Prioritizing Yourself
One of the most important things I have learned on my mental health journey is that it’s okay to be self-centered. In fact, you NEED to be self-centered to some degree. It’s so easy...
SOVA Blog
Tips for Improving Your Journaling Practice
In a previous blog, one of our adolescent blogging ambassadors talked about some benefits of journaling. The practice of journaling regularly has physical benefits—for example, it really helps strengthen the immune system! Emotionally, it helps us organize our thoughts,...
Dealing With Outbursts
As someone diagnosed with depression, I will sometimes have outbursts. Everything catches up to me at once, and I will feel so sad and frustrated. All I want to do is sit in my...
The Musical Cure
The violin is a beautiful wooden instrument with a rich tone and a wide range of pitch. It can have different musical voices depending on the techniques used. It is the first-ever instrument that...
Back to School: New Semester
Sometimes it can be hard for students to go back to school after the holidays, especially for students with anxiety like myself. The rapid transition from the relaxation with friends and family to the...
Discussing Mental Health Through… Memes?
Memes are an undeniable staple of Internet culture. If you browse around many websites and social media platforms, you will almost certainly come across image macros, Tumblr posts, viral tweets, and other content that...
Looking at Substance Use
Society often looks negatively at those with substance use problems. There is a stigma and a false belief that those struggling with substance use are making a conscious choice to spiral downwards. It is rare...
A Feminist View on Mental Illness
In a recent gender studies class, we read Fiona Rummery’s “Mad Women or Mad Society: Towards a Feminist Practice.” Part of this work explores the connection between a woman’s assumed role as the homemaker and...
Having a Bad Mental Health Day
Living with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can sometimes be taxing. I know I have come across this a lot—I feel down, anti-social, or just plain exhausted! While it’s true that we are...
TED Talk: The Gift and Power of Emotional Courage
Research on emotional suppression shows that when emotions are pushed aside or ignored,they get stronger. Psychologists call this amplification. In this talk, Susan David discusses the concept of emotional agility—allowing ourselves to really feel our negative...
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