The following is Part 2 in a 4-Part Series of Self-Care experiments, conducted and reported on by the fabulous Psychology intern: Adra Brown. For more "Experiments in Self-Care", see Part 1: Mindfulness Meditation. Is a "Tidy Room" Really a "Tidy Mind"? We have all heard the phrase, “tidy room/desk/home; tidy mind”, and as children we may have even rolled our...[ read more ]
How do you know if your Body Image needs a tune-up? Do any of the following apply to you: Do you pinch, measure, weigh, and suck in body parts obsessively? Is your day ruined when you compare yourself to someone with a “better” body (like an Instagram fitness guru)? Is your day ruined when you weigh yourself? Have you given...[ read more ]
"What if I told you, there was something you could do right now, that would have an immediate positive benefit for your brain, including your mood and your focus...and that could last a long time, protecting your brain from conditions like depression and alzheimers?" What is this brain-altering phenomenon? EXERCISE! In her TED talk, The Brain Changing Effects of Exercise, neuroscientist...[ read more ]
Whether or not you are religious, cultivating "spirituality" can bring richness and meaning to your life, and can improve mental health outcomes. "Spirituality" means different things depending on the a person's culture, upbringing, or religious proclivity. For the purposes of this article, I'll define the the term "spirituality" as: Being connected with yourself, with others, and possessing a sense of wonder...[ read more ]
[This article is Part 3 in a series on creating long-term healthy lifestyle. Check out Part 1: Create Your Vision, and Part 2: Set A Goal, before reading part 3.] Kelly, had a vexing, gaping pothole in her neighborhood, on a road she travelled daily. Every day for weeks, her mind would be somewhere else, when she'd inevitably hit that pothole...[ read more ]
Healthy living is central to a vibrant and happy life, and seeking to make healthy lifestyle changes is a laudable goal. However, when we try to fit ourselves into the boxes of diet fads, fitness crazes, or whatever our neighbor is doing, we may be setting ourselves up for failure. Here are some helpful tips for discerning what is legit...[ read more ]