It’s great that people get support when they need it, and you can also choose therapy when you’re doing fine.

In other words, everyone can benefit from heightened self-awareness, communal awareness, and communication skills. Maybe you or your family have habits you would like to change together. Maybe you want to improve your communication skills with coworkers or partners. Therapists can help.

Can Online Therapy Help Me with Communication?

Increased self-awareness and advanced communication skills help people navigate the easy and the hard parts of life. Online therapy gives people tools to practice self-care, set boundaries, communicate their needs, and prioritize healthy relationships.

Despite what the movies show, therapists do not only support people when they are in the depths of despair–although they can and do support people in crisis. Therapists also help people work toward their goals and practice breathing, mindfulness, and other stress management techniques.

Take the time to find the right therapist. Some therapists offer cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Others specialize in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) or other approaches. Do a bit of research and find what works for you.

Therapy Near Me: How to Find a Therapist

At HomePsych, our  online therapists make online therapy easy and accessible. Request an appointmentto begin.

The post Therapy Helps Individuals, Couples, and Families Thrive appeared first on North American Mental Health Services.

Self-care is the practice of tending to one’s daily needs. In therapy, many clients and therapists discuss self-care and explore strategies to prioritize it for one’s mental wellness.

Many people reject self-care, not as a deliberate choice, but at a subconscious level based on low self-esteem, self-worth, or unprocessed trauma. Therapy helps people recognize their internal roadblocks to self-care. If you want to feel empowered and more closely with your values, it might be time to find a therapist who supports you.

By taking care of yourself, you can also take better care of those you love. If you feel like you do not deserve self-care or that “self-care is selfish,” we hope this article offers a fresh perspective.

Self-Care Lesson from Therapy #1 – It’s Okay to Enforce Boundaries

Expressing boundaries is integral for self-care. Establishing a boundary is not the hardest part of this process; enforcing the boundary is. One reason for this is that sometimes, people may  make you feel bad for setting a boundary, especially if they are not used to you doing that. They will adjust with time, especially if they are a mutually supportive friend, partner, etc., who values your wellbeing.

Chances are you have seen people express boundaries before. Has a relative ever said something like, “No phones at the table” or “No cursing in the house?” This type of boundary functions like a rule or “social norm” and they are often expressed by someone with authority, such as a parent or guardian. When you tell someone a boundary, you are communicating a rule that is important to you. If the power dynamic in the relationship is not equal, you may be met with resistance.

Maybe you have a friend who you enjoy spending time with, but if you spend too much time with them, you feel completely exhausted. It could be time to establish a “time boundary” with that person. Common questions about setting this type of boundary include, “How do I express a boundary without hurting my friend’s feelings?” or “Why do I feel guilty when I express a boundary?” Therapists offer guidance for questions like this, as the possible answers are worth exploring together.

Take a moment to consider where you could benefit from more boundaries, such as certain friendships, workplace dynamics, and family members.

Self-Care Lesson from Therapy #2 – Prioritize Healthy Relationships

Self-care is not only about the relationship with yourself, but also about the relationships you value around you. Each person has to manage how much time they devote to various relationships, including familial, romantic, platonic, and coworker relationships.

Do you have a friend who you wish you connected with more often? What stops you from initiating more hangouts with them? Some people feel that they do not deserve mutually supportive, platonic friendships. Other times, loving people devote their free time to someone who does not return any love and support.

Increased self-awareness and advanced communication skills help people navigate these more difficult conversations so that they can mend frayed dynamics and prioritize healthy relationships. Setting any type of goal requires accountability. Therapists can provide healing and hold you accountable too. They are there to listen and help you find hope.

Self-Care Lesson from Therapy #3 – You Are Allowed to Seek Joy

Lots of people need reminders that they are allowed to seek joy and feel loved. There are many reasons why different people have a hard time accepting self-love and joy, but a common factor is unprocessed trauma around abuse. Therapists can help survivors of abuse find and prioritize joy again, but it is important to find the right therapist.

When people experience domestic abuse, it can alter their beliefs about what they do and do not deserve. 30% of women and 25% of men experience intimate partner violence during their life; when this happens, it can make survivors anxious, depressed, and more.

If you are a survivor or if you are someone who has a hard time allowing yourself to seek joy, try to avoid blaming yourself and seek professional support from a licensed therapist. Remember that you deserve joy and love.

Therapy Near Me: How to Find a Therapist

Online therapy gives people tools to practice self-care, whether that means setting boundaries, prioritizing healthy relationships, or seeking joy.

At HomePsych, our online therapists make online therapy easy and accessible. Request an appointment to begin.

The post Self-Care is Not Selfish appeared first on North American Mental Health Services.

When new relationships emerge, many people experience excitement and increased anxiety. Some anxiety makes sense and may be unavoidable whether the relationship is platonic, romantic, or professional. But if uninhibited, fear can overtake joy. Therapy can help!

Online therapy gives people tools to label passing thoughts and fears as transitory without letting the thoughts overwhelm them.

Here are a few tips to keep “new relationship anxiety” at bay.

Common Anxieties Many People Share in Relationships

It is vulnerable to share time, hobbies, and your body with someone new. It also hurts to be rejected. As a subcategory of fear, anxiety serves a purpose and “wants” you to take action and prevent harm.

Common anxieties in new relationships may stem from questions like, “Does this person enjoy spending time with me? Does this person like me? Does this person want to continue this connection? Are they attracted to me?” These questions are understandable.

It makes sense that while bonding with someone, people want to make sure the connection flows both ways. Some of the above questions do not warrant any action: they are passing thoughts that may diffuse with time. If these questions occasionally occur, you can disregard them. If these thoughts are frequent, you may be experiencing high anxiety.

High anxiety robs people of the present moment. It can cloud one’s mind with endless concerns and in extreme form, cause panic attacks. Having a therapist can help reduce anxiety and help you recognize thought biases.

With Anxiety, Some Thoughts Are Simply Not True

Every day, the human brain processes 70,000 thoughts using over 100 billion neurons. With these numbers, it makes sense that of these 70,000 thoughts, there will be occasional distorted thoughts. Distorted thought patterns obscure the truth and do not always serve the person producing the thought.

How do distorted thoughts relate to anxiety experienced in a new relationship? Here is one example: imagine a new romantic relationship between two people, one of whom does not respond to texts quickly. If one has cumulative experiences of rejection, the neutral observation of “this person is not responding within five minutes of my text” might morph into catastrophizing.

Catastrophizing is a common thought distortion where one imagines the worst-case scenario. Maybe while waiting for the text reply, the person with high anxiety assumes, “this person is no longer interested in me. I should end things before they do.” While the latter may not be true, if one starts to believe that thought, it will influence the course of the relationship.

Thinking “outside the box” can help when anxious thoughts happen. In this case, what are other reasons that person might not be texting back quickly?

Mindfulness Activity for Anxiety: Picturing Thoughts as Clouds

Picture each thought as a cloud passing through your mind, carrying a statement. In the same way you might watch the clouds while lying on a field of grass, you can watch your thoughts float across your mind. In other words, do not accept every thought as a fact, just watch it move across your mind and diffuse into the air.

Remember that it is not possible that every thought–of the 70,000 thoughts per day–is based on objective truth. Thought distortions are biases that turn an observation into a perceived “truth” based on someone’s prior experiences and anxiety. Remember that it takes time to develop long-term trust in any new relationship.

At HomePsych, our online therapists make online therapy easy and accessible. Request an appointment to begin.

The post Anxiety In New Relationships appeared first on North American Mental Health Services.

Mental health refers to emotional, psychological, and communal well-being. With this definition, a mental health goal could be, “I want to be more present with my time” or “I want to recognize when I am anxious and take care of my needs better.”

We hope these tips from our NAMHS therapists help you reach your mental health goals. For professional advice, we recommend you find an online licensed mental health professional who can bring hope and healing into your life.

1. Ground yourself with facts about mental health

Once you have your goal, or as you make your goals, conduct a little research on mental health. This research may help you contextualize your mental health situation so you feel less alone and more inspired.

For example, if you are navigating mental illness, know that 1 in 5 people in the United States experience mental illness, according to the CDC. Hopefully, this reminds you that you are not alone and that there may be insight available from other people who also experience struggles similar to yours. Many people express feeling empowered the more they learn the facts.

2. Create specific and small “action items”

It may be tempting to make a goal such as, “be happier.” But this goal is vague and lacks a clear action. Without a clear step, there may be little progress toward this goal. The idea of being happier is fine, but it lacks a plan.

If this is your goal, make it more specific. You can begin by making a list of five activities that make you feel content, calm, safe, or happy. Once you make this list, stick it on your fridge or desk–somewhere you can see it every day. Add a sticker or check mark each time you do one of the activities. When the paper is filled with stickers, it’s time to make a new list. You can repeat the activities or find a new hobby waiting for your discovery.

The psychology of reaching goals is fascinating. Don’t underestimate how a tiny action may accumulate into significant shifts in your life, especially when it comes to mental well-being.

3. Get professional support with talk or online therapy

The human brain is complicated and life is complicated. Finding compassionate, licensed therapists is possible. At HomePsych, we make it easy to understand your options given your location, your medication needs, and your insurance.

You deserve to feel better. Get started today and discuss your mental health goals with a professional who can help you measure and achieve your goals. NAMHS has in-person therapy in Redding, Eureka, Fairfield, Monterey, Salinas, Red Bluff and Hollister and online therapy care available via HomePsych.

The post 3 Steps To Achieve Your Mental Health Goals appeared first on North American Mental Health Services.

The initial resistance to self-care may result from living in a country with movies that posit romantic love as supreme. While romantic love is wonderful, and many people crave companionship, romantic love is not a substitute for self-love.

Here are a few tips from one of our online therapists to put your self-care first, with your personalized spin on it.

Tip #1 – Find your top self-care activities

Self-care helps people cope with stress by offering sensory breaks and rejuvenation. Many activities can qualify as self-care, depending on the interests of the individual or group seeking relaxation. For some people, self-care might mean pampering themselves with a warm bath and scented candles; however, self-care is not limited to warm baths.

Self-care can be as simple as taking your lunch break outside or in a nearby park, with a view of nature. Other habits that can count as self-care include: making time for activities you love, saying “no” to group events that no longer interest you, finding a spiritual practice, or reading a book at night instead of scrolling through your phone. If you have a planner or notepad, start making a list of activities that make you relaxed, content, or joyful. Put the list where you can see it as a reminder of your options. When you have a 5-minute or a 5-hour time slot with no plans, do one of the activities on your list. To help you track your consistency, put a sticker or a tally to track how often you choose self-care.

Anyone can practice self-care. For more introspective self-care, which can include being more kind toward oneself or negotiating a guilt complex, having a therapist helps keep the practice consistent. With the trend of online therapy and teletherapy, more people are making therapy a part of their self-care routine.

Tip #2 – Remember that Romantic Comedies Are Not Realistic

Each year, romantic comedies bring joy to millions of people. From When Harry Met Sally to The Big Sick, there is no shortage of movies where single people become happier when united with a lover. Movies shape our cultural expectations even when we do not expect them to do that.

Take a moment to reflect on a movie about romantic love: what is the main message? Many movies follow a Cinderella plot where a lonely, sad person is promised an exciting life with a new, dashing person. But what about the people who do not find that person? Or people who do find that person and marry, but slowly feel miserable? Self-care can help people whether they are in a relationship or not.

When we remember how to love ourselves, we also remember how to love people in our life more deeply. If you have ever been stressed and low on sleep, or grumpy because you did not get time to relax on your break, then you know from personal experience what happens when your self-care routine falters.

Tip #3 – Know When to Give Your Brain a Break

As we encourage in many of our blogs, people understand when someone with a broken leg needs crutches. There is no stigma for having a broken leg and needing support. Yet when it comes to the brain–a key organ in our body–needing support, many people feel the internalized stigma of seeking medication. Luckily, this stigma is changing as people share their mental health journey more with each other.

If you have experienced high anxiety or depression–or any other mental health challenge–for a long time in your life, maybe it is time to consider medication. Needing medication does not mean you have somehow failed; some brains need more support, the same way an injured leg might need crutches.

Celebrities like Selena Gomez and Kristen Bell, who both navigate mental illness, have shared how taking medication changed their life for the better. When big names like Gomez and Bell share their mental health journey with the public, it helps decrease the stigma around mental illness. Online psychiatry has made it even easier to manage medication with a licensed professional who cares about your well-being.

At HomePsych, we make medication management easy. Our team can also answer questions about medicine, side effects, affordability, and dosage.

Make Self-Love and Self-Compassion Your Priority

Making habits that encourage self-love is a great step to feeling better. If you are making a goal for your self-care journey, make sure to keep it measurable and relevant to your lifestyle. If you do not have a budget for a monthly spa pass, consider instead finding a public park within your hometown, where you can make an effort to walk three times a week, or perhaps sit on a bench without the distraction of your phone.

Therapists can also help you lean into self-love at a deeper level by helping you understand your triggers or thought patterns. Knowing yourself is a key part of feeling compassion for yourself, and for all of the experiences you have had to navigate thus far.

At HomePsych, our online therapists make online therapy easy and accessible. Request an appointment to get started.

NAMHS has in-person therapists in Redding, Eureka, Fairfield, Monterey, Salinas, Red Bluff and Hollister.

The post How to Prioritize Self-Care in a World of Romantic Love, Therapists Tips appeared first on North American Mental Health Services.