What do you first think of when you think of meditating? Is it sitting cross-legged and humming “ohmmm”? There are a few misconceptions about the practice of meditating. First one being that you need to clear your mind. The practice of meditating is meant to assist people to become present in the moment. You might ask, what does that mean?

There is no perfect way to manage stress but there are tools that can help us cope so that we are not overwhelmed. Everyone handles stress differently and it’s okay if it takes some time for you to feel like yourself again. It is very normal to feel an array of emotions when living with stress. Your body will give you the cues to know when you need to rest, relax, or utilize your coping skills. If you’ve noticed you have felt constantly overwhelmed or find it more difficult to wind down at the end of the day, you may be experiencing stress.

COVID-19 has impacted us all in so many ways. When it comes to health services, we have seen many providers shift to offering services online. Telehealth allows you to connect with your therapist via laptop or your cell services through a HIPAA- compliant platform. This is a relatively new service for providers and for many clients. I understand there are many questions and concerns that may come up as we shift from in-person to virtual sessions. Here are five things you should know.

I have noticed an influx of calls with people wanting to engage in therapy. However, because of this many therapists are quickly filling up their schedules. I get it, you’ve decided to engage in therapy and want to get in pretty quickly. You may have even called a few therapists and were told they were not accepting new clients at this time. After a few calls, this can get pretty frustrating. If you find yourself in this situation, I have a few tips for you:

So you’ve made the decision to start therapy. Congrats! The only thing is you need to find a therapist and hopefully they have openings and availability to accommodate you. I’ve been there, too. In a search for my own therapist a couple of years ago, I was in the same position. You may have already browsed a few profiles who have resonated with you and you are thinking about making a phone call or writing an email to ask about openings. As a therapist, I want to thank you for taking those first steps and reaching out to start the process. There are few tips I want to share with you with how to expedite this process.

Seasons change, that is the way the world works. But something happens to us when the cooler temps take over and the days get shorter. Our bodies naturally begin to slow down and we feel less motivated than we were in the summer. There also may be a change in your mood state, you may notice you feel more easily down or cranky. Most people will tell you they have an inclination to hibernate and feel less energetic in the cooler months. For some, the low mood will lead to a form of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Helping Professionals encounter a myriad of issues daily in their work and home life. There is a focus on assisting others with managing their issues and providing tools to be successful. Sometimes, we are so focused on what we are giving out that we are not recognizing the signs about how we are or are not managing stress. According to dictionary.com, stress is a “state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances”. Though stress is highly subjective, there are clear physiological and emotional reactions to experiencing stress.

Helping professionals are people who serve their community by providing support or education in their professional work. They are therapists, nurses, teachers, doctors, attorneys, police officers, EMS, firemen and women, and healers. Their work is to assist others which often comes with exposure to potentially traumatic events, long work hours, and feeling helpless. Helpers may neglect their needs in order to continue providing support to others.

If you’re new to therapy or have heard of other’s experiences, you may have some questions as to what kind of services may be beneficial to you or a family member. As a practice, clinicians are taught to assess an individual’s clients needs and treat or refer as applicable. Many times, people will seek treatment through a community provider or the local emergency room (in an event of crisis). Sometimes what service a person may need is clear cut, but other times, they may not know from where to seek help. This post is an overview of the three main levels of care for clinical services.