Make the Commitment to Your Mental Health

As the New Year has begun, many are deciding on what resolutions they should hold on to for 2018. I recommend making the commitment to YOUR mental health. The idea of starting a new year with your own wellbeing as a priority shouldn’t seem so strange, and yet we so often put the needs of others before our own. I would argue that our mental health is as important and certainly interrelated with our physical health. If we don’t take the time at the end of the day to relax or decompress, we often have poor sleep. If we don’t learn to appropriately express our anger, our digestive system can get out of wack. There are so many examples in which our mental health influences our physical health, so why not make it a priority in 2018.

What does it mean to take care of our mental health? It means to take time to recognize and acknowledge our feelings rather than just zooming through our day to day. It means if you come home from work after a difficult day, take a minute in the car before entering your house to breath and use self talk to refocus and set intention so that you don’t take that difficult day out on your children or spouse. It means to recognize the positives in what we do rather than solely focusing on the negatives. These little things add up and help us see things from a different perspective. Set an example for your children to have a positive outlook and believe in yourself. You are the first teacher and role model for your children, so show them how important it is to take care of yourself both physically and mentally. If you recognize that taking care of your mental health is harder than you imagined, then reach out for help but don’t think less of yourself for doing so. Reaching out for support when needed shows you understand your limits and want to grow in ways that are difficult to do alone. It is a new year which brings new opportunities to learn about ourselves and reach for the stars.

"There is no health without mental health." - David Satcher

Starting Something New

Starting something new can lead to a slew of emotions including anxiety, fear, excitement, and happiness. Those are the same feelings I’ve felt over the past few months in going through the process of starting my own private practice. Children can pick up on our emotions as if we wear them on our sleeve. Although there are many scary feelings associated with starting or experiencing something new, there are many positive emotions as well. Excitement, joy, and pride in knowing you have accomplished a challenging task. As I thought about what to share in my very first blog, I think about the range of emotions that children and adults feel when starting something new. A child who is starting a new school or an adult who is starting a new relationship, they are both facing the necessity of managing intense feelings. I can relate to these feelings as I begin First Step Family Counseling Inc.

I’ve found the best way to manage these strong feelings is to discuss them with a trusted person. My husband has been a rock and my listening post during my venture, and I love him for standing so strong and supportive. I encourage parents to seek out opportunities to discuss these big feelings with your children if they are going through something new. If you, as an adult, are navigating a similar situation, seek out someone who you feel comfortable with and trust to listen with a nonjudgmental ear. Expression of emotions, whether it is verbal, written, or other method is the best way to understand them and move through moments that may seem unsurpassable at the time. On occasion, it may be necessary to seek out professional support during difficult times. I view this not as a moment of weakness but rather as a strength in that one knows his/her own limits. Everyone needs support from time to time. I’m proud to share that I have built upon all of my incredibly valuable experiences and training to offer my professional support to those in need. I look forward to sharing more thoughts on this blog as my practice grows.

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.” - Plato