Being a mental health therapist can be both rewarding and stressful all at the same time. As therapists, we tend to be in tune with and capable of helping our clients deal with stress, but it is often a different story when it comes to identifying and managing our own stress. Being able to manage our own stress helps us be more present with our clients. Here are three ways that I have found to manage stress throughout the workday.
Read MoreWhen my significant other, now husband, first confirmed he’d be pursuing a career in the military, I refused to be flexible with my brick and mortar dreams. I wanted to be surrounded by fellow learners, have in-person discussions, expert mentors within close proximity, and structured class time. I chose to live apart from my spouse. I expedited my undergraduate, brick and mortar experience to minimize our time apart, to make it work.
Read MoreI’ve been blessed throughout my career to have had so many amazing mentors and supervisors. Each one shaped who I became as a clinician and helped me grow my career into something that I can be proud of.
Regardless of where you are in your career path or if you are considering starting a career, here are some of the most impactful nuggets of wisdom that I have learned that you can use along the way.
Read MoreNMFA offers educational and employment resources for military spouses that are in the mental health, teaching, nursing, and STEM professions. They have access to sponsors that offer funding and discounts for degrees, career and business development. If you need money for your education or career advancement, they can help.
Read MoreWhen was the last time you actually went on vacation, to the nail shop, met up with friends, or just relaxed? What if I told you that the United States is not even in the top 10, in the whole world, in used vacation? We move so fast, and work so hard, that we are scared to take time off in a world that waits on no one.
Because of this, we experience burnout and disconnected relationships with our friends and family. In addition, we experience high rates of stress, fatigue, anxiety, and hospitalization.
Read MoreSaying Happy Memorial Day is a really bad habit.
Memorial Day is a remembrance day.
If you don’t remember what Memorial Day is for; it doesn’t make the people who can’t forget happy.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t enjoy some much needed time off or hold your friend and families close, celebrating the fact that you are all together.
When fallen servicemembers lived, they did the same.
Read MoreNMFA offers educational and employment resources for military spouses that are in the mental health, teaching, nursing, and STEM professions. They have access to sponsors that offer funding and discounts for degrees, career and business development. If you need money for your education or career advancement, they can help.
Read MoreThe truth is, looking back on my decision-making process, I always knew I wanted to get my PhD in a behavioral health field and I always thought it would be in psychology, BUT military life happened, and I had to make decisions accordingly
…just like many of you.
So where does this leave so many of us? I know that many of you, my fellow mil spouses, are either searching for your career path or are somewhere in the process of trying to maintain a behavioral health career amidst a world of constant change.
Pausing has helped me to find my center and to bring back creativity at times when I feel as if my well has run dry.
It can give you a chance just to be; you can at that moment slow down your thoughts and be your most authentic self.
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It’s that time of year again…the time for New Year’s resolutions. We hear slogans of a New Year, New You. They speak to us to lose weight, eat healthier, to be a better mom, a better partner. We tell ourselves things like “this year I’m going to finally wear that bikini” or my favorite “I’m going to be like those other women I see on Instagram who have perfect lives."
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