Are you one of the many people who feel more tired, glum, anxious or unfocused as the days get shorter? Does it feel like depression hits you at the same time every year? You might be dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder.
For many people, the holiday season isn’t much of a holiday. You might have to visit family you dislike, or be dreading arguments or uncomfortable questions. In fact, for some of my clients, Thanksgiving and Christmas bring up even more anxiety, bad memories and triggers than the rest of the year! So, let’s explore some ways you can avoid fights at Thanksgiving and make your holiday as relaxing as it should be!
Many of my clients feel anxious, depressed or angry when they watch the news or hear about it on social media. Others feel guilty about not doing enough, or not knowing enough about what’s going on. With the outbreak of the war in Israel and Palestine, this has only gotten worse. So how can you handle the stress you feel from current events – and make more of a positive difference?
Depression is one of my clients’ most common struggles, and I’ve had to climb out of that pit, too. There are many tools you can use to manage it, but when you’re feeling this low it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s what helped me overcome depression, simplified. Perhaps it will help you, too.
Depression is one of the most common mental issues, and co-occurs with many other illnesses like anxiety, bipolar disorder and substance abuse. But despite its frequency, it can still be hard to tell if you’re dealing with “real” depression, or just having a bad day. So let’s explore some of the symptoms I most commonly see. If these sound real familiar, you might be depressed.
Do you struggle to say “No” to people? Do you worry about being selfish or entitled when asking for what you want? You’re not alone. If you’re used to going along with what others say, it can be hard to tell the difference between acting assertive and acting like a jerk. So let’s examine how you can be assertive – without being rude.
Have you been considering therapy, but aren’t sure about taking the plunge? Are you worried about what to do, or whether you’d screw it up? Here’s a play-by-play of what a first therapy session looks like, so you can decide what you’re ready for, and what kind of therapist is right for you.
A new year is a great time to assess where your life is, and where you want it to go. Committing to a firm goal can motivate you and help you feel progress in your life instead of being stuck or in a rut. But resolutions are also notoriously hard to stick to, so how do you make a New Year’s resolution that works for you?
Narcissism has become a “trendy” word in pop culture lately. I’ve seen people use it to mean “selfish,” “egotistical,” “uncaring about others,” and more. But this has led many people to worry about whether they might be narcissists themselves. Let’s cut through the stereotypes and see what that actually means – and what it could mean for you.
Last week I wrote about how to tell if your anger is becoming a problem. This time, we’re exploring how to make anger work for you instead of against you. “Cooling down” is easier said than done. Fortunately, you can learn how to control your anger with specific, concrete skills.