Blog
Explaining & Exploring Self-Esteem
As we approach the New Year, we reflect on the year that has passed. What major life events happened this year? Was the year filled with joy and confidence, or was it filled with the sadness and uncertainty? Did low self-esteem or a sense of inadequacy prevent you from living life to the fullest? What is self-esteem? Self-esteem is how we view ourselves, value ourselves, love ourselves and judge ourselves. Our self-esteem may be high or low depending on how we feel about ourselves. Will you apply for that new job? Will you ask that person out on a date? Will you plan to go to the beach instead of staying home? Will you attend that co-workers birthday party?...
Read MoreStruggling with Addiction During the Holiday
The holidays are meant to be a joyous time where family, friends and coworkers come together to exchange gifts, celebrate, feast, and party. But these festivities can be problematic for the millions of Americans who struggle with addiction. For them, it might even be the worst time of the year. During the holidays people struggling with addiction are more likely to relapse, overdose, or commit suicide. Why are the holidays so hard for people struggling with addiction, and what can people do to help themselves during this high stress season? First, it’s helpful to understand what an addiction is. Bev Mueller, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)...
Read MoreFinding Forgiveness
“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” – Paul Boese Forgiveness is vital in relationships but it can be difficult to achieve, especially if you feel you’ve been wronged by your partner. Every relationship faces difficult hardships; some have bitter disagreements over family or money, while others try to heal after an act of infidelity. Ultimately, it is our ability, or inability, to forgive that makes or breaks our relationships. Robert Muller, a former United Nation employee, famously said, “To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.” This...
Read More“I Am So Angry!”
Everyone has felt anger. Even the most peaceful people have been flooded with extreme anger at some point in their lives. Anger is one of the most powerful and overwhelming emotions a person can feel. So it’s no surprise that many people struggle to keep anger under control. Because anger can be so powerful and difficult to control, it has the potential to impact your life and the lives of those around you in an instant. It’s one thing to yell at the broken coffee maker when you’re alone in the kitchen, but it’s quite another to swear at a co-worker in a meeting, or berate your partner in a grocery store. These situations occur when a person’s anger gets the best of...
Read MoreHelping Your Child Make Friends
Making friends can be hard for anyone at any age, but for young children who are still developing mentally and socially, it can sometimes be challenging, overwhelming, and confusing. Parents’ influence is instrumental when it comes to strengthening children’s social abilities. There are many things that parents can do to aid their children in making friends. This process doesn’t begin when children enter school, it begins much earlier in infancy and toddlerhood. Communicate from the start Communication with your child should start when he/she is a baby. Babies are learning language long before they can speak, and they pick up the complexities of...
Read MoreHow to Minimize the Effects of Deployment on Children
April is the Month of the Military Child, designated to remind us of the important sacrifices and unique struggles experienced by children of military parents. This month we are meant to reflect on the emotional and psychological impact that parental deployment has on children, and the steps that can be taken to help ease these life-changing transitions. According to Holly Hallen, of the Military Child Education Coalition, there are almost 4 million military-connected children, 75% of whom are school age. These children have to prepare for and deal with the long absences of a parent, who will be deployed from 3 to 15 months. They have to adjust to the absence of that...
Read More