Has your work been stressing you out lately? Do the demands of your job cause you to feel exhausted by the end of the day? If you’re looking for relief from work stress, DBT skills can help! Learning how to manage stress associated with work will not only improve your work environment, it will also enhance your quality of life overall. Start with these three DBT skills to cope with the intensity of your work…
Read MoreDid you know that you’ve had five skills to help tolerate distress your whole entire life? These are skills that everyone has at their fingertips, yet many people don’t know about them! All you have to do is integrate your five senses. Through self soothing, you utilize your five senses in order to cope with stressful moments. Instead of looking for comfort externally, it is important to practice and learn how to comfort yourself. This skill can be used in any situation. Whether you’re in an argument with a friend or becoming frustrated with your partner, use vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch to lower your distress level. Here are some ways to incorporate self soothing with the five senses into your daily schedule…
Read MoreDid you know that one of the simplest ways to calm your mind is something that you’re already doing every second of the day? That’s right—it’s all about your breath! When you feel intense emotions, your may instinctively try to slow down your breath. Being mindful of your breathing is as easy as that! Mindful breathing is a powerful yet underutilized tool that helps you calm intense emotions and bring awareness to your present moment. By mindfully breathing, you can create a relaxing effect on your mind and body. Consider these three types of mindful breathing techniques to promote a calmer mood…
Read MoreDo you wish you had a stronger bond with your teen? Although you may be living underneath the same roof as your teen, it may feel as though you’re miles away from them. You may be physically close, yet emotionally distant. This year has been emotionally tolling on most people and your teen is no exception. When you are both under such strain, it can be more challenging than ever to find common ground. You don’t have to let the stress and monotony of a pandemic get in the way of cultivating positive experiences with your child. Consider these three creative ways to reconnect and bond with your teen during the next few months…
Read MoreIt’s possible that you’re facing election-related stress. With November 3rd just around the corner, most Americans are understandably anxious. The uncertainty of who our next president will be has everyone on-edge. The first step to coping with any kind of anxiety is to acknowledge how you’re feeling. Recognize that you are feeling increasingly nervous, or more easily frustrated, or more emotionally volatile. Next, develop ways to address the impact of your emotions today, before the election, and after the election results are announced as well. What can you do to remain emotionally resilient in the days ahead? Here are some helpful tips…
Read MoreKids and teens of all ages recognize that this school year is not like any year before. Whether their school year is starting off with remote, hybrid, or in-person learning, it is a major change from what they are used to. The new school year already comes with the anxieties of new classes, different classmates, new teachers, and potentially a new school. The addition of a pandemic only makes the nervousness, uncertainty, and apprehension even more intense. As a parent, you can help to ease your child’s worries. Here are some strategies to make the extra daunting transition back into a new school year more manageable…
Read MoreAs humans, our brains are wired to respond to internal and external triggers so that we have the proper response to keep us safe. If we sense danger, our brains automatically shift into FIGHT OR FLIGHT mode. Panic and fear automatically trigger your brain’s threat detection, so during COVID-19, your system might go into overdrive. This is okay in the short-term, but it can take its toll on your body in the long-term. It is not healthy to be in fight or flight mode more often than necessary. Luckily, you can rewire your brain so that you’re not constantly overwhelmed by anxious or fearful thoughts or you’re not stuck in a state of mind that makes it tough to think clearly. Improve your physical and emotional well-being during this stressful time with these helpful tips…
Read MoreWe’re in the midst of anxiety-provoking times. Whether you’ve dealt with anxiety before the pandemic or you’re experiencing anxious thoughts as a result of these changing times, it’s normal to experience heightened anxiety. We’re all worried about our health, the health of our family and friends, our jobs, the economy, and what the future will look like, among other things. How can we deal with all of these anxious thoughts without letting them overwhelm us? Try practicing gratitude. Gratitude is all about showing appreciation. It’s not something that we’re hard-wired to do, but it is something that we can incorporate into our daily lives in order to reap the benefits. What is gratitude all about, and how can it help you? Let’s explore…
Read MoreAs a parent, you give your all for your children. You do your best to support them, as well as other loved ones. Now consider, what was the last time you did something to help yourself? Many parents find that they are too busy or that they don’t know how to create balance and care for themselves. Whether you are a new parent or a veteran mom or dad of four, you deserve to find time for yourself in order to unwind. Are you ready to find balance in your life? Here are some easy ways to create balance and decompress…
Read MoreWe all feel overwhelmed from time to time. We may feel panicked when running late for an important meeting at work. We may feel stressed when studying for a major test tomorrow. Certain situations, or the combination of many things to do at once, can make anyone feel overwhelmed. When we get stuck in overwhelming feelings of anxiety, mindfulness skills can help bring us into the present moment. Mindfulness helps us feel more calm, composed, and grounded. Here’s how it works…
Read MoreLooking for a chance to de-stress and take a break from your digital life? Why not unplug while you unwind on vacation? Phones, tablets, and laptops tend to stress us out with endless work emails, constant notifications, and comparisons to people’s “perfect” lives on social media. Vacation is your opportunity to relax and enjoy new experiences, so it makes sense to unplug while you’re away. When you disconnect, you’re able to avoid digital distractions and focus on the experience. You’re able to be fully present in the moment, to take it all in, and enjoy your trip. Whether you want to take a phone-free vacation or simply limit your phone usage, here are some tips to make the most of your vacation...
Read MoreHave you ever felt as though your emotions were quickly spiraling out of control? During distressing moments, you may be unsure of how to regulate yourself again. If you’re looking for a better way to deal with crises, the self-soothe skill could work for you! It’s all about using our six senses to nurture ourselves and cope with distress. By practicing self care using the self-soothe skill, we learn to better tolerate overwhelming events. We can use vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and movement to lower our distress and feel more relaxed. Here are some ideas to self-soothe…
Read MoreLet’s face it—life is full of curveballs. Things may be going smoothly one minute, and the next, something turns your day upside down. There’s a mix of good and bad surprises every day. How do you deal with daily challenges? Generally, people act impulsively—meaning that they put their emotions before their logic when they face unexpected and overwhelming situations. But sometimes, this is not the best option. Do you need a better way to keep your cool during surprising or frustrating circumstances? A dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skill called IMPROVE the Moment can help you manage difficult emotions during stressful situations. By reducing the intensity of emotion, you can feel more in-control when life throws you a curveball. Here’s how it works…
Read MoreDo you sometimes feel like the days are so hectic, that they are starting to blend together? When you have kids, (especially small children) you likely find yourself doing everything for them—from feeding, to bathing, to carpooling and more. No matter what you do, it may seem like it’s never enough. You also may notice that it’s increasingly difficult to find time for yourself. Whether you are a mom to a newborn or a mom of three, stress can easily build up. Are you looking for some tips to relax and finally have some time to yourself? Here are 5 ways for moms to unwind…
Read MoreWhen you feel stressed or like life is out of control, what do you do? One way to reduce distress is through grounding yourself. The technique of “grounding” oneself is a coping strategy used to calm your state of being. When you ground yourself, you connect to the present moment, to the Earth, and to your body; it allows you to feel centered and balanced no matter what is going on around you. Here are a few ways to ground yourself…
Read MoreWhen life gets hectic, how do you practice self-care? Do you feel like there's not enough time in the day to do so? It may feel like you can't take time to de-stress because of all of the “to-do's” of the day or week. But when you neglect practicing self-care, you may feel run down or burnt out. It can certainly impact your emotional and physical well-being. Here are some easy ways to practice self-care in order to feel more refreshed, present, and productive.
Read MoreHas getting your kids to school in the morning become a constant battle? Do they refuse to go to school, or do their absolute best to avoid it? Are you at a loss for how to address this problem? Don't worry—you're not alone. Many parents face a similar struggle, to varying extents. Some children don't like getting up early, while others are dealing with school phobia. You may be wondering, what is school phobia? Let’s explore what school phobia entails and how you can help your child overcome his or her anxieties…
Read MoreDoes your teen feel overwhelmed and emotionally drained? Does your child feel like he or she doesn't have control over his or her life? One key strategy to combat these feelings is to avoid being reactive. When we are reactive, we allow events and other people to dictate how we react. We passively respond to what's going on and we struggle to keep up with life's demands. Whether it’s anger, anxiety, or sadness, our emotions can sometimes manage our actions without us even realizing it. Therefore, we must take responsibility for our actions. We must take a proactive approach, rather than a reactive one. By taking ownership of how we act, we decide what we will do—not the other way around. Here’s how you can be proactive, not reactive…
Read MoreLife always pushes and pulls us in many directions. Between work, school, kids, friends, family, obligations to the community, etc, it’s hard to find the time to slow down in both body and mind. Do you ever feel so distressed that you have to leave the environment that’s making you stressed? By briefly removing yourself from an overwhelming environment or activity, you tend to feel better. You may not realize it, but you’re employing a DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) skill called “brief vacation.” Let’s explore how it works…
Read MoreCan you believe that it’s already the holiday season? With the kids home from school, travel plans, gift-giving, and meal preparation, your week off can quickly become a very stressful time of year. Don’t let the holiday stress get you down. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, try using a skill called Self-Soothe. Self-soothe encourages you to relax and improve your mood through your five senses. You can comfort yourself, giving yourself the mental health break that you deserve this holiday season…
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