In many of my first meetings with parents, I am likely to hear the phrase, "Nothing motivates my child." Parents sometimes feel there is nothing that they can use to motivate their child to do the things that they want them to do. This is a source of frustration for the parents. This is the case for most families that I work with, with kiddos from age 5 through college age. Some of the things parents want me to help motivate their children to do include things such as brushin

Mental illness is not contagious. Sufferers need not wear a breathing mask, and they won’t spread their illness by sneezing on a handrail or sharing a mug. But at the same time, depression, addiction, anxiety, and other issues do not exist in a vacuum. Those who interact regularly and intimately with the sufferer can experience an issue of their own: codependency. It’s not guaranteed – thousands of families with mentally ill members function normally – but in certain situati

Child abuse is a difficult, complex, and frequently studied subject. Its prevalence in society is disturbing; in 2014, the National Children’s Alliance estimates that 704,000 American children suffered some form of abuse. Child abuse may be physical, sexual, emotional, or come from neglect. Often these abuses occur together, or may cross several categories. All abuse can profoundly affect children when they become adults: it changes how they process love, how they deal with s

Most of us stopped keeping a regular journal in grade school. As we grew older, many of the secrets we confessed to our diaries were instead whispered to friends. But could the urge to write down our thoughts be as helpful to adults as it is for kids? Experts say yes. If you're hoping to process your emotions and monitor your habits, going back to pen and paper can be surprisingly valuable. Wordsworth said that poetry is a “spontaneous overflow of emotion, recollected in tran

College is an important, exciting, and confusing time. At the intersection of adolescence and adulthood, people who recently needed permission to use the toilet are now forced to make life-altering decisions. Coupled with social temptations and increasing student debt, it’s enough to unseat even the sturdiest person. Thankfully, college students are not alone. Universities, the government, and students themselves have built a valuable network of resources. If you’re a college

It’s easy to get the blues in the winter. The gloomy weather, post-holiday food comas, and post-holiday return to routine can really get you down. But most of us continue on with our daily lives, dreaming of warmer days. For some people though, the winter blues are more than an inconvenience. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a legitimate mental illness where sufferers experience anxiety or depression during a certain season. It may sound too crazy to be true, but it’s a l

When life is at its most challenging, coping with adversity can be emotional and difficult. Many people resort to self-harm as a way to handle conflict. The reasons for it are complex and varied, and treatment can be a long process. But one thing is clear: it’s not the answer. What is Self-Harm? Self-harm is a coping mechanism in which people purposefully hurt themselves, often becoming a habit whenever emotionally difficult situations arise. Cutting, punching, and scratching

The term “trigger” has been a hot topic recently. Take the debate over trigger warnings in academia, alerting students of content that could be harmful to those with mental illnesses. Passion about the issue, combined with a contentious political atmosphere, has made finding the facts difficult. Despite the topic’s popularity, triggers have been around in psychology for a very long time. Today, we’re going to examine triggers and what defines them, in the hopes of clearing th

When you think of meditation, you might laugh! It conjures pictures of old white yogis or Buddhist monks with loud, constant chants. The reality is much different. At its core, meditation is a way of gaining control of processes your body normally does on its own. It’s a way of turning off auto-pilot and re-centering yourself in the moment. While it sounds rather philosophical, the effects are anything but: lowered heart rate, lowered stress level, and better concentration. N

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), more commonly known as antidepressants, are often misunderstood. Sensationalized stories and stigma of mental health issues have contributed to their sometimes negative reputation. The reality is that like all other medicines, SSRIs require professional guidance to use responsibly. There are a number of cultural myths about them. These myths can hurt patients who could benefit from use of the medications, but are scared away by

Physical and mental health have very strong connections. Not only does a little exercise help you maintain weight, muscle tone, and blood pressure, it also aids as a cognitive booster. Whether you walk, lift, or train for triathlons, studies show that making time for exercise will pay huge in brain dividends. Here are five benefits of exercise on your mental health: 1. Endorphin Rush Exercise releases oodles of endorphins. Endorphins block pain, but they're also responsible f

What is happiness? Can you always be happy? Happiness seems to come easily for some and is in short supply for others. It is a constantly changing and yet frustratingly temporary emotion. Would it surprise you that a recent poll reported that only one-third of Americans call themselves happy? Unfortunately, there's no magic pill you can take daily to make yourself happy. People who are happy must work at being happy. Happiness is a required mindset change; a happy person’s li

Can we change the way we think? Are our brains hardwired to behave the same way in each situation or can we start to think differently? Many of us live in our own perfectly created worlds where family, friends, and careers hold steady and change comes from external forces like marriage and children. Our lives are familiar and safe and the mental stimulation and social interactions we have remain unfettered with change. Our brains evolved naturally to keep us safe. We understa

Staying motivated in something can be hard, whether it be your job, hobby or a relationship. Motivation is the key to a happy, creative, and productive life. It helps us connect better to the world around us and makes our lives more meaningful. What are reasons that can cause us to get demotivated? There are as many factors that contribute to this as there are fish in the sea. Lets discuss a couple of these and their solutions. 1. I am demotivated by fear. Fear is perhaps the

You can find a mobile or tablet app for almost anything today, and since almost every one is attached to a smartphone, tablet, or computer, it’s no wonder mobile apps are flourishing in all categories—even in the area of mental health. Today, you can find apps that help calm anxiety, help us cope with a traumatic event, help create positive activity, or even help you relax and sleep at night. Here are some of the Top Mental Health Apps for your iPhone, Android, or Windows sma

Beginning with this post, 3-C Family Services plans to pull together some of our favorite mental health articles, blogs, opinion pieces, and more from the previous month into one monthly post titled Top Mental Health Links. We hope this becomes a great resource for you to easily find some of the great mental health content available throughout the Internet. Happy reading and let us know in the comments if we missed any other great mental health content! Act Like an Adult and

3-C Family Services may be a new face on Twitter, but we certainly hope to someday have others look at us as information leaders when it comes to mental health. We know that the following Twitter accounts have already achieved that status. At 3-C, we find ourselves checking out what they are sharing about mental health in our Twitter feed on a daily basis. You can also get some great information by checking out the hashtag #mentalhealth while logged in. So enjoy our list of