Activity pacing is an important skill to have when coping with chronic illness, recovering from an injury, or managing other health problems. As you work to juggle your physical symptoms with your daily activities and responsibilities, it can be hard not to overdo it.
Becoming a parent is a major life transition. Although it can be a joyful experience for families, it also comes with a significant amount of physical and emotional changes. The transition to parenthood is challenging, regardless of whether you are welcoming your first child or your last of many.
Along with low mood, prolonged loss of enjoyment in pleasurable activities is one of the hallmark symptoms of depression. When depressed, it can be difficult to do the things that make you feel good. This disengagement can then worsen depressive symptoms and make it that much harder to cope.
Guided imagery is a relaxation strategy that can help to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, by helping us to find a sense of calm in both our minds and bodies. Through guided imagery, we can access the calming qualities of our real or imagined “happy” places by systematically imagining how these places feel through our 5 senses.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a relaxation tool that asks you to systematically tense and relax your muscles, in order to destress. By first noticing the tension in your muscles, you can more easily replace the tension with relaxation, and ultimately reduce your physical symptoms of anxiety and depression. PMR: Getting Ready It is important […]
Autogenic Relaxation Training (ART) is a relaxation strategy that asks you to focus on feelings of warmth and heaviness within your body to create a deep sense of physical and mental relaxation. ART can help to reduce physical symptoms of anxiety and depression such as lowering heart rate, breathing rate, and muscle tension and can […]
Effective communication is a crucial component of maintaining healthy relationships. When we communicate well with those around us, including family, friends, and coworkers, we can help strengthen our relationships and feel adequately supported. However, low mood, anxiety, or anger, can disrupt our abilities to communicate and make us feel increasingly isolated from those around us. […]
Social connections are an essential part of the human experience and play an important role in maintaining our mental health and well-being. However, when we are feeling anxious or depressed, it can be hard for us to reach out. Feelings of loneliness and isolation can limit our ability to identify sources of social support and […]
Life transitions are significant changes that people go through over the course of their lives. How we deal with these transitions can vary depending on the nature of the transition (planned or unplanned, temporary or permanent, etc.) and the personal resources and strengths we have to face such challenges. Acknowledging and understanding the toll that […]
When considering options for treatment of anxiety or depression, some may wonder whether they should take medications or engage in psychotherapy to find relief. The answer to this question is complex and there are many components to consider. Here, we hope to highlight some of the issues that can arise as you think about what […]
