310-601-9999

International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022

by
disabilities

By Ashley Barnes   Why International Day of Persons with Disabilities? December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), “promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities at every level of society and development, and to raise awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic, and cultural life” (World Health Organization, 2022). IDPD is meant to educate the general public about the extra challenges that persons with disabilities face with the aim to break down such barriers. In a world built to serve the “able-bodied,” it becomes increasingly important to reinforce the rights of persons with disabilities. When referring to those living with a disability, we use the term “persons with disabilities” instead of other, potentially harmful terminology. “Persons with disabilities” is an example of “people-first language,” putting the person before the diagnosis; this defines what a person has rather …

Read more

The Importance of Setting Boundaries

by
disabilities

By Ashley Barnes   What are boundaries? One of the most important forms of self-care is setting boundaries. Boundaries are limits people set with the intention of creating a healthy sense of personal space; they can be emotional or physical in nature, aiding us in distinguishing our desires, preferences, and needs from one another. Like a fence, it protects our space from factors that could negatively impact our mental health.  When to set boundaries. A good sign that we need to set a boundary could be when we start to feel agitated with that which is infringing on our well being. This may look like feeling exhausted and resentful towards someone in our lives who keeps asking for favors, feeling frustrated with our professional life if we aren’t getting adequate work-life balance, or feeling anxious regarding a romantic partner who is making us feel uncomfortable. Without setting clear boundaries, we …

Read more

The Daily Challenges of Depression in Day to Day Life

by
The daily challenges of depression in day to day life

Dealing with the daily challenges of depression comes in different forms. When the alarm clock wakes you up, do you get a knot in your stomach and pray for a reason to stay in bed all day? When your best friend asks you to hang out the upcoming weekend, do you get excited and accept the invitation? Closer to the outing, do you begin dreading it and looking for excuses to cancel? Do you have moments at work, school, or socially where you cannot control your emotions? Like when you lash out at a coworker or get road rage? But then, when you get home to your spouse, do you feel emotionless, and no matter what you try, you don’t feel romantic or loving? These are just a few examples of how depression can challenge your day-to-day life. You Are Not Alone Data shows more than 17 million Americans have at …

Read more

Getting Through the Holidays with an Eating Disorder

by
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 …

Read more

Coping with Grief During the Holidays

by
disabilities

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 …

Read more