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Trauma's impact on sleep
The Impact of Trauma on Sleep and Strategies for Restoring Restful Nights Mental Health

The Impact of Trauma on Sleep and Strategies for Restoring Restful Nights

Anyone who has experienced the impact of trauma knows it can shake us to our core. It can leave lasting marks that show up in every area of our lives. One area that often sees a big impact is sleep. For many who have experienced trauma, sleep is anything but restful. Trauma can disrupt healthy sleep in different ways. There are strategies, however, that can help you get better sleep over time. The path to better sleep requires patience, self-compassion, and, sometimes, professional support. But it is possible to reclaim the gift of a peaceful night's rest. How Does Trauma…
Learn to Live Team
October 23, 2023
It can be hard to talk about mental health and even harder to talk about suicide with teens.
Teen Suicide: Moving from Tough Talks to Hope DepressionTeen Mental Health

Teen Suicide: Moving from Tough Talks to Hope

What is more heart-wrenching than a young life ended before it's time by suicide? The last few years have opened our eyes to the troubling state of teen mental health in our country. Between 2007 and 2021, the suicide rate among people 10-24 years old climbed from 6.8 to 11.0 per 100,000. And it's starting early - kids as young as 9 or 10 are thinking about suicide. It's crucial to know how to talk about mental health and suicide with the kids in your life. Whether you are a parent, caregiver, teacher, or anyone else working with kids, you…
Natalie Seidel, MAFP, CPD
October 18, 2023
Get screened for depression - you're not alone!
It’s National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month Depression

It’s National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month

If you are feeling depressed, you're not alone! About 29% of Americans are depressed. Here are some things that can help you feel better: Make Physical Health a Priority. Physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for depression. Just moving your body can help you feel less tired and sluggish. Try Mindfulness and Relaxation. Make time to meditate, take deep breaths, and relax your muscles to feel calm. Establish a Healthy Sleep Routine. Create a comfortable sleep environment. Limit use of electronic devices before bed. Avoid caffeine close to bedtime. Do Activities You Enjoy. Find…
Learn to Live Team
October 3, 2023
Mindfulness is based on this idea: We can let worrying thoughts and feelings come and go.
Catching the Third Wave Mental Health

Catching the Third Wave

How Learn to Live Delivers CBT: Part 7  Should we teach mindfulness skills in our programs? We talked about this several years ago when I was writing the initial content for our first program for Social Anxiety. At that time, there was not enough research to support using mindfulness. But soon research on mindfulness began to emerge. Within a few years, there was enough research to show it helps. So we were happy to add it.  Nowadays, mindfulness is seen as the third wave of CBT. The first wave was behavioral strategies like facing fears. Then cognitive strategies were introduced…
Dr. Russ Morfitt
September 6, 2023
Take time for yourself to recharge, reduce stress, and feel better
Taking Time for Yourself: Recharge, Reduce Stress, Feel Better Mental Health

Taking Time for Yourself: Recharge, Reduce Stress, Feel Better

Our lives are so busy that it is easy to forget about taking care of ourselves. But making time for yourself is very important. It is not selfish. It's a way to keep yourself healthy and happy. By doing things just for you, you can improve how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. Here are some reasons that taking time for yourself is beneficial: Recharging and Feeling Better. Think about doing something that makes you happy and relaxed. Try reading, going for a walk, or doing something you love. These moments of "me time" are important for keeping a good…
Learn to Live Team
August 29, 2023
Learn to set health boundaries and maintain them
6 Important Personal Boundaries and Tactics to Hold Firm Mental Health

6 Important Personal Boundaries and Tactics to Hold Firm

Setting limits, or "boundaries", can be tricky. It's not always easy to make them clear or get others to respect them. But boundaries are important. They show people in a nice way what we need to stay safe and healthy. Boundaries also let others know what will happen if they ignore our limits. Boundaries aren't about controlling what other people do. And they aren't about telling others what to do. A lot of times we mess up with boundaries. We might leave some out or not set any at all because we don't want to upset someone. But boundaries matter.…
Natalie Seidel, MAFP, CPD
August 21, 2023
Taking Care of Our Minds and Bodies
 August is National Wellness Month Mental Health

 August is National Wellness Month

Wellness means caring for our emotional and physical health to stay healthy and happy. Eating healthy foods gives us the nutrients we need to grow, stay strong, and fight off sickness. Taking care of our minds is just as important. We can handle challenges better when managing and understanding our emotions. Overall, maintaining both mind and body wellness is the foundation for a happy, productive, and meaningful life. Here are five ways you can help improve your well-being: Stay active: Engage in exercise you enjoy. This could include riding a bike, dancing, or playing a sport. 60 minutes of exercise…
Learn to Live Team
August 17, 2023
Thinking about what we fear can help us become unafraid.
Don’t Even Think About That  Stress & Anxiety

Don’t Even Think About That 

How Learn to Live Delivers CBT: Part 6 Many times we hear "Don't even think about that!" This is to avoid a bad thing happening or feeling troubled. But we know thinking something does not make it happen. That is magical thinking.  In fact, the opposite is true. Thinking about what we fear can help us become unafraid. This is called imaginal exposure. With it, we think on purpose about things we worry about happening. Some people have used virtual reality to help imagine feared things. Research shows imagining bad outcomes can sometimes work as well as virtual reality.  We…
Dr. Russ Morfitt
August 9, 2023
It takes time and practice to feel better about your body, but it's worth it.
How to Build a Good Relationship with Your Body Mental HealthResilience

How to Build a Good Relationship with Your Body

Taking care of how we feel about our bodies is an important part of mental health for women. Sometimes, we worry about how we look and what others might think. We might compare ourselves to others and only think about our flaws. This can make us feel sad and lonely. Have you ever thought about why two women who look so similar can feel so different about their bodies? One might feel confident and happy at the beach in a swimsuit, while the other might cover up everything. Even though their bodies are almost the same, they feel very differently.…
Alison Monsour, LCMHCA, M.Ed.
July 31, 2023