- Building Trust and Security: Navigating Jealousy in Your Relationship – Andrea Hainsworth, 1-3
Jealousy is a natural emotion that almost everyone experiences at some point in their relationships. While a small amount of jealousy can be a sign of care and investment, excessive or uncontrolled jealousy can damage trust and ruin the foundation of a relationship. Learning how to navigate jealousy and turn it into an ...
- Managing PTSD Triggers: Effective Strategies for Coping and Healing, Amanda Patrick 1-3
Dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can often feel like it takes over your entire life. No matter how long ago you experienced trauma, certain triggers can bring it right back to the forefront of your mind, making you feel like the event just happened all over again.
Depending on what you’ve been through, ...
- January Week 3 – What Constitutes Emotional Infidelity in a Relationship?
Relationships thrive on trust, intimacy, and open communication. What happens when this foundation is eroded? While most people are familiar with the concept of physical infidelity, emotional infidelity is a less understood breach of trust. Still, its impact can be just as devastating as physical betrayal. Here’s what emotional infidelity is and how ...
- 5 Effective Strategies for Building Your Self-Worth – Sarah Moulaei – 1-3
You’re probably familiar with the terms self-confidence and self-esteem. While these concepts may differ, they definitely play into how you view and measure your self-worth.
Self-worth isn’t something that often changes in relation to external factors. Your sense of self-worth is not likely to significantly change. If you’re one who has a lower self-worth, ...
- Why We’re Drawn to Red Flags in Relationships – Stephanie Saari, 1-3
Perhaps you’re single for the first time in a while, and you’ve realized that you don’t want to fall for the same kinds of partners that you’ve traditionally dated. Maybe you’ve had your heart broken by several people who exhibited the same red flags. Yet for some reason, it was those very same ...
- Exploring Response Prevention Therapy and Its Uses – Martin Hsia, 1-3
Response Prevention, also known as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). ERP focuses on helping individuals face their fears by gradually exposing them to their fears. While this form of therapy may seem harsh or frightening, bear with us.
This type of therapy was originally used ...
- 5 Things You’ll Learn in Premarital Counseling – Sandra Gordon, 1-3
What is the key to a long, happy marriage? Truth is, no one really knows! However, starting the marriage off with clarity and confidence seems to be a great place to start. Premarital counseling offers couples tools to navigate challenges and grow together as partners. While premarital counseling is useful for many things, ...
- January Week 3 – A Closer Look at Social Media and Its Effect on Adolescent Mental Health
We’re in the digital age, and social media is here to stay. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat offer spaces for connection, self-expression, and sharing information. While these apps have many benefits, their impact on mental health, particularly among teenagers, has raised growing concerns. Understanding how social media affects this vulnerable age group ...
- January Week 3 – To Snoop or Not to Snoop? Navigating Teen Privacy
As a parent, it’s normal to always be concerned about your child’s well-being and safety, no matter how old they are. When they’re babies and children, you’re able to put safety measures in place that can protect them from most harmful situations.
But what happens when they’re teenagers? It’s important to give them independence ...
- What Is EMDR and How Does It Help Anxiety? – Madeline Rice 1-3 Guest Post
Anxiety is a common disorder affecting people all over the world. Over 40 million adults in the United States alone are dealing with some type of anxiety disorder.
You shouldn’t think of anxiety as a negative thing. It’s actually your body’s own built in alarm system. When you’re faced with a potentially threatening or ...
- Ways to Identify Narcissistic Abuse in a Relationship, Rosa Dinelli, 1-3
Narcissistic abuse is a subtle yet devastating form of manipulation. It’s not always physical; rather, it leaves victims confused and doubting themselves. Abusers with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) are masters of control, using emotional volatility and a lack of empathy to exploit their partners. Recognizing these warning signs is crucial.
Warning Signs of Narcissistic ...
- Strategies for Overcoming Depression Without Medication – Debra Thompson 1-3
Depression is a debilitating mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. While medication is a common treatment option for managing depression, it’s not the only path to recovery. Many people are hesitant about the idea of being reliant on medication, and that’s okay! No matter what concerns there are about taking ...
- Can Anxiety Create False Memories?, Rhett Reader, 1-3
Your brain is like a miniature supercomputer, constantly processing the world around you. It’s juggling an incredible amount of information, sorting it into different memory types. While you might think your memory is flawless, it can be a bit unreliable, even under normal circumstances. When stress or anxiety comes into play, things can ...
- January Week 3 – How to Cope When You’re Feeling Constantly Overwhelmed
The world we live in is fast-paced and constantly evolving, growing, and changing. Many of us have to figure out how to balance different areas of our lives: families, careers, friendships, special events, hobbies, health, finances, etc.
If you’re overwhelmed just thinking about this, you’re not alone. There are measures you can take to ...
- January Week 3 – How to Deal with Challenging Relatives During the Holidays
The holiday season is finally behind us, and you might feel like you can breathe and relax for the first time in weeks. But, maybe the holidays were more than just a little stressful this year.
Maybe you’re already dreading next year — specifically because of certain relatives.
While the holiday season is a great ...
- January Week 3 – How to Motivate Your Teen While Respecting Their Independence
Teenagers are fairly notorious for two things. First, they want to establish independence and start to explore the world on their own for the first time. Second, it can be difficult to motivate them to do the things they don’t really want to do.
So, as a parent or caregiver, that can put you ...
- January Week 3 – The Physical Toll of Depression: Recognizing the Signs in Your Body
Depression starts in the brain, but it isn’t just a mental health issue. Mental health and physical health are deeply interconnected, and depression is a prime example of how psychological struggles can take a toll on the body.
While hallmark symptoms include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and emotional numbness, depression’s physical effects are less ...
- January Week 3 – Navigating Meltdowns: Parenting During Tough Moments
We’ve all been there. Your kid is screaming in the middle of the grocery store, and you can feel everyone’s eyes burning into the back of your head. You want to crawl into a hole and disappear.
When your child melts down, it’s natural to want to fix things fast. But here’s the kicker: ...
- 5 Tips to Stop Repeating Relationship Mistakes – Nancy Young – 1-3
If you’ve had a recent breakup or feel like you are in a cycle of failed relationships, the prospect of dating again can be daunting. However, you are not doomed to repeat past relationship mistakes. The key is to be willing to learn from your relationship history and make the necessary adjustments to ...
- January Week 3 – Unexpected Ways Trauma Might Be Influencing Your Day-to-Day Life
Trauma can sometimes fly under the radar. This is especially true when it happens over time, like during an emotionally withholding relationship, rather than from a singular event, like a car accident. Even when you’re not consciously aware of it, unresolved trauma can manifest in subtle, unexpected ways in your everyday life.
Here are ...
- Meridee Rilen, January Week 3 – 5 Tips to Help Manage Relationship Anxiety
Everyone — literally everyone —will feel some level of anxiety about their relationship. It’s a complicated process and it makes sense that we’d have times of worry and uncertainty. But relationship anxiety goes much deeper than that feeling of “butterflies.” It’s a diagnosable disorder that can arise when a person experiences chronic, dysfunctional ...
- Kristen Quinones, January Week 3 – Psychodynamic Therapy; What it is and How it Works
If you’re curious about therapy options, you may have encountered the term “psychodynamic therapy.” It might sound like something complicated, but it’s actually an insightful approach to understanding yourself. This form of therapy is built on the idea that our past, especially our early relationships and experiences, shapes who we are today. Let’s ...
- January Week 3 – Close, but Not Too Close: Managing Avoidant Attachment in Intimate Relationships
In relationships, some people feel the pull between wanting closeness and feeling overwhelmed by it. This is especially true for those with an avoidant attachment style.
Avoidant individuals tend to value independence and may struggle with emotional closeness, which can affect their intimate relationships. Understanding and managing avoidant attachment can lead to healthier, more ...
- Sarita Redalia, January Week 3 – Defining Depression and Its Symptoms
Depression is more than just feeling blue. It’s a common mental health condition that can profoundly impact your life, causing persistent sadness and loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. But it’s not just about mood – depression can affect how you think, sleep, eat, and act.
There are several types of depressive ...
- A Guide to EMDR and Its Uses – Lindsey Yochum, 1-3
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR is a type of therapy that allows individuals to process and move forward from any stressful or painful memories. While EMDR is an effective mental health treatment option, it’s still considered relatively new, especially compared to more traditional forms of therapy.
EMDR involves bilateral movement ...
- January Week 3 – Understanding the Role of Distress Tolerance in DBT
Everyone faces uncomfortable situations in life. That’s why learning to let go of anxiety and maintain a grounded perspective in the midst of frustrating circumstances is such a valuable ability. In Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), these techniques are known as distress tolerance skills. DBT aims to help people develop psychological flexibility so that ...
- Why Addiction is Considered a Family Disease, Mary Theodore, 1-3
You might think addiction only affects the person using substances, but it’s considered a family disease. Why? Because its impact ripples through the entire family unit. Addiction isn’t a personal failing or moral weakness — it’s a chronic yet treatable medical condition caused by persistent changes in the brain from ongoing substance misuse. ...
- 4 Ways to Navigate the Holidays When You Don’t Get Along with Your Partner’s Family, Lindsey Foss 1-3
The holidays might be behind us, but if you struggled to get through last year’s season with your partner’s family, you might already be thinking of ways to survive future holidays.
The holiday season is a great time to reconnect with people you don’t see often, and whether you’re in a committed dating relationship ...
- What to Know About EFT and Its Effect on Relationships – Jacqueline Warner – PSU Post #4
Couples therapy has gotten a negative association over the years. This is mostly due to media, television shows, or movies showcasing couples therapy as a last-ditch effort to save a relationship.
In reality, therapy can be utilized for both people who are struggling and those who want to continue to take steps to better ...
- 6 Techniques for Naturally Reducing Anxiety – Alex Dixon – PSU Post #2
Anxiety disorders are already the most common mental health condition on the planet. However, it’s more than likely that the numbers are higher than imagined. You see, high levels of anxiety can be present in your life without you knowing it. Many people have learned to live with abundant stress and anxious thought ...
- Overcoming Trauma: A Guide to Healing – MJ Jenkins – PSU Post #4
Life is filled with both ups and downs. Trauma is something that no one ever wants to deal with, but it’s likely to happen to them at some point throughout their life.
Traumatic events are complex. They can cause signs and symptoms that tend to stay with a person for weeks, months, or even ...
- How to Meet Someone Without Online Dating – Kathryn Bowen, 1-3
At first glance, it may appear that no one meets potential partners the old-fashioned way anymore. But there’s plenty of fake news out there. You see, folks are not relying solely on scrolling and swiping. Real-world interactions still count for a lot, and many relationships begin as such connections did 25 years ago.
Traditional ...
- 5 Common Communication Mistakes Couples Make , Jennifer Perera 1-3
Communication should be a top priority for all couples. It’s the cornerstone of a healthy relationship, no matter what other challenges you might face together.
Unfortunately, many couples struggle with communication because they fall into certain traps and make common mistakes. Some of those mistakes have to do with different communication styles. Others are ...
- January Week 3 – Understanding Internalized Homophobia: Key Signs to Recognize – Paul Austin
For those in the LGBTQ+ community, embracing their identity can be a liberating journey. However, this process can be complicated by societal pressures, stigmas, and the ingrained beliefs that contribute to internalized homophobia. Understanding what internalized homophobia is and recognizing its signs are important steps towards self-acceptance.
What is internalized homophobia?
Internalized homophobia refers to ...
- How to Balance Work and Home Expectations as a Woman, Jean Huber, 1-3
As a woman, you’re likely all too familiar with the juggling act of balancing work and home life. It’s like trying to keep multiple plates spinning at once. With more women entering the workforce, the pressure to excel professionally and personally has intensified. You’re expected to be a nurturing mom, a supportive partner, ...
- The Overlap Between Codependency and Narcissism – Hortencia Diaz, 1-3
Narcissism and codependency have become popular buzzwords over the past couple of years. However, social media posts rarely equate to useful knowledge. In the case of these two terms, it’s rarely discussed that there is an association and overlap to consider. Such an interplay may at first seem counterintuitive, but, in reality, it’s ...
- 6 Ways to Cope with Parenting Stress – Deborah Duley, 1-3
It’s hardly breaking news that parenting is stressful. What else could it be when you’re fully responsible for the well-being of a helpless child, but you still have to tend to all your other obligations at the same time? So yeah, by definition, parenting is stressful. But things do seem to be escalating ...
- How Long Does It Take To Diagnose ADHD?, Carrie Jackson 1-3
There is no single medical test for ADHD. It’s not something that can be diagnosed with a blood draw or some kind of scan.
Rather, ADHD is often diagnosed through a series of assessments and evaluations. As a result, you’re not going to receive a diagnosis in a day or two. It can often ...
- Recurring Grief: Understanding Emotions on Significant Dates Related to a Loss – Christian Bumpous
For many people, the calendar year is marked by a mix of anticipated joys—birthdays, holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, relationship milestones, and more. For some, however, certain dates serve as painful reminders of past losses and negative experiences.
Grief is a complex journey. Recurring grief adds another layer of challenge, forcing us to ...
- Common Causes of Low Sex Drive in Men, Aura Ardon 1-3
There are plenty of stereotypes about men and high sex drives. Unfortunately, these tropes can do more harm than good when we see them in movies, television shows, and even when they’re talked about in social circles.
The reality is that around 1 in 5 men experience low libido. The stereotypes often portrayed in ...
- January Week 3 – Understanding and Navigating the Emotional Struggles of PMDD – Sarah Moore
If your PMS symptoms seem so much worse than what your friends dealt with, you may not be suffering from PMS at all. Instead, you may have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). You dread this time of the month because you know that you’re about to endure a week or more of emotional turmoil.
Rather ...
- January Week 3 – Constantly Overwhelmed? Here’s How to Break the Cycle – Nancy Becker
There’s no denying that life is stressful. Schedules are busy. Obligations seem to never end. Maybe you’re overloaded at work or running around every second of the day with the kids. Whatever is causing you to feel constantly overwhelmed, you’re not alone.
You also don’t have to tell yourself it will never end.
Feeling overwhelmed ...
- January Week 3 – Complex Relational Trauma: What It Is and How It Impacts Your Life – Mitch Hicks
Trauma doesn’t always refer to a single event. Relational trauma is characterized by ongoing mistreatment, abuse, or abandonment within a relationship. In other words, it’s trauma that occurs in relation to someone whom you relied on.
The effects of relational trauma can be profound. Many people experience relational trauma as children, when the same ...
- January Week 3 – Can IFS Help People with ADHD? – Michael Quirke
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common but often misunderstood condition. Its name can be unfairly used as shorthand for anyone who has moments of distraction or forgetfulness. Perhaps a more useful way to look at ADHD is as a collection of symptoms and coping mechanisms. It’s almost as if there’s an internal battle ...
- January Week 3 – How to Manage Social Anxiety in a World Full of Social Expectations – Barbara Reese
Social anxiety isn’t just shyness—it’s a complex mental health condition that can affect anyone, even extroverts. It’s characterized by an intense fear of judgment in social situations, often disrupting daily life.
From selective mutism to avoidant personality disorder, social anxiety exists on a spectrum. Post-pandemic, many are experiencing heightened social difficulties, reminding us of ...
- What to Know About Perfectionism and Its Impact – Tara Daley, PSU Post #6
Perfectionism is often misunderstood. While striving for excellence is an admirable trait, perfectionism goes beyond it, which leads to harmful thought patterns and behaviors. Understanding perfectionism’s effects on mental health is crucial for managing its impact and developing a healthier mindset.
What Is Perfectionism?
Perfectionism can look different for many people, but it’s essentially the ...
- How to Help a Child with Anxiety- Christina Sullivan
When a child is struggling with anxiety, it can be difficult for parents, caregivers, and teachers to know how to help. Often, anxiety presents in ways that are hard to understand, making it tough to offer the right support. However, some strategies can make a big difference. Let’s learn more about how to ...
- Understanding Attachment Styles: How They Affect Your Relationships – Jenny Smith, 1-2
Have you ever wondered where your relationship style comes from? No two relationships are the same. How you find, start, engage, and act in relationships is unique to you, depending on your style and preferences.
You might choose partners who are similar to the people you observed while you were growing up, such as ...
- Complex Trauma: What It Is and How to Heal – PSU Post #1
The past few decades have seen a growth in awareness of trauma. In particular, you might regularly see the term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as you scroll each day. When trauma and PTSD are placed in an accurate, helpful manner, this is a positive trend. That said, it rarely includes parallel issues like ...
- Blended Families: Overcoming Common Hurdles – Jacqueline Warner PSU #3
No matter when you grew up or hold old you are, you’re probably familiar with the American sitcom from the 70s, The Brady Bunch. This series centered around a large blended family of a mother with three girls and a father with three boys, making a total of six children.
Family dynamics can already ...