When an athlete steps out onto the competition stage and the rush of adrenaline kicks in, they aren’t usually thinking about playing cautiously or with hesitation for fear of injury. Imagine a goalkeeper thinking, “I’m only going to try to save the shots that I can reach,” or a gymnast saying, “I don’t want to attempt that skill, it’s a little too risky.” It is normal to have nerves on the field, but how do we manage those emotions if they show up in competition?

A notification pops up on your phone reminding you about practice tonight and all of a sudden, you feel a pit in your stomach and dread building in your chest.  You begin running through believable excuses for why you can’t go to practice and decide to text your coach that you won’t be attending tonight. Sure, maybe you feel briefly relieved, but then a wave of guilt arrives and you are confused why a sport that used to bring you so much joy now feels like a heavy burden of anxiety and stress.

The last past two weeks (or even months) for federal workers have been exhausting, fearful, confusing, and uncertain. With many executive orders filing in, there is a cloud of mystery and unknown with what is going to happen to all aspects of life in the coming days, weeks, and even years.

Distraction is a skill that can be used, NOT to solve our issues but, to give us time to calm ourselves. By allowing our intense emotions to lessen over time, we can have more control and power in our lives. DBT uses an A.C.C.E.P.T.S model. While my last post focused on the outdoors, this one highlights indoor activities in Baltimore where you can apply this model. 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a skills based model that teaches tools to help people with many struggles. These range from depression, anxiety, and anger. One central concept is self-soothing. While these techniques aren’t the solution to difficult feelings, they can help serve as tools in your tool box. I often tell my clients we want as many tools as we can! I describe self soothing and free ways to engage locally in the Baltimore area. 

With the inauguration last week, it’s important to check in with how we are feeling. It is often easier to ignore those feelings because facing them invites vulnerability, but when we take a moment to face the music, we realize the power we have in our voice. 

This last election created a divide. For the first time, it wasn’t about Red vs. Blue, it was about humanity and the loss of human rights. With the inauguration just days away, it has been difficult to come to the realization that certain human rights may not be rights for much longer. So how does one navigate relationships with people who share vastly different morals and beliefs?

It’s that time of year when political campaigns seem to infiltrate and inundate social media and everyday life with reminders to vote. Regardless of which candidate you vote for, election years can stir up feelings of despair, hopelessness, uncertainty and fear for our future. This existential dread not only impacts our mental health and well being, but it can also impact our relationships.

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? 

What are the 5 Main Ways to Manage Stress?

What are 5 Coping Strategies for Stress?

How Will You Manage Stress?

How to Destress Quickly?

We're all living in a world that seems to be constantly spinning out of control. 

With all the political drama, economic worries, and social issues, it's no wonder we're feeling a bit stressed. 

But don't worry, you're not alone in this.

In this blog post, we're going to talk about some ways to manage stress, even when it feels like the world is falling apart around you. 

Let's dive in.

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!

Have you ever seen the memes on social media talking about how you signed up for therapy because of the people who won’t sign up for therapy in your life? This is a real thing!! We’ve been asked on more than one occasion, what people can do when someone they love needs therapy but won’t seek it. To answer this question, we’ve compiled tips from 5 LifeSpring therapists. 

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. 

Creating a list of mental health resources for your employees shows that your company is willing to acknowledge mental health, rather than ignore it or stigmatize it.  It also shows a desire to support your employees. While this will require some homework on your end, it will save your employees time which they will appreciate.

When creating your referral list, keep in mind that there are a variety of services that your employees might be needing, depending on the circumstances. Your company can create a mental health referral list that covers a range of needs. 

We’re compiling a list of observations for you to make in order to find therapy practices that are most aligned with the experience you want your employees to have when reaching out for help.  Remember:  the experience you have while reaching out for information will likely be reflective of the experience your employees will have when they are reaching out for help too.

If you’re a Maryland-based company who is looking to collaborate with local mental health practices in order to support your employees’ mental health, we’re here to make your search just a little bit easier. As a mental health therapy practice located in the Greater Baltimore area, these are the questions we would recommend you ask to collaborate with local mental health practices who are going to be a good fit for your employees’ mental health needs. 

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.