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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
Suicide Prevention
DepressionMental Health

Suicide Prevention: Helping Someone in Crisis

The tragedy of suicide affects thousands of people in the United States every year. The moment of desperation leading to suicide can happen to anyone, regardless of their age, gender, or background. If you know someone who is thinking about suicide, it's essential to take their feelings seriously and offer support. If you are feeling very sad or hopeless, please reach out for support.  Recognizing the Signs of Suicide Risk It's really important to recognize the signs of suicide. When we notice someone might be in trouble, we can offer help early. This might even save their life. Understanding these…
Learn to Live Team
July 6, 2023
Many new moms fact postpartum depression after having a baby
Depression

Postpartum Depression and Support for New Moms

Postpartum depression is a common problem that many new moms face after having a baby. It can make them feel sad and tired. Postpartum depression is not something to be ashamed of or feel guilty about. It is a real medical condition that can be treated. With the right support and care, moms can feel better and enjoy being a mom.   Becoming a mom means stepping into a new role. New moms go from “me to we”. There are many challenges that new moms face as they step into this new role. It’s really hard. In fact, 50-75% of new…
Learn to Live Team
June 30, 2023
When Pregnancy Loss Leads to Grieving the Role of Motherhood
Depression

Pregnancy Loss: Grieving the Role of Motherhood

Questions like “Do you have children?” or “How many children do you have” seem harmless but hit us like a two-by-four when we are sitting with loss. May is Maternal Health Awareness, but pregnancy loss does not have a time limit. The care and healing can take days, weeks, months, and even years. By the end of this article, the hope is that you will have tools to help in such a fragile time.   If you have lost a baby, please know you are not alone. I understand the pain because even though I am a mom, I’ve also gone…
Natalie Seidel, MAFP, CPD
June 29, 2023
Learn to identify and examine your thoughts
Mental Health

Wait, upon further examination, things look different…

How Learn to Live Delivers CBT: Part 4 Thoughts affect our feelings Around here, we put a lot of consideration into our approach to thoughts. Our cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) programs include the idea that your cognitions (thoughts) — the C in CBT—affect how we feel and that idea can change our worlds. That realization was central to the cognitive revolution that was led by pioneers like Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis. So, their ideas are integrated into our programs. To examine our thoughts, we must first identify them. We introduced the sentence stems I created several years ago (e.g.,…
Dr. Russ Morfitt
June 27, 2023
Coping with loss
Depression

Coping with Loss and Change

Almost all of us have suffered from some form of loss in the past—the death of loved ones, the loss of a job, or the realization that a dream would not be fulfilled. We experience these losses differently, but there is a way to process the loss that can lead to growth. Psychologist William Worden developed a model of grief that recognizes that we all grieve in our own way and yet identifies certain common tasks that allow any of us to grieve well. We have slightly modified it here, but retained the idea that these tasks do not have…
Learn to Live Team
June 16, 2023