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A long work commute drains energy quickly, so coping with it is an important part of protecting your emotional wellness. Long stretches in traffic reduce time for connection and relaxation, which adds tension to the start and end of your day. Many people share that their commute pulls them away from moments with friends, family, and personal downtime. Small adjustments create space for better focus and a calmer mindset. How Coping with a Long Work Commute Supports…
You can take meaningful steps to reduce the pull of your smartphone once you understand how easy it is for habits to form around constant checking. Many people explore how to distance themselves from their phone because they want more focus, more calm, and more time for the parts of life that feel fulfilling. Small changes help you create some breathing room as you build a healthier relationship with your device. When these habits feel natural, and…
By now, we all know that it’s better for our health and our relationships to limit the amount of time we spend glued to our smartphones. By being attuned to our screens instead of the world surrounding us, we’re missing out on connections with our loved ones and peaceful moments. I can’t count the number of times a client has made a disparaging remark about their relationship with their cell phone, noted the difficulty in staying focused…
Cigna recently conducted research on loneliness and its impact on our health. Despite the ease with which we tend to joke about being lonely, it can wreak havoc on our physical and emotional health. The Cigna U.S. Loneliness Index, which surveyed over 20,000 American adults, found that around 50% of Americans feel lonely sometimes, around 25% of Americans rarely or never feel as if they have someone who understands them, and the youngest adults now (Generation Z)…
The image of a parent kissing their child’s scraped knee is as timeless and iconic as it is heartwarming. Though some might say the act is more symbolic or just a placebo, there are some good brain reasons why this actually works. Louis Cozalino writes in his book, The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy, “This biochemical cascade stimulate the secretion of oxytocin, prolactin, endorphins, and dopamine, resulting in warm, positive, and rewarding feelings.” He goes on to say, ”It…
It’s 7pm on a weeknight. You’ve just gotten home from a long day at work and are absolutely exhausted. Unfortunately, you have a meeting in the morning you need to prepare for. Before starting to prepare you think to yourself “I should take my dog out for a walk”. When you get home from your walk you make dinner for your kids then start to get them ready for bed. While you’ve been productive with these tasks,…
Danielle Bertini, LPC It is no secret that living in today’s world it can be easy to get caught up in the high-demand, fast-paced environment. Smartphones, social media, Internet, and constant text messages can quickly become overwhelming. Aside from some of the more “traditional” ways to fight daily stressors, such as yoga, meditation, exercise, etc., there is another way to be able to find help right at home, in the form of a wet nose or a…
Steven Topper, LCPC Most of us would agree that the world would be a far lovelier place with a little more compassion. And while many of us work to extend compassion toward our pets, families, and friends, so many struggle with self-compassion. In the Podcast “Psychologists Off The Clock,” Dr. Christopher Germer discussed the role of self-compassion and how to increase daily self-compassion. He asserts that self-compassion is a practice in moving toward acceptance, and that, “You…
I work with many clients who struggle with being a people pleaser. My job as their clinical therapist is to help the client understand possible reasons why they struggle with the need of wanting to please other people and then possible coping strategies on how to start saying “no” to others. I recently read an article from Fast Company that touched on this very topic, “How to stop your people-pleasing behavior from limiting your success” by author…
Shannon M. Duffy, MFT, LCPC Pain affects your overall mood and in turn, can affect the quality of your life. It is becoming more important and beneficial for those who experience acute and chronic pain to address pain management within the psychotherapy atmosphere. We typically just associate pain with physical components, however, those who have chronic pain experience unpleasant sensory and emotional difficulties. There is a very high prevalence of comorbidity of mood disorders with those who…