Articles

Written By Miracle Hawkins, Contributing Writer 1/16/21 According to the CDC “COVID Data Tracker,” there have been over 340,000 deaths due to COVID-19 in the United States. Sadly, this means that over 340,000 families lost a loved one during what was already an uncertain and traumatic time. This doesn’t even include the lives that wereContinue reading “Grief: You Can’t Just Get Over It”

Written By Miracle Hawkins, Contributing Writer 1/16/2021 Stigma surrounding mental illness is slowly being dismantled and conversations surrounding mental health are becoming less taboo and more mainstream. Coping strategies and self-care have always been very popular concepts in the therapy and counseling world. Today, these concepts are being promoted more often and not just duringContinue reading “Let Me Help You! Effective Strategies for Coping with Stress & Anxiety”

Written by Raquel Nixon, Contributing Writer 1/15/2021 The fear of public speaking, also called glossophobia, is the number one most common social fear in America (uiowacounseling, 2021). Just the thought of getting up to speak in front of a group of people is enough to make most quiver. Few people may thrive in the spotlight,Continue reading “Tips and Tools to Thrive in Public Speaking”

Written By Mili Dhru, Contributing Writer 1/14/21 College students are one of the most susceptible groups of people to suffer from depression; studies performed by organizations such as the American Psychological Association and American College Health Association show that roughly 35% of college students have reported feeling “so depressed that it was difficult to function”Continue reading “Depression: Making a Monumental Climb Among College Students”

Written by Madalyn Brown, Contributing Writer 1/12/2021 Unfortunately, the workplace is competitive regardless of the field, and that was before a global pandemic.  But for many of us undergraduate students, living during an unprecedented pandemic, we aren’t completely sure how this will affect our ability to find jobs that suit us well.   Additionally, thereContinue reading “Is This Really Happening? Entering the Job Market During a Pandemic”

Written by Raquel Nixon, Contributing Writer 1/7/2021 In this day and age, we see productivity as the bare minimum. Whether it is work or school or another sort of extracurricular commitment, it always seems as though we are expected to put everything first at the same time. And if we do not give 110% thenContinue reading “I Think I have Burnout!! Now What??”

Written by Madalyn Brown, Contributing Writer 1/6/2021 My Story Many people, myself included, are finding themselves stuck in quarantine right now due to an increase in COVID-19 cases.  While quarantine is lonely enough as it is, it is especially hard during the holidays. While people still are not supposed to gather in large groups toContinue reading “Quarantine Holiday Blues: A Personal Reflection”

Written By Mili Dhru, Contributing Writer 1/5/2021 Every year, approximately 11% of Americans experience panic attacks. These sudden episodes of fleeting but frightening feelings are typically triggered by non-threatening and harmless situations but can cause a series of strong physiological and psychological reactions (Cleveland Clinic, 2020). People who experience panic attacks that occur frequently andContinue reading “Panic Disorder: What It Is & What to Do”

Written by Miracle Hawkins, Contributing Writer 1/2/2021 Along with the new year, Mental Wellness Month is upon us. The International Association of Insurance Professionals (IAIP) is an educational organization for insurance professionals. The IAIP designated the month of January as Mental Wellness Month. According to Rose Hill Center “Since the late 1940s, mental health organizationsContinue reading “Do you know what month it is? Mental Wellness Month!”

Written By Raquel Nixon, Contributing Writer 12/31/2020 You have probably heard of the term “affirmations.” Especially as we are on the cusp of a new year, many healers and helpers are encouraging us to create intentions, affirmations, and mantras for the new year. But what exactly are affirmations? The idea of affirmations is based onContinue reading “Affirmations: How to Hack Your Brain with Positive Thinking”

Written by Miracle Hawkins, Contributing Writer 12/29/2020 Starting in March of 2020, the CDC began recommending that Americans practice “social distancing” to maintain safety in the community. Shortly after, these recommendations turned mandatory as Coronavirus cases spiked all around the world. As a result of this, many businesses and organizations had to find new waysContinue reading “10 Ways to Cope with Video Conference Anxiety”

July is: Minority Mental Health Month Also known as BIPOC Mental Health Month. As language continues to evolve, many people and groups are choosing to use BIPOC: Black, Indigenous people, and People of Color to acknowledge the unique mental health differences and needs of members of each population. It has been emotionally challenging and drainingContinue reading “Minority Mental Health Awareness”

In therapy, we often encourage our clients to sit with their feelings. We therapist sort of throw this term around like it’s common knowledge. But the truth is, to sit with one’s feelings is a bold act of practice and trust for oneself. It’s actually no small practice. To sit with one’s feelings is toContinue reading “How To Sit With Your Feelings”

There are many definitions for the word grace. In therapy, we often talk about the concept of giving oneself grace. This type of grace is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as “disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency.” To show oneself grace is to simply be kind, courteous, and lenient onContinue reading “Grace, Grace”

Many people call the widespread prevalence of Mental Health issues in America an epidemic, a crisis, and a state of emergency.  I agree.  Everyone feels the gravity of either struggling with mental health issues personally or having close relatives and friends who struggle with mental health issues.  Moreover, the statistics about African American Mental Health,Continue reading “Black Mental Health Matters”

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary cognitive dissonance is a “psychological conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs and attitudes held simultaneously.” [1]  This term originally came from Leon Festinger in 1954 and was used to describe the feeling of psychological discomfort produced by the combined presence of two thoughts that are not in agreement with one another.  Further,Continue reading “3 Ways to Work Through Cognitive Dissonance”

Do you feel S.A.D.?  Not sad, but S.A.D.  S.A.D. is an acronym for seasonal affective disorder.  The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) doesn’t identify S.A.D. as an independent diagnosis.  Rather it is a specifier applied to recurrent major depressive disorder.  Therefore, the diagnosis would be Major Depressive Disorder with seasonal pattern.  AccordingContinue reading “5 Ways to Cope With S.A.D.”