Talking to your child about any topic can be difficult at times, however, the discussion of mental health can be particularly tricky. There could be many reasons why this topic is tip-toed around, but it is important to address if you are worried about your child, so you can assist them in receiving proper mental health treatment.

When one is feeling depressed and anxious, the G.L.A.D. technique is a grounding skill one can use to be more mindful in the moment and to experience positive distraction until strong negative emotions pass, as to reduce the possibility of impulsive reactions as impulsive reactions may not be an effective response in the moment. Try this practice out daily in order to notice positive shifts daily.

Working mothers juggle many responsibilities and play many roles to maintain the stability and happiness of their families. From the basics such as groceries, paying bills, maintaining a home, to of course dedicating time to raising strong, healthy, children, to having a successful career can be demanding and stressful. Read on for some strategies to manage the stress of balancing work and parenting responsibilities.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes throughout my day, I have a moment where I stop and think about what it is I am doing because part of me does not remember making the decision to do it in the first place. Some of these behaviors or actions I find myself doing are productive, some are neutral, and some are ones that I wish I didn’t do as much, especially without thinking about it. According to the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, about 43% of what most people do every day is out of habit (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 83, No. 6, 2002). This is almost half of your daily life decided for you based on routine. Once again, if you are anything like me, there are parts of that 43% that I would rather be different, so here are some tips to better understand how habits work.

Many theories of change agree that you cannot change something if you are not first mindful of what needs to be changed. Mindfulness is a term and idea that is used a lot in different areas and in different ways. Some people refer to it as a type of meditation, some people refer to it as “being in the moment”, some people might not be sure exactly how to define it. Building mindfulness as a strong habit out of a clear and value-driven goal to be more aware and purposeful in your own life is one of the bedrock skills used to treat and protect against mental health challenges. This is done by keeping judgments and perceptions to a minimum while increasing the informative power of facts on your thoughts and emotions. This is a skill like any other; the more you practice, make mistakes, and then try again, the more effective you will become.

The idea of a “judgment” is a loaded concept. The word judgment can bring to mind the memory of feeling insulted by someone else, assumptions you find yourself making, or a wise-minded choice that made a large desirable impact in your life. However, what is a judgment really? There are many different meanings to the word judgment, depending on what arena in which it is being used. A legal judgment is determined in a court, a religious judgment is usually linked with an almighty figure, but a psychological judgment is the kind of judgment we make every day, that have great effects on our lives and our experiences.

Having challenges with your quality of life can come from many sources. When you take what happens to you and combine it with your reactions (thoughts, feelings, beliefs, choices, etc.) you get the formula for your quality of life. Most of what happens to us lies outside of our control, which can influence thoughts and feelings we often feel initially, in new situations. However, it is important to understand that the subsequent thoughts and feelings we have, and the beliefs they form, are very influential on our overall quality of life. It is here that a skill referred to as Loving Kindness was developed from eastern meditative practices as a way of reducing stress-reinforcing beliefs and improving overall quality of life.

One of the best ways to start managing stress is to focus on your daily habits and routines. Do you have the so-called “basics” covered? You have heard and maybe even read about them before: exercising, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, and so on. But have you evaluated how well you do each of these well-being habits and even if you are doing them consistently? Consistency is the key to building and maintaining healthy habits.

When experiencing depression, one may feel less energy to do anything, and the resulting tendency to socially isolate will consequently contribute to further feelings of sadness related to depression. Behavioral Activation is a skill used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help manage depression. The rationale is that purposely planning pleasurable activities will help diminish feelings of depression in the long term.

Using your body to get your “foot in the door” with your mood regulation can be done in many ways. These include breathing techniques, balanced sleeping and eating habits, soothing sensory-based skills, using open and confident body language, and using exercise and exhausting your muscles to allow your brain’s natural endorphins to regulate emotions. For those of you who feel that you cannot yet find an effective coping skill for your challenging thoughts and feelings, consider starting with your body first. Discuss with your therapist or trusted supports as to what behavior changes may effectively lead to desired changes in moods and thoughts, and then, allow the new behavior to have an impact.