Postpartum depression can be debilitating, but it is not a personal failing. If you are feeling sad or anxious after childbirth, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, postpartum depression may affect as many as 1 in 5 women. Use the following guide to learn how postpartum depression can be [...]
When you’re dealing with a mental health challenge, therapy can help restore peace to your life. Although you might assume all sessions involve a therapist and one individual, many people benefit from group therapy instead. If you’re currently looking for therapy options, here’s what you should know about this unique outlet. What Is Group Therapy? In group [...]
A Letter From a Therapist to a Human with Suicidal Thoughts: You Are Worth So Much More Than Your Thoughts are Trying to Convince You By Kristin Canan, LICSW Dear Fellow Human, I want to start off by apologizing, not from a place of pity, but from a place of genuine sorrow that so many [...]
Depression is not just temporary feelings of sadness. This mental health condition can have short and long-term effects on individuals experiencing it and the people around them. That’s why it’s crucial to be able to identify some of the signs of this state and offer help to those in need. Here are five potential indications to watch [...]
The holiday season is packed with requests for our time, energy, and resources. “Will you help with the class party?” “Could we host Christmas at your house this year?” “Please donate to this worthy cause!” It’s easy to over-commit ourselves when we want to say “yes” or feel we’re expected to say “yes” to many [...]
The alarm goes off and you roll over and hit the snooze button. For many people, an alarm is an invitation to start the day and to get excited about what may lay ahead. But for those who are experiencing a depressive episode, an alarm every morning feels like a cruel reminder of the weight [...]
History tells us that Thanksgiving was created as a day to celebrate and express gratitude for the bounty of the earth, for neighbors, for abundance. Over time, as families and communities develop their own traditions, it appears to have grown to become a day to celebrate good food and good relationships amidst sharing laughs and [...]
As a clinician who works with eating disorders, I cannot tell you how many times I have heard the same question posed over and over again by clients and their loved ones: “Kristin, what caused this eating disorder?” There is normally a sense of desperation in this question hoping that I will somehow have the [...]
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a unique type of depression that’s related to changes in the seasons. It typically begins and ends around the same times each year, with symptoms becoming more severe as the season progresses. This mental health condition affects an estimated 6 % of the U.S. population. In severe cases, it can be linked to suicidal [...]
“I just don’t want to feel anything.” “Feeling scares me.” “If I slow down, it might all catch up to me.” “If I start feeling, I’m afraid I will never stop.” “If I keep myself busy enough, then I don’t have to think about it.” I cannot tell you how many times I have sat [...]
