will go badly, and then they actually do? How does that happen? It’s likely because of a concept called a self-fulfilling prophecy. A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction bound to become true as a result of behavior caused by its being expressed. Essentially, how you think determines your end result. If you believe that things won’t go well, they likely won’t go well. So how can you stop this vicious cycle of self-fulfilling prophecies? Here are some tips to help you break the habit…
Read MoreSometimes, we find ourselves focusing on the “would have,” “could have” and “should have’s” of life. We contemplate our past actions or worry about the future. Maybe it’s time to put those thoughts aside and take action. What can you do? Consider living “mindfully” instead. Living mindfully is the practice of allowing yourself to be in an awake and present-minded state. Research supports that living mindfully increases a person’s well-being, happiness and satisfaction with life. Here are a few tips on how live mindfully….
Read MoreDid you ever have a thought that you absolutely believed to be true and it turned out that you blew it out of proportion, misinterpreted it, ignored the facts or simply got it wrong??
Probably, because this is super common!! Sometimes, your mind might convince you of things that simply aren’t true. This is called cognitive distortion. If you have ever heard an underweight person claim they are "obese" or a person with a 4.0 GPA state that they have to "try harder," then you understand cognitive distortions. These statements are not based in reality but, rather, in ideas or thoughts or beliefs that are not facts. The mind is very powerful and, often times, it lies to you! Here are five common cognitive distortion “traps”...
