Protests in America: Why They’re Happening and Why We Should Listen

on June 5, 2020 at 2:35 PM /

As fun as I like to think that I am, no one sees a psychologist if their life is going along smoothly. People come to me when they’re uncomfortable – too uncomfortable to go on with the “status quo.” That’s how changes are made, too. What we are currently doing is more uncomfortable than the discomfort of doing something different, so we change. I once had a colleague explain that, because making changes is hard, part of the work psychologists do is maintain the discomfort, to help people sit with, and remember why change is necessary. The same thing is happening...

An Anxious Return: Heading Back to Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on May 29, 2020 at 1:51 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. The company I work for reopened last week. I was excited at first to finally get out of the house and earn a paycheck again, but seeing the crowded hallways, closed office doors, and multiple face-to-face meetings are making me very anxious. At home, I was mindful of keeping things especially clean due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When going out to get groceries, I was even more careful. But now at work, with people hovering over me so much and participating in one meeting after the next, my anxiety is...

A Few Effective Ways to Deal with Someone Else’s Anger

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on May 15, 2020 at 1:51 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. A coworker and I were handling a project for a few weeks. Our big presentation was this morning and it didn’t go the way we wanted. We made a few mistakes, and because of it, our boss came down on us. Afterward, I was ready to discuss and correct our mistakes, however, my coworker lost her temper and said some pretty aggressive things to me. I was really surprised after her rant but was clueless about how to handle it. We all get angry sometimes. Anger is a normal and...

Celebrating Mom at Home: What to do on Her Special Day in the Social Distancing Era

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on May 8, 2020 at 3:46 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. I’m really close with my mom. We live nearly half a country apart but talk every day. Mother’s Day is our favorite holiday, and this year, it’s killing me that I can’t visit her to celebrate. We are both sheltering in place, which means I can’t visit. Even if I could, Mom is so protective of me that she wouldn’t let me make the trip out of fear of me or my family getting sick. I really want to do something special for her this year but have no...

If Your Child is Moody, Then it May be Time for a Break from the Screen

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on May 1, 2020 at 1:35 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. When our kids’ school switched to online learning, I thought it’d be for a short time. Now their school has extended it for the rest of the year, and I’m noticing just how much time they spend on their laptops and phones. At first, it was no big deal since they have nothing of great importance to do here at home other than schoolwork. But now my husband and I have noticed that they have even less motivation than usual and are often more bad-tempered. I think it has to...

Getting Outside Again: The Benefits of the Outdoors for Your Kids

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on April 24, 2020 at 2:32 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. When the stay-at-home order was first put in place, my family and I made the best of it. We were lucky enough to have our jobs switch to work-from-home, and my husband has taken responsibility for helping our kids with their online schoolwork. As the weeks went by, though, we all became incredibly lethargic from being inside all day. One day, we decided to spend an afternoon in the backyard away from our laptops, phones, and tablets. It felt great! I did some gardening, my husband did some yard work,...

The Benefits of Keeping a Four-Legged Friend Around During Home Isolation

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on April 17, 2020 at 3:25 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. The first couple of weeks of my city’s stay-at-home order were rough. I’m single with no kids, so my apartment was quieter than I could have ever imagined while working from home. It got so bad that I started feeling stressed and anxious from being cooped up all day. During a call with my sister, she suggested adopting a dog. She owns one, or actually tells me that her dog owns her, and says that there’s never a dull moment in her home. I went to my local animal shelter...

Psychosomatic Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic

By Dr. Anna Schrack

on April 10, 2020 at 2:42 PM /

Today, I was actively sweating even though I wasn’t being physically active. I was just sitting at the table drinking tea. I felt fatigued, but I’d been very active the previous day. I also felt very nauseated. Could this be a sign of COVID-19? I felt the need to check my temperature. Thoughts began running through my mind… “Do I have a fever?” “How about a cough?” Typically, this behavior and these thoughts might be odd, but under our current circumstances with COVID-19 running rampant, many families are experiencing these same behaviors. Are you in the same boat? Let’s delve deeper into the topic. Protecting...

Lockdown Blues: COVID-19, Its Effects, And How It’s Being Processed

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on April 3, 2020 at 3:15 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. It’s been about six days since my boyfriend and I have been outside. The first couple of days were fine, fun even. We watched a few movies, played some games, and even had a few drinks. But things are definitely changing now. I’ve been on social media almost non-stop, reading about all the new cases, the deaths, the economy, and everything else related to the virus. I’m a puddle of anxiety, convinced I will be the next to get sick. My boyfriend, on the other hand, is on the complete...

Mindfulness

By Dr Ashley Diehl

on March 27, 2020 at 11:40 AM /

If we all weren’t juggling enough between the many hats we wear as parents, spouses, professionals, and friends; now we have the added stress that has come with the challenges associated with COVID-19 and social-distancing. It is entirely reasonable at this time to feel anxiety over the uncertainty and trying to juggle the never-ending list of responsibilities without everything falling apart. While the list of things to do appears never-ending, practicing mindfulness, even if it is for 5 minutes during short breaks throughout the day can help reduce anxiety. First off, what is mindfulness? While it takes practice, it is not...