Posts by PsychSolutions
Couples Therapy isn’t about the Garbage
Anika looked out of the window and saw the garbage crew picking up garbage from every neighbour, but not theirs. She slammed the dishwasher shut hard enough to rattle all the dishes and cutlery, turned round, and screeched at her husband. “You didn’t bother to put the garbage out! Again!” Think about that statement for…
< Read More >CBTi to Help Resolve Your Sleep Problems
You’re tired yet you can’t fall asleep. Or you can’t stay asleep. Maybe your mind starts racing as soon as you go to bed or you feel restless, as though you need to move around. Maybe you are so tired you have difficulty focusing at work or you’re irritated with everyone in the daytime. Your…
< Read More >How to Beat Your Insomnia
Insomnia is vicious. It not only deprives you of sleep, it leads to all kinds of other issues, from increased anxiety through difficulty staying awake and functioning effectively in the daytime to irritability, mood swings, and just feeling unwell. Prolonged insomnia may also lead to or aggravate chronic illness. So, how do you know if…
< Read More >Falling Asleep Faster
Over 50% of adults report regular problems with sleeping – are you one of them? While ongoing sleep problems require identifying and treating the cause(s), here are 17 tips to help you fall asleep faster. Avoid caffeine in the evenings-stick to non-caffeinated coffee, herbal tea, water, etc. Don’t drink alcohol in the evenings. Don’t go…
< Read More >Apps That We Recommend For Mental Health
App & Print Resources Psychological First Aid Psychological First Aid The PFA Mobile app can assist responders who provide Psychological First Aid (PFA) to adults, families, and children. This app is helpful in that it talks about trauma in all ages and provides helpful education and links.
< Read More >EMDR Works. Here’s How We Know
EMDR References List of international guidelines and organizations recognizing the effectiveness of EMDR. American Psychiatric Association (2004). Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association Practice Guidelines. EMDR is recommended as an effective treatment for trauma. Bleich, A., Kotler, M., Kutz, I., & Shalev,…
< Read More >Harnessing the Power of Stress
Our understanding of stress has come a long way over the last couple of decades; arguably much further than the daily practice of stress management for most people.Harmful effects of stress are well documented in scientific literature. High blood pressure, headaches, stomach problems and a compromised immune system are a few examples of what stress can do to us.Employers and policy makers are starting to pay attention. Stressed workers are more likely to be unhealthy, poorly motivated, less
< Read More >What is a Trigger
It may feel like your trauma symptoms come “out of the blue” but often they arise because of a trigger. To begin learning how to cope with triggers, it will be important to begin identifying what your triggers are. When talking about trauma, a trigger can be anything that reminds you of the trauma. It can be an object, a type of person, a place, a situation, a smell, a noise, a piece of music, or even a colour. A trigger may also be an action or particular activity you have to do…
< Read More >A New Twist on Anxiety-Reducing Self-Talk
If you are anything like the majority of us, then my guess is that when it’s important for you to make a positive or favorable impression in an upcoming social situation, then you likely experience some level of anxiety or stress. This can be especially true for you if you struggle with higher levels of anxiety in general or find it difficult to calm yourself when faced with stress. The social situations that may cause you to worry could be anything from meeting new people, arriving for a job…
< Read More >Logical Thinking can Benefit Us
It can be too easy to set ourselves up for more stress than what is actually occurring…and this can occur as a result of what we are thinking! When we don’t track our thoughts and we let them occur without any effort to monitor or question them, they can take on a negative spin that can lead us into negative thinking patterns (that will seem to happen automatically on their own and with minimal awareness), foul moods and self-deprecation. If we remain unaware of our thoughts, the reality is…
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