Adult

Let’s talk about BOUNDARIES. These are especially important as we are fully immersed in the holiday season. They are not always easy to set and incredibly important to have.
Regardless of your political leanings, we can all agree that these are highly charged times. Opinions are varying and different and we aren’t always taking the time to listen to one another. In fact, we often just speak louder, thinking that will get the other person to listen. Spoiler alert: that doesn’t work.
The world as we know it has changed rapidly since early March. Within a matter of days, our lives and our daily routines changed drastically. Adults are no longer going into a workplace and children are no longer attending school. Life milestones like graduations and weddings are being put on hold or cancelled and as a result, many people are experiencing increased feelings of frustration, sadness, and disappointment.
Have you ever seen the movie 13 Going on 30? If not, then spoiler alert! It’s about a 13 year old girl, who wishes on her 13th birthday to be 30. This is not an uncommon theme in movies (remember BIG, anyone?). The reason it’s a common theme is because it resonates with so many people.
It’s common for people to struggle with negative views of themselves and the world they live in. However, overtime this leads to filtering out the truth, even the good or positive aspects of a situation, which is one of the catalysts for cultivating resistance to growth.
Labor Day: A long weekend of barbeques, trips to the beach, retail sales and vacation. Also, the last weekend of summer and the last hoorah before school and fall schedules begin–YIKES! Labor Day tends to evoke two very different emotions in people–excitement over the former and dread over the latter. For many, summer consists of 2 months of relaxation, lighter workloads, no school and traveling. Transitioning from this lifestyle back to reality (5 day workweeks, school/homework, and a heavier workload) can send anyone into a frenzy!
Recently, I went on vacation where a primary goal was not only to relax, but to have a digital detox. Things had been pretty stressful with work and family, and I knew I needed to just shut it all down. Vacation was just the antidote that I needed. No screens was a natural part of that.
Test anxiety and the pressure to perform academically or professionally can be detrimental to one's self-esteem. Even some of the most brilliant people can struggle with managing their emotions when it comes to high-pressured situations like presentations, taking tests or speaking in front of others. If your child is showing signs of anxiety around school or if you are feeling overwhelmed about work, the tools in this post will be helpful.
There is no better time than today to adopt a self-care practice. Science shows taking time to tune in to your own needs leads to emotional stability, a stronger immune system and better relationships with others. Many people forget to take care of themselves before helping others, but it is vital. In the time it takes you to scroll through your social media feed or read an article about a celebrity, you could have been practicing self-care (and yes, sometimes trashy magazines count as a self-care practice).
As we approach the new year, we often reflect on the past twelve months and what was accomplished. We may be proud of ourselves for the changes we have made and the success we have achieved. We may also feel disappointed that certain goals were not met. The New Year is a blank slate, and there is always pressure to map out what it may look like and what we want, or don’t want, it to look like. Have resolutions worked for you in the past? Great! If they haven’t, or cause you stress, here’s a way to start a new chapter in a positive way.
Insomnia is linked to frequency of alcohol use among early adolescents, according to a new research. Parents, educators, and therapists should consider insomnia to be a risk marker for alcohol use, and alcohol use a risk marker for insomnia, among early adolescents according to a study published recently in the journal Addictive Behaviors.