Today I am posting an article by Monnica T. Williams, Ph.D., ABPP who is a licensed clinical psychologist and associate professor at the University of Ottawa in the School of Psychology, where she is the Canada Research Chair for Mental Health Disparities. Dr. Williams has published over 100 book chapters and peer-reviewed articles focused on anxiety-related disorders and cultural differences. She has served on boards nationwide including the Delaware Valley Association of Black Psychologists, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Main Line chapter, NAMI Louisville, and the OC Foundation of California. Dr. Williams powerfully discusses the ways in which … Read more…

I have been having vivid, sometimes unsettling, dreams since the pandemic started, and I am not the only one. Psychologists are noticing that many people’s dreams have changed since Covid-19. They are not exactly nightmares, but they are definitely pandemic-informed. What are our minds up to? Why such strange dreams now? The current theory about why we dream is that dreams function to process the events in our waking life. An article in New Scientist explains that “the most intense dreaming activity occurs when our brains are working hard to process recent, emotionally powerful experiences.” In our current situation with frightening pandemic information … Read more…

We are all stressed during COVID-19 lockdown. In many families, tension and anger are becoming a problem. Couples and siblings are fighting because they are stuck together 24-7 and isolated from their usual routines and support systems. They are also struggling with an unpredictable future. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is a great counseling modality that helps people manage emotions and decrease conflict in their relationships. Don’t worry, I’m not going on and on about DBT theory, but I do want to share one extremely helpful component of DBT: explicit skills instruction. Here are 5 skills from DBT you can learn to help manage … Read more…

Today’s blog post is an article by fellow therapist, Dr. Jamie Long.  If you are feeling overwhelming panic and fear during the COVID-19 crisis you might be caught up in a cognitive distortion called Catastrophic Thinking.   Read on to see how to identify and manage this destructive thought pattern   How to Cope with Catastrophic Thinking During the Coronavirus Pandemic For many of us, concerns and worries have escalated tenfold over the past few weeks. I checked on a friend of mine, a new mom who just temporarily closed her business in response to the novel coronavirus. She’s someone who typically operates … Read more…

During these many weeks of Covid-19 physical distancing, we are missing out on a lot of our usual coping mechanisms and useful distractions. There is also a lot of pressure on social media and elsewhere to be productive and do all the things you have been putting off or procrastinating about right now! For some this proposition is inspiring but for many, setting these lofty goals is adding self-recrimination and guilt to their already frightening and destabilizing pandemic experience. A good alternative to all this pressure is learning to practice self-compassion.  “How can you be so stupid?”  “You are just … Read more…

If you are feeling anxious these days (aren’t we all?) don’t forget about the mind-body connection. What you eat can actually affect your mental state.  Here are some nutrition hacks that can help your body create a sense of mental calm. Stay Hydrated:  I am guilty of drinking coffee and Diet Coke all day, but I am trying to drink more H2O. The general recommendation is that we drink 64 ounces of water a day. Staying hydrated has been shown to improve mood and reduce stress. Regulate your blood sugar.  Don’t skip meals,  A blood sugar drop really affects your mood negatively!  … Read more…