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

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...

Love What You Do, Because Doing Nothing is Not an Option!

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on August 1, 2018 at 10:01 AM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. As an academic counselor, I get to spend my time with students and see them take the next steps toward their futures. As much as I love my job, it’s also extremely draining. Sometimes when I get home, the only thing I do is plop down on the couch and watch shows until I inevitably fall asleep! Well, a couple of weeks ago, I found my old knitting kit while cleaning out my closet and decided to take it for a spin. It was great! It’s obviously a low-effort...

Napping: What is it Good For?

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on February 21, 2018 at 3:47 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. I think yesterday was the first time since college that I actually made time for a short nap in the late afternoon. It was a tough day at the office with three meetings throughout the day and too many tasks to count, so it just made sense to come home and snooze. I wasn’t sure if I’d wake up feeling more exhausted or more awake, and I’m pleased to tell you that I woke up feeling absolutely refreshed. I even had enough energy to go to the gym, wash the...

Empathy: Go for the Extra Point

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on January 17, 2018 at 5:05 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. I swear it’s going to be a few weeks before everyone stops talking about the Vikings vs. Saints game that aired this past Sunday. I mean, the guys and I couldn’t believe our eyes! How do you miss a tackle, take out your own teammate and allow a touchdown, all in one play in the dying seconds of a game? As soon as we saw Marcus Williams’ mistake, we couldn’t stop jumping and screaming! We got so rowdy that some of the wives came into the garage to see what...

Smartphone Talk: Is it Time for a Screen Diet?

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on January 10, 2018 at 4:36 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. My husband and I went to our anniversary dinner last night and had a great time! We talked about the last year, our goals for the future and even about the possibility of having kids! We’re both really excited, but just as we were discussing a family, we looked up to a sea of kids sitting with their families, with their faces glued to their phones. Now, I know smartphones are a huge part of life nowadays, but it was quite surreal to see so many glowing faces interacting with...

Feeling Angry: Dealing with Your Feelings and Moving On

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 31, 2017 at 4:46 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s piece. I consider myself to be a pretty calm and relaxed individual, but throughout my life, I’ve always had difficulty dealing with anger. It’s not so much that I always lash out when I’m angry (I rarely do this), it’s more that I have trouble getting over things that anger me. For example, last month, my sister made a passing comment during a family get-together where she poked fun of my blouse. It seemed like harmless fun but it was said in front of many people who laughed. At first, I...

#MeToo: To Share or Not to Share Your Personal Experience on Social Media

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 19, 2017 at 11:09 AM /

I woke up at 3:00 AM the other morning, and while I know this is not good for getting back to sleep, I grabbed my cell phone. Of course, I ended up perusing Facebook and saw a post from a dear friend. She noted that she’d posted the previous day on the topic of #MeToo. “…Me too. And on and on and on…if all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote "Me too" as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem...

Dean’s List Woes: College and the Possibility of Mental Health Issues

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 12, 2017 at 9:08 AM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s piece. I started college this past August and can honestly say that it gets overwhelming at times. With projects, studying and being so far from home, it’s starting to get to me. There will be times where I’ll be sitting in my dorm doing work and all of a sudden, I’ll start thinking about home, my parents and my friends. Sometimes I just break down and start crying. I visited the school’s counseling center and the psychologist working there pointed out that I might be dealing with depression brought on by...

Mental Illness: The Importance of Being Inspired, Informed and Involved

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 4, 2017 at 4:31 PM /

Mental illnesses can unfortunately affect more than just the person diagnosed with the issue. Families, friends and even coworkers can often experience their fair share of emotional pain as a result of a loved one’s ailing mental health. Yet, despite its reach and prevalence, mental illness is still surrounded by a thick veil of stigma and misunderstanding that’s widespread to this day. In 1990, the U.S. Congress recognized the efforts of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) by creating Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), which helps inform, educate and raise awareness about mental illness. MIAW is celebrated during the first...

How Physical Activity Can Reduce Your Olympic-Sized Anxiety

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on August 17, 2016 at 7:22 PM /

I honestly don’t even know why I’m worried most of the time. We’re doing well with money, my job is perfect and our kids are happy, but for some reason I’m constantly feeling anxious. I have trouble sleeping most times, and lately I’ve been feeling like I’m on the verge of having a full-fledged panic attack. Michael says I should probably do some exercise to calm my nerves, but would that even help? I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try, but I just don’t have the energy to do tiring workouts every day. Whatever this is, I need to fix...