The holiday season is a time to celebrate and connect with loved ones, but it can also be a source of stress. By recognizing the common sources of holiday stress and implementing self-care strategies, you can find balance and joy during this time of year. Remember that taking care of yourself is not selfish; it's a necessary component of making the holiday season truly special. So, be kind to yourself, prioritize self-care, and savor the moments that matter most.
Men & Mental Health
Men, like anyone else, may benefit from therapy for a variety of reasons. It's essential to recognize that therapy is not gender-specific; it can be helpful for individuals of all genders. Here are some reasons why men, in particular, might seek therapy:
Mental Health Concerns: Men can experience mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress, just like women. Therapy provides a safe space to explore and address these concerns, helping individuals learn coping strategies and gain emotional resilience.
Relationship Issues: Men may face challenges in their relationships with partners, family members, or friends. Therapy can help them navigate communication difficulties, conflicts, and improve relationship dynamics.
Work and Career Stress: The pressures of work, career decisions, or job loss can impact men's mental health. Therapy can help men manage workplace stress, develop career goals, and make decisions about their professional lives.
Trauma and PTSD: Men can experience trauma from various sources, such as combat, accidents, or childhood abuse. Therapy, including trauma-focused therapies, can help men process these experiences and work towards healing.
Substance Abuse and Addiction: Substance abuse issues are not gender-specific. Men who struggle with substance abuse can benefit from therapy to address the underlying causes and develop strategies for recovery.
Identity and Self-Exploration: Men, like women, may grapple with questions about their identity, purpose, and life goals. Therapy can be a valuable tool for self-exploration and personal growth.
Grief and Loss: Coping with the loss of a loved one can be emotionally challenging for anyone. Therapy provides a supportive environment to navigate the grieving process.
Anger Management: Men, in some cases, may struggle with anger management. Therapy can help individuals understand the underlying causes of their anger and develop healthier ways to express and manage it.
Parenting and Family Issues: Men who are fathers or caregivers may seek therapy to improve their parenting skills, address family conflicts, or navigate co-parenting after a separation or divorce.
Sexual and Intimacy Concerns: Men may face issues related to sexual function, intimacy, or relationship satisfaction. Therapy can provide a safe and non-judgmental space to address these concerns.
Self-Esteem and Confidence: Some men may struggle with self-esteem and confidence issues, which can impact their overall well-being. Therapy can help individuals build self-confidence and develop a positive self-image.
Stress Management: Therapy can teach men effective stress management techniques, which are crucial for overall mental and physical health.
It's important to remember that seeking therapy is a sign of strength and self-awareness, not weakness. Therapy can provide valuable tools and insights to help men address these and many other concerns, leading to improved mental health and overall well-being. Choosing to seek help is a personal decision, and it can be an important step toward personal growth and healing.
I Need Directions…to Mental Health Help
Shelby Castile is quoted in the article "I Need Directions…to Mental Health Help" published by Mental.com sharing 10 expert tips to start a convo—and arrive at a safe destination.
Click here to read the full article.
The Dark Side of Wellness Culture: Unraveling Its Impact on Mental Health
Wellness culture has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, promoting various self-care practices, fitness routines, and dietary trends. While the intention behind wellness culture is to enhance overall well-being, it's crucial to acknowledge the potentially harmful effects it can have on mental health. In this blog, I explore the darker aspects of wellness culture and how it can negatively impact our mental well-being.
The Pressure to Optimize Every Aspect of Life
Wellness culture often propagates the notion that we must optimize every aspect of our lives, including diet, exercise, productivity, and self-care routines. This relentless pursuit of perfection can create immense pressure, leading to feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. The constant comparison to curated images of 'ideal' lifestyles on social media can further exacerbate these feelings.
Reinforcement of Unrealistic Body Standards
In the quest for a 'perfect' body, wellness culture can perpetuate unrealistic body standards. Messages of 'clean eating' and 'fit' bodies may inadvertently contribute to body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. This can lead to disordered eating patterns, body dysmorphia, and a negative impact on mental health.
Promotion of Pseudo-Scientific Claims
Wellness culture often promotes a wide range of health and wellness products and practices, some of which lack scientific evidence. While some practices may offer genuine benefits, others may make exaggerated claims that can mislead individuals seeking genuine solutions for their mental health concerns. This can lead to disappointment, frustration, and a sense of hopelessness.
Toxic Positivity and Disregard for Authentic Emotions
The pressure to maintain a positive outlook at all times is another harmful aspect of wellness culture. Toxic positivity, which dismisses or trivializes genuine negative emotions, can be detrimental to mental health. It discourages individuals from acknowledging and processing their emotions, leading to emotional repression and increased stress.
Financial Strain and Consumerism
The commodification of wellness can lead to a culture of consumerism, where people feel compelled to invest heavily in various wellness products, treatments, and experiences. The financial strain of continuously seeking and purchasing these products can cause stress and anxiety, particularly when the promised benefits fail to materialize.
Creation of an Identity Tied to Wellness
For some individuals, wellness culture can become all-encompassing, leading them to define their entire identity around their pursuit of health and self-improvement. This can lead to an unbalanced lifestyle and a constant sense of inadequacy if they feel they are not meeting the ever-changing standards set by the wellness community.
While wellness culture can offer valuable tools for self-care and improved health, it's essential to approach it with a critical lens. Acknowledging the potentially harmful effects on mental health is vital to ensure a more balanced and mindful approach to well-being. As individuals, we should strive to embrace self-compassion, prioritize our mental health, and be cautious of falling into the traps of unrealistic expectations and toxic positivity. By promoting a more holistic understanding of wellness, we can create a healthier and more sustainable culture that uplifts and supports everyone's mental well-being.
20 Pro-Tips to Help Calm Your Mind
Shelby Castile is quoted in the article "When Life is Bananas, These 20 Pro Tips Will Help Calm Your Mind" published by Mental.com sharing ideas from wellness advocates to help quiet the chaos.
Click here to read the full article.
OCD Is Not Radicalization
Shelby Castile is quoted in the article "That’s Bananas: OCD Is Not Radicalization" published by Mental.com discussing a recent NY Post article on OCD.
Click here to read the full article.
New Year, New You? Don't hold your breath.
“It’s hard to remember a time when starting the new year on a diet wasn’t A Thing, but certainly cavepeople didn’t subsist on berries and leaves each January to look svelte in their loincloths. To understand how “New Year, New You” became the month’s unofficial mantra, we must look at the evolution of resolutions themselves. “ ~ Amy Keller Laird, Founder of Mental, a digital magazine of sorts that offers only legit and realistic advice, from the world’s top experts. Plus, honest talk from other Gen XYZers shows you’re not alone—and that you can thrive. Learn more on this controversial topic and read what Shelby has to say about it here.
What To Say If A Loved One Is Struggling With Their Mental Health
One of the best things you can do to help your loved one is to simply offer up your presence. Lending a non-judgmental ear and being a shoulder to cry can be comforting to someone who may be feeling alone, worried, or depressed. Let that person know you are there for them + available to listen. Show empathy + avoid trying to solve the problem or offering unsolicited advice.
Going Separate Ways
A separation or divorce is a highly stressful and emotional experience for everyone involved, but children often feel that their whole world has turned upside down. Kids may feel shocked, uncertain, or angry. Some may even feel guilty, blaming themselves for the problems at home. Divorce is never a seamless process and, inevitably, such a transitional time doesn’t happen without some measure of grief and hardship. But you can dramatically reduce your children’s pain by making their well-being your top priority.
Your patience, reassurance, and listening ear can minimize tension as your children learn to cope with unfamiliar circumstances. By providing routines your kids can rely on, you remind them that they can count on you for stability, structure, and care. And by maintaining a working relationship with your ex, you can help your kids avoid the stress and anguish that comes with watching parents in conflict. With your support, your kids can not only successfully navigate this unsettling time, but even emerge from it feeling loved, confident, and strong—and even with a closer bond to both parents.
How to talk to kids about divorce
When it comes to telling your kids about your divorce, many parents freeze up. Make the conversation a little easier on both yourself and your children by preparing what you’re going to say before you sit down to talk. If you can anticipate tough questions, deal with your own anxieties ahead of time, and plan carefully what you’ll be telling them, you will be better equipped to help your children handle the news.
What to say and how to say it
Difficult as it may be, try to strike an empathetic tone and address the most important points right up front. Give your children the benefit of an honest—but kid-friendly—explanation.
Tell the truth. Your kids are entitled to know why you are getting a divorce, but long-winded reasons may only confuse them. Pick something simple and honest, like “We can’t get along anymore.” You may need to remind your children that while sometimes parents and kids don’t always get along, parents and kids don’t stop loving each other or get divorced from each other.
Say “I love you.” However simple it may sound, letting your children know that your love for them hasn’t changed is a powerful message. Tell them you’ll still be caring for them in every way, from fixing their breakfast to helping them with homework.
Address changes. Preempt your kids’ questions about changes in their lives by acknowledging that some things will be different, and other things won’t. Let them know that together you can deal with each detail as you go.
Avoid blaming
It’s vital to be honest with your kids, but without being critical of your spouse. This can be especially difficult when there have been hurtful events, such as infidelity, but with a little diplomacy, you can avoid playing the blame game.
Present a united front. As much as you can, try to agree in advance on an explanation for your separation or divorce—and stick to it.
Plan your conversations. Make plans to talk with your children before any changes in the living arrangements occur. And plan to talk when your spouse is present, if possible.
Show restraint. Be respectful of your spouse when giving the reasons for the separation.
How much information should I give my child about the divorce?
Especially at the beginning of your separation or divorce, you’ll need to pick and choose how much to tell your children. Think carefully about how certain information will affect them.
Be age-aware. In general, younger children need less detail and will do better with a simple explanation, while older kids may need more information.
Share logistical information. Do tell kids about changes in their living arrangements, school, or activities, but don’t overwhelm them with the details.
Keep it real. No matter how much or how little you decide to tell your kids, remember that the information should be truthful above all else.
Was this information helpful? I would love to hear from you! Please don’t hesitate to reach out. All of my contact information can be found here.
Learning to Pause
“With so much emotional reactivity in the world today, it’s vital to our health that we learn how to consciously pause before responding. ”
I recently created a post on my Instagram Page about the benefits of pausing. This can be in response to a text, a voicemail, or even an in-person conversation.
When my clients get stuck in dealing with difficult emotions, I introduce them to the mindful pause technique. I also regularly use the mindful pause technique before speaking with colleagues + clients. When we can consciously put ourselves into the habit of pausing - breathing space between the situation and our immediate reaction to it- the outcome is more desirable. It’s a true skill to learn how to pause, understand + then act.
“How can you practice pausing today?”
Are we connected on social media? I share stories + post content for clients & clinicians all related to improving mental health. ▾▾▾▾▾▾▾▾▾▾▾▾▾ Come find me! ▾
The Importance of Boundaries
“Setting boundaries is an important part of establishing one’s identity and is a crucial aspect of mental health and well-being.
Boundaries can be physical or emotional, and they can range from being loose to rigid, with healthy boundaries often falling somewhere in between.”
From time to time, and especially as of late; we all get the dreaded feeling that there just isn’t enough time to do everything we need to do, let alone squeeze in a few of the things we want to do. Between demands on our time from work, kids, kids’ events, spouses, and countless other activities that vie for our attention, it is easy to get so bogged down to the point where you feel overwhelmed to the point of drowning. Part of it is surely our culture. After all, we live in a society where the appropriate response to “How’s it going?” is “Oh, I am so busy.” So many people wear it as a badge of honor sometimes, but at what cost? In this post, we’ll explore a few ideas that can help you take back control of your life and your time and hopefully return some of your sanity back, too!
Set Boundaries
It sounds simple, but it is easier said than done. What sort of boundaries am I talking about? Here, I’m referring to personal boundaries; the ones that are often hardest to bring up but that have a significant impact on your mental health and well-being.
For example, do you hate attending holiday functions with your family, because someone always brings up how impressive and accomplished one of your siblings is? Or perhaps someone in the family leaves you feeling guilty that you don’t visit as much as you used to. Any variation of these can leave us feeling depressed and despondent. However, there is a way to overcome those anxieties: set boundaries.
Whether it is the dreaded family holiday get-together or something else entirely that you dread doing, try and level-set with whomever you’re visiting and tell them what is and is not okay tobring up, talk about, or share while you’re there. These are difficult conversations to have, especially with loved ones (the same rules apply for workplace functions, too), but until you express your feelings, no one may know their behavior is negatively affecting you.
Self-awareness is a major aspect of setting boundaries. After all, in order to set them, you need to know what they are. When you have clearly communicated your boundaries to those who need to be made aware, that is just the first step. If someone violates your boundaries after you’ve set them, it is equally as important to be assertive and let them know how their actions are affecting you. Whenever possible, seek the support and guidance of others whom you respect and can count on to be there for you.
Make Healthy Choices
Healthy minds and healthy bodies are key ingredients to regaining control in your life. With all of the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, though, it can be difficult to find time to head to the gym or take time to just focus on your thoughts without distraction. However, achieving a healthy mind and body doesn’t require giant time commitments, and the results will serve you well all year long.
Moving our bodies in deliberate, thoughtful ways helps connect our bodies to our minds. One great way to do this is through practicing yoga. Yoga includes physical movement, breathing exercises, and promotes an awareness of Self that other workouts simply don’t give you. By bridging the physical to the emotional and even spiritual, yoga allows your body to relax and move while calming your mind and putting you back in the driver’s seat and regaining control.
Mindfulness is another great way to regain control and balance in your life. It is also very much in line with the practice of yoga. There are a lot of great benefits associated with mindfulness, namely the ability to become fully present, aware of ourselves and our surroundings, and become more reflective and less reactive to the world around us. You can incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine in a number of ways. One of the easiest ways to start is to focus on your breathing. Since breathing is so integral to everything in our lives, deliberate concentration on breathing in and out can put your mind and body at ease, leaving you with a feeling of more control in your daily life. Breathing is just one exercise of many, so this appeals to you, I encourage you to further your research and find more mindfulness routines that suit you.
Don’t Try to Change Everything at Once
Old habits die hard, and breaking out of them is difficult to say the least. Generally speaking, research suggests that it takes about 21 days of consistent patterns and action for something to become habit. That’s why it is so important for us to be mindful about how we’re adopting these changes into our life.
If the goal is for us to feel less stressed and less overwhelmed, what sense is there in trying to fix everything at once? That sounds stressful!
So, be mindful about creating boundaries, eating right, and getting exercise. These changes don’t have to be enormous, either. If you’re looking for an easy addition to your daily routine that is incredibly helpful, try simple breathing exercises.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed or stressed, try to pinpoint what specific things in your life that are the source of the stress. Then, close your eyes and simply focus on your breathing: Gentle inhale through your nostrils, gentle exhale through your mouth. Repeat. In. And out. In. And out.
When you complete this exercise, your head will be in a much better place to approach your stresses rationally and head on. You’ll be amazed at how satisfying regaining control with a few simple breathing exercises can be.
I would love to hear from you! What do you do in your daily life to help reduce stress and not feel incredibly overwhelmed all the time?