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Many of us give our homes a deep clean in the Spring, but not many provide the same time and attention to their psychological health. Here, Psychotherapist Noel McDermott offers his top tips for your mental health Spring cleaning. Decluttering your brain is just as important, if not more so, than organizing your home. If you’re looking to improve your well-being, then take some time to look at your emotional and mental space. With Spring comes a renewed sense of hope with warmer weather, increased daylight, and the joy that nature brings us at this time of year. Spring cleaning checklist: How [...]

It’s no secret more and more of us are becoming addicted to technology. As Richard Louv says in his book The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age, “What would our lives be like if our days and nights were as immersed in nature as they are in technology?” In an age where everyone has a tablet, smartphone, and/or computer, maybe it’s time we turn our attention back to nature and the roots of human connection to the earth. Here are five ways nature can lead to a healthier life: 1. EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING Have you ever taken a walk and [...]

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that carry electrical signals between neurons in the brain. Dopamine and serotonin are two important neurotransmitters for mental health. They affect your mood, memory, sleep, libido, appetite, and more. Imbalances can contribute to addictions, mood conditions, memory issues, and attention difficulties. Over the past several decades, the world has seen an increase in medications for serotonin and dopamine imbalances. These prescriptions can treat symptoms of many mental health conditions. Yet they have a long list of potential side effects, from dizziness to insomnia. Also, their effectiveness varies from person to person. Some people want to try some non-drug treatments before committing to medication. Others take medication [...]

Ecotherapy, also known as nature therapy or green therapy, is the applied practice of the emergent field of ecopsychology, which was developed by Theodore Roszak. Ecotherapy, in many cases, stems from the belief that people are part of the web of life and that our psyches are not isolated or separate from our environment. Ecopsychology is informed by systems theory and provides individuals with an opportunity to explore their relationship with nature—an area that may be overlooked in many other types of psychotherapy. While some professionals teach and practice ecopsychology exclusively, other mental health practitioners incorporate aspects of ecotherapy into their existing practices. CONNECTION WITH EARTH: THE CORE [...]

Dr. Shawn Miller, inspired by his lifelong love of skiing, has created an individualized and integrative holistic process which combines elements of western psychology and applies it in a natural setting played out on the ski slopes of Utah. Participants will engage in a 3-part personal growth process: Assess and Plan (Materials will be emailed to you) 1-hour Individual Session (in person or Telehealth) 3-hour on Snow Experience (at a pre-determined location in the Northern Wasatch Range) By engaging in this process, participants will expand their conscious level of awareness to assist them in improving their general wellness [...]

by Dan Buettner Life expectancy of an American born today averages 78.2 years. But this year, over 70,000 Americans have reached their 100th birthday. What are they doing that the average American isn’t? To answer the question, we teamed up with National Geographic to find the world’s longest-lived people and study them.  We knew most of the answers lied within their lifestyle and environment (The Danish Twin Study established that only about 20% of how long the average person lives is determined by genes). Then we worked with a team of demographers to find pockets of people around the [...]

Solstice Counseling and Wellness is recruiting a Postdoctoral fellow to join their small and growing group practice. "Building and supporting a community of psychology professionals to strengthen the community" is one of the central missions of Solstice. This is advanced by the importance placed upon supporting all employees in the organization. By doing all we can to create a flexible and supportive environment, staff are better equipped to effectively respond to the unique needs of the rural community in which it operates. Our office philosophy strongly encourages providers and staff to set schedules that meet the needs of the [...]

Informational charts from January Stress Snapshot Retrieved from the American Psychology Association

This is the season the link between a happy family life and the ability to thrive in your career may be most clear. After a bruising year many of us are spending the holidays retreating (as much as the pandemic allows) to our loved ones to reset, recharge, and be reminded of why we work so hard the rest of the year. The chaos of 2020 has really brought the importance of family home. If you need science to confirm this, there are a bunch of studies that show a happy and stable partnership, in particular, is likely [...]

New research has found that nearly 1 person in 5 diagnosed with COVID-19 is diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder like anxiety, depression or insomnia within three months. The analysis was conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford, using electronic health records for 69.8 million patients in the U.S. — including more than 62,000 diagnosed with COVID-19. Compared with patients who had experienced certain other health events this year — such as influenza, kidney stones or a major bone fracture – those diagnosed with COVID-19 were more likely to have a subsequent psychiatric diagnosis in the following 14 [...]