Articles

Written by Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer July 5th–11th, was National Hygiene week! This might feel like an oddly specific week to have a national designation for, and for some, maybe it even feels superficial. But there’s a difference between selling beauty products and caring about hygiene.  First of all, hygiene and access to hygienic productsContinue reading “National Hygiene Week: Where Mental and Physical Health Collide”

Written by Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer July 3rd was Bereavement for Parents Day. Unfortunately, the experience of losing a child is more common than one might think and can manifest in different ways at different ages. About 50,000 children die every year (Rogers).  Psychologically, parents who lose children at middle age experience a maximum levelContinue reading “July 3rd, Bereavement for Parents Day”

Written by Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer June 27th was PTSD awareness day, and June was PTSD awareness month! PTSD is complicated. Often, we solely associate being traumatized from war, battle, or massive, explosive violence. And it is certainly linked with those things. But it’s easy to forget that one in eleven people will develop PTSDContinue reading “June 27th, PTSD Awareness Day”

Written by Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer Transitional periods are exciting! They mean change, new things, and potential. So why do we hate them so much? Growing pains are simply not something most of us look forward to. Transitions occur at various points in our lives: coming to college, graduating, entering a marriage or long-term relationship,Continue reading “Purgatory, The Twilight Zone, or Grey Areas: Human Aversion to Transitional Periods”

Written by Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer Beauty as an industry can be a double-edged sword. As it turns out, feeling beautiful or being perceived as beautiful is connected to things like job satisfaction and overall happiness. When we feel beautiful and confident, and others perceive us as beautiful and confident, we are judged as “qualitativelyContinue reading “Feeling vs Looking Beautiful: Fashion, Perception, and Self-Esteem”

Written by Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer Considering the economic struggles we faced as a nation this past year, for many, finances became an increased source of stress. For many who have had a long-held dream of owning a home, considering or attempting to buy a house was exceedingly stressful. Housing prices have been on aContinue reading “Greater Forces at Work: Financial Stress on a Macro Level”

Written by Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer ‘Teen angst’ starts to subside in our early twenties, and we can emotionally regulate more effectively. Or, at least, that’s a general trend. In the growing national conversation and awareness of mental health, I’ve been exposed to conversations about depression and anxiety throughout my education. Many of my peersContinue reading “Severe Mental Health Disorders: Recognizing the Signs”

Written by Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer It’s summer, the world feels like it’s opened up again, and many people are feeling back and better than ever! Not to make our long-awaited return to normalcy into a downer, but the transition back might feel like a bit of a bumpy ride for many. Depending on yourContinue reading “Post Pandemic Anxiety: To Do Or Not To Do, That Is The Question”

By Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer It’s grad season! For a time of immense excitement, it can also be one of great stress and anxiety. In the last years of any degree program, the dreaded question begins to pop up: “So, what are you going to do now?”  The phase from ages 18–28 is called “emergingContinue reading “Entering Adulthood, But Feeling Behind”

Written By Leslie Stevens, M.Ed., LCMHC If you deal with symptoms of anxiety, you know the challenges of your body not listening. Let me paint the picture. You are sitting at your desk, working away. Seemingly, all of a sudden, your heart starts beating rapidly, you feel a tightness in your chest, you get knotsContinue reading “Anxiety: What To Do When Your Body Isn’t Listening”

Written By Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer I hear the phrase “unprecedented times” a lot, nowadays. Throughout the pandemic, everyone in my email inbox seemed to hope I was “staying well during these unprecedented times.” I’m guilty of using the phrase myself! What the thinly veiled message behind the phrase is really saying is, “I recognizeContinue reading “Remote Work and Technology Burnout: Is it you? Or is it Zoom?”

Written By Lauren Abrams, Contributing Writer Grief throws a wrench in life regardless of when you feel it. There will never be a convenient time to lose someone, to attend a funeral, or to grieve. As a society, we often seek “closure,” which the American Psychological Association defines as “the act, achievement, or sense of completingContinue reading “Pandemic Grief: The Longevity of Healing From Tragic Losses”

Written by Leslie Stevens, M.Ed., LCMHC This past weekend, Naomi Osaka, a 23-year old, two-time U.S. Open champion, made what I call mental health history. After being fined $15,000 and a looming threat to have her expelled from the tournament, Naomi withdrew from the French Open. What was all of this about you ask? NaomiContinue reading “Naomi Osaka: Taking Care of HER Business”

Written By Miracle Hawkins, Contributing Writer 5/27/21 So much is happening in the world right now and a lot of it is out of our control. Despite all the challenges caused by the pandemic, the clock continues to tick, and the world continues to revolve. I still must show up for work, I still haveContinue reading “Balancing Work and Family Life as an Adult College Student : A Personal Reflection”

Written By Raquel Nixon, Contributing Writer 5/24/21 Depression in children can often go unrecognized. Unfortunately, when depression goes unnoticed, it leaves little opportunity for them to get the treatment and support they need. Younger children probably will not recognize symptoms of depression in themselves. However, just because they do not recognize it, doesn’t mean itContinue reading “Kids Deal with Depression Too”

Written by Raquel Nixon, Contributing Writer 5/22/2021 Studies have shown that essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic are not only more susceptible to being exposed to the COVID-19 virus, but are showing increased prevalence for mental health issues such as depression and anxiety (1). The psychological distress brought on by their likely exposure to theContinue reading “Stress & Anxiety Among Essential Workers”

Written by Miracle Hawkins, Contributing Writer 5/21/21  There are many narratives and stereotypical concepts that have been placed specifically on Black women throughout history. The two most popular are “The Angry Black Woman” and “The Strong Black Woman” narratives that have been consistently reinforced through film, music, and other media outlets. The Strong Black WomanContinue reading “Being A Black Woman: Dealing With the Pressure of “Being Strong””

Happy May good people! May is Mental Health Awareness Month! I could go on and on about the alarming statistics concerning mental health in America. But I think I’ll spare US the agony. I do however want to drop some encouragement at your door. Life is tough and times are challenging for many people. AllContinue reading “Mental Health Awareness Month”

Written by Mili Dhru, Contributing Writer 5/17/21 In a psychological context, perfectionism is defined as the “tendency to demand of others or of oneself an extremely high or even flawless level of performance, in excess of what is required by the situation” (American Psychology Association, n.d.). Even without a background in psychology or any prior,Continue reading “Perfectionism that Stems from Cultural Expectations: A Personal Reflection”

Written by Raquel Nixon, Contributing Writer 4/20/21  As vaccines are being distributed, many are wondering if it is finally safe to visit their family in longer-term care facilities. Because of the risks posed against those in elderly care facilities, visits and contact with family has been strictly regulated and controlled. Most aren’t able to seeContinue reading “Ways to Thwart Loneliness and Isolation for Elderly Family Members”