Madison Trauma Therapy

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Overcoming the Spring Motivational Slump

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It’s already April of 2021. Are you still doing your favorite Chloe Ting 2-week shred? Are you still trying to increase how much you save, read, lift weights, check in with your therapist, or whatever is a popular goal where you live? Likely not. As we move farther from the start of the new year, the odds that we have stuck to these and the other resolutions we might have set drop rapidly. Researchers at the University of Scranton found that compared to one week into the new year, the percentage of people who stuck to their resolutions dropped by half by the end of March. 

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Navigating the Anniversary of the COVID-19 Pandemic

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COVID-19 anniversary

On March 11th, 2020, the world watched with great sadness as the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 crisis a global pandemic. For many communities and societies around the world, the month of March brings with it the reminder of how the  COVID-19 pandemic turned our world upside down. This anniversary may bring a range of reactions for many including sadness, grief, disbelief, anger, anxiety, fatigue, overwhelm, depression, along with several other responses. After a year of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, many may be wondering, why am I experiencing this now?

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The Importance Of Self-Compassion In The Aftermath Of Suicide

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I volunteer with an organization that allows me to speak in high schools and tell the students my story of mental illness, suicide attempts and recovery. Recently, I was able to speak at a parent night where the parents could hear exactly what we share with the students. It was followed by a question period. The first question was from a gentleman sitting near the front. He shared that someone close to him had died by suicide, and he and his family were struggling with the guilt and pain of this trauma. He then asked me if he could have seen warning signs, or if he should have done anything differently.

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The Healing Power of Telling Your Trauma Story

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When we’ve survived an extremely upsetting event, it can be painful to revisit the memory. Many of us would prefer not to talk about it, whether it was a car accident, fire, assault, medical emergency, or something else.

However, our trauma memories can continue to haunt us, even—or especially—if we try to avoid them. The more we push away the memory, the more the thoughts tend to intrude on our minds, as many research studies have shown.

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Butting Heads: How to Stop Power Struggles

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Amy and Jack are arguing over how to help their young child sleep through the night. Amy thinks that just need to let her cry it out, Jack thinks they should go in and help her calm down. But Amy and Jack could also have a similar argument about money — how to manage their income so they don’t keep adding to their credit card — or what plants would grow best in their garden, or even sexual problems where one is satisfied and the other is not. [Read more…] about Butting Heads: How to Stop Power Struggles

Superfoods For Better Moods––And Less Depression

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We all know hangry, and Martha from Southern California is no exception. “When my 9-year-old daughter is asking me questions, and I get irritated, I know that I’m not going to feel better until I stop and eat something,” she says.

Hunger, which deprives your brain of fuel, can trigger a stress response, which often expresses itself as irritability or anger, i.e., being hangry. Whereas providing your brain with optimal fuel, such as superfoods—nutrient-rich foods that promote health—could help ease your depression or anxiety. [Read more…] about Superfoods For Better Moods––And Less Depression

Why and How to Teach Your Kids Mindfulness

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Last year, my daughter started learning mindfulness in her third-grade class at school. The students would sit in a circle, close their eyes, and quietly take notice of their own thoughts and what was happening around them. Each session, led by Danielle Mahoney, the mindfulness educator and literacy coach at P.S. 212Q in Jackson Heights, Queens, had a different lesson: mindful seeing, mindful hearing, mindful breathing, or heartfulness (or sending kind thoughts to others). The idea was that learning these techniques would help the young students focus better in school and be less stressed out. [Read more…] about Why and How to Teach Your Kids Mindfulness