Depression: Know That There is a Way Out

on December 12, 2019 at 4:34 PM /

In the spirit of leading Rice Psychology Group from an authentic place and not shying away from vulnerability and imperfection (thank you for giving words to this, Brené Brown), I’d like to share a few short snippets from the journals I kept in high school. Fortunately, I’ve come a long way since then! I do worry about what you might think when reading this, but I hope it provides some evidence that I really do understand suffering. Please be warned that some of these entries contain obscenities and may be difficult to read. June – 10th grade: “The pressure is so overwhelming....

No One Chooses to Experience Depression and Anxiety

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on November 15, 2019 at 12:56 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. About three months ago, I was diagnosed with depression after moving to a new city to start a career. It’s been rough not having family and friends in this different environment. A few days ago, I spoke about it with some of my coworkers and one of them responded with, “Oh, it can’t be that bad. Just try to be happy!” Hearing that upset me because my depression isn’t controlled with an On/Off switch. I try my best to put on a happy face, but sometimes it’s just impossible. I...

Anxiety and Depression with Teens and Helping Them Become Resilient

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 15, 2019 at 1:46 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. This is my son’s first year of high school and I’m noticing some changes in his behavior. He appears sullen and distracted much more often than he did last year and is spending an unfathomable amount of time on social media. His first report card arrived last week, and his grades were mostly B’s and C’s, which surprised me since he’s always been an A student. I tried talking to him about it, but he’s been very standoffish and brushes my concerns away. Is there something my husband and I...

Making the Transition: A Closer Look at Transgender Teens, Their Parents, and the Challenges They Face

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on June 19, 2019 at 12:00 PM /

Over the past several years, we’ve seen an increasing number of children and teens who believe that the gender they were assigned at birth is not their correct one. As a result, many go on to transition from female to male or vice versa. Truth be told, this has been a learning process for our therapists, alongside the families we treat. To help us become more knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues, we’ve pursued additional training and consultation with other professionals to best support parents and kids through this process. We know that acceptance by parents can be challenging, but it’s an extremely critical and...

Loneliness, its Effects, and Why You’re Seeing it Everywhere

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on June 14, 2019 at 12:16 PM /

In college, I didn’t spend much time with my friends. It’s not that I didn’t have any, I just preferred being alone and didn’t feel the need to make much of an effort to get close to people. At least, that’s what I always told myself. The weird thing is, now I find myself alone a lot. It’s no longer because I prefer it but it’s just the way things have turned out for me. I moved away from my hometown and I work from home, so I don’t have daily interaction with colleagues. Also, social media just doesn’t do...

Parental Caution: What a History of Mental Illness in Your Family and Marijuana Could Mean for Your Kids

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on May 23, 2019 at 10:29 AM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. When I was a teen, smoking marijuana was a common pastime for my friends and I. It was fun, mostly harmless, and we all grew out of it fairly quickly. Our kids are still young and happily not old enough to be dabbling with illicit substances yet (seriously, they are five and eight!). I told my wife that I wouldn’t mind if our children dabbled in a little weed when they were a bit older as long as they kept their usage to a minimum, but she immediately opposed this...

Kids and Suicide: Having a Serious and Frank Conversation About the Topic

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on March 28, 2019 at 9:56 AM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. It just broke my heart to hear in the news that two students who survived the Parkland shooting in 2018 died by suicide related to PTSD. I can’t even imagine the psychological trauma they endured from such a horrible tragedy. I have a son and it worries me sick thinking of something like that happening at his school. I also can’t help but think that there might be other unimaginable things he and kids his age go through that might trigger feelings of suicide. It scares me to death, and...

Taking it One Step at a Time: Overcoming the Loss of a Loved One

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on February 15, 2019 at 11:18 AM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. My coworker, Jane, recently lost her terminally-ill grandfather and has since been visibly gloomy. I asked her if everything was okay, but of course, she is devastated. I keep hoping that her mood improves. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case and she’s become increasingly secluded and avoids everyone at the office. She’s also requested a few personal days from work. I offered to visit her at home, but she didn’t want to talk to anyone. Is there any way to help her? Losing someone you love can be one of...

Tampa’s Winter “Warmerland” is Exactly What Your Body and Mind Need!

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on January 30, 2019 at 6:02 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. And, if you’re reading this from anywhere in the northern U.S. or Canada, please forgive us. We feel for you and hope that you can stay inside by a warm fire with cocoa at the very least during this polar vortex episode! After five years of freezing temperatures and snow storms in New Jersey, Matt and I decided to call Florida home. Just a week after settling in, we realized that this was probably the best decision we’ve made together! Matt goes on bike rides every day and I...

New Year, New You: Physical Activity Can Make a Big Mental Difference

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on January 2, 2019 at 1:42 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic: At the beginning of the year, I told myself I’d be hitting the gym a lot more often. The goal was to stay active and keep those extra pounds at bay. The first few weeks were great! I was jogging at least three times a week and lifting weights as often as I could. Sure, I was a little tired when I’d get home, but I was feeling better both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, as the year went on, I started cutting back on the exercise and soon I was...