Westlake Village Counseling

I love this message. It’s so important to just take moments to look inward, pause, and listen so that we can connect with what feels authentic and realistic when setting intentions. What do you think about this message? Does it resonate with you?

"A team of researchers led by University College London (UCL) and the University of the Republic of Uruguay has recently analyzed data from a large cohort of people aged 40 to 69 and found a causal link between regular daytime napping and larger total brain volume – a well-known marker of brain health leading to a lower risk of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. This surprising finding suggests that habitual napping may help preserve brain health by slowing the rate at which our brains shrink as we age.

“Our findings suggest that, for some people, short daytime naps may be a part of the puzzle that could help preserve the health of the brain as we get older,” said study senior author Victoria Garfield, an expert in Genetic Epidemiology at UCL."

Regular daytime napping increases brain health Regular daytime napping increases brain health • Earth.com

Sending support to those having a hard time navigating their feelings around Mother’s Day and the mother they do or do not have in their life.

These thoughts, words of support and flowers are for you 🌺

Happy Mother’s Day to the mothers, the caregivers, aunts and other motherly figures who raise us up and encourage us to grow, evolve and thrive. We see you, honor you and appreciate all that you do in helping us to feel loved, seen and supported.

Happy thanksgiving to those who celebrate!

How amazing is this? In about a month, on July 16th, there will be a version of 911 for mental health, 988. This will go a huge step towards destigmatizing reaching out for help, towards feeling like there is no place to go, and towards hopefully having mental health resources become for accessible to all. We should all understand that mental health is health, and just like going to a doctor for a broken bone or wearing glasses for vision issues, getting help for mental health should and can become normal.

“In recent years, there’s been more acknowledgment that moms bear the brunt of domestic labor — both visible and invisible — whether or not they work outside the home. Moms are told they deserve self-care for their tireless efforts and they need to find time to practice it. But have these conversations actually lightened their load? Or have they just added more to their already very full plates?

People will point out that the martyr mentality is damaging and, in the next breath, glorify moms for attempting to “do it all.” Many women still feel immense pressure, internal and external, to keep all the balls in the air at the expense of their own well-being.“

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/good-mom-not-martyr-self-sacrific_l_6266d3bfe4b07c34e9e4ac0d?d_id=3475330&ref=bffbhuffpost&ncid_tag=fcbklnkushpmg00000063&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=us_main&fbclid=IwAR3yjE3YLKW9XPkA1-XXt5U-IeHsC6ry7PC1teViqnwCrN-g54nP9Zyq1oY

Being A Good Mom Doesn't Mean Being A Martyr Let's stop praising moms for putting everyone else's needs before their own.

“When Maia was a teenager, she noticed that in the winter, she didn't feel like herself. She says she was "just lying there for hours and hours, not knowing how to get out of bed and move or do anything." The songwriter from California doesn't use her last name to protect the privacy of her family. (She goes by mxmtoon, pronounced em-ex-em-toon, in her music.) It was hard for her to do basic things like eat a meal, drink water or even use the bathroom.

She tweeted about it. "I went on Twitter and I was like, am I crazy? Because I feel really sad right now." Lots of people tweeted back, telling her to look into seasonal affective disorder. So she talked to her parents and friends and realized they all felt the same way.

Rosenthal says if you feel like things are getting more difficult every fall when it gets darker earlier, but you feel better in the bright days of spring and summer, you may well have SAD.”

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/23/927135639/coping-with-sad-or-seasonal-affective-disorder?utm_campaign=npr&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews&fbclid=IwAR3bWdwg9gIcQvu8wXBtVFb9U6B1KA8M5a9Wegwb5oG6KG5D-k3ZOoU9X1M

How to cope with SAD or seasonal affective disorder : Life Kit It's getting darker and colder, and there's still a pandemic. Oh, and then there's seasonal affective disorder. Here's how to spot it and what you can do.

“The holiday season can be stressful with baking, shopping and a million other things cluttering our to-do lists. Not to mention, holiday parties are often hotbeds for intrusive personal questions, invasive comments on your appearance and heated discussions about current events. (Is reading this making your heart race? Because same.)

It’s no wonder a study done by the National Alliance of Mental Health found that 64% of people with mental illness report holidays make their conditions worse. A 2021 study by telehealth provider Sesame found that 3 in 5 Americans feel their mental health is negatively impacted by the holidays, with 60% reporting an increase in anxiety and 52% feeing an increase in depression compared to the 2020 holiday season.”




https://www.huffpost.com/entry/set-boundaries-others-holiday_l_61ae7bdde4b0eb351707a386

10 Realistic Ways To Set Boundaries With Others During The Holidays Give yourself the gift of "no" this year. Your mental health will thank you for it.

Here is a good reminder that rest and just being yourself is productive too.

Westlake Village Counseling updated their phone number.

Westlake Village Counseling updated their address.

This is a great way to look at how to shift your mindset when in unhealthy relationships.

“When your childhood wasn’t exactly ideal, Mother’s Day can bring on some complex emotions.

Each year, there’s an endless barrage of ads, gift roundup articles, and sappy social media posts.”

https://psychcentral.com/health/5-tips-for-unloved-daughters-on-mothers-day?slot_pos=article_1&utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=weekly&utm_content=2021-05-05&apid=&rvid=f7bd57729369cb8cf23f398ccd0ce2699defe2016612f515888f5315593c2e03

5 Tips for Unloved Daughters on Mother’s Day When you have a less-than-perfect mother, how do you handle Mother’s Day? You can find out here.

"There is a belief that a self-care practice only applies to those with the time and money to indulge in long baths, regular massage appointments and in general, laying around and not being productive. Check out this article to understand myths and truths of self-care." https://lttr.ai/ek9T

"Not everyone does well with change, even when that change is for the better. And while change might be hard to adjust to at first, it usually gets easier with time. For guidance on adjusting to life after medical illness, please check out this article." https://lttr.ai/eaPV

"Secondary Trauma and Its Impact on Caregivers - Secondary trauma affects so many people who are not medical professionals. It is the friends, family members and caregivers who are impacted when caring for their chronically ill loved ones." https://lttr.ai/eITV

"Getting offline and unplugged can help you focus your energy on friends and family with person to person contact. For further guidance on how to cope with the summer blues, please check out this article." https://lttr.ai/dxSM

"Some benefits of practicing breath work include stress reduction, reduced anxiety, and relaxed muscles. To learn more about breathing exercises to help you out when you’re feeling overwhelmed, check out this article." https://lttr.ai/dlnD

"Those with chronic pain/illness need statements where loved ones are acknowledging how another feels and connecting with them where they are at emotionally, which can be very powerful. To read an open letter to caregivers of those with chronic illness and pain, please check out this article." https://lttr.ai/dgjx

"Why Sleep Matters and How to Improve It - These are great ways to process feelings from the day so that you are feeling less stressed and anxious. Experiencing worry or anger will demand more energy, making it harder to get your mind and body get ready for sleep." https://lttr.ai/dTdX

"If the idea of looking at a screen with distorted colors doesn’t appeal to you, orange tinted glasses may be for you. To understand how saying no to blue lighting will lead to quality sleep, please check out this article." https://lttr.ai/c1Yy

"What are you eating for pain management? More research is pointing to the connection food choices has on body inflammation and physical pain symptoms. To learn how to manage pain without medication, please check out this article." https://lttr.ai/cpzU

"The Struggle With Parenting: How to Parent with Chronic Pain - Taking care of yourself is the best way you can take care of your child. It teaches them that it is good to take care of your own needs so that you can live a happier and healthier life." https://lttr.ai/cdtX

"Two Common Meditation Myths and What you Can Do To Overcome Them - You might be thinking, “I just don’t know how to actually meditate and I probably won’t even do it right.”" https://lttr.ai/cdCv

"A Caregiver’s Journey Through Cancer - Strangely enough, I have found purpose in my life at a time when I might have become pre-occupied with minutiae – silly unrelatable TV or the internet, irritating neighbors, or the incredibly sad local, domestic and international events. That “stuff” isn’t real to me every day, but living this battle is very real." https://lttr.ai/cTmg