couragepsych

Written by KHill Feeling symptoms of seasonal depression as we transition back to colder days is actually called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. With shorter days and less sunlight, our brain chemistry can be affected. This sometimes leads to feelings that sneak up on us, becoming noticeable only when they’ve become consistent. Light therapy is […]

Let’s start with figuring out what escapism is! Escapism is the act of mentally separating from something unpleasant by focusing on something entertaining or getting lost in your imagination. Forms of entertainment in these situations usually come from electronics. It’s so easy to grab your phone and spend time on social media instead of sitting

Elizabeth’s therapy style is rooted in the application of her expertise to help clients reach their goals. I met Elizabeth as a therapist first and at the beginning of a worldwide fallout, the pandemic. I knew instantly in the first interview that she would make a great leadership partner and excellent clinician. Little did I

Locus of control (LOC) is a theory coined by Julian B. Rotter in 1954. The need for this construct came about when Rotter wanted to better capture or understand personality and how humans learn. Rotter meant for locus of control to be more of a continuum, despite the use of either-or language. So what is

You are constantly bombarded with advertising trying to sell you on something, especially diets. A popular and ever-growing subset of advertising is taken up by diet companies. Altogether, the weight-loss and diet industry (gyms, food plans, medications, coaches, etc) was calculated to be a 75 billion dollar industry in 2023, up 15% from 2022.* Unfortunately,

With the solar eclipse fast approaching, I could not resist using it as a metaphor for worry thoughts! And who doesn’t love a pun?! NASA defines a solar eclipse as when the moon passes between the sun and the earth at just the right time.  As a result, the light from the sun is blocked,

Playing is one of the first ways we engage in learning and personal growth. Infants and toddlers allow their curiosity to abound, which results in interacting in fun ways with their environment and others. From there, they learn how the world works and how to be in the world.  Over time, the skill of playing

Is there room for compassion?  This is a question I often ask clients. It’s important to weave self-compassion into your routine.  The world can be a difficult place to navigate. On top of that, we are human and make mistakes or choices not in line with our values. Consequently, you may feel shame or guilt

We are our own worst critics. This is a saying you have probably come across before. An important follow-up question to ask yourself is, how does being critical impact my self-esteem and body image?  We all struggle with confidence and can be overly critical about our bodies at times. It can be hard to befriend

Let’s talk about body love and acceptance. An article was published years ago that brought truth to light about how messages about a body’s worth is contagious. In the article, a daughter found a photo of her mother in a bathing suit and thinks that her mother looks beautiful. The daughter goes on to recount