by Moderator ★
January 9, 2017 in Be Positive
The internet can get a bad rap for being a place that spreads negativity. But that’s not always the case! Check out this compilation by Huffington Post about 10 positive places on the internet.
Some of the websites include calm.com and hooplaha.com.
Let us know what you think in the comments below!
by Moderator ★
January 4, 2017 in Educate Yourself
It is hard saying that its time to get help for how you feel for a lot of different reasons. One of the most common reasons is because the actual symptoms of depression can make it tough to want to get help.
1. Guilt — Depression can make you feel like everything that goes wrong is your fault. You also feel bad for all kinds of different things. Some young people feel bad that they would have to get treatment for depression, too. They think only if they could take care of their problems on their own, they wouldn’t have to ask for help or trouble their parents to take them to the doctor or therapist. The fact is that depression is not your fault – just like any other illness or disease is not your fault either.
2. Not feeling motivated — Part of depression is not feeling up to doing much of anything. You would rather stay in bed or in the house than face the world. Going to see a therapist or a doctor about an emotional problem is tough for anyone, but especially if you don’t feel like even doing things you used to think were fun. It can help to have a friend or family member go with you and try to help you get to your appointments so you can get better.
3. Having a hard time concentrating — Even if you do get to a therapist, participating in therapy appointments can be a lot of work. You need to really think about how you think and how you have dealt with different experiences in the past so you can learn from them. When you are depressed, you can have a hard time focusing and concentrating on things. Your brain can feel worn out and like mush – that can make participating in therapy hard. Be open with your therapist. If you feel like you can’t focus, they can change or slow down their strategy – or talk to your doctor about whether adding medications would help.
4. Lack of energy — Being depressed can be a draining process. You might feel like you would rather be sleeping or just like you have no energy to do anything. Even if you were motivated, you’d have no energy to get yourself to actually do anything. This is another reason having a support person can be really helpful.
5. Sleep disturbances — Not being able to sleep well can really take a toll on anyone, but especially if you are already experiencing other symptoms of depression. Talk to your doctor or therapist about the problems you have with sleeping. Keep a sleep diary to help you let them know exactly what is going on. Everyone is different, but usually there are different strategies that can help. Getting good sleep can make a world of difference in how you feel. Here are some strategies which may help you.
by Moderator ★
January 2, 2017 in Be Positive
Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new end. – Carl Bard
Photo Credit: Manue@PrettyKiku via Compfight cc
by Moderator ★
December 26, 2016 in Be Positive
Perseverance is falling nineteen times and succeeding the twentieth. – Julie Andrews
Photo Credit: lastbeats via Compfight cc
We would love to hear about a time you persevered in the comments!
by Moderator ★
December 21, 2016 in Educate Yourself
For this blog post, I interviewed a therapist to ask questions about how and why therapy could help people with depression and anxiety. His name is Gary Sadler, a Transition Care Coordinator at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine. While he explained that his work covers more than just therapy, he does frequently counsel teens and young adults who are depressed or who have anxiety.
The first question I asked was basically, “Why does therapy work?”
Mr. Sadler explained that often people think that medication alone will help them to feel better. He said that while this sometimes is enough, research shows that the most effective method is the combination of medication and therapy. He says that talking to a third party about “whats going on in your life” helps to improve depressive symptoms. He explains, “I always stress to the patient that it is their therapy, it’s not my therapy. I’m here to listen, I’m here to interpret. You end up helping yourself by just talking about it.”
Next, I asked, “How do you help patients to feel comfortable?”
He said that he always begins by introducing himself and letting the patient tell him first a little bit about themselves. He will let them know, “I want to get to know you and know who you are as a person.” He also says that building trust and explaining confidentiality are key. He says, “Hopefully we can reach that level so that the person doesn’t feel that if I tell you something, you’re going to share that with someone else, because I’m not.”
I followed up by asking him to explain patient confidentiality.
He explained, “The general rule is that confidentiality is guaranteed to the patient when it comes to mental health. [In Pennsylvania] You can be as young as 14 years old and you can request mental health treatment and that treatment, and those notes and those conversations are protected. And for me to release that information would require approval from the patient, except if there was any type of subject matter or topic that came up or statement that was made [with intent to] hurt someone else, or if they’re going to hurt themselves, and then it would be that I may have to report it.”
I then asked, “How can you tell if your therapy sessions are going well or not?”
His answer was that if he is talking more than the patient, then they are not going well. “The patient should be doing a lot more talking.” He also said that at the end of every session, he does a “summary and check in,” by summarizing what has been discussed and seeing how the patient is feeling. He says he will ask, “How did you feel about today’s session? Is there anything that made you uncomfortable? Is there anything that we may have not discussed? That you maybe want to discuss the next time we meet? How did you feel?”
I finished by asking him if there was anything else that he thought was important for young adults or teens who are considering treatment to know.
He says, “I think the most important thing is to understand that it is okay to be depressed. It’s okay to have some form of anxiety. So if you have some sort of mental illness or if someone puts a label on it, it’s not something permanent. Not to really feel like you know I don’t want to go into treatment because everybody is going to find out. Because again, it’s a diagnosis, but the diagnosis is only there to support how we intervene. The diagnosis is not something that’s to be shared with everybody, and most people that go through any type of therapy for depression end up becoming better. I mean the statistics are, and the research is out there, that a lot of people recover. It really is that effective.”
So there you have it. What do you think? Let us know!
by Moderator ★
December 13, 2016 in Educate Yourself
Many people are reluctant about starting therapy or counseling. There are a number of unknowns and reasons that can create this hesitation. Therefore, we thought it would be good to address some common parts of a first therapy session such as the assessment.
Usually, therapists will do an assessment during the first session in an effort to help them get to know the client and to better understand the client’s goals for therapy. This assessment can be different among therapists because every therapist has their preferred way of handling the first session.
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In a Huffington Post article titled “Going To Therapy For The First Time? Here’s What To Expect,” Jeannie Bertoli, Ph.D., a counselor, was asked about what to expect in the first session. She said, “Some therapists do a first session by getting an assessment of the current problem. Some will do background, so they’ll understand your childhood and any medical issues. Some will just listen and say ‘Uh huh’ a lot, and will be a more passive therapist, and some will really engage with you about what’s going on right now, and get to the depth of it.”
“Assessment” can also be an intimidating word because it sounds similar to taking an exam or test. However, in therapy, an assessment is a set of questions asked by the mental health professional. It’s a very important part of therapy because it helps the therapist get a well-rounded idea of what’s going on with you. Assessment questions aim to help with many aspects of counseling such as the following:
To help address the aims of therapy, here are several common questions that will most likely be asked:
Before going into the first session (or any therapy session), it is important to remember that the client is actually the one in charge, not the mental health professional. In order to get the most out of each session, it is important to speak up and work together with your therapist. Many individuals seeking therapy for the first time do not realize how active their role is or how much talking they might do. Remember, a therapist or counselor is an objective, professional resource who is not there to judge you or force you to disclose anything that makes you uncomfortable. Bertoli points out in the Huffington Post article that, “You’re the co-creator of this relationship. If you go in saying , ‘Here are my goals, here are my expectations, my preferences for how to proceed, what matters to me the most,’ — if you go in prepared and not looking to take a backseat … you will have the most success.” If you’re feeling nervous before your first therapy session, it can be helpful to make a list of things you want to talk about or review any of the questions above.
Lastly, there is no required “criteria” to see a therapist and you do not have to be in crisis to get help. Therapists are there to help people of all ages live happier, healthier and more productive lives. You may have to “shop around” for the perfect fit between you and your therapist, but ideally you should find someone who makes you feel comfortable and safe to talk openly about wherever your mind takes you. You cannot fail at therapy and there is no right or wrong way to do it.
Have you ever attended therapy? What was your experience? Do you want to start therapy, but have similar hesitations? If you have any questions or comments about the subject of today’s post, please let us know in the comment section below!
by Moderator ★
December 12, 2016 in Be Positive
Photo Credit: Martin von Ottersen Flickr via Compfight cc
In what ways, if any, does this quote apply to your life?
by Moderator ★
December 9, 2016 in LINKS
http://www.211.org/
Have you ever needed help and not known where to turn to? Are you unaware of resources in your local area? A lot of people need resources but don’t know where or how to get them. Have you ever heard of the 2-1-1 Helpline?
The 2-1-1 Helpline is the United Way Helpline that provides connections to local, on the ground services. 2-1-1 is a free and confidential service that helps people across North America find resources in their local area, and it operates 24 hours a day and seven days a week. 2-1-1 can assist people in finding resources in terms of dealing with human trafficking, crisis and emergency, disaster assistance, food, health, housing, jobs and financial support, reentry for the formerly incarcerated, and veterans support. The Helpline can be accessed by dialing 2-1-1 on your phone or going to http://www.211.org/.
No matter what you are going through, there are people that are waiting to help you. Go to www.211.org to find out more information about the local 2-1-1 in your area.
Have you ever used the 2-1-1 Helpline before? Let others know what you think of the service in the comments below!
by Moderator ★
December 8, 2016 in Social Media Guide
http://millennialceo.com/influence-social-currency/
Social media has connected the world unlike anything else ever has. You can keep in contact with friends and family with ease as while as share individual experiences with the world. Social media has undeniably changed how we all interact with one another, but can it also lead to negative outcomes?
Social media is often times used as a stage to compare your individual life with others. Likes, comments, and shares can become an unhealthy form of social currency. Social currency is defined by Wikipedia as shared information that encourages further social encounters. Comparing your life to others can lead to feelings of isolation, jealousy, or the dreaded fear of missing out (FOMO). In some cases, mental health issues can be associated with social comparison.
Looking at social networking sites as a collection of your memories and using it in a nostalgic way is a healthier use of this platform. Instead of using social media as a place of constant comparison, try viewing it as an online scrapbook to look back and remember all the amazing things you have experienced with those you love and care for.
Read more about this in an article called Me, Myselfie, and I: The psychological Impact of Social Media Activity by Hannah Schacter
by Moderator ★
December 7, 2016 in Educate Yourself
Photo Credit: Jake.Christopher. Flickr via Compfight cc
You’ve decided to get professional help for the depression and anxiety you’ve been dealing with these last couple of months. After a few appointments with your new therapist, you feel like things just aren’t going well- you don’t feel heard or understood, you don’t feel like you’re getting the help you need, or maybe you sense a disconnect between you and the helping professional. Where do you go from here?
It can take a lot of courage to commit to going to therapy. And when things aren’t seeming to click with your therapist, it can be really disheartening. The good news is this is common for so many people. Finding the right fit can be a process, but getting the help you need and deserve is absolutely worth it!
Some people connect with their therapist right away, but this is not the norm. Often, it is a trial-and-error process. While it’s good to give the helping process a chance for a few sessions, you’ve got to listen to your gut if you feel like things aren’t working after giving it some time. You-as the client- are in control of the sessions! When things aren’t going well, it might be good to start by expressing your concerns to the therapist. Let them know that you aren’t getting what you need out of the sessions and make suggestions for how things could change for the better. Another option is to begin to look for another therapist, especially one that specializes in the care you need (anxiety and/or depression, grief and loss). A great website that has a lot of information on therapists is https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/
Do you have a story about finding the right fit for you in therapy? We’d love to hear in the comments below!
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