Mental Health

August is National Wellness Month. When I first thought about that, my reaction was almost, “Are you kidding me? August?” For many of us, August does not exactly feel like the picture of wellness. Summer is winding down, school is starting, calendars are filling up, and the slower pace we may have enjoyed is quickly disappearing. Parents are juggling school schedules, practices, appointments, work, and family responsibilities. Teachers and students are preparing for a new school year. Even if you don’t have children at home, August seems to bring a shift. Vacations are ending, routines are returning, and life starts […]

“Summer is a state of mind.” – Unknown   Summertime is upon us as we are nearing the midway point for 2026.  Does the quote above resonate with you?  Summer is a special season that brings many of us a different feeling.  What a great time to pause and think about how your year is going. What are your summer plans and what needs stand out for you as we sail through mid-year?  This time of the year is different for everyone and yet it seems to carry a universal undertone: the need for relaxation, recreation and vacation!  Perhaps it

Wellness is a broad concept that entails many aspects of life, and the idea may be thought of quite differently from one person to another.  It inspires ideas such as self-care, healthy styles of living, and making choices that are in concert with a particular type of outcome.  Tools for wellness come in many forms and may have varying suitability for individuals depending on personal preferences and attributes, current circumstances, goals, needs, ability, and one’s motivation to apply such tools.  One wellness tool that is highly versatile, cost effective, and useful for many aspects of wellness is journaling. One may

It started in a grocery store aisle. My friend, juggling a demanding job, parenting, and caring for her aging parents, stopped in front of the cereal shelf, looked around, and started to cry. “I don’t even know why,” she said through tears. But she did know. Her body was telling her what her mind had been trying to ignore: you are overwhelmed. April is National Stress Awareness Month—a reminder that we’re all carrying something, and that we need to give ourselves space to breathe, heal, and recharge. Stress is a universal experience—but how we manage it can make all the