Taking a moment to focus on your breath can help reduce anxiety and improve your mindset. One great way to practice mindful breathing and slowing down your breath is through blowing bubbles. Try this exercise!
A list of activities to get you and your family started on naming what you are thankful for. You can get as creative as you want with these or keep it simple.
I was told that I should get my child into therapy to deal with his hyperactivity. How do I find a good therapist and then how do I know if the therapist is any good?
We have visited our doctor for a few regular check-ups and she is telling us that our son has depression. He does not seem sad and he is not crying all the time like we would expect if he really was depressed. Why would she think he has depression?
I found a comment on my daughter’s social media having to do with feeling hopeless and not wanting to be around anymore. I am worried about her but do not want to make it a big deal if it’s not. What should I do?
When asked, “How are you doing?” the answer is always some version of “as well as I can be.” Many things that we used to anchor our safety and security to are gone. And the initial strategy of waiting it out is simply inadequate. Like a child holding their breath to get their way, it just can’t last. As I needed to make peace with the fact that the ground is and will be about as steady as quicksand, I searched for a metaphor to get me through the tough times.
My 4-year-old is really aggressive, and it seems to be getting worse. Other parents do not want him around their children, and before we were all staying at home because of the pandemic, I was getting complaints from daycare. What should I do?
Sport fishing is the lifeblood of the Mille Lacs Lake area in Minnesota where one of our youth residential treatment facilities, Nexus-Mille Lacs calls home. The simple joys of fishing are apparent – fresh air, the simple beauty of nature, the thrill of “fish on,” and a little peace and quiet to name a few. But what about some of the deeper benefits that the sport of fishing has to offer? Things like relationship building, the importance of self-care – allowing one’s mind and body the opportunity to relax and develop positive coping techniques. Spending time in nature can reduce stress and anxiety and elevate your mood.
There are many different ways we have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. One area of life that has drastically changed is how we celebrate or recognize meaningful life events. Special events like graduation, religious ceremonies, weddings, prom, anniversaries, baby showers, funerals, etc. are important rituals that mark the end of a developmental milestone while ushering in a different, future life stage. It is for this reason that it is quite normal for people to feel a great sense of loss and grief about having traditional ways of practicing significant rituals so disrupted, and in most cases, entirely cancelled.
Have you ever wondered if your child is struggling with mental health? How does a parent know the difference between a child’s regular personality and a mental health issue that should be addressed? It is challenging to know the difference between a personality trait and a mental health issue because a child is still growing and developing. How personality traits and mental health symptoms manifest will both vary from year to year because a child is not done changing.
Is your child concerned that they, you or another loved one will contract COVID-19? One activity that may help alleviate that fear is to create a Prevention Poster. Work with your child to identify their greatest fear related to the COVID-19 virus. Then, together, create a Prevention Poster with steps you can take. Doing such an activity can be fun and help give your child a sense of control and purpose in this unsure situation.