Spring Maintenance Checklist for Well-Being
Spring is a wonderful time to re-evaluate priorities, clean out things that are cluttering up your life, and get a fresh start.
Stress Relief Resources for Teenagers & Free Online Skills to Relax
Most teens are going to experience stress. Commons sources include pressure put on oneself or from others around performance such as getting good grades and excelling in activities such as sports.
Seeing Humanity Within Characters of Your Family’s Drama
As you watch the family drama unfold before your eyes as an audience member viewing a performance such as “True West” written by Sam Shepard it is hard to not think about the characters in your own story.
Feeling Connected During Times of Physical Separation
It can be hard to feel like you are still connected when physically separated from loved ones. Finding ways to feel connected even during physical distance can help aid in coping.
Autophobia: The Fear of Being Alone
Autophobia = fear of being alone. Autophobia is not recognized as an official diagnosis but falls within the category of a situational phobia, triggered by the fear of being alone or being lonely.
Mandated Reporting: Considerations for Providers Working with Children in the BIPOC Community
Since Black and Native American children are disproportionately reported and involved in child protective services in Minnesota, reading literature on topics such as systemic racism, ways to help break cycles and help children thrive, family preservation, kinship care, and building on the strengths of families is the first of many systems towards systemic change for everyone who works with children, but especially important when working with the BIPOC community.
“Systems” Involvement and Preservation of Black Families in Minnesota
As an early career mental health therapist, I worked predominantly with Black families with children who were involved in the “system” Most referrals for mental health evaluations and therapy came directly from the county for children working with child protective services (CPS) or juvenile probation.
What Makes Families Resilient?
Hardship does not just impact individuals, but also families. Have you ever wondered what-makes-families-resilient? Family Resiliency is defined as the family’s ability to “withstand and rebound from disruptive life challenges, strengthened and more resourceful” (Walsh, 2011, p 149). Dr. Walsh is an expert of family resiliency.
Celebrating the Holidays and Giving Thanks with Friends
While the holiday season is often known for its cultural significance of tradition with family and creating fun memories, it can also be a painful reminder of trauma, grief/ loss, and overall family dysfunction. Even if you consider yourself to be lucky to have grown up in an “intact” family or “loving” household, celebrating with family can be stressful.
Childhood Mental Health
Childhood mental health concerns have been on the rise over the last 10 years but significantly increased since 2020. Stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and racial inequality have only exacerbated underlying mental health concerns in our youngest patients.
