Coronavirus COVID-19

Anxious and stressed boy going back to school during the pandemic

Yet another transition: Back to school full-time
Part 1: How to identify anxiety and stress

Posted on by stephen

Back in August, we wrote about how to talk to your kids about the back-to-school plan. It’s been 7 months since we made those suggestions and over a year since students left the classrooms, sports fields, and band practice halls for the first time. It’s no surprise that there is a lot going on for kids and teens right now.  Many communities are allowing children to return to classrooms and activities full time; yet another transition students must face.

In this two part series, we include ways to identify back-to-school anxiety and stress in kids in addition to providing reasons why they might be stressed. Next week, be sure to come back and read about practical tips for helping kids cope.

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COVID anniversary reflection

The mental health benefits of Self-Reflection on the past 12 months

Posted on by stephen

March marks the one year anniversary of the pandemic’s most significant initial impact on the United States. That’s just over 365 days since we have worked inside the walls of an office, hugged our friends, gone on vacation, or been to a concert. If the weight of this past year has taken a toll on you – you are not alone.

Psychologists specializing in trauma describe anniversaries of all types as significant. This is because our bodies and brains are believed to store memories that can be triggered by certain dates or seasons. The one year anniversary of the pandemic is no exception.

Reactions to grief and loss anniversaries is normal and acknowledging them is healthy.  One concrete way to do this is to practice self-reflection.

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Grief and loss during the pandemic

Grief and loss during the pandemic:
Part 1 – What does it look like?

Posted on by stephen

The CoVid-19 pandemic has thrusted the entire world into experiencing collective loss and grief. For some, this is their first experience with these emotions and they have little to no prior losses to inform them of what to expect. In this two-part series, we cover what grief and loss can look like during the pandemic (part 1) and also how to cope (part 2).

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Teen coping with uncertainty

Helping Teens Cope with Uncertainty

Posted on by stephen

There are many things in life that are uncertain and the pandemic has pushed people of all ages to the limit on processing the unknown. But, the emotional toll that Covid-19 has taken on teenagers has been uniquely difficult. In fact, a recent survey found that 64% of teens believe the experience of Covid-19 will have a lasting impact on their generation’s mental health.

In our current clinical practice, one theme that continues to emerge with teens is their need for help with tolerating uncertainty.

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Overcoming Needle Phobia

Overcoming needle phobia before it’s your turn for the Covid-19 vaccine

Posted on by stephen

Needle phobia, also known as trypanophobia, is an extreme fear of medical procedures that involve injections or needles. If you have ever experienced anxiety prior to the flu shot, while watching others receive injections, or in some cases even hearing or reading about these procedures, you may have some level of needle phobia. Needle phobia affects around 20% of the adult population to such an extent that it can cause the avoidance of medical care.

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