Helpful Information and Tips

I provide a variety of psychology-related resources for your reading. They will be updated peridocially. Enjoy!

Coping With Stress: 7 Tips for Overcoming Life’s Obstacles

Exploring Family Dynamics

When I think of family, it takes me a back to a time when I lived in the Philippines and to watch my relatives combine Filipino and English in the same sentences fascinated me. When I reflect upon my own family dynamics, I think of how much has changed and the importance of keeping true to my family roots but at the same time embracing changes that are necessary for me.

Below is a link teaching children about culture and family pride. Enjoy!

Trauma and Addiction: Tools for Recovery

Trauma and addiction can be positively addressed through dialectical behavior therapy.

One therapeutic intervention that has been well-studied in the treatment of trauma-based addiction is dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). DBT can help people with SUDs achieve better treatment outcomes. Here’s how DBT can help better address and manage the trauma-based roots of addiction:

Mindfulness exercises: meditation and deep breathing
Distress tolerance skills: Tools for temporary distraction, self-relaxation, and greater acceptance can help develop a healthier way to cope with distressing events in daily life.
Emotional regulation: Strategies for better identifying and handling intense emotions can empower one to practice greater emotional self-regulation.
Interpersonal skills: Teaches people to navigate social encounters more successfully by developing and working towards a goal in these interactions such as developing healthy boundaries.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anna Ciulla is the Chief Clinical Officer at Beach House Center for Recovery, where she oversees the supervision and delivery of client care.

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Tips: Resources

When I talk about mental health, I define mental health as “a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.” Our mental health influences how we think, feel, and behave in daily life. It also affects our ability to handle stress, face and overcome challenges, maintain and build relationships, and recover from difficulties and setbacks.

The following are 7 tips to help deal with the curve ball's that life tosses in our direction:

Practice self-care and make yourself a priority.
Disconnect from electronics and social media.
Engage in activities that provide meaning.
Volunteer.
Engage in meditation and/or mindfulness.
Avoid heavy substance use.
Get help from a licensed mental health professional when and if you need it. Seeking help is a sign of strength — not a weakness.
Just as it requires effort to build and maintain physical health, so it is with mental health.