Blog for Better Living

De-Stigmatizing Mental Health and Access to Care in Communities of Color

By: Other | March 26, 2021

Written by Kimberly Nenemay, Psy.D. A year ago, our lives changed in dramatic ways. Not only did the U.S. make the official announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery were tragically killed, igniting protests for equal rights and against systemic oppression and racism.[1,2,3] While the protests have died down, and […]

Creative Coping and Tools for the Blues

By: Kristen Lipari, Ph.D. | March 12, 2021

The past year imposed an incredibly challenging time in our lives, in the nation’s history and the world. We can wrestle with our struggles, or we can accept them. ⁠By accepting them, we can direct our attention away from the problem toward a way to cope. Of course, difficult times can stretch our normal coping […]

Who Takes Care of Mama?

By: Kristen Lipari, Ph.D. | February 5, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have made every transition and challenge much harder. Becoming a new parent is no exception. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) impacted 15-20% of moms before the pandemic. Now in its midst, experts estimate the rates of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders as much higher while bringing more social isolation […]

Anxiety, Depression, Family, Parenting

It’s Okay Not to Be Okay

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | January 29, 2021

More than ten months have passed since the first stay-at-home orders in March 2020. I still have days when my anxiety feels overwhelming, when fear makes me irritable and easily upset, when fatigue overcomes me, and when I struggle to find beauty in the world. I sometimes wonder “What’s wrong with me that I can’t […]

Coping with COVID for the Long Haul

By: Lisa Card Strong, Ph.D. | November 13, 2020

2020 has been a challenging year. COVID-19 disrupted our work and relationships. We found it both challenging and breathtaking for our close relationships with significant others, with extended family, and with our children in coping with unexpected disruptions to life as we used to know it. Some of us experienced financial upheaval or illness. The […]

Surviving the 2020 Presidential Election

By: Kamaljit "Sonya" Virdi, Ph.D. | October 30, 2020

The year 2020 marks one of the most challenging years in our recent history. Our country remains in a state of political unrest. Racial tensions remain high while Black, Indigenous, People of Color, (BIPOC) and White allies advocate for more equitable systems. COVID-19 continues to endanger the health and safety of many while ongoing unemployment […]

Teens and COVID-19

By: Michael Toohey, Psy.D. | September 11, 2020

Teens have difficult times during COVID-19. They miss seeing their friends and classmates in person. Socializing with peers is an important part of teen development while COVID-19 creates a social distancing challenge. The big letdown of not attending graduations, proms, sports, or college visits means many teens feel frustrated, depressed, irritable, annoyed, and sad. Healthychildren.org […]

Depression, Parenting, Teens

Joyful Anticipation

By: Natalie Rice-Thorp, Ph.D. | September 4, 2020

Think back to pre-COVID-19 and ask yourself: Did you love the excitement of planning trips and finding new places to explore? Did you look forward to eating out with friends? Did you relish a leisurely trip through your favorite store just for fun? Did you look forward to exercise time at the gym? Did you […]

Silence is No Longer an Option for the South Asian Community

By: Kamaljit "Sonya" Virdi, Ph.D. | August 14, 2020

#Breakingthestigma4nima may have appeared on your social media because of the untimely death of Nima Bhakta on July 24, 2020. Prior to her death, she wrote about the South Asian community’s lack of understanding about postpartum depression. Her story humanizes postpartum depression for the community, and I commend her family for their courage to publicize […]

Depression, Therapy