Improving Self-Esteem by Practicing Positive Affirmations Daily
A helpful, but not always easy, way to improve feelings of self-worth is the daily practice of positive affirmations. I like to use affirmations as a mental exercise, getting the mind into healthy shape. Positive Affirmations are helpful in...
Letting Go of Perfectionism
Maddie McGarrah , M.Ed.
One of my favorite researchers, Dr. Brene Brown, describes perfectionism as “a way of thinking and feeling that says this: ‘If look perfect, do perfect, work perfect and live perfect, I can avoid or minimize shame, blame and judgement.’”...
Make Time for Yourself
From mega-media stars to best-selling books telling us how to be effective and to work hard, one can see that today’s society has grown to place a large value on productivity. While it is good to contribute to society...
What Is a Highly Sensitive Person?
Kate Smith , M.A.
The definition of a highly sensitive person is someone who experiences acute physical, mental, or emotional responses to stimuli. Although HSPs share characteristics with shy, introverted, anxious, depressive persons, those with Sensory Processing Disorders, and empaths, it is as unique...
Building Confidence 101
Looking back at my own experiences as a young female and those of the females around me, including clients, friends, and my younger sister, I wish that “Building Confidence 101” was a course I could have taken at some...
Burn Out
Janet Fluker , M.Ed., M.S.
Burnout is a term that has been in the news ever since the beginning of the pandemic. While it can mean different things to different people it is generally understood as emotional exhaustion – the fatigue that comes from...
Training the Mind: “Think on These Things”
Alice D. Hoag , Ed.D.
I have a client who came in highly distressed because she feared she was about to have an affair: “I was at work the other day, and I was looking at a male coworker. I wondered what it would...
Caring for Yourself
We constantly hear about self-care and how important it is. At times you may hear about it so much that it just becomes cliché’. So how important is self-care really? I say, very. According to the National Institute of...
Mental Health as an Investment
Allison Bates , M.S.
When most people think of their top priorities, they think about family, work, friends, money, health, house, car, and the list go on. Often their own mental health does not even make the list. Why is that? It helps...
Burnout: Maintaining a Healthy Work Life Amidst Pandemic-Level Stress
Bailey Smith , M.Ed.
One result of the ongoing pandemic is an increase in the number of workers reporting burnout. It’s not just the frontline doctors and nurses who are reporting increased levels of burnout at work; it’s teachers, school counselors, restaurant workers,...
Parenting: Giving Yourself Permission to Self-Care (Guilty Feelings Not Included)
I’m even more grateful for growing up with the Christmas experience of older brothers assembling gifts together for me when I was a little, especially now as a parent of a seven-year-old girl whose favorite things in the world...
A Personal New Year’s Resolution
Kate Smith , M.A.
This is the time of year you will see “FREE first month…” for gym memberships, diet plans, and any other subscription-based service. Every company wants you to start off the new year with them for a “New Year, New...
Metaphor: The Book of Your Life – Part 3: The Characters in Your Story
Alice D. Hoag , Ed.D.
In previous blogs, I encouraged you to view your life as your own unique story, written by only you, although influenced by your family of origin and other significant relationships. In today’s blog, I’d like to explore the influence...
Metaphor: The Book of Your Life – Part 2: Your Unique Story
Alice D. Hoag , Ed.D.
“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts,…” -Shakespeare Who are you? I once attended a seminar during which the participants were asked...
How to Practice and Become Resilient in The New Year
Entering the new year, many people tend to focus on goals with many of them being self-focused goals. Many of us want to integrate more self-love, discipline, and resiliency. One reminder about our goals is to make sure they...
Substitution on the Field
You’re coaching a sports game. There are 10 minutes left to play, and your team is struggling. Something needs to be done to change the course of the game. There is a player that is currently on the field...
Stress vs. Anxiety
Many people in their daily lives deal with both stress and anxiety, but what is the difference between the two? Stress is generally a response to an external issue, such as taking an exam or having a busy-scheduled day....
Decision-Making Tips for the Indecisive
Madeline Redetzky , M.S.
We make decisions for ourselves every day of our life. Sometimes they are mundane, like “What’s for breakfast?” and other times they are extraordinary, like “What career path do I take?” There are times when these decisions seem easy,...
3 Strategies for Starting an Exercise Routine
Bailey Smith , M.Ed.
If you are anything like me, you’d rather stay snuggled up on the couch with your dog than go outside and exercise. Especially when the weather turns cold, it is much more enjoyable to curl up with a book...
And a Mindful New Year
Bailey Smith , M.Ed.
We all have different pictures that come to mind when we hear the word “mindfulness.” Some of us may think of sitting cross-legged deep in meditation, while others of us may think of sitting outside near a flowing stream....