As the holiday season approaches, the idea of shopping locally and supporting small businesses takes center stage. From finding unique gifts to dining at neighborhood restaurants, buying local helps keep your community thriving. But have you ever considered the importance of "shopping local" when it comes to your healthcare choices?

As teachers you make a promise to show up everyday for your students, regardless of the storm brewing underneath the surface. Every year more gets added to your plate without relieving some of the pressure or responsibilities to make room for the new policies and procedures. But what happens when the weight becomes too much? What happens when the plate falls and shatters into a million pieces? 

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. 

Have you ever heard of a runner’s high? If you have, you might imagine runners feeling extra great after a tough run or wonder how on Earth someone could feel good while running. 

One aspect that I have found particularly helpful in managing anxiety, processing trauma, and relaxing is the bilateral stimulation that the movement of running and walking can provide. 

As therapists, we are regularly talking with people about boundary setting. While boundaries are often necessary, the idea of setting them can create a lot of anxiety for people. To support you in your boundary setting, we’ve asked several of our Baltimore County therapists to share some of their favorite tips for setting healthy boundaries.

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.

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!

Setting a boundary with someone means clearly communicating the limitations and rules of your relationship with them. Typically, your personal boundaries will stem from your values and experiences. While setting a boundary might start an uncomfortable conversation, the power and confidence of saying “no” is an important skill in fostering healthy relationships (with others and with yourself!). 

As the sun shines bright and warm breezes fill the air, summer is often associated with carefree days, beach vacations, and outdoor adventures. It's a season that exudes joy and relaxation, which is one of the reasons why starting therapy might not be the first thing that comes to your mind for the summer. In this blog, we'll explore why summer is a great time to seek therapy and how it can enhance your overall well-being during this vibrant season.

Encouraging family members to seek therapy can be challenging, especially if they are resistant to the idea. However, therapy can be a valuable tool for helping individuals address mental health conditions, emotional struggles, and personal challenges. If your family members won't seek therapy, here are some steps you can take.

Teaching can be an incredibly rewarding profession, but it can also be challenging and stressful. Teachers are responsible for the education and well-being of their students, which can be a heavy burden to carry. As a result, teachers often experience high levels of stress and burnout, which can have a negative impact on their mental health. In this blog post, we will explore some ways that school systems can support teachers' mental health.

Everyone makes mistakes, but after the event, some of us continue to think about what we could have done better. We beat ourselves up about small things. If you find that you are your own worst critic — harder on yourself than others — maybe, it’s time to show a little self-compassion.

Many people feel stress wrapped up along with their holiday cheer. The holiday season, as wonderful as it can be, can also be full of demands, expectations, financial strains, resurfaced grief and fatigue. Here are five ways that you can prioritize your well-being and manage these stressors effectively.

A good night’s sleep helps the body and mind recharge; improving mood, increasing one’s ability to concentrate and think clearly. It has been proven to lower anxiety levels, elevate mood, and improve overall functioning. As one can imagine, better relationships are formed due to clear minds and elevated moods. So how is it achieved? Here are some tips that I have found in research and within my experience in working with children and adolescents.

Do you notice your mood goes down when the weather gets colder? Have you ever been told that you were too “sensitive” to feel that way? The truth is, many people (three million people in the U.S.!) experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD). So, it is no joke.

According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness is, “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” Based on this definition alone, you can see that mindfulness can be incorporated into our daily lives without consuming additional time.

Women are often raised with messages about being caring, nurturing, thoughtful, and family oriented.  These communicated values, as well as the behaviors that we have observed in the women before us, sometimes result in continued patterns of taking care of others while putting our own wants, needs, and self-care on the back burner.

In a world where technology has taken over and everything is so readily accessible in the palm of our hand, it comes as no surprise that there are endless tasks we can manage by simply unlocking our smartphones. Banking, messaging, tweeting, and emailing. The list goes on!  But did you know that you can work on your mental health by downloading a simple app?

In this post, I’ll be going over some of my favorite, free mental health apps I like to use on a daily basis! Feel free to give them a try and see whether they’re the right ones for you!

Sometimes, the people we care about are struggling with their mental health and are not willing to seek help. If you have already tried talking to them and the conversation did not go well, you may be left feeling frustrated, confused, and unsure of how to proceed. Unfortunately, there are times when other people’s unwillingness to seek counseling causes distress in our own lives. This article will talk about how you can look after yourself when you are feeling the burden or ramifications of someone close to you not seeking therapy.