For most Americans, the month of July is synonymous with Independence Day and related celebrations. However, the month also holds a less widely-known title; National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), this title was created by the House of Representatives in 2008 in honor of Bebe Moore… read more
The Dangers of Workplace Fatigue
Workplace fatigue is so common in our society that we seem to have accepted it as the norm. According to the National Safety Council, more than 43 percent of workers are sleep-deprived—that’s nearly half of all employees. Yet we as a culture don’t seem to be making any moves to change that. In fact, working… read more
Grieving the Loss of a Pet
The drive to the vet that morning held a familiar sense of dread. Our 15-year-old miniature pinscher, Penny, had been living with cancer for two years, a disease we knew would eventually take her life. My partner and I chose treatment options with her comfort in mind, and Penny had been doing relatively well. We… read more
Can Exercise Reduce Symptoms of Depression?
Depression: A Common Concern Depression currently affects about 17 million adults each year in the US, and is the leading cause of disability nationwide. It even has financial repercussions: depressive disorders are responsible for more the loss of roughly $100 billion each year in work productivity. Another $1 billion is spent annually on treatment of… read more
How Running Can Boost Your Mood
Have you ever heard someone say that they love running not just because of how it makes their body feel, but also their mind? Over 55 million people in the U.S. run or jog recreationally, and for good reason. Most of us know that running offers a host of physical benefits, including improved cardiovascular health… read more
The Power of Gardening to Improve Mental Health
The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic 20th century novel, tells the story of Mary Lennox, a girl relocated to England following the deaths of her parents. As she copes with her grief, she also faces ill health, loneliness and a slew of additional concerns that we now would recognize as major stressors. As you… read more
Nature As Self-Care
Nature’s Health Benefits It is widely accepted that time spent outdoors has both physical and psychological benefits. Yet, the average person spends nearly 87% of their time indoors and 7% of their time in vehicles. Put another way, most of us spend less than 5 hours per week in natural environments. This is a shame;… read more
5 Ways to Deal With Fear of the Unknown
You walk into work, coffee in hand and settle into your desk chair. As always, you log in to your email, scanning the inbox for any immediate calls to action. Your eye lands on a subject line that seems to blare at you: the company is being reorganized. You open it up to learn your… read more
The Power of Food to Affect Your Mood
Follow Your Gut: What You Eat Can Affect Your Mental Health Growing evidence suggests that eating well can improve your mental health, particularly your mood. For example, foods such as berries can boost memory and learning capacity, and certain teas can increase focus and reduce mental fatigue. Further, studies have shown associations between diet, suicide risk and… read more
How To Get a Stronger Relationship? Gratitude
It’s February, and for better or worse, this time of year has a lot of us thinking about love. Not just romantic love, but love for our friends, family members, and all the people who make us feel stronger just by being in our lives. Looking at these relationships, there are probably a few you’d… read more
