Routine: it’s tempting to get comfortable at home in your pajamas, not showering, and being lax about work deadlines. Many of us are not used to working from home, especially during a crisis. Keep a schedule; set times to wake up, take breaks, eat healthy meals, talk to family and friends. Don’t just sink in your couch all day watching favorite shows or sink into your chair sucked into the computer.

Limit social media: It is also tempting to check every social media post and platform but we have to be cautious because of the amount of negativity it can place into our brains. If we continue seeing and thinking negative, we will begin to feel the effects by ways of anxiety, depression, and our own negative self talk. Try to balance what you are looking at on social media and set time allowances for spending time on social media.

Keep in touch with family and friends: We, as humans, thrive on connection and interaction. Even if you consider yourself more of an introvert, you still crave...

There are a combination of interventions used to treat panic disorders with CBT. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the type of therapy but there are action steps within all therapies known as interventions. Some of them would be; Relaxation Training, Mindfulness Practice, and Cognitive Restructuring.

Panic and anxiety can wreak havoc on our bodies due to tension in the muscles, increased cortisol (stress hormone), and other chemical reactions that include our natural fight/flight/freeze response. With this it is important to practice relaxation skills as a first step to being the body to a level of calm. Learning to decrease physiological arousal is part of the craft of lowering anxiety and remaining calm during chaos. This can include progressive muscle relaxation (you can find this on my podcast Calm Connect); breathing techniques; and grounding skills.

Panic and anxiety usually take over our mind and bodies because we are not mindful in the moment, we are thinking one thousand diffe...

This is a great question but it is my opinion that there is not one type of therapy for this case. One of the questions I would ask is what is causing the confusion and what are the symptoms? Most the time my clients tell me it is “racing thoughts,” and things like lack of sleep. The overall answer I can think of to start with would be grounding yourself. If you are unable to ground yourself you will forever feel like you are floating in la la land.

Grounding skills are skills that calm us and bring us into mindfulness; bring us into the current moment. When thinking of grounding skills go to your five senses. Taste, smell, hearing, feeling, and seeing. Even if it is just eating an orange; can you smell the citrus, see the color, taste the sweet and sour, feel the bumpy skin and juices flowing over your hands, and hear the peel being removed from the meat of the orange. How often do we do this? Enjoy every moment. Look at the sky, look at your childs face, feel your feet in the grass,...

I was reading some articles online and saw a comment at the bottom that said, “Can anything good come out of suffering?” This is certainly a huge question and I am just offering an opinion because I was passionate about answering it!

First, lets define suffering: the state of undergoing pain, distress, and/or hardship. It is my belief, throughout life we, as humans, have multiple occurrences that can end up in resilience.  Resilience can be defined as; springing back, mental toughness, elasticity of moral character. If we never go through these occurrences, we don’t learn the nuances of life. What I mean is, we don’t learn how to cope, how to use our boundaries, how to utilize our communication, how to be resourceful, how to be independent, how to reach out for support, and much more.

I believe we don’t want to witness others suffering and so it also gives us the opportunity  to assist and help other humans throughout their difficult situations. This leads to empathy, love, and commu...

Ahhhhh, the world of tablets, smartphones, and constant visual stimulation. I understand that pulling out a tablet is often the easiest thing to do when your child starts to act up. But you need to think of the alternatives that will make things easier over time. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against relying exclusively on media to calm children because it may interfere with their learning how to manage their emotions on their own.

Did you know that playing games and watching videos can be unhealthy in many ways. Research studies have found that excessive screen time contributes to behavior issues, including hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and difficulties with paying attention. Nothing is worse than your child throwing a tantrum for 20 minutes; in public or at home. Discover how to calm your kids without a screen.

Steps to Take with Your Child

The main goal is to be prepared with a tool belt filled with tools that are technology free responses.

1. Show empathy.
...

It’s easy to have structure, communication, laughter, and assistance when working in an office with other people. It’s easy to feel as if you are on an island by yourself at home. Sure, its fun in the beginning to be working in your pajamas and slippers; eating your favorite ice cream and drinking 10 cups of coffee. However, after a while there are consequences.

Weight, isolation, too much thinking, laziness, fatigue, and lack of structure can occur over time if we are not keeping our motivation up. Try these tips to remain sane and motivated while stuck at home:

1. Wake up early and set your alarm clock. Just because you are not commuting to work doesn’t mean you should forgo a shower, eat breakfast and start your day early; when your mind is sharp.
2. Get dressed for goodness sake! You don’t have to live in your pajamas! Put makeup on, brush your hair and wear something with a semblance of work attire.
3. Try to set up a workspace in your home. No matter how big or small you can feng Su
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Does life seem to be a struggle for you? Do you feel overwhelmed and frustrated much of the time? Do you wish you could experience something better?

    Success is available to you despite challenging circumstances. You can enjoy the life you deserve and dream of. It's important to remember, also, that your self-worth is not defined by your circumstances.

     What holds you back? Take some time today to question the beliefs you hold that limit your potential. If you look at a challenging circumstance as a wall that's impossible to climb, you need a fresh perspective. Within you is everything you need to thrive and excel. The more you question the validity of your limiting beliefs, the more success you'll experience in your life.

     Think of a circumstance in your life that you believe is preventing you from something you want. Write it down, then get ready to challenge that limiting belief. If you do, you'll begin to move toward the success you deserve. Use these strategies to ma...

Anxiety and worry can take over your life if you allow it to. Whether we like it or not, constant stress and worry can physically make us sick. The good news is that there are ways to help alleviate anxiety.  

The first step is to figure out exactly what you're stressing about. Is it something you can change? Is it something you have no control over? By determining the root of your anxiety, you can better understand how you can overcome it.

For example, if you're feeling anxious about losing your job, you have the capability to change this worry. You can work harder to prove that you're an indispensable part of the team or you can start searching for a new job. Taking action is the surest way to defeat anxiety. 

The truth is, there are plenty of situations in your life that you can change with some effort. For example, if you're concerned about your weight, the good news is that you can change it! You already know it takes a healthy diet coupled with regular exercise. Little by litt...