"It is normal for very young children to be afraid of the dark, or for school-age children to worry about making friends. But sometimes normal childhood anxiety morphs into something more serious. A young girl might be afraid to ever leave her mother's side, even to get on the school bus, or an anxious boy might need frequent reassurance over things that happened a month ago" (Boorady). Here are some common symptoms of anxiety in children

Because we love our children so much, we often try to do things to calm or dissipate our child's anxiety, like avoiding the thing that causes them discomfort. However, unfortunately, this reinforces the power of the place or event that is causing them anxiet...

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Some of us are morning people, others are not. No matter how you greet the day, we found an article that can help you start your day off right https://www.positivelypositive.com/2019/12/11/make-your-morning-routine-the-best-with-these-5-habits/

Here are tips to start your day:

1. Try meditation. Anyone can do meditation. Start with 30 seconds and work up to it. There's many apps and Youtube videos out there to teach you.

2. Exercise. This could be light yoga, a morning walk, or more intense like HIIT workouts. You don't need a gym membership to get in exercise.

3. Read. Some people read a chapter of a self-help book, a new novel by a favorite author, or something...

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The holidays are upon us. Many of us are running around and in stress mind when we need to re-focus and find some calm. We found a great article that details 4 ways to find your calm mind https://www.mindful.org/four-ways-to-calm-your-mind-in-stressful-times/

1. Practice breathing exercises. This can be through an app like Headspace or Calm, or by just breathing in for 4, hold for 4, and out for 6 (and repeat).

2. Be kind to yourself. You do so much, don't be too hard on yourself or others. Try some self-care and get fresh air.

3. Have a real connection with someone. This can be via phone, video, or a real in-person conversation. Put away the technology.

4. Giv...

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There's a great article from the New York Times that highlights how you don't have to wait until New Year's Day to start working on yourself. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/02/smarter-living/new-years-resolutions.html

What are you working on this year?

You may answer some of the typical responses:

-Losing weight

-Travel more

-Settle down

What about some of these possibilities?

-Have better self-esteem

-Improve my relationship with my partner

-Have better communication with my kids

-Improve my mental health

If these resonated with you, give us a call! We'd love to help you work on your resolutions sooner than later.

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This article we found highlights great advice on how to have a solid relationship https://psychcentral.com/blog/7-traits-that-lead-to-a-long-happy-marriage/

1. Practice acceptance. This is for both your emotions and your partner's personality. We can't change them.

2. Be committed. This is through the good and the bad.

3. Trust your partner and yourself. Be open to listening to your partner's viewpoints.

4. Be honest. There is a way to be both honest and tactful when speaking with your partner. Be gentle.

5. Practice forgiveness, this applies to yourself and your partner. We all make mistakes.

6. Show appreciation. Think of how you would want to be treate...

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Take this quick quiz from https://www.positivelypositive.com/2019/12/03/emotional-clarity-6-key-principles-for-managing-your-emotions/:

How good are you at expressing how you feel?

But if you’re not sure, take this quick test:

• Set a timer on your phone for 60 seconds.


• Hit start.


• Name as many emotions as quickly as you can.

How many did you get?

• 20+: Well above average


• 14+: Above average


• 10ish: Average


• <7: Below average

How are you with knowing the emotions you're feeling? What does anger vs. sadness feel like in your body?

Maybe anger for you feels like tense shoulders, fast heartbeat, shallow breathing. Sadness may be dropped shoulders, downcast eyes, and fe...

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Compassion fatigue can happen to anyone. If you are dealing with heavy relationship or family drama, you may feel like you're burned out or even indifferent. If you are in a helping profession or a volunteer, this can really take a toll on you and your outlook.

This article is great in explaining what compassion fatigue can look like https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/running-low-on-empathy-how-to-heal-from-compassion-fatigue-1115197 :

• "Burnout happens when a person’s environment is stressful, whereas compassion fatigue happens when a person’s interactions with other people saps their emotional reserves.


• People with compassion fatigue may begin avoiding situ...

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How have you been feeling lately? Perhaps a bit down and talking negatively to yourself? Try to think of the thoughts you have during the day. Do they sound something like "Why did I do that? What a silly mistake" or " I'm a failure"? If so, you're letting your self talk control you. You have the power to choose how you think about yourself and others.

Here are some tips to make some healthy changes:

-Take note of your thoughts and patterns

-Determine if the thoughts are helpful or hurtful

-Make active changes in your mind and aloud of how you see yourself and others

-If you have children or people that look up to you, model these new positive changes

An exampl...

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Sometimes we feel "off" in our lives. We may be doing too much of one activity and lacking in others. We need to find a balance. We found a great article https://psychcentral.com/blog/7-keys-to-finding-balance-in-complex-times/ that explores this balance.

Here are the tips the author recommends:

-Find a way to move and be active. This can be through various forms of exercise or going for a walk with a friend.

-Be aware of energy. This is both consumption and expenditure of energy. Find a balance between exercise, nutrition, and use of technology.

-Allow for downtime and reflection at some point in your day.

-Practice gratitude for others and your surround...

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Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families! We found a great article for 10 Ways to Practice Gratitude https://www.mindful.org/10-ways-to-become-more-grateful/ . As you spend time with your friends and family this week, keep these tips in mind.

1. Keep a gratitude journal- This can be an actual journal or a note in your phone

2. Remember the bad- Not to dwell on it, but to help remember how good things are now

3. Meditate on your relationships- How have you helped others and how others helped you?

4. Express gratitude- This can be done in a note, a phone call, or in person

5. Use your senses- Use your 5 senses and be grateful for the ability to experience the wo...