Approximately 51.5 million Americans seek mental health services every year, yet there’s still this idea that therapy is only for people who are suffering a debilitating mental illness or personal issue- or that people who go to therapy are broken in some way. As someone who has experienced both sides of the couch, I can attest that this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Fifty three years after his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is still relevant five decades after his untimely death. As Black Lives Matter protests continue throughout the world, all of us are being called to continue Dr. King’s work and take action against racism, systemic oppression, and excessive police brutality toward Black people.

Now, how do you actually set a goal that is achievable?  That’s the real work, right?  In our education and training to become a therapist, SMART goals are hammered into our brains.  This stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Based.  I’m going to let you into my life a little and walk you through a goal I would like to set for myself. 

However you decide to celebrate the holidays, embracing the stress-less way is all about letting go of expectations and leaning-in to what feels good and right by you. If, however, you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed this holiday season, please know you are not alone.

The days are shorter, the nights are longer, and cold weather is here to stay. This is the time of year that some people begin experiencing a lack of energy, sleep difficulties, excessive food cravings, anxious and/or depressed feelings, and a lack of interest in the things they usually enjoy.

During these moments, I am happy to remember a message from Mr. Rogers, who was one of the very first great virtual teachers. He said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'look for the helpers'. You will always find people who are helping.”

The days are getting shorter, a chill is in the air, and the falling leaves drift away as do the last remnants of summer. Fall is here, and that means the holidays are around the corner. However, the magic of the holidays is overshadowed this year by the coronavirus, which is rapidly spreading rather than fading away.

June is recognized as Pride month for the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies. Pride commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Riot that sparked the LGBTQIA+ rights movement and subsequently inspired the celebratory events that you see today. Pride is a time to come together in solidarity to celebrate the freedom to be oneself!

Sometimes depression and anxiety are too powerful to battle alone. If you are struggling in your fight against depression or anxiety, don’t hesitate to seek professional help!

Have you heard the term “rumination”? To ruminate is to obsessively think about the same problems over and over. If you are experiencing depression or anxiety, it is likely that you have invasive negative thoughts, and that you struggle to focus on other things.

Depression and anxiety throw us into a wrestling match with our own mind- an endless, exhausting fight with our inner self. Therefore, a very effective way to combat the lies depression/anxiety repeat in our minds is to get out of our own heads and attend to our bodies.

Another lie depression and anxiety whispers (or screams) at us is that our life is meaningless, and that we are unable to contribute anything worthwhile. But again, this is not true.

To successfully fight depression, we must make mindful choices about who we let in- and who finally needs to be shown the door.

Depression and anxiety can appear in many forms. Sometimes it is a severe episode that traps you in a dark bedroom for weeks at a time, preventing you from functioning at work or from spending time with family and friends.