If you are pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s okay not to be okay. Remaining calm, positive, and hopeful during the past few months might’ve been incredibly challenging. While you can’t change what is going on in the world, you can choose to focus on your mindset, mood, and anxiety levels. While it is important...Read More

Share this:Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Read More

In July, we acknowledge Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This year, we’ve seen discussions of experiences of racism and the detrimental impact it has on equitable access to resources such as housing, healthcare, and education. However, we don’t often see the impact racism has on mental health. Experiences of racism have negative effects on the...Read More

As we navigate our new normal during the COVID-19 pandemic, technology can be a tremendous blessing for keeping us connected, entertained, and even allowing some of us to work remotely. During the past few months, many apps have made adjustments to their prices or offering to help us cope with the pandemic and practice safe...Read More

If you’ve ever been stuck inside due to rain or a blizzard, you have an idea about experiencing cabin fever. However, anytime we feel isolated from the outside world ‘cabin fever’ can occur. COVID-19 social distancing and quarantine practices have many experiencing cabin fever due to confinement for a longer period of time. If you’re...Read More

Traumatic events ranging from personal ones to a global pandemic like COVID-19 can cause traumatic stress and take an emotional toll on your life. Experiencing traumatic stress after a distressing event such as the COVID-19 pandemic, a motor vehicle accident, natural disaster, or violent crime is completely normal. May individuals report feeling intense shock, fear,...Read More

Carla Washington, MA, LPC, ATRR is an adjunct professor of art therapy at Wayne State University and a licensed counselor with our practice, Beverly Hills Therapy Group. I asked Carla about her work, how she started, and how art therapy has evolved for her. Can you tell me a little bit about how you came...Read More

Animal-lovers know that pets are powerful mood boosters. Having a pet has numerous mental health benefits and can help many cope with their stress, anxiety, or depression. Our pets are incredibly attuned to our emotions. Dogs can interpret body language, gestures, and more. Numerous studies have shown that pet owners are less likely to suffer...Read More

Stress has a large impact on our lives and affects our physical and mental health, relationships, and performance at work. Stress has such a powerful impact on our physical health that it can even make many health conditions worse.  Stress can exacerbate or cause many serious health problems. Cardiovascular disease has been linked to stress....Read More

Have you recently found yourself working from home? Or maybe you’ve been working from home for years. Individuals who work from home often face increased anxiety, depression and loneliness due to their remote situation. If you’ve just started working from home, do you find that you’re feeling more stressed, or perhaps fighting feelings of isolation?...Read More

Spring for high school and college Seniors usually means experiencing the delight of “senioritis”, experiencing the remaining time you have with your friends for the last few weeks before graduation. It’s also a time of many major life events such as prom, graduation parties and ceremonies, and other local traditions. However, due to the COVID-19...Read More

The world is being told to stay put in our homes and practice “social distancing” by limiting our trips outside the home and social contact during the COVID-19, or “coronavirus”, pandemic. While we’re all concerned with our physical health as it relates to avoiding the virus, many are also concerned about their mental well-being. The...Read More

After an emergency, children may feel upset or anxious no matter their age. Some children may not show obvious signs of difficulty until later while some may have strong reactions immediately. A child’s reaction will depend on their previous experiences, how they typically deal with stressors, and their age. Typically, children react based on how...Read More

Continue the work of therapy even from a distance. Seeing a therapist used to imply being in the same room with them, but not any longer. Teleconferencing has made it possible to see a mental health professional from a distance. With recent requirements for social distancing, many therapists and clients have had to either pause...Read More

March is Self-Injury Awareness Month. When an individual is in severe emotional distress, they may turn to physical self-harm. Self-injury is intentional and a way for the person to mirror their emotional pain through physical pain. For some, a self-inflicted injury has a calming effect and helps them “feel something”. Self-injury is much more common...Read More

When we’re young, we’re often told to share and to be kind to others. Kindness is beneficial to us all whether we’re on the giving or receiving end, but it can also improve our mental well-being. As the medical community has seen mental health conditions rise over the years, kindness can help us all connect...Read More

It’s no secret that we live in the age of technology. However, many of today’s parents did not grow up with technology or grew up at a time when technology might’ve been a basic cellphone and a home computer. Because of this, this generation of parent’s is writing the rules of technology for its children....Read More

If you believe your loved one is in danger, call 911 immediately. It’s challenging to help friends or family members who are struggling with an eating disorder and not receiving the help they need. February is Eating Disorder Awareness month and if you need some guidance, there are several ways you can safely assist your...Read More

This time of year, many people are hyper-focused on keeping their New Year resolution fitness goals. Exercise is great for our physical health. It helps us control our weight, lower blood pressure, reduces the risk of diseases such as diabetes, gives us an energy boost, and more. But exercise is more than just beneficial for...Read More

The workplace is often the last place that we expect to discuss our mental health, but it is one of the most vital places that our mental health comes into play in our daily lives. There are still stigmas surrounding our mental health. Employees may fear judgement from their boss or co-workers if they disclose...Read More

Winter is hard for many who struggle with their mental health. Yet in one of the bleakest regions during winter, you can find some of the happiest people on Earth according to researchers. In Denmark, the Danish culture has embraced the concept known as Hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”). Hygge is a way of living that focuses...Read More

Struggling with a mental illness can make it challenging to plan ahead for some individuals. Some years can be uneventful while others can bring big changes or the need for additional help managing mental health. As the year draws to a close, many people choose to make New Year’s resolutions. But, if you’re not sure...Read More

Winter is hard. For many of us, it’s a season of cold, gloomy days with little sunshine. We spend less time outdoors and more time under artificial lights. For 5% of the U.S. population, these seasonal changes can signal the start of seasonal affective disorder, more commonly known and appropriately abbreviated as SAD. SAD is...Read More

Around the holiday season, we often hear that it’s better to give than to receive. But did you know that there is some scientific truth to this? It’s easy to feel as though we’re too busy or stressed to help others, but research shows that giving back to others is helpful for our own mental...Read More

The holiday season is upon us. Shopping, parties, gift-giving – it seems non-stop from Halloween until the New Year. This season is meant to represent love, family, and cheer, but for many it’s a source of stress. A big cause of holiday stress can be trying to do too much. While stress is necessary for...Read More

If you struggle with disappointment or sadness during the holiday season, it can seem as though nothing is fulfilling. Even if your life is going great, you’re not alone if you feel this way sometimes. Even successful people can find themselves feeling crushed by the winter season.      There are many strategies available to help you...Read More

Do you have a great work ethic, but struggle to stay on task? Or maybe you consider yourself responsible but often miss important details or miss deadlines, or are often late for meetings. Maybe you’re not very good at studying, but know that you’re smart.  Sound familiar? It’s possible the cause is attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder,...Read More

Each year, many of us make health-related promises to ourselves. We attempt to take better care of ourselves and set goals to exercise and eat healthier. Just as our physical health and fitness are important, so is our mental fitness. It’s vital to our overall health and happiness. We live longer and richer lives when we...Read More

If you think it can be challenging to support someone who has attempted suicide, you’re not alone. Often, people don’t know what to do or say and finding the right words can be difficult. It can be incredibly overwhelming. It’s important to create a “safe zone” where the person you are supporting can feel loved,...Read More

According to the CDC, U.S. suicide rates are growing rapidly each year. Rates are now at the highest since World War II. Some of the contributing factors are believed to be high stress, social media usage, and the current opioid crisis.  CDC data from 2017 shows that 14 out of 100,000 Americans had a cause...Read More

Suicide is currently in the top 10 list of leading causes of death in the United States according to the CDC. Over 47,000 individuals lost their lives as a result of suicide. Even more tragic is that suicide is the second leading cause of death in individuals between the ages of 10-34 and fourth leading...Read More

A somewhat startling new trend in recent years is “mommy drinking” culture. Meant to be innocent and funny, it’s common to see t-shirts, memes, and coffee mugs that might say “This is actually wine”, or “It’s Wine o’clock.” Products and apparel make it seem more normalized, or that “everyone is doing it”. It may even,...Read More

Often, mental health issues begin during the school years. It may seem logical that mental health education should be a vital part of the curriculum and to begin at an early age, yet that is not the reality in most schools. Stigma and misconceptions are prevalent, and knowledge lacking. Yet, since children spend much of...Read More

Mental resilience is trending, and for good reason! Resilience, or the ability to adapt and bounce back during difficult times or trauma, makes us better able to handle challenges that happen during our lives and remain strong. Often, resilient individuals have already overcome difficulties in their lives and are better equipped to face challenges when...Read More

In the U.S., we’ve recently seen mental health issues coming to the forefront of conversations, especially as these issues present themselves in diverse ways. These conversations are still uncomfortable, but we must have courage to talk about these issues with our family and friends. Yet stigmas and disparities surrounding mental health issues often prevent mental...Read More

Do you feel guilty for saying no? Often those who feel this guilt fear rejection, disapproval, blame or criticism. They may feel a lack of recognition. These fears are irrational beliefs and often become worse while under stress. These feelings don’t need to be your normal. People-pleasers are fearful of saying “no” due to a...Read More