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

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. [bctt tweet="Mental illnesses can unfortunately affect more than just the person diagnosed with the issue. " username="ricepsychology"] In 1990, the U.S. Congress recognized the efforts of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) by creating Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW),...

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...

In the Limelight: How Celebrities Change the Way We Look at Mental Illness

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on July 7, 2016 at 3:32 PM /

We had a movie night a few days ago and everyone decided to watch “Get Him to the Greek” since no one had seen it yet. I could not stop laughing. As a matter of fact, there were no dry eyes in the living room and believe me, they were definitely tears of joy! We all thought the characters were hilarious, especially the one portrayed by Russell Brand. I ended up looking him up on Google after the movie to see what else he was in. I was surprised to find out he had issues with substance abuse, body image...

Tragedy in Orlando: Dealing with Traumatic Events

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on June 13, 2016 at 10:17 PM /

I cannot believe we are faced with yet another mass shooting in this country. My heart absolutely breaks for everybody directly involved with this massacre. Although I am a psychologist and have discussed countless tragedies with my clients over the years, I am still left speechless and devastated by these senseless acts of violence. Coming to terms with a traumatic event, such as this weekend’s shooting, can be a very difficult task, but it is possible. I want to offer you some comfort and tips for dealing with this event for yourself and your children. A traumatic event can make a damaging...

Why Asking for Help is a Sign of Strength

By Rice Psychology Group

on January 14, 2016 at 8:02 PM /

Last week, I met with one of my best friends to do a bit of catching up. She knows I’ve been on the hunt for a job for months now and offered to send my CV to a few of her contacts. At this point, I’m desperate for anything and know I should have accepted…but still I politely declined her help. I’m just afraid to overstep our friendship and I’m even more scared of looking needy or weak. The truth is, I’m overwhelmed and have no idea what to do. Isn’t it ironic that most people refuse to ask for...

The Absurdity of the Stigma of Mental Illness

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 23, 2015 at 2:37 PM /

I recently had the pleasure of appearing on television to talk about the stigma surrounding the topic of mental illness. The main issue is that, although mental illnesses are very common and can affect a significant portion of the population, a large segment of society continues to be very hush-hush about getting a diagnosis and/or treatment. The stigma is so overwhelming that the majority of people with mental illnesses are hesitant to even talk about it. So, if many people are experiencing some sort of mental illness, why the stigma? Are we stereotyping huge numbers of people?...

Mental Illness/Health Awareness Week Encourages Change

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 12, 2015 at 1:57 PM /

Silence can be a welcome state of serenity and peace for many people. Yet, for those afflicted with a mental illness, their silence can be deafening and destructive. At Rice Psychology Group, we see it as our duty to break the stigma surrounding mental illnesses by providing the necessary evaluation, education and therapy services for those afraid to speak up. Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), also known as Mental Health Awareness Week, was established to educate and promote awareness about mental illnesses, such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. From October 4 – 10, organizations and advocates throughout the...