I remember growing up and being excited for holidays. My mom was always so careful to make sure my brother and I had everything we wanted, all carefully wrapped in perfect bows under the tree. Holidays growing up were a special time where we could come together as a family and share in the love, joy, hope  and peace the season brings. I look back fondly over the childhood memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas, but recently, I’ve noticed a crack in the rose colored glasses I’ve fought hard to protect. 

Have you been dreading the idea of starting therapy? Perhaps you’ve been dragging your feet, even though you know that it’s a good idea. Or perhaps you don’t really want to do therapy, but everyone around you is encouraging you to go.  If that’s the case, here are some things that our Maryland therapists want you to know!

Living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as an adult brings unique challenges, especially when sensory processing issues are present. Sensory processing refers to how our nervous system receives and interprets sensory information from the environment. Adults with ADHD often experience heightened or reduced sensitivity to sensory stimuli, referred to as hyper-responsiveness and hypo-responsiveness.

Taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do as a caregiver because your well-being is necessary in this role. Caregiving is not easy.  It takes a lot of responsibility, dedication, time and effort to care for an elderly individual. There are a lot of adjustments that have to be made as well. 

Our minds try to over-control, micromanage, and interfere in our lives every day, whether or not we notice. That is when we experience regrets about the past, fears for the future, self-labels, judgements, mental rules, and reasons—all of which aim to keep us safe from harm. Just as helicopter parents do, our minds do the same thing out of a desire to protect us in a world that can be seldom controlled. 

We can always tell something important has appeared when something bothers us. When something bothers us, it usually indicates that a value is being brought up, challenged, or tampered with. That is because as much as values help us find joy and meaning, values can also help us find pain and difficulty. If something weren’t a value, we wouldn’t care. So, the fact that you care is a good thing. It may not feel great now, but in one way or another, it will pay off differently.

If you spend time on the mental health side of the internet or talk with people who do, you may be familiar with the term neurodivergent. However, if you are not and want to know more about it, you have come to the right place!

Neurodivergent refers to brains that work or develop differently from the average development or thinking pattern of the neurotypical brain and occurs due to a variety of reasons, such as mental or medical disorders.

Depression and anxiety often go hand in hand. They’re like two good friends who like to hang out!  Depression and anxiety show up so frequently, that our therapists are regularly providing support and coping strategies to people who are looking to manage their symptoms.  We’ve asked 4 of our therapists to share some of their favorite strategies for managing depression and anxiety.  See what they had to say.

How many times have you heard one of the following?

“Stop crying.”

“Stop thinking about it.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Don’t get so mad.”

“Don’t let it get you down!”

If you related to any of those, chances are, you also felt some kind of internal response to them. Maybe it was a twinge of anger or a flash of a memory from your childhood. Or maybe it is frustrating at the constant message that emotion or thought can be switched on and off on command. 

Crying is normal. Having thoughts, worrying, anger, and sadness are normal! So, if that is the case, why are we so accustomed to telling one another to stop or not think or feel a certain way? 

You might think back to a new coping skill and think…

• “What were the steps, again?” 

• “Was I supposed to breathe before counting or count while breathing?” 

• “What was that really clever affirmation that my therapist and I came up with that I was supposed to remember?” 

• “Okay, I’m doing what we did in session, but it isn’t working. I feel the same!”

If this scenario does not sound familiar, that may be great! You may successfully use coping skills. However, learning to “troubleshoot” coping skills is a valuable skill. Even when you have an entire toolbox with working equipment, you need to be able to know how to problem solve if that needed tool isn’t working as well that day. 

Deep breathing is an incredible coping strategy that kids (and adults) can use anywhere at any time to regulate their emotions; they don’t need anything other than their own bodies to use this skill. However, it can be tricky for children to master the technique of proper diaphragmatic breathing (aka deep breathing). You can use this fun craft to teach your child how to use deep breathing as an effective coping strategy.

The idea of using mindfulness anywhere and anytime may sound somewhat strange. Using mindfulness while in line at the grocery store or in the middle of a presentation may seem pretty far-fetched, but with three letters, it is less far-fetched than you might think!

ACE stands for acknowledging your emotion(s), connecting with your body, and engaging with your surroundings. It is at the root of every mindfulness exercise, and you already have all the tools you need to use it effectively. 

Marylanders woke up to the devastating news about the Key Bridge collapsing into the Patapsco River in Baltimore, MD this morning. This tragic event will have ripples of impact for some time to come.  If you live or work in the Greater Baltimore area, and you’ve been impacted directly or indirectly by today’s news, here are some strategies that you can use to cope and tend to your mental health. 

Marylanders woke up to the devastating news about the Key Bridge collapse this morning.  No doubt, this news has hit home for the people who live and work in the Greater Baltimore area.  Many are empathizing with those who have been directly impacted while also reflecting on just how many times they too have used this bridge. 

When tragedy strikes, we may find that we need supports and resources that we’ve never needed before. If that is you or someone you know, we’re including several local resources that you can use immediately for yourself or others who are grappling with the impact of this event. 

Much attention has been given to the health implications of loneliness over the past few years. We can understand how easy it would be for solopreneurs who work alone and/or in isolation to feel lonely and disconnected. On top of that, the pandemic has forced remote-capable entrepreneurs to work from home which only further contributed to increasingly high reports of loneliness and disconnection. All hope isn’t lost, however, there are plenty of ways that entrepreneurs can seek community and connection to find support and relationships that enhance well-being.

At the start of the pandemic, many remote capable entrepreneurs were forced to begin working from home.  This was great for physical health and safety, but not so great for social and emotional well-being.  During the pandemic, many entrepreneurs (including therapists in private practice) reported increasing feelings of isolation and disconnection.

While entrepreneurship can be an empowering and exciting experience, it can also be incredibly stressful.  In order to maintain one’s well-being and manage the ongoing stressors that will inevitably arise, business owners need to have a few handy stress management tools in their back pockets. Here are some of my favorites. 

Busy entrepreneurs who are interested in mindfulness might be concerned about having one more thing to do each day. Mindfulness, however, is a practice that we can integrate into our day. It’s not a task that requires us to set aside additional time. In fact, applying mindfulness concepts and practices can help us to be more calm, present, and focused as we go about our day. Let's take a look at how busy entrepreneurs can utilize these concepts throughout the day.

On the lookout for helpful, therapist-recommended resources for mental health, wellness, and the like? Our Maryland therapists have created, gathered, and recommended great resources that promote mindfulness, motivation, stress reduction, and education. If you, or someone you know, is currently in therapy and are in need of some additional resources or are simply looking for educational or self-care resources to use on your own, here are some we have available at LifeSpring Counseling Services!

Depression is known for symptoms that are particularly challenging to deal with. The good news is that there are a number of great strategies that you can use to help improve your mood. Remember, you might not always feel like using these tools when you’re feeling depressed, but they will work if you use them.