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Mindfulness is based on this idea: We can let worrying thoughts and feelings come and go.
Mental Health

Catching the Third Wave

How Learn to Live Delivers CBT: Part 7  Should we teach mindfulness skills in our programs? We talked about this several years ago when I was writing the initial content for our first program for Social Anxiety. At that time, there was not enough research to support using mindfulness. But soon research on mindfulness began to emerge. Within a few years, there was enough research to show it helps. So we were happy to add it.  Nowadays, mindfulness is seen as the third wave of CBT. The first wave was behavioral strategies like facing fears. Then cognitive strategies were introduced…
Dr. Russ Morfitt
September 6, 2023
Take time for yourself to recharge, reduce stress, and feel better
Mental Health

Taking Time for Yourself: Recharge, Reduce Stress, Feel Better

Our lives are so busy that it is easy to forget about taking care of ourselves. But making time for yourself is very important. It is not selfish. It’s a way to keep yourself healthy and happy. By doing things just for you, you can improve how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. Here are some reasons that taking time for yourself is beneficial: Recharging and Feeling Better. Think about doing something that makes you happy and relaxed. Try reading, going for a walk, or doing something you love. These moments of “me time” are important for keeping a good…
Learn to Live Team
August 29, 2023
Learn to set health boundaries and maintain them
Mental Health

6 Important Personal Boundaries and Tactics to Hold Firm

Setting limits, or "boundaries", can be tricky. It's not always easy to make them clear or get others to respect them. But boundaries are important. They show people in a nice way what we need to stay safe and healthy. Boundaries also let others know what will happen if they ignore our limits. Boundaries aren't about controlling what other people do. And they aren't about telling others what to do. A lot of times we mess up with boundaries. We might leave some out or not set any at all because we don't want to upset someone. But boundaries matter.…
Natalie Seidel, MAFP, CPD
August 21, 2023
Taking Care of Our Minds and Bodies
Mental Health

August is National Wellness Month 

Wellness means caring for our emotional and physical health to stay healthy and happy. Eating healthy foods gives us the nutrients we need to grow, stay strong, and fight off sickness. Taking care of our minds is just as important. We can handle challenges better when managing and understanding our emotions. Overall, maintaining both mind and body wellness is the foundation for a happy, productive, and meaningful life. Here are five ways you can help improve your well-being: Stay active: Engage in exercise you enjoy. This could include riding a bike, dancing, or playing a sport. 60 minutes of exercise…
Learn to Live Team
August 17, 2023
Thinking about what we fear can help us become unafraid.
Stress & Anxiety

Don’t Even Think About That 

How Learn to Live Delivers CBT: Part 6 Many times we hear "Don't even think about that!" This is to avoid a bad thing happening or feeling troubled. But we know thinking something does not make it happen. That is magical thinking.  In fact, the opposite is true. Thinking about what we fear can help us become unafraid. This is called imaginal exposure. With it, we think on purpose about things we worry about happening. Some people have used virtual reality to help imagine feared things. Research shows imagining bad outcomes can sometimes work as well as virtual reality.  We…
Dr. Russ Morfitt
August 9, 2023
It takes time and practice to feel better about your body, but it's worth it.
Mental HealthResilience

How to Build a Good Relationship with Your Body

Taking care of how we feel about our bodies is an important part of mental health for women. Sometimes, we worry about how we look and what others might think. We might compare ourselves to others and only think about our flaws. This can make us feel sad and lonely. Have you ever thought about why two women who look so similar can feel so different about their bodies? One might feel confident and happy at the beach in a swimsuit, while the other might cover up everything. Even though their bodies are almost the same, they feel very differently.…
Alison Monsour, LCMHCA, M.Ed.
July 31, 2023
Losing someone suddenly can be devastating. It can have a big impact on people.
Depression

Coping with a Sudden Loss 

Losing someone suddenly can be devastating. It can have a big impact on people. The grieving process is different for everybody. Some people may heal more quickly. Others may need more time and support to cope with their loss. They may experience:  Mental effects and strong emotions: When someone passes away suddenly, people feel many intense emotions. Those can include shock, sadness, anger, and guilt. They could also feel very sad or worried all the time. These feelings can be very strong and overwhelming.   Physical effects: The loss can also affect people's bodies. They might have trouble sleeping or lose…
Learn to Live Team
July 28, 2023
Resilience can help you recover from life's challenges
Mental Health

How to Reduce Suicide Risk Through Better Mental Health

Have you ever wondered how someone gets to the point of desperation where they want to end their life? It happens over time when their thoughts and feelings become darker and more hopeless. They feel like they are going down a deep, dark tunnel and cannot turn around. Their sadness keeps getting worse. They start to believe things will never get better. One of the ways to help reduce the risk of feeling the deep desperation and sadness that can lead to suicide is to build resilience. It’s a lot like preventing a heart attack by stopping smoking and staying…
Learn to Live Team
July 27, 2023
Back to school can be a stressful time for parents
Stress & Anxiety

Managing Back to School Stress for Parents

Going back to school can be stressful for parents. You have a lot to do, like buying supplies, clothes, and signing kids up for activities. Getting the schedule organized for the family can be hard too. Saying bye to the kids at the start of the school year can bring up many feelings, from excited to sad. It's important for parents to take care of themselves to lower stress for everyone during back to school. Here are some tips to help parents right now: Plan ahead: Start getting ready early to avoid last minute stress. Make checklists and prioritize tasks…
Learn to Live Team
July 26, 2023
There are few things as exciting as seeing someone stare their fears in the face until they no longer live with that fear.
Stress & Anxiety

Getting Back Up When You Fall Down

How Learn to Live Delivers CBT: Part 5 If you fall off the horse, you better get right back on that horse.  Why do they say that anyway? Have you ever actually fallen off a horse? I have many times. Sometimes it really hurts. But the reason to get back on that horse is because, once you start avoiding that horse, you risk a lifetime of continuing to fear the horse. I also like to say that if it's a little too scary to immediately get on that horse, you might want to at least try getting on a smaller…
Dr. Russ Morfitt
July 11, 2023