By Charlie Monroe A couple months ago, I downloaded the app Insight Timer on my phone. [1] It’s a compendium of hundreds, maybe thousands of hours of guided meditations, breathing exercises and relaxation mantras of nearly every imaginable length and style. To be honest, I haven’t used it nearly as much as I planned to.…
Mood Food Vol 4: Chocolate & Mind Care
by “ChefNurse” Ellen Minier, MSN, PMHNP-BC Chocolate, often referred to as “the food of love” has been a Valentine’s Day staple since the turn of the century when Richard Cadbury is said to have designed the first heart-shaped box of chocolates. Long before then, the Aztecs and Mayans recognized that the cacao bean was quite…
Disenfranchised Grief: what it is & how to cope
by Denise Padilla de Font & Daja Mayner, MSW, LCSW When someone in our life dies or we experience a transformational loss, we want to be supported by friends, family and our community while we grieve. Typically, the loss is ritualized through private or public ceremony, such as a funeral. Society acknowledges our loss through…
Recovering from a Break-up
by Andy Greene Breakups are often very difficult and emotionally taxing on a person’s mental health. Not all breakups are bad. Some are mutual and amicable; sometimes a breakup can be wonderful and freeing! It is also to be expected that large percentage of breakups are quite the opposite and are difficult to handle. As…
How to Fix Sleep Problems
by Megan Comer, PA-C Sleep is something that we all want to improve. No one seems to be getting enough sleep, yet it is so vital to our wellbeing. There are many sleep disorders out there, but there is hope! There are also a lot of ways to treat problems with sleep. Let’s cover two…
How to Stop Criticizing Yourself
by Andy Greene Reflecting on one’s self is important and can help us learn how to be better people. However, there should be a limit on this reflection of character and many people go far over what they can handle, beating themselves up in the process. Many of the reflections they make aren’t even true…
How to Cultivate Fulfilling & Long-Lasting Friendships
by Kimberly McGrady, LCSW & Jorge Enrique Since we humans are social creatures, it is natural for many of us to want to connect with others and form close, enduring friendships. What makes a fulfilling friendship can vary from person to person. However, data suggests that most successful friendships meet the following criteria: shared experience,…
Achieving the Mindset Needed for Accomplishing Goals In 2020
by Daniel Whittler We have begun a new decade, a true landmark in life when you think about it. Usually when the new year comes I reflect on the past year but as we entered 2020 I naturally found myself looking at the past decade. For me, ten years ago I was in active addiction…
Mood Food Vol 3: Healthy Intentions
by “ChefNurse” Ellen Minier, MSN, PMHNP-BC It is the time of year where many of us are feeling the effects of overindulgence during the holiday season. In the past I have tried to make “resolutions” to drastically change the way I have been eating. The problem with resolutions is they are often broken as quickly…
How Anxiety Affects Us
by Andy Greene As MindPath’s Dr. Daniel Wurzelmann explains, “Anxiety can be helpful in alerting us to possible danger and encouraging us to prepare for upcoming challenges, like studying for a test or preparing for a trip. But, anxiety can become a disorder when it becomes overpowering and starts to interfere with our functioning and…
The Connection Between Healthy Eating & Depression
by Arti J. Patel, PA-C, MSPAS The famous phrase, “you are what you eat” tends to make us think of obesity and diabetes. However, many studies are showing connections between one’s eating habits and depression. Have you noticed how you feel after a big Thanksgiving meal? Maybe tired our lousy? It’s all those carbs and refined…
Coping with Unexpected Life Transitions
by Joelle Shipp MA, LPC Life can be demanding with the many responsibilities and expectations we have for ourselves or that others have for us. Many of us have an idea of what we want our lives to look like—whether that includes attending college and landing the entry level job, beginning a new relationship, starting…