Oftentimes, in an effort to avoid future feelings of disappointment, we let opportunities pass us by. We stop trying out of fear of failing again. 

While there are still many professional psychologists and academics who are unaware of the existence of mental illnesses, one thing is certain: these problems are complex and multi-causal. But one of the most significant of all will be discussed in this blog: a person's environment.

Play is essential to a child's development. Not only does it help them build motor, social, cognitive, and emotional skills, but it also lets them have fun while at it as well! Not only that, but play also helps strengthen a child's mental health.

People who are lonely often feel that they are not understood or appreciated. They may feel that they are the only ones who feel this way. Loneliness can be very damaging to our mental health. It can make us feel sad, anxious, and isolated. It can also lead to depression and psychosis.

Food is one of the basic necessities of life and is needed to survive. Calories from food provide energy for daily activities and body functions. The type of food consumed affects your overall physical and mental health, and not all food provides the same benefits.

A study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that individuals who volunteered reported higher levels of happiness, life satisfaction, and overall well-being. 

Seeing your spouse struggle in any way can be very difficult. After all, your spouse is a part of you, and you made vows to “have and to hold in sickness and in health”.

Insomnia can be incredibly frustrating and all-encompassing. It is one of the most common symptoms that individuals can become obsessed or hyper focused on.

Anxiety disorders, however, are different – the anxiety presents itself in situations where it isn’t warranted and reaches levels and frequency that are unmanageable, interfering with your ability to carry out basic tasks and responsibilities.

Emotions are different from behavior, which is different from your thoughts or beliefs. But all of these affect each other in profound ways.

When anxiety is taking place, your heart rate or breathing may increase; you may experience sweating, shaking, or feel easily fatigued. Anxiety, or stress, is understood to be the response to any stressor. 

While it may sound nice at the surface that families are the focus, it can actually be quite scary and even feel invasive. But walking through this vulnerable process is essential if you actually want to see lasting change.

Boundaries are limits that you can place upon yourself or others to preserve your safety, security, and emotional energy. Boundaries can be emotional, physical, sexual, time-bound, communication related, or even set in your personal thoughts. 

While I thought I knew what was meant by “coping” with stress or anxiety, I quickly realized that what I had been doing to cope was not a skill at all, and that there is a big difference between healthy and successful ways to cope and unhealthy/unsuccessful ways to cope. 

Dissociation is a stress or trauma response. It can be a reaction to overwhelming anxiety, despair, disappointment, anger, pain, or other discomfort that may be present in your life. Dissociation is commonly described as a “mind-body” disconnection.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common mental health disorder that can drastically impact how you see yourself and others. Because it is a personality disorder, it is different from a mood disorder.

If you’ve found yourself in the place where you know that you need more help and you’ve surrendered to the idea of treatment, you are also probably in a place where you want to experience relief quickly.

Whether it’s a fear, phobia, or stress-inducing objects or situations, what we know is that avoidance of these will only increase the fear and stress associated with them. Can we continue to try our best to avoid everything that stresses us out?

If you’ve been living with anxiety for a while, it may start to feel like you’ve learned to live with it. You have anxiety, but it’s not that bad. You can avoid triggering situations, and the ones you can’t avoid, you’ve found a way to get through.

While there's definitely helpful tools and advice for healthy parenting, there are some very basic principles to establish first. Before you dig into any details on reinforcements, discipline, gentle parenting, setting boundaries, etc, there are some basics that can be extremely helpful in creating a safe and healing environment for your whole family.

When I made the phone call to Solstice Pacific I really had no idea what to expect. I just knew I needed help and someone to guide me through the process.

The patient advocate I spoke to told me there were a few options available to someone like myself. Note: I had never been in a program like this and had only heard these terms for the first time from a therapist the week prior to this phone call.