Let’s talk about deservedness and how it plays a role in your life. When something unfavorable happens in your life – a rejection, a setback, a painful experience- how do you explain it to yourself? When positive experiences and “perfect days” occur, do you fully believe you deserve them? An interesting topic in psychology that […]
Media Literacy is defined as “the ability to encode and decode the symbols transmitted via media and synthesize, analyze and produce mediated messages.”* To simplify, media literacy is when you are able to understand, think critically about what you are seeing in the media, but also be able to create your own content and express
Our daily life is filled with digital interactions and the power of positive internet spaces is not to be underestimated. We are exposed to unwanted algorithms and content that we didn’t subscribe to. This has significant impacts on how we feel, think, and interact with others. Therefore, finding or creating a space online that is
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a technique that alleviates stress and anxiety. It can be used during a stressful experience and is also described as a mindful activity that promotes relaxation. Therefore, you can practice PMR as a proactive OR reactive measure to take control of anxiety and reactions to stress. In progressive muscle relaxation,
We have been doing some reflecting on the idea of new year, new me as January is coming to a close. January is often accompanied by thoughts of “new beginnings” and “a fresh chapter.” New, new, new- it’s everywhere. We see New Year’s resolutions, people starting new habits, and an air of reinvention- which can
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 often the primary
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
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,
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
I was recently asked to give a presentation at an activity in the community on the topic of self-care. I wanted to focus more on the WHAT versus the WHY, and how we can connect self-care to our best selves! Now, I’d like to share those same thoughts with you. Fortunately, most of us recognize
