Getting used to working from home can be challenging enough when you’re flying solo. But if you have a toddler or two running around, it can feel like trying to work in the middle of a zoo when the attractions have been set free to roam. Seriously, if you’re a working parent who’s been dealing with younger children and trying to stay sane working from home during the pandemic, you know that this isn’t an exaggeration. You should also know that working remotely with toddlers doesn’t ...read more
National Counseling Awareness Month
April is National Counseling Awareness Month, and so I thought it would be a good idea to take this time to talk a little about mental health and the benefits of seeking treatment for whatever issues you may be facing. When we talk about mental health, we are talking about our emotional, psychological and social well-being. Our mental health not only affects how we feel but also how we think and behave as well as handle stress and make decisions. Mental Health Statistics Just how common are ...read more
Tips for Staying Healthy While Working from Home
For some people, working from home is a normal routine. This is, after all, the gig economy, and many people have been freelancing, making a living from their home office for many years now. But for others, working from home is a completely new phenomenon brought about by the global pandemic. For this second group of people, working from home has completely changed their day-to-day lives, and many have found their overall health has taken a toll. With lockdowns and social distancing still ...read more
How to Turn a Move into More Than Just a Physical Fresh Start
There are plenty of reasons why people move. Maybe you want a nicer house. Maybe you need to be closer to your job. Maybe you want to be closer to family. While most can identify their specific reasons for moving, many chose to focus only on the physical nature of the move. This means they are missing a great opportunity to use this major life transition as a time of renewal, a fresh start. You can piggyback off this life shift and make some lifestyle changes that will benefit you for years to ...read more
How Social Media Can Actually be Good for Our Mental Health
Whenever there is a discussion about social media and mental health, there is generally a negative association. Many studies now have pointed to individuals developing depression or anxiety as a result of time spent on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. There is such a thing as mindful social media use. There is actually another side to the coin that suggests social media can actually be good for some people’s mental health. The key is to be a mindful social media user. Social ...read more
How Counseling Can Help You Reach Your Goals in the New Year
If you struggle to set goals, let alone reach them, you are definitely not alone. In fact, it is thought that roughly 92% of the population has found it hard to stick to goals. This constant cycle of trying to set beneficial life or health goals, but never quite reaching them, can ultimately lead to depression. That’s because reaching goals is empowering and helps us feel we are in charge of our life. When we don’t reach goals, we feel powerless and even hopeless that our lives can change for ...read more
3 Ways to Practice Self-Care for Improved Psychological Health and Happiness
When we think of self-care, things like soaking in a bubble bath, booking a massage, and reading a good book typically come to mind. While these are all excellent self-care strategies to incorporate into our lives — particularly when we’re feeling stressed, anxious, and overworked — sometimes our self-care needs run much deeper. If you're struggling with managing negative thoughts and emotions, for instance, therapy sessions with one of the counselors at Ocean Vista Counseling may be a good ...read more
Telehealth for Support Group Therapy
Many of us continue to try and make sense of this new world we live in – one in which the novel coronavirus dictates much of our daily routine. Some states are still mandating social distancing and wearing of masks. And many people are still out of work or working remotely for the unforeseeable future. This quarantine has certainly made life more difficult in many ways. One of those ways is making it difficult for some people to continue to get the mental therapy they need. Luckily, more and ...read more
Must-Know Advice for Managing Changes During COVID-19 Pandemic
Perhaps you’ve decided to make some changes in your life because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Or maybe you’ve had certain changes forced upon you, and now, you’re just trying to adapt and adjust. Dealing with these changes can be challenging at first, but what if these shifts could benefit you in the long run? Here are a few transitions you may be dealing with right now and how you can handle these events with a positive outlook. Becoming a Pet Owner If your time in self-isolation has inspired ...read more
The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 on Families
If you asked any of us a year ago what would life be like in 2020, it’s doubtful anyone would have guessed we’d be going through a global pandemic, replete with lockdowns and self-quarantining. The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 has impacted people oof all ages. At the beginning of the year, some families might have thought of being forced to stay home from work and school would be a fun little vacation. But as the weeks and months have passed, we’ve all learned this has been anything but ...read more