Blog for Better Living

Creativity and Mental Health

By: Jen McWaters, Psy.D. | October 13, 2017

Did you know that your creative efforts create psychological benefits? Looking back on your childhood, you may have memories about the types of play you once enjoyed. Children use legos, dolls, sandcastles, art, imaginary friends, music, acting, building forts, and the like to explore their imagination and creativity. Whereas children easily immerse themselves for long […]

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Mindfulness, Personal Improvement, Stress

Meaningful Connections

By: Other | September 15, 2017

Written by Jennifer Wendt, Ph.D. Do you have meaningful connections in your life? Do you feel uplifted after a conversation with a friend? Are interactions with strangers at the store pleasing to you? Humans have a core necessity to connect with others. These lend meaning and happiness to our lives. Reflecting on our daily encounters […]

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Anxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement, Stress

Self-Compassion

By: Other | September 1, 2017

Written by Anke Reineke, Ph.D. When faced with a stressful situation, we might blame ourselves or judge ourselves negatively. While listening to another person talking about the same stressful situations, we are likely to show more caring and kindness. Why is it so hard to offer the same kindness to ourselves that we so easily […]

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Depression, Mindfulness, Personal Improvement, Stress

A Mind Game

By: Other | July 21, 2017

Written by Joy Francisco, Ph.D. Mindfulness, meaning focused awareness, is a concept of increasing popularity among mental health professionals. Mindfulness training for clients focuses on internal and external experiences in the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness interventions can be beneficial in everyday life. Not only adults stand to benefit from focusing awareness on the present […]

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Children, Mindfulness, Sleep/Relaxation, Stress

Talking to Children About Divorce

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | June 2, 2017

Introduction by Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. Guest article by Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq., New Ways for Families One of the first questions asked by parents who are beginning the divorce process is, “What should we tell the children, and how should we tell them?” Most parents, understandably, have a tough time telling their children about their […]

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Anxiety, Children, Family, Parenting, Stress

How to Be Gentle with Yourself

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | May 12, 2017

Life is hard. Yet, many of us make it worse by being hard on ourselves. We waste precious time beating ourselves up, wallowing in guilt, or chastising ourselves for mistakes we feel we’ve made. We live in a “Get Over It and Move On” society where we are implicitly or explicitly encouraged to be a […]

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Anxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement, Stress, Therapy

Fear and Mental Health: Managing Reactions and Responses

By: Other | March 10, 2017

Written by Francine Martinez, Ph.D. Happiness, Sadness, Anger, Surprise, Disgust, and Fear: These are universal emotions that we all share, and they rank as the six most cited emotions in the literature. Images come to mind when we think about these emotions in our own lives — those recollections of the times, settings, or events […]

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Anxiety, Personal Improvement, Stress

Eating to Feel Good

By: Jen McWaters, Psy.D. | February 3, 2017

Three times a day we get to choose what we want to eat to quiet our hunger. Science has progressed the ability to measure the impact of these choices on our bodies. Recently, research has uncovered fascinating links between diet and our moods. Integrative treatments for mental health have gained traction, particularly in the newer […]

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Anxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement, Stress

Learning to Manage Impulses Effectively

By: Other | January 27, 2017

Written by Kelly Anderson, Ph.D. Many people have difficulty controlling their impulses. At one time or another, we may act on urges to stay home from work on a rainy day or raise an angry voice in disagreement. Such impulses arise daily. For some, they come throughout the day; for others, such feelings come out […]

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Mindfulness, Personal Improvement, Stress