anxiety Archives - Restoration Hope

Parenting Preteens and Social Media- Woof

Preteens and social media- Woof. This is a big topic. If you are feeling lost about how to approach this and what boundaries to set, know that you are not alone! This is the most common point of tension that I see between preteens and their parents and is genuinely very difficult to navigate. So […]

Defense Mechanisms: An Introduction to When/Why We Use Them

We are starting a blog series that talks about defense mechanisms, or the ways in which we try to protect ourselves from fear or pain. However, before we dive into the different defense mechanisms, it is important to look at how we get there in the first place. This is where the nervous system comes […]

Transitioning out of the Pandemic: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself As You Process

The constant hardships and stressors of the pandemic have resulted in a prolonged state of stress for our nervous systems and has led many of us to operate in a type of “survival mode.” Survival mode is difficult, yet so is moving out of it. Transitioning from surviving to processing comes with it’s own set […]

12 Topics to Discuss with Your Child About Social Media

The vast majority of kids and adolescents are on social media. In some ways social media creates an outlet for creativity, connection, and fun. At the same time, social media comes with some downsides, whether it’s in regard to physical safety or mental health. Rates of anxiety and depression have always been higher in the […]

Breath: The Simple & Powerful Key to Well-Being

Breathing- We do it every day and we know it is essential, but when was the last time you really thought about your breath? While yoga and mindfulness have increased the popularity of focused breath work, it can be easy to miss how profound and accessible this work actually is. Let’s talk about some of […]

The Importance of Perspective Taking

I saved a life. I am in no way referencing mental health, here. I gave my boyfriend the Heimlich maneuver and SAVED HIS LIFE. And you know what struck me? No one clapped. No one (other than our table of friends) said or did anything. The waitress even walked away while it was all happening. […]

Running on Empty

I truly believe at any given moment, we’re all doing the best we can. All of us. And our best looks different from week to week, day to day, and even moment to moment. Sometimes our best looks like excelling at work, school, or home. We’re productive and focused. We can see a what we […]

MOVE Your Way Through Stress

It’s easy to think about how our mood affects our movement. Maybe you have a hard time sitting still when you are feeling anxious or you find it difficult to move at all when you are depressed? But let’s talk about the reverse- moving your body can also change your emotional state! If you are […]

Grief + Loss and How It Might Help Explain Your Current Emotional State

Recently, I have been bombarded with a number of people expressing how difficult it has been to concentrate lately. Frankly, I have felt it too. Simple tasks seem to have taken on a new weightiness, brain fog complicates normal to-do lists, and making decisions can feel excruciatingly difficult. You may be surprised to find out […]