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Self-care

Workplace Stress, Burnout, and the Stress Cycle: 9 Things You Can Do for Your Mental Health

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stress

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. Stressors and Stress Stressors are what activate the stress response in the body and stress is the neurological and physiological shift that happens when you encounter one of these stressors. For so many of us, work-related stressors activate our stress response. Whether it’s searching for a job in our current economic conditions, experiencing burnout from working long hours without adequate rest, or working a high pressure job, work stress can permeate our daily lives – in and outside of work. Emily Nagoski PhD’s book, “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle,” describes stress as “an evolutionarily adaptive response that helps us cope with things like, say, being chased by a lion or charged by a hippo. When your brain notices the lion (or hippo), it activates a generic ‘stress response,’ a cascade of neurological and hormonal activity that initiates physiological changes to help you survive…this …

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Moving Towards Self-Compassion in 2023

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stress

By Ashley Barnes   What is self-compassion? In understanding compassion, it is first important to understand what compassion means. “Compassion involves feeling another person’s pain and wanting to take steps to help relieve their suffering” (Verywell Mind, 2021). The word ‘compassion’ is derived from Latin and means “to suffer together.” It is markedly different from empathy in that it takes a step further by taking action on the shared understanding of a person’s pain and suffering. Put simply, “Self-compassion is…the process of turning compassion inward.” (Neff, 2022). This practice is often easier said than done, as many of us have learned through experience or observing others that treating ourselves harshly is the only way to move forward.  From a self-compassion lens, we instead would provide ourselves kindness and understanding when we “fail, make mistakes or feel inadequate. We give ourselves support and encouragement rather than being cold and judgmental when …

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Getting Through the Holidays with an Eating Disorder

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Getting through the holidays with an eating disorder

Getting through the holidays with an eating disorder can be rough. Millions of people suffer from an eating condition, including 28.8 million in the United States and at least 9% worldwide. Athletes, veterans, LGBTQ+, and many other races, genders, and ages are affected. It’s sad, but among children, 42% of first through third graders reported they want to be thinner. Coping with an eating disorder, especially during food-focused events occurring during the holidays, can be incredibly challenging due to all the constant festivities. For example,  you could have an unofficial office party, hump day happy hour with friends, and a family reunion on the weekend in one week. No wonder someone with an eating disorder may feel stressed and overwhelmed during the holidays. Some may not realize they have an eating disorder and wonder why their thoughts and actions regarding food and their body worsen when they should celebrate and …

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Coping with Grief During the Holidays

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stress

By Ashley Barnes Recent Events. Grief touches all of us. Many readers are familiar with the recent tragedy at the University of Virginia (UVA). While on a bus returning from a field trip in Washington D.C., three innocent young men lost their lives to gun violence. Headlines like these have become too familiar and the impact of these losses on victims’ loved ones is insurmountable. The Mental Health Center extends our most heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and anyone else who is grieving as we move into the holidays.  What is grief? Though many of us are familiar with grief and the heaviness of emotions that it entails, it can look different for all of us. Hospice Foundation of America describes grief as a reaction to loss, as subjective and varied much like how no snowflake is identical; there is no timetable to grief and we may express our …

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November 13th is World Kindness Day!

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stress

By Ashley Barnes Why World Kindness Day? November 13th has been designated as World Kindness Day, an international holiday founded in 1998 to promote kindness throughout the world. The holiday is observed in many countries aside from the United States including Canada, Japan, and Australia. As part of the larger World Kindness Movement, World Kindness Day allows us the opportunity to consider the positive impact that acts of kindness can impart, both large and small. Kind acts can promote unity, positivity, and make a big difference in someone’s life. How to spread kindness. Though there are countless ways we can be kind to others, here are a few ideas to consider in celebration of World Kindness Day: The simple act of smiling at others can promote a sense of safety and compassion. When we smile at someone, we acknowledge their presence in a way that is warm, kind, and inviting. …

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