How to Deal with Loneliness Around the Holidays
Feeling alone around the holiday season can be tough, especially with the strong emphasis on togetherness and group celebrations. Feelings of loneliness during this time, while normal, can negatively impact your mental health. It’s important to recognize these feelings and then find healthy ways to cope with them.Read More
Adoption Necessities
Through the journey of knowledge, bravery, and strength, the child and adoptive family make a significant and meaningful impact on one another. The child and adoptive family allow for vulnerability in getting to know each other and open their hearts to begin a new chapter together.Read More
Talking to Your Child About Domestic Violence
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. At Nexus Family Healing, we serve youth and families who have often either been victims of and/or witnessed domestic violence. For a parent/caregiver who was the victim of intimate partner violence, navigating how to handle it with your children can be extremely tough.Read More
Keeping Your Oxygen Mask On
One of the most important things I’ve learned as a mom to three sons is the oxygen mask metaphor. It’s second nature to put our children’s needs before our own. But that is a surefire path to burnout. Taking care of yourself so you have the resources (the oxygen) to be a healthy and effective parent is so important.Read More
Cozy Fall Activities for Your Mental Health
The swift approach of Autumn and the ending of summer can be a brutal adjustment. Days are short and cold, evenings are dark and long, and these changes in the weather can bring on symptoms of Seasonal Depressive Disorder. Because of this, it’s important to find enjoyable ways to combat these symptoms and protect your mental health. Here are a few suggestions to help you get excited for the changing season, all while supporting your mental health.Read More
The Burnout Beast
In many fields of work, burnout is as common as physical ailments amongst staff. This can be described as a beast – a phantom that creeps up. When feelings of burnout begin to creep in, remind yourself why you do what you do, challenge yourself to start a new hobby, take mindful breaks from work, and seek support in friends, coworkers, and supervisors.Read More
Helping Youth Navigate Election Stress
As the school year is now in full swing, the typical stressors that come up for kids and every 4 years, a new challenge is occurring in lunchrooms, hallways and even on the playgrounds - the U.S. presidential election. We expect children are hearing all sorts of spirited opinions about this presidential race, leading to a new set of emotional stressors for our kids. So, how do we help our youth navigate this newly elevated issue and learn how to handle conversations that can become uncomfortable?Read More
A Responder's Perspective on Suicide Prevention
As a family responder, working with youth who struggle with suicidality (deliberately hurting oneself with an intent to die) is a routine part of my job. Parents are often not provided with the same skill set as mental health professionals, yet they are the “first responders” when it comes to their child’s mental health. In my years working with suicidal youth and their families, I’ve noticed trends in the information I share with parents.Read More
How To Identify and Address Bullying
Childhood bullying is a near universal experience with 1 in 5 children encountering it it at some point. To help our children navigate this, it is crucial to engage in candid discussions about various bullying types and effective coping strategies.Read More
Hope Notes: A Small Surprise to Boost Your Child’s Mental Health
With the school year in full swing, the child in your care may be experiencing a range of emotions and feelings, from excitement and normal nerves to anxiety and stress. What is something parents can do to support their mental health while they are at school each day? Send a little note of hope or inspiration with them to school – you can put the note in their backpack, lunch box, folder, or schoolbook as a comforting surprise to find during their day.Read More