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Real Life Mindfulness 101

May 23, 2017

If you’ve recently been to a yoga class or read a self-help book, you’re probably familiar with the term mindfulness. During therapy, your counselor may tell you to be mindful of your emotions or behavior in a particular situation. Numerous research studies continue to demonstrate that mindfulness based interventions provide stress reduction and overall symptom reduction for many mental health conditions, including anxiety. Yet, understanding how mindfulness can really help you and applying it in day-to-day life…

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How to Respond to a Suicide Risk

May 16, 2017

By Andrew McNaughton LCSW CADC What determines the significance and urgency of the risk if someone expresses suicidal ideation or intent? It is important to recognize it as a cry for help, not a cry for attention. Assessing for suicide risk requires a trained observer. However, in a crisis situation, it is important to be able to communicate the extent of the risk to 911. Do not hesitate to call 911 if your loved one has expressed…

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The Power of Your Breath

May 9, 2017

If you have ever taken a yoga class, you have probably heard the instructor say things like, “Just breathe,” or “Focus on your breath.” Breathing is an essential element of yoga. Yoga involves intentional breathing – breathing with purpose and in a controlled manner – a technique which may also help with anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles. Making breath the focus while practicing yoga can deepen relaxation and enhance a mind-body connection, as it has…

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You Don’t Have To Believe Everything You Think

April 18, 2017

If you have ever felt consumed or overwhelmed by your thoughts, the concept that you do not have to believe everything you think can seem foreign. Without awareness of the problem, it can sometimes feel like you are a slave to your thoughts. I often hear people say that they cannot shut their minds off or that they cannot escape their thinking, which causes them a great deal of anxiety and distress. Many people feel like they…

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How Can You Help Me With Money? You Aren’t an Accountant!

April 11, 2017

When I tell people that I am a Certified Financial Social Worker, the typical response I get is, “How can you help people with their money issues? You aren’t an accountant or financial planner.” While this might be true – I do not have the training or credentials to give financial or investment advice, create detailed budgets or plans, or offer financial services – there is much more to having a healthy relationship with money than those…

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Feeling anxious? You are not alone

August 20, 2014

While there is still some stigma about struggling with mental health issues, the statistics speak for themselves and the resounding reality is that when it comes to anxiety disorders, you are not alone. Around 40 million adults across the US are affected, which is about 18% of the population – nearly one in five of us. Don’t suffer in silence Whatever the overarching cause, be it a genetic propensity or life events, and possibly both, the fact…

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7 Things To Do When Your Partner Struggles With Anxiety

October 28, 2013

Is your partner struggling with an anxiety disorder? In a given year, anxiety disorders affect about 40 million Americans, or about 18% of the adult population, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. When you suffer from an anxiety disorder, your life is filled with a sense of fearfulness and uncertainty. Worries plague your life, making it difficult to engage in daily tasks and enjoy yourself. The more we know about anxiety, however, the more we…

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Steps to Practicing Mindfulness

October 15, 2013

Do you have worry thoughts that create anxiety? Do your emotions get in the way of communicating or effective decision making? Do you live in the past or the future? Do you act impulsively? Is it difficult for you to focus on tasks because your mind wanders? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, mindfulness can help. What is mindfulness? It is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment,…

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