Wellness Break: Faith

In my previous post, I spoke briefly about faith and spirituality within the treatment of mental health. From time to time, I will read over the comments on various news articles around the web and often question why I did it because people seem so angry and hateful these days.

I spent a lot of time pondering the word "faith" and the conclusion that I have always come to, as a spiritual person, is that faith has absolutely nothing to do with religion. Faith is essentially "believing without seeing". True, this is a quote within the Bible, but just think about it; taking religion out.  We all need to believe in something greater than ourselves to push us through any uncertainty in life. If you are unable to believe without seeing, there is lack of hope.

Let's look at a personal experience, for an example. If I wanted a certain position in the past, I envisioned myself in that role, I believed it was mine. Key words: I believed it was mine. Have faith and be sure to believe without seeing and watch how quickly you knock through obstacles in life.

Be encouraged. Take a leap of faith.

Mental Health in the News: Faith & Spirituality Beneficial in Treatment?

This story is so timely, as I prepare for my interview to disclose my personal journey through situational depression and anxiety with you. Without sharing too much right now, I will say that my belief in God (my higher power), is what has brought me through and continues to bring me through my journey. I do not want to get into a debate about religion/spirituality and more importantly my personal religion/spirituality, but with so much discussion on taking "God" out of everything, there are still people who believe in something greater than themselves.

Side note: that is not the reason for this post. 

NAMI has a story out now that states, "A recent study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders has shown that people who believe in God are more responsive to short-term treatment of depression." I found this study fascinating and wanted to jump for joy and shout, "YES!".

Whatever your beliefs are, when I think of my beliefs and I think of God, I think of relentless faith and positivity. This is what oftentimes is void in a persons desire to cope or get better - there is no faith, nor hope.

If you're not one of those people who believe your opinions are always 100% accurate and have an open mind, please share your thoughts below. We are all different, which makes us unique and I truly understand that. However, a healthy dialogue is always welcome!

Here is the link to the story.

Mental Health in the News: Presidential Proclamation

I am elated to hear much talk pertaining to mental health illness. Though, the reasons are unfortunate.

Mark my words, there will be more incidents related to mental health in the news, as time passes. Like your physical health, anyone can be proactive when it comes to their mental health. Take a stance — we are all affected by mental health in some capacity.

Here is what our President of the United States, Barack Obama has to say about declaring May National Mental Health Month, 2013.

Wellness Break: Exercise

I talk a lot about nutrition, but let's take a quick moment to discuss EXERCISE!!! There is a rule that you should be aware of and that is the 80:20 rule. How you look depends on 80% of what you eat/drink. The other 20% is via the type of exercise activities you are engaged in.

One of the many struggles that I hear is getting into the groove of working out. It is difficult, trust me, I know. I am a former track athlete, I ran year round for 6-7 years. That being said, I have to motivate myself and that is not always an easy task.

The fact of the matter is: not everyone is an athlete. I always encourage my clients to start somewhere small, like 30-45 minutes of cardio at least 3x per week. The cardio that I suggest consists of walking, power walking, jogging, running, cycling and even swimming. Get out and be active! Perhaps to motivate yourself (like I did), you can grab a partner, two tennis rackets, tennis balls and hit the tennis court!

Regular exercise is also another way to ensure your mood and stress levels are stabilized.

What's your #?

I have had the absolute great pleasure of working with Mental Health of America (MHA) on various projects in the past. They are a very well known organization to those in the field, but many may be unaware of what all they do in and for the community of Mental Health. To learn more about MHA, please click here.

Now on to my question...what's your #?

No, not telephone #, but what is your M3 score? According to MHA, "your M3 score is a number that will help you and your doctor understand if you have a treatable mood disorder, like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder." By taking this quick and easy 3 minute test, you can learn more about your number or the number of the individual that we spoke of in my previous post, so you can be better informed and seek professional guidance.

I took the test and it was quite painless! My score was pretty high considering I am in the profession, but that should tell you that mental health professionals are far from "perfection". The hardest part is being aware. Once you are aware, you know what areas in your life could benefit from improvement. 

Stay tuned this month, as I share my personal journey through mental health and how I personally overcame bouts with situational depression and anxiety.

May 2013 is Mental Health Awareness Month!

This is my favorite month of the year and not just because it's my birthday month, but because it is Mental Health Awareness month!!

No one is void of facing obstacles in life, some of us are just better at coping with the challenges that life throws at us! For the month of May, I encourage you to reach out to that family member, friend or co-worker who has confided in you about their personal struggles and support them by letting them know that help it out there. As a mental health therapist, it makes me so happy when clients seek the assistance of a professional. That lets us know that an individual is tired of being stuck in a rut and is ready for CHANGE!

Also, please do something to support your local mental health organizations. I will be walking in the National Alliance on Mental Illness Walks (NAMIWalks of Greater Houston) this weekend and I am thrilled to advocate for those who are fighting for their lives, and most importantly their minds.

Cheers to bringing awareness to mental health illness!