December 2, 2014
by Marti Wormuth, MA
As the holidays grow ever closer, some people have a lot on their mind, and it's sad to see them try and work through their feelings during this time of year. This is especially true if someone has been trying to work their way through the loss of a loved one. Losing a loved one, whether it was days before or years before a holiday, gives the holidays a bittersweet feeling, and it can be really hard for people to work through those emotions in a healthy manner. Why are the holidays so hard after a loss?
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December 1, 2014
by Marti Wormuth, MA
Procrastination. It's one of those words that we kind of avoid talking about because we think that it's a "bad word" or that it only applies to those who are in certain periods in their lives. That being said, there are a lot of things that we can procrastinate on, and honestly, it doesn't just apply to work or school. We could totally avoid certain events in our lives, or we can push off conversations that we have to have with people that we love. For some of us, "putting things off" is in our blood and we try to do everything that we can in order to do so.
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November 30, 2014
by Marti Wormuth, MA
One of the most joyful events that one can go through in their lifetime is having a child. Having a child is a wonderful thing, because you're bringing a life into the world and you are commissioned to take care of that child and love them. Obviously, some people aren't the best at that and they struggle with trying to go through with it, but in general, many mothers are ecstatic when their child is born. That being said, there are a lot of things that go on inside a woman's body before, during, and after pregnancy, and sometimes there can be mental health complications as a result of it. This is called postpartum ("after birth") depression.
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November 29, 2014
by Marti Wormuth, MA
Addiction. It's a word that a lot of us have a negative response to, because it is something that we've all be conditioned to distrust and dislike. With good reason as well! Addiction can cause a lot of problems for people, both the person who is struggling with the addiction and those who are around them on a regular basis. But why does addiction happen? What happens in your body to make it addicted to something?
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November 28, 2014
by David Porter, MA
Sleep is a basic requirement for survival, as essential as air, food, and water. It is a period of time where the activity of our body and brain are on standby, so both can not only reduce the amount of energy used, but recharge vital functions. It is something we must all do about every 16 hours.
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New research published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases (Almendrala, 2014) studied reasons why children survive ebola more often than adults. One conclusion was that children have stronger immune responses to the disease than do adults. The levels of a protein called RANTE, which is a molecule that helps cells in the immune system communicate with each other, were higher in children than in adults. This protein also assists T-cells, the ‘killers’ of invading bacteria and viruses in our bodies. A possible reason for the higher levels of RANTE in children has to do with better health and a stronger immune system. This includes lower stress levels overall.
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November 27, 2014
by Marti Wormuth, MA
Divorce is one of those things that many of us don't like to talk about, but many of us have been touched by it in one way or another. Divorce is a difficult thing for everyone that is involved, but it affects children a lot. Children need security in their lives, especially if they are young, so if something rocks their world it becomes that much harder for them to deal with. So, in this blog post, we're going to explore how divorce specifically affects children and what you can do in order to help your child get through the divorce.
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Several different types of counseling, including Art Therapy, are available and have been shown to help people heal from the effects of emotional trauma (Moon, 1994). Art Therapy, specifically, has been a treatment for mental illness for over 100 years, but it is a type of therapy that people may not consider when seeking help. This type of therapy can help both children and adults to process a traumatic event and begin to heal (Art Therapy and Mental Health, 2009).
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November 25, 2014
by Marti Wormuth, MA
Many of us know in our minds that communication is an important part of relationships, but many of us don't realize just how important it can be. There are a lot of issues that may come along as a result of bad communication, and if we don't address it it in a prompt and healthy manner, it can actually end up causing a lot more problems than necessary. Some of the main reasons that people end up falling apart or getting divorced is because of misunderstandings that happen as a result of poor communication.
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November 24, 2014
by Marti Wormuth, MA
Many of us have heard the word "trauma," but some of us don't really understand what that means in a technical context. What is traumatic? What happens in a traumatic event? How can we make sure that people who have gone through trauma are able to get through it in a healthy way that allows them to thrive instead of merely trying to survive their daily lives?
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