Fear and worry are typical for people of all ages. In the case of children, these emotions can be helpful. They teach us about being cautious when necessary and how to develop coping skills. Ideally, they also teach us how to identify a false fear. In other words, a fearful child is nothing to be concerned about — until it...[ read more ]

Emotional regulation skills are incredibly important for maintaining our overall health and well-being. These skills not only help us to work through difficult emotions, but they also facilitate positive and enriching emotional experiences. While there are various techniques that can be utilized to navigate challenging emotions, this article will focus on strategies that aim to reduce emotional vulnerabilities to overwhelming...[ read more ]

There's a good chance that you have heard about PTSD before. It is most often depicted in the media as something that is experienced by those who served in a war or suffered from domestic or sexual abuse. You wouldn't be alone, however, if you didn't have a full understanding of what PTSD is. Maybe you know some of the...[ read more ]

There are certain words that get thrown around carelessly. "Triggers" is absolutely one of those. We hear people say, "I felt so triggered by xyz..." and yes, maybe they did feel that way. However, using this word to describe any situation that you don't feel okay with is undermining the very real experience that others have. We're talking about trauma...[ read more ]

Emotions are very complex experiences, and they are closely connected to our thoughts, our body sensations, and the actions we choose to take. Our emotions are vital to our survival as they facilitate effective intrapersonal (occurring within the self) and interpersonal (between people) communications. Emotions also help us to make sense of our environments and other people within those environments. We...[ read more ]

Unfortunately, many people throughout their lifetime will go through a traumatic experience. It can happen to anyone and for any reason. Trauma can have a profound impact on somebody's life and cause them to experience debilitating symptoms and cause a lot of distress and turmoil. There is no timeline for when someone may begin experiencing trauma after it occurs. It...[ read more ]

Anxiety disorders and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are the two most common mental health conditions experienced amongst the world’s population, with 301 million people living with an anxiety disorder and 280 million people living with depression (World Health Organization, 2019). According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), 31.9% of adolescents in the United States have an anxiety...[ read more ]

Most people will experience at least one traumatic experience in their lifetime. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs due to a highly stressful or emotional situation that someone has gone through. Most people recognize PTSD as occurring if a person previously experienced war. However, many more situations or events can be considered traumatic. While this list is not exhaustive, here are...[ read more ]

The teenage years can be challenging. Stuck between childhood and adulthood, many teens can feel stuck with no clear focus of who they are or who they could be. The teen years are full of hope, disappointment, stress, and drama. It's a rollercoaster of emotions sprinkled throughout a bumpy and shaky ride. As adults, it's common to forget about your...[ read more ]

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is more common than most people are led to believe. Furthermore, it is also a serious mental health condition that can dramatically impact a person's quality of life. While some people might joke about OCD, it shouldn't be taken lightly. Managing OCD is not impossible, but it definitely is challenging. OCD causes one to have obsessive thoughts,...[ read more ]