I had a great conversation about The Emotions of Parenthood over on the Zebra Ears podcast. We talked about mental health, depression, Meghan Markle, and parenting – now available on iTunes and Spotify.
parenting
Blog
The psychology of scotch bonnets
I’ve never fully understood people who tell me that they can’t “handle” spicy foods. Sure, like others, more than once I’ve bitten off more than I should have, and enjoyed delicious spiciness all the while with tears pouring down my face. So why do some people hate hot sauce, chili peppers, and other spicy foods…
General
9 Myths About Mental Illness
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Let’s start off with some important myth-busting. Myth: Suffering from mental illness is uncommon. Mental illness is probably more common than you think. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than one in five U.S. adults lives with a mental illness. Chances are you know or are…
Mental Health Month
What To Do When You Don’t Feel Valuable
It takes work to shift your thoughts, but what is most important that you start taking small actions that signify “I have value.” Take Small Actions What does that look like on a daily basis? Offering your opinion. Speaking up in a crowded room. Sitting in the front row. Sending your order back when it’s…
Generalstrategies for self-care
Deep breathing and anxiety
When you feel a wave of anxiety, these are tools that you can use wherever you are. Your breath is your friend. Acknowledge to yourself that anxiety is occurring. Remember that you’ve dealt with this before, and you made it through. EXHALE a long breath. Yes, exhale. You’re letting it out first. Give yourself a…
anxietystrategies for self-care
Why some people cannot apologize
To be able to admit that we’ve done something wrong requires a certain level of self-esteem or ego strength. People who are deeply insecure can find it challenging to say I’m sorry in part because a single mistake has the power to obliterate their fragile self-worth. The idea that they could make a mistake and…
General
Depression and Parenting
I was recently the speaker on The Zebra School, a parenting podcast, on pregnancy and mental health. Depression, both during pregnancy, and postpartum, are very serious concerns that can affect the entire family. The podcast and blog interview will be officially LIVE May 1, 2021. You can listen to the full interview on iTunes, Spotify,…
parenting
Six tips to improve your resilience
RESILIENCE: The capacity to recover from difficulties; toughness. Elasticity. Six tips to improve your resilience: Get connected Building strong, positive relationships with loved ones and friends virtually can provide you with needed support and acceptance in both good times and bad. Establish other important connections by joining a faith or spiritual community online. Make every…
strategies for self-care
12 Calming Tips
Make a list. Take a walk. Seek connection. De-clutter. Plan and prepare. Prioritize: conserve your energy. Take a nap; reboot. When you take out your trash, do a visualization: you are taking out the mental and emotional detritus of the week. Schedule worry time; put off worrying until ‘the worry hour.’ Put together a playlist…
anxiety
Racial Trauma and Mental Health
Meta-analysis reviews of racial trauma research unequivocally demonstrate symptoms that mirror post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Mental Health. Psychologically, racial trauma can cause symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Arousal: higher reports of somatization when distressed (e.g., stomach aches, headaches, rapid heartbeat). Anger and disruptive behavior: more behavioral problems in children and teens Chronic Stress: depression,…
race and mental health
