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self care

Stress Awareness Month 2024

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stress

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. What is Stress Awareness Month? Stress Awareness Month has been recognized during the month of April since 1992; it spreads awareness of the ways in which stress impacts our mental and physical health as well as urges us to find healthy ways to manage our own stress. What is stress and how does it impact us? What exactly is stress? According to the American Psychological Association, stress is defined as “the physiological or psychological response to internal or external stressors. Stress involves changes affecting nearly every system of the body, influencing how people feel and behave” (2024). In other words, stress is our own response to stimuli (stressors). Stress can be acute (responses to short term stressors) or chronic (response to ongoing, long term stressors), and not all stress is bad. Some stress can help us better navigate situations such as job interviews or help us …

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Self-care Spotlight 004

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stress

By Ashley Barnes This week, I thought a lot about the ways in which music helps calm me during times of stress, quickly realizing how listening to music can be deemed a form of self-care. Los Angeles residents may be familiar with the stressful traffic, people dangerously weaving in and out of it, and the bustle of people trying to get from point A to point B during a busy work day. In my commute to downtown, I became cognizant of the ways my environment was impacting me. Sometimes self-care is turning on music that boosts your confidence (some may think of hip hop or pop music), and other times, it sounds like “Clare de lune” by Claude Debussy (which was what I ended up choosing). Listening to music can help us feel empowered and ready for a big interview and it can calm us when we notice we are …

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Addressing Change

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stress

By Ashley Barnes Change. One doesn’t have to be diagnosed with adjustment disorder (which is an actual diagnosis) to have a hard time with change. The reality is that we will be faced with many changes throughout the course of our lives. Your favorite restaurant in your hometown may close its doors for the last time. You may leave the expectancy, sureness, and comfort of your home for a dorm room. You may adjust to a new job, or change careers entirely. You may be navigating the drastic change that comes with the loss of a relationship or the death of a loved one.  We so often grow comfortable and rooted in certain aspects of our lives that when change comes about, we feel uprooted. Change can be surprising or it can be anxiously anticipated. It could evoke fear and excitement simultaneously. Whatever comes up for you, I want to …

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Self-Care Spotlight 003

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stress

By Ashley Barnes   This week, I discovered that I had been overlooking one of the most underrated forms of self care: going on a short walk. Getting movement is a way to regulate our nervous systems and is an especially important tool to utilize when we are parked in our office chairs all day. It is also a way to get a change of scenery and some novelty to add something new to our routines. Especially as daylight lingers longer into the evening and as the temperature starts to cool, going on walks may be a good way to exercise and take a break after a long day. If you are an early bird, the mornings are another wonderful time to get some movement in if possible! When I go on my walks, I like to incorporate mindfulness by taking note of the chirping birds, the chatter of people …

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2022 AAPI Month: Celebrating Mental Health, DEI

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Mental Health and Asian American and Pacific Islander Month

Mental Health + AAPI Heritage Month Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States during the month of May, recognizing the incredible ways that Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans have contributed and influenced the culture, history, and achievements of the United States. California has a significant and diverse AAPI population. “AAPIs are the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the U.S. and an immensely diverse group of people in terms of income, ethnicity, migration status, and education.” Why Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month? As readers may be aware, the AAPI community was subject to a rise in hate crimes with the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The most effective response to harmful rhetoric and attacks against the AAPI community is for our government and industry to collaborate in promoting a diverse, inclusive environment that is reflected in the policies we implement, our workforces, and …

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