THE BLOG
The holidays can be a stressful time for many people. There is much to coordinate from who is hosting, to navigating the many homes you may have to visit across family members. You may experience stress around the finances of buying gifts, worry around seeing people you may not like, or concern about that one family member that says a lot of controversial or offensive things. Stress may also arise when seeing your parents especially if you don’t have the best relationship with them. The holidays can be filled with a lot of anxiety, depression, and stress. For those struggling with eating disorders the holidays also bring up a lot of stress around food and eating. The holidays can also serve as a trigger if you struggle with an eating disorder or emotional eating. There may be a lot of fear foods for you, not a lot of support or escape and worry to stick to a meal plan or therapy goals. In a time of the year with a lot of gatherings, seeing people, and body conscious meals here are some strategies for planning ahead this holiday season:
It can be difficult to love how we look, love the shape of our body, our current weight, or natural hair color. It is often easy to compare ourselves to our favorite celebrities, models in fashion and beauty magazines and their photoshopped pictures , all of which can make us feel inadequate. However, the way we view ourselves has begin to shift with more focus on the body positivity movement. This movement focuses on loving all bodies, shapes, sizes , colors, genders, and abilities. Another movement that is becoming more prominent is body neutrality which focuses on appreciating what the body can do, not the appearance.
Let’s talk about both movements and how these viewpoints can allow us to make peace with our bodies.
Halloween is around the corner, and some of us willingly put ourselves through fear and suspense. Pounding heartbeat, heavy breathing, having a cold sweat, butterflies in your stomach; these don’t sound like a fun experience, but we endure them when we feel fear. So why do you think so many people like to feel scared?
Depression is ubiquitous, and unfortunately, a loved one in our life may struggle. When someone we love is having a difficult time, all we want to do is help, but many ask how? You can let them know you have noticed the change and express empathy.
Therapist Favorites
Explore a curated selection of blog posts recommended by our therapists, designed to provide valuable insights, practical tips, and expert advice on a variety of mental health topics.
MEET OUR THERAPISTS
As much as we would like to never experience grief, it is a universal experience that is unfortunately inevitable. Grief is the acute feeling of shock, overwhelming sadness & pain when someone passes away. It comes on suddenly, is strong & usually knocks the wind out of us. Grief comes in waves & may impact you at different times in your life. For example, if you just received a promotion at work, your first instinct might be to call your mother to share the good news. As you pick up the phone, you suddenly remember that your mother passed away a few years ago. The realization that she is no longer living, causes feelings of grief to wash over you. This is how grief ebbs & flows. Grieving on the other hand is the process of how we adapt to this loss in order to move forward with our lives. Grieving is fluid & demonstrates the relationship we have with grief as it changes over time.
When many of us think of “wellness”, the first thing that may come to mind is our physical or mental health. Although our physical and mental health are important aspects of our wellness, there are many more contributing factors. Debbie Stoewen identifies eight separate, but equally important, components of wellness (2017). These eight components, named the “Dimensions of Wellness”, are independent of one another, but can also significantly influence and impact each other as well. These dimensions don’t require equal attention paid to them, but neglecting one can have negative consequences on the others, including our overall wellness.
It’s that time of the year again. St. Patrick’s day can be a highly anticipated celebration for many people. Many times there are parade’s and day long events that often include excessive alcohol intake. People usually start early and day drinking can be something glorified and bragged about on social media. If you live in or around the Jersey Shore you know that parade season can last a few weekends. This trend can leave a lot of triggers for people who are recovering and trying to protect their recovery with substance use. Even if you want to go to the parade, the temptation and environment can be difficult when you see people inebriated, slurring their words, and being rambunctious. The boardwalk’s starting to come alive again. Bars are flooded and food concessions are open.
All Recent Posts
Communication is vital in any relationship (romantic, workplace, family, friendships). Communication helps in sharing expectations, feelings, disappointments, and opinions. Being open in these relationships helps to strengthen the bond between them. This communication is essential when you feel disappointed or after your feelings are hurt; however, these situations are the most intimidating to approach due to fear of rejection or an argument. When approaching these difficult conversations, it is important to enter with a soft startup to lay the foundation for a productive, calm conversation.
Filling up your positivity gas tank is a term that can be used to help convey a similar idea as when one fills up their actual gas tank in their car. When you know you will need to drive your vehicle, and it needs to get you places reliably, and the gas tank is running low, you ensure that you stop and fill up the tank so that your car may perform as you need it to when you need it to. This metaphor is fitting for how our tolerance works in our daily life. Many people who suffer from common mental health challenges struggle with a thought distortion referred to as “filtering out the positive .”
As much as we would like to never experience grief, it is a universal experience that is unfortunately inevitable. Grief is the acute feeling of shock, overwhelming sadness & pain when someone passes away. It comes on suddenly, is strong & usually knocks the wind out of us. Grief comes in waves & may impact you at different times in your life. For example, if you just received a promotion at work, your first instinct might be to call your mother to share the good news. As you pick up the phone, you suddenly remember that your mother passed away a few years ago. The realization that she is no longer living, causes feelings of grief to wash over you. This is how grief ebbs & flows. Grieving on the other hand is the process of how we adapt to this loss in order to move forward with our lives. Grieving is fluid & demonstrates the relationship we have with grief as it changes over time.
When many of us think of “wellness”, the first thing that may come to mind is our physical or mental health. Although our physical and mental health are important aspects of our wellness, there are many more contributing factors. Debbie Stoewen identifies eight separate, but equally important, components of wellness (2017). These eight components, named the “Dimensions of Wellness”, are independent of one another, but can also significantly influence and impact each other as well. These dimensions don’t require equal attention paid to them, but neglecting one can have negative consequences on the others, including our overall wellness.
It’s that time of the year again. St. Patrick’s day can be a highly anticipated celebration for many people. Many times there are parade’s and day long events that often include excessive alcohol intake. People usually start early and day drinking can be something glorified and bragged about on social media. If you live in or around the Jersey Shore you know that parade season can last a few weekends. This trend can leave a lot of triggers for people who are recovering and trying to protect their recovery with substance use. Even if you want to go to the parade, the temptation and environment can be difficult when you see people inebriated, slurring their words, and being rambunctious. The boardwalk’s starting to come alive again. Bars are flooded and food concessions are open.
Sleep is a crucial part of our lives, and it’s essential for good health. However, in today’s fast-paced society, it’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of sleep debt. Sleep debt is a term used to describe the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep over time. This can happen if we consistently go to bed late and wake up early, or if we have poor sleep quality. When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies start to accumulate a sleep debt, which can lead to a range of physical and mental health problems.
Filling up your positivity gas tank is a term that can be used to help convey a similar idea as when one fills up their actual gas tank in their car. When you know you will need to drive your vehicle, and it needs to get you places reliably, and the gas tank is running low, you ensure that you stop and fill up the tank so that your car may perform as you need it to when you need it to. This metaphor is fitting for how our tolerance works in our daily life. Many people who suffer from common mental health challenges struggle with a thought distortion referred to as “filtering out the positive .”
LOOKING FOR MORE ON
LOOKING FOR MORE ON
On social media or in conversation, the term “relationship goals” has gained popularity as a term used in response to an example of a relationship that one feels represents the desired relationship in their life. In couple’s therapy, goals are crucial to establish and continue to interact with and update throughout the process to help keep the treatment focused and productive for the couple. Being able to develop genuine and wise-minded goals is more challenging than you think.
LOOKING FOR MORE ON
While healing from a divorce, you may experience a grieving process and there are things you can focus on during this time. Exhaustion, overwhelming feelings, negative and painful feelings may arise and while these can be scary, they are also normal and can be worked through. Here are some ways to cope through the process of moving forward from a divorce.
Whether you’re new to therapy or continuing your journey, Modern Therapy is here to provide the support you need. We offer flexible, convenient, and accessible care tailored to your unique needs. Reach out to us today, and let’s take the first step together toward a brighter, healthier future.
YOU don't have to navigate it alone
