
When a loved one is struggling with mental health or life difficulties, and they come to you for support it can be hard to know how to navigate the conversation or how to respond. Sometimes, it is instinctual to jump into “fix it” mode with advice or to become overly positive. While this can be helpful at times, it can also be a strength to provide validation or to be a comforting presence. Providing validation does not mean that you necessarily agree with this person, rather it is taking the time to learn about the emotions, show respect, and express acceptance. The following are some helpful tips for providing support and emotional validation for a loved one.
Take a minute to pause and evaluate your own social media usage. Do you find yourself becoming upset if you do not receive a specific amount of likes or comments? Have you ever altered a photo to fit a certain image? Or, have you been more consumed with getting the perfect post than being able to enjoy the moment? If you find yourself answering yes or taking too much time to think of an answer, you may need to reevaluate your social media usage. The following are some tips to utilize for social media without it becoming harmful.
One of the most important relationships that make up your life is the relationship that you have with yourself. The way that you treat yourself, talk to yourself, or even follow through on promises you’ve made to yourself can impact your overall mental health and wellbeing. It is easy to fall into a cycle of pleasing others and seeking external validation, however, this takes away from your ability to trust or even love yourself. The relationship you have with yourself also directly impacts the way in which you connect with others.

Forty or more hours a week, 9 am to 5 pm or later, short breaks then back at it again. Sound familiar? Many jobs have this format but a growing number (particularly after the pandemic) are adopting a different format and requiring workers to figure out solutions to new challenges. Whether you are a restaurant server, warehouse supervisor, or a CEO, the idea that a job or a career is a regular and necessary part of life is built into our culture. Just think of the perceptions around the idea of being “unemployed” or “jobless” or how many times you may have heard growing up things like “you need a job” or “no one likes to work, but you have to do it.” From the time you begin to work until retirement, it is assumed that everyone needs to work a job in order to achieve. It is here where many people struggle with the idea of sacrificing so much of their time to a job when their values would suggest a different use of their time and energy. There are also many people who place themselves in their job or career doing what they love and where their values agree with how they use their time. Now here is the $50,000-a-year question (before taxes); How in the heck do you figure out what is right for you?

What is anxiety? Emotionally, anxiety is a state of inner turmoil often marked by intense worry, fear, orunease. It can show up as racing thoughts, dread about the future, or a constant feelingthat something bad might happen—even if there’s no obvious reason. Physically, anxiety activates the body’s stress response. It can manifest physically in arapid […]

Strange title, right? Everybody knows how to breathe! However, there may be more to breathing than we may realize. Everybody has gone through moments of nervousness and worry, be it when taking a test, thinking about the next sports game, or even choosing a gift for someone you care about. When feeling anxious or generally […]

When we think of having a healthy diet, we naturally think of how this will impact our body. What we often overlook is how our diet impacts our mental health. Research continues to support this idea that our very diet can leave us more susceptible to negative moods and even our overall mental health (Firth […]

Whether you began a relationship with your partner many years ago or just found each other, the impact of life-changing events can throw the chips up in the air for many relationships. The need for building new habits and routines alone can cause stress in a relationship. With all the changes that can occur in daily living, relationships have been tested to their limits in the events of things like divorce, loss of a job, having a baby, relocating, etc. Whether is it a large societal shift or increased anxiety about individual life changes, a new normal is not something for which anyone is fully prepared. So, what is it that one could do to build resiliency in your relationship so that it is given its best chance for success in challenging times?

Sleep is essential and it allows your body and mind to recharge, to feel refreshed and alert. Good sleep hygiene helps the body remain healthy and improves your immune system. Without proper sleep, the brain can not function properly. Keep reading for tips on getting better sleep.

What is anxiety? Emotionally, anxiety is a state of inner turmoil often marked by intense worry, fear, orunease. It can show up as racing thoughts, dread about the future, or a constant feelingthat something bad might happen—even if there’s no obvious reason. Physically, anxiety activates the body’s stress response. It can manifest physically in arapid […]

Strange title, right? Everybody knows how to breathe! However, there may be more to breathing than we may realize. Everybody has gone through moments of nervousness and worry, be it when taking a test, thinking about the next sports game, or even choosing a gift for someone you care about. When feeling anxious or generally […]

When we think of having a healthy diet, we naturally think of how this will impact our body. What we often overlook is how our diet impacts our mental health. Research continues to support this idea that our very diet can leave us more susceptible to negative moods and even our overall mental health (Firth […]

It is never an easy process to acknowledge that we may be struggling. Oftentimes in our struggles, we may seek quick relief. Substances are a popular choice for finding this quick relief. Unfortunately, some may fall victim to the dark side of substances and face addiction. When we think of addiction in general, substances are […]

Sleep is essential and it allows your body and mind to recharge, to feel refreshed and alert. Good sleep hygiene helps the body remain healthy and improves your immune system. Without proper sleep, the brain can not function properly. Keep reading for tips on getting better sleep.

There are many ways in which pets can benefit our mental health, whether we are pet owners or just fans of pets!

Many of us can acknowledge the value and importance of self-worth. Higher our self-esteem, we feel better about ourselves and are more resilient. When your self-esteem is higher, you are also less vulnerable to anxiety and stress. Even though it is great to have higher self-esteem, improving our self-esteem is no easy task.