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Positive social interations

9/24/2020

Social relationships are highly linked to happiness and mental well-being. Especially during this long time period of uncertainty and social distancing, maintaining social relationships can become more difficult. It has been proven that having social connections can contribute to lower rates of anxiety and depression, higher self-esteem, greater empathy, and over all well-being.

Not just mental health and well being is affected by positive social interaction but physical health as well. Strong, healthy relationships can also strengthen your immune system, help you recover from disease, and possibly even lengthen your life.
So what can you do to help make sure you are getting positive social interaction while social distancing?

If you have access to it, use technology to stay in touch. If you have a smartphone, use the video capabilities (seeing someone’s facial expressions can help increase connection)
Spend the time connecting with the people you are living with. If you are in a lock-down situation, use this time to improve your existing relationships
Manage your stress levels and keep a routine as much as possible
Attend a virtual workshop

national suicide prevention month

9/17/2020

Suicide can be though to talk about, but having open and honest conversations is crucial when it comes to suicide prevention. Right now, many of us are feeling lonely and stressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s more important than ever that we take care of ourselves and look out for each other.

Here are some things to keep an eye out for if you’re worried someone you care about might be thinking about suicide:

(Source: Stanford Children's Health)

If you’re a parent, it’s important to talk to your child about suicide and let them know that you are a safe source of support. If your child is concerned about a friend, it’s important they know to tell someone who can help. This could be a counselor, parent, teacher, or other adult they trust. Your child can always contact us at support counseling if they are worried about one of their classmates or need support themselves. If you’re a student, know you can always reach out to us if you need help or know someone who does.

Here are some important resources regarding suicide prevention:

Crisis Text Line: Text START to 741-741
Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
Integral Care Crisis Line: 512-472-4357
The Trevor Project Hotline: (suicide prevention for LGBT+ youth) 866-488-7386
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
Five Action Steps for Suicide Prevention
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Stay Healthy, Chaps!
- Kristi, Katie, Lizz, Anne, and Alex

Parenting Yourself During A Pandemic!

9/9/2020

We'd like to thank Barb Steinberg for sharing her knowledge in a guest featured blog post!

Parenting Yourself During a Pandemic
Are you like me? Sometimes you feel weary from this situation we find ourselves in. Weary from the news, the constant change, the lack of normalcy (or what used to feel normal - like going to a restaurant or inviting friends over). Weary from wearing masks, staying six feet apart and feeling like others can get you sick. Weary from trying to keep your kids safe, your elderly parents safe. Is it getting old?

When you are feeling some or all of these feelings it can be hard to parent our adolescent girls with all of their big feelings and expressive thoughts. That is where you parenting you comes in, so that you have some reserve, patience and kindness to offer your kids while going through this trying time.

Here are few tips to help you parent you:

Make alone time a priority. Alone time can look like anything that feels like a break for you…even a 1- minute break. Sometimes we need to be alone to take a breather. We have all had a lot of togetherness lately and that can stress our nerves.
Breath. Slow deep breaths with your eyes closed, I have found it to be one the fastest ways to soothe and calm myself and my clients. It quickly relaxes your muscles and you feel your body sink down and unwind. Here are a few different easy ways to breath for stress reduction.
Notice the good. Say out loud or write down daily one thing you are proud or happy about when it comes to your parenting. You can expand this and write down one thing that you are happy about regarding your life, your work, your health, your partnership. This trains your brain to look for the good. Seeing what you are feeling good about helps you to feel good! Easy peasy!
Tapping. I took 15 minutes this morning to do some tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique). Here is one of my favorite EFT teachers, Nick Ortner, showing us how to relieve stress in a few minutes with this ancient method of tapping on our meridian points which sends a calming message to our brains and our bodies.
Go outside. Take a 20-minute nature pill to lower your stress hormone levels. Sit in your backyard. Walk in your neighborhood. Watch how much better you feel in minutes. Nature is rad that way!
Talk to your people. Share what’s on your mind and your heart with your partner/spouse, your bestie, your therapist or your coach (like me!). Get your worries out of your mind. Stop carrying them around and ruminating. Let the supports in your life help you carry your load.
Ask for a hug. As I tell my teen, hugs heal. Need I say more? :)
Move your body. We have a 3-mile loop around our lake here in Austin. I make it a regular habit to walk amongst the trees and water while listening to my favorite podcasts. Putting energy into moving our bodies can help to clear our minds and physically remove the anxiety we carry in our bodies. How did you like to move as a kid? Even if it is a 10-minute walk outside, jumping on your kid’s trampoline, swinging in the swing in your local park or hula-hooping, it all counts toward mental health!
Incorporate play. Let your inner child come out. Laugh. Be silly. Watch a funny show. Play a game. Do something you liked as a child – color, bake, paint, sing, dance, bike, eat a hotdog or a ding-dong.
Take a mini retreat. If you have the help and resources this can be a game changer. Once a quarter I book a night away (It doesn’t have to be a night away; It could be four hours in a beautiful, peaceful spot like your local nature center) from my family at a tiny resort with four casitas in the hill country of Texas. I bring books, my journal, a list of questions to prompt myself and engage in self-exploration and, of course, a super girly rom-com to enjoy. I arrive home with a big smile, lots more patience and knowing more clearly what I want and need in my life.

Commit to being kind to yourself. Commit to being compassionate and patient with yourself. Be the best parent to yourself that you can. It will help you feel better and help you be an even better parent to your girls.

It is my joy to help parents of tween/teen girls. I am here for you. Contact me (Barb) if you would like support.

Stay Healthy, Chaps!
- Kristi, Katie, Lizz, Anne, and Alex

Happiness chemicals & Self-Care

9/8/2020

With today’s current events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, taking care of yourself is vital for both your mental and physical health. However, taking care of yourself at this time can be especially difficult. What can you do to improve your mental and physical health? How can you practice self-care?
“Self-care” means exactly what it sounds like. It includes activities and efforts that benefit your well-being, such as:

Doing your favorite hobbies regularly
Taking care of your physical health
Spiritual practices (if you choose to), such as religion or mindfulness/meditation
Talking to loved ones on a regular basis
Treating yourself to something you love, like taking a bubble bath or getting some icecream
Complimenting yourself and acknowledging your accomplishments

There are also small things we can do to activate chemicals in your brain that promote happiness! Check out this chart for some ideas. Practicing self-care can significantly improve your mood and overall well-being during stressful times. Make taking care of your self a priority every day!

Stay Healthy, Chaps!
- Alex Abbe - Texas State MSW Intern

Positive social interations

national suicide prevention month

Parenting Yourself During A Pandemic!

Happiness chemicals & Self-Care

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