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 […]
Relationships take effort, whether with a partner, friend, family member, or coworker. Conflicts arise naturally from our differences, but the key isn’t always immediate problem-solving—it’s understanding. Learn how to navigate relationship challenges more effectively.
One of the things that distress people struggling with mental health challenges like anxiety and depression is the inability to make a decision or sometimes feeling like they do not know what it is they want in a given situation. This can cause much distress and make undesirable situations even more difficult. There are many insight-building strategies that help people clarify what is important to them and what choices they want to make. In this blog, we will be going over one of those strategies in the form of a four-square pros and cons exercise. This is inspired by that from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy but includes a few differences. This exercise is designed to help you access your wisdom regarding a particular choice. Please keep in mind that when using this exercise, each time it is used it is used for the positive statement of a choice, and then the negative statement of the choice. For example, this tool would be done with statements such as “attending my friend’s birthday party” and “not attending my friend’s birthday party” instead of 2 different statements such as “Attending my friend’s birthday party” and “Going to the mall”. Now, let’s review more about how this exercise is used.
We may have all heard the term “problem-solving” but I wonder how many people actually know the steps in the process. If you ask someone how to solve a problem, they may say something like “just find what works” or “figure out the problem before trying to solve it” and just like how the average person could change the brakes on their car, an experienced mechanic will know all the basics just as well as they would know all the subtleties and best practices that would take the process from just working to working optimally. I am sure that many people reading this could say that they have solved countless problems in their lives, but to have a step-by-step guide on an effective method of doing so may yet be useful.
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 […]
Relationships take effort, whether with a partner, friend, family member, or coworker. Conflicts arise naturally from our differences, but the key isn’t always immediate problem-solving—it’s understanding. Learn how to navigate relationship challenges more effectively.
Understand the key differences between sadness and depression. While sadness is a temporary emotion, depression is a more persistent condition that affects daily life. Recognizing these distinctions can help you navigate emotions and seek the right support when needed.
Worry and anxiety are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same. Worry is a temporary response to a specific concern, while anxiety can linger, affecting both the mind and body. Understanding the difference helps us better manage our emotions and reshape the way we think about our experiences.
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 […]
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 […]
Relationships take effort, whether with a partner, friend, family member, or coworker. Conflicts arise naturally from our differences, but the key isn’t always immediate problem-solving—it’s understanding. Learn how to navigate relationship challenges more effectively.
Relationships take effort, whether with a partner, friend, family member, or coworker. Conflicts arise naturally from our differences, but the key isn’t always immediate problem-solving—it’s understanding. Learn how to navigate relationship challenges more effectively.