General

Combating ‘Compassion Fatigue’ in Mental Health Professionals

Although they may seem strikingly similar, there are subtle but real differences between such things as “burnout”, “compassion fatigue” and “vicarious trauma” Whatever label it has, burnout or compassion fatigue remains a serious threat to those working in any mental health capacity. A professional’s psycho-social factors (ie, their personal support system), caseload, experience and age […]

Meditation: ‘Accessing Your Inner Sanctuary’

What do you think of when you hear the word “meditation”? Some might imagine a person sitting cross-legged—perhaps in a simple room, monastery, or in front of a majestic landscape—exploring a universe of possibilities within themselves. And although this cliché has a grain of truth in it, meditation can be much more. Author Christina Rodenbeck […]

How to be Original: Exploring Non-Conformity

Me. Myself. I. Since its beginning, American culture has placed great emphasis on originality. In recent years, advertising and marketing campaigns have taken this concept even further: Be Yourself. Be Original. Be Different. But in a seemingly never-ending sea of individuals all trying to be different, how does one truly stand out? How do truly […]

Psychological Benefits of Pet Ownership

For years, pet lovers have been advocates for the positive mental and physical health benefits of owning a pet. And the scientific research into pet ownership appears to confirm what pet lovers have long known: Owning a pet can increase physical activity, provide companionship, and—in some cases—mitigate the symptoms of depression, especially in older adults. […]

How Fear Protects Us From Violence

Fear is a natural human feeling, and how we interpret—and use—it is somewhat dependent on one’s culture. In the west, for instance, fear is often seen as a negative emotion, something we must “overcome.” But there are other ways to look at fear, and in his book, “The Gift of Fear,” author Gavin De Becker […]

Where Depression Ends and You Begin

Depression is a mental disorder that costs the heath system, economy, but above all the person suffering with this medical condition. Prolonged feelings of sadness and hopelessness may seem—to the person suffering—to be limited to subjective experience, but as it turns out, this mental health disorder which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and […]

Opioid Addiction: What You Need to Know

The opioid epidemic has been hitting Americans hard for the last few years. Past drug epidemics have included heroin of the 19070s and the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s. But the current epidemic, which has its roots in the 1990s, has taken on a different tone. In particular, areas throughout the “rust belt” region […]