Distress tolerance: how to be ok when things are not ok

Black and white portrait of person with arm raised to head, looking distressed

In Dialectical Behavioral Therapy another important set of skills addresses distress tolerance. Distress tolerance is an individual’s ability to manage feelings of emotional distress. Emotional distress is another way of saying feeling overwhelmed. When individuals do not feel like they have distress tolerance skills, they may use unhealthy coping mechanisms to manage their overwhelming emotions. […]

The ups and downs of social media

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Social media and social networking sites have become a common part of every day life. A statistic from 2018 showed that it was typical for social media users to have an average of 8 separate social media accounts. Knowing this, it’s likely that you and most of the people in your circles are active on […]

Not always rainbows: mental health in the LGBTQIA+ community

Person's feet in white sneakers standing on a rainbow painted on dark pavement

Let’s start off by acknowledging that the LGBTQIA+ community is not monolithic and there are many unique challenges that are faced by individuals depending on the sexual and gender identity they hold as well as visibility of these identities in potentially unsafe environments. That being said, much of the present research on sexual and gender […]

Attachment Series Part 5: Disorganized Attachment

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Have you ever felt caught between a desire for closeness and anxiety about being hurt or rejected? You may need help with a disorganized attachment style if you constantly battle for intimacy and independence.  Disorganized attachment is an insecure attachment style that occurs when a child experiences both fear and a desire for closeness to […]

Signs of Poor Mental Health at Work

Woman in business attire at a laptop pinching the bridge of her nose with a stressed expression, plant on desk

Think about the pros and cons of your job: Are you financially stable? Do you receive support from your peers and bosses? Do the tasks or notifications encroach on your personal after-work hours? Are the deadlines and workload realistic? Now think about how those factors make you feel: Are you exhausted or sad? Burnt out? […]

Types of Therapy for Trust Issues

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It can feel like no matter what you do, life keeps letting you down. You put in the effort and try to do everything right, but your relationships suffer, friendships dissolve, or loved ones drift away.  If you’ve experienced this, then you may be dealing with trust or abandonment issues. These issues make it hard […]

Dealing with change

Monarch butterfly chrysalises and caterpillars at various transformation stages hanging from a branch

Ironic as it is, the only constant is change. After the last year and a half, we have all realized how much has changed and how quickly what was “normal” was suddenly no longer a guarantee. And now we are moving into another period of change as social situations are becoming more accessible, travel destinations […]

Parenting Neurodivergent Children: From Surviving to Thriving

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Raising a child who is neurodivergent can be deeply rewarding and deeply exhausting. You love your child fiercely while also feeling overwhelmed by meltdowns, sensory challenges, behaviors, and constant advocacy. You might wonder if you’re doing enough, doing too much, or doing it all wrong. If you struggle with raising a neurodivergent child, you’re not […]

Coping with Social Anxiety

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Now that more familiar activities are resuming after several months of isolation and social distancing, people are experiencing new or worsening anxiety. While conversationally chatting with people at work or in the store was previously a social norm many of us have been exposed to, the thought of returning to that behavior may feel overwhelming […]