As we enter a very busy holiday season, we know that there will be “hustle, bustle” while we are busy and hectic. We will certainly try to enjoy the fun and festivities, but we can sometimes lose sight of the blessings around us. Whether this is due to grief, sadness, depression, anxiety, or the stress of the expectations, we can work to shift our focus to a mindset of gratitude for improvements in our overall well being.

Boundary setting requires the ability to assert your needs and priorities as the highest form of self-care; protecting your own mental health. Be clear and straightforward if someone does not understand the extent of your boundaries. This will leave no room for them to assume you are okay with them breaking them down. Allow yourself grace and accept the discomfort that can come with expressing your needs to others - guilt, shame, remorse, or worry how others will react. The discomfort is common amongst individuals with poor boundary setting, people pleasers and those who are codependent – which is a commonly learned behavior when there is a history of childhood trauma…

As I sat down to write a blog to include in our September edition of our Hope and Healing newsletter, which is dedicated to the celebration of our 5th anniversary, I realized something. We are gearing up for a big 5th anniversary, but we’ve neglected to celebrate along the way. And, well, that is just sad. I’m not going to start at the beginning because…

As the back-to-school season approaches, I always catch myself feeling anxious. The anxiety could be due to sport tryouts, wondering whether I have classes with friends, or even just general anxiety about a new school year. I have also experienced this feeling of anxiety due to starting a new year at a brand-new school. Growing up as an "Air Force Brat" comes with a lot of challenges...

PTSD is a collection of symptoms that occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic experience. It is important to understand that these experiences are very individualized but all include threats of or actual harm to oneself or others, experiencing or witnessing the injury or death of another person as well as sexual violence. These are broad categories due to the individualized nature of the experiences and later coping. If after a traumatic event the following symptoms persist, someone might consider an evaluation and treatment for PTSD.  Symptoms include varying degrees of irritability, depression and suicidal feelings, hypervigilance, hyperarousal, flashbacks, nightmares, persistent memories, intrusive thoughts as well as significant impacts on sleeping, eating, relationships, occupation and social interactions. 

Hope and Healing recognizes the many burdensome challenges faced by our LGBTQIA+ community members when seeking adequate healthcare, resources, and community support. We also recognize the fatal impact that these barriers are making on the health and well being of LGBTQIA+ individuals, specifically among young people.

Key findings from The Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health include the following statistics: 

If you have experienced or can resonate with this cycle, breaking the pattern of people-pleasing may seem daunting, however, with patience and practice, it is not only possible, but extremely worthwhile. The next time the opportunity to set a boundary presents itself, try one of the strategies below before agreeing with, allowing for, or committing to something:

The world we are all living in is drastically different from the one we grew up in so we can’t fully lean on our teenage experience to help them figure things out. A better understanding of the world they live in might be the key to gaining their acceptance (of our stories and guidance) and a listening ear.

Here are 3 reasons being a teenager is uniquely challenging today and some pointers on having a greater influence than saying, “back in my day” to your teenager:

Where do you see hope this spring?

I began the hard work of clearing space. I raked the heavy magnolia leaves and seed pods. I pulled armloads of oak leaves out of the azaleas and rhododendrons. I gently broke away the leaves that restricted the flower stems. The flowers emerged, no longer eclipsed by the remnants of winters past.

What are you clearing away?

Have you been considering therapy for a while? Does your insurance not cover mental health treatment? Have you been struggling to get scheduled for an appointment? Great news - Hope and Healing Therapy and Wellness Center has a graduate student intern available! You might be wondering, what makes a student intern different, and can they really help me? Read on to find the surprising benefits to seeing a student intern:

The holidays are magical but also come with a lot of stress. Task lists are long but factoring in some healthy habits and self-care can help ease the load and keep you enjoying the holidays vs becoming a frazzled and burned out mess.

What I offer to you today are a few tricks, tips and ideas to help make mornings smoother, homework less stressful, and meals more enjoyable. Try them all, or try a few but I ask that you at least try one. When one works, try another and maybe... just maybe… you’ll try them all.

Social media platforms are only increasing in prevalence when it comes to communication, marketing, general information gathering, and beyond. In December 2021, TikTok.com officially surpassed Google as the #1 most popular domain on the internet (Forbes, 2021). With billions of current users, and new accounts created every day, an understanding of how our participation/consumption on these platforms can affect our mental health, mindset, and overall wellness is somewhat urgent. The evolution of social media is nothing if not rapid, and maintaining a proactive understanding of these extensive impacts can only benefit our societies in the long term.