Coping with Anxiety

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Hurricane Ida and COVID-19: The Perfect Storm for Mom Anxiety and Overwhelm

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Hurricane Ida and COVID-19: The Perfect Storm for Mom Anxiety and Overwhelm

Hey there, NOLA mom, how are you?

I’m going to guess the answer is, “I’m really not okay.” I hear ya. It has been a really rough last few months, and not many of us are “okay.” And guess what? THAT is okay!

To say that life has been rough since March 2020 is an understatement. Most of us have been operating in survival mode since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between trying to figure out balancing the roles of homeschool teacher, childcare provider, and lunch and snack lady, plus working a full-time job and trying to keep the house in some kind of livable condition, there has been little physical and mental space to decompress and heal from the stress and trauma associated with COVID-19

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4 Tips for Coping With the Stress of a PCS as a Military Spouse  

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4 Tips for Coping With the Stress of a PCS as a Military Spouse  

For most families, the summer months are a time of vacation and relaxed schedules. But in the world of military families, the summer months are known as “PCS season.” A Permanent Change of Station (PCS) is most definitely not a stress-free time. Having PCS’d several times – and being currently neck-deep in the midst of one! – I know first-hand the amount of overwhelm, exhaustion, and anxiety that can come from a military move.

Coping With COVID-19 Anxiety As The World Opens Up

Coping With COVID-19 Anxiety As The World Opens Up

For over a year, we have been told that we need to stay apart, that in order to protect ourselves and our loved ones, we need to stay home, stay apart, and stay masked up. These protective steps have been vital in trying to slow the spread of COVID-19. But they’ve created a sense of chronic hypervigilance that can lead to anxiety.

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The Benefits of Online Therapy for Women Living in Rural Louisiana

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The Benefits of Online Therapy for Women Living in Rural Louisiana

Choosing to reach out to a therapist can be a really hard thing to do. When you’re at the point of seeking counseling, it’s often when you are not feeling your best. You may be experiencing anxiety after having a brand new baby, deep sadness after the loss of a friend, or a sense of emptiness due to ongoing life transitions and changes. Taking the step to reach out to a therapist and say, “I need help” is an amazing first step toward caring for your mental and emotional health. But, when you live in a small town, it can be hard to find the mental health support you are looking for in your area. Online therapy is an amazing option for women with anxiety in rural Louisiana.

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Should I Take Medication For My Anxiety?

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Should I Take Medication For My Anxiety?

While I believe it is important for every woman to make this decision for herself and choose whether or not taking medication for anxiety is the right choice for her, too often I see people making the decision to avoid medication based on poor information.

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Breastfeeding and the Impact on Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

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Breastfeeding and the Impact on Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

“I knew the lengths to which I was going to try and do all the things (nurse, pump, bottle feed, formula feed) was not sustainable. I knew my mental and emotional health were suffering and would only get worse if I continued this cycle.”

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Coping with Stress as a Mom During COVID-19

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Coping with Stress as a Mom During COVID-19

So many moms are still having to wear all the hats (work hat, chef hat, educator hat, etc.), while also navigating the numerous challenges COVID-19 brings to daily life. Many of us are experiencing COVID fatigue and feeling burnt out from parenting during a pandemic. And let me validate those feelings: This burnout is real.

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Postpartum Anxiety and Pandemic Worries

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Postpartum Anxiety and Pandemic Worries

Giving birth is anxiety-producing and so is a pandemic, so when you put the two together, it’s a recipe for postpartum anxiety. On top of worrying about all the things that come with being a new mom or adding to your family, you now have to worry about being exposed to COVID, socially distancing, and the complexities of introducing or not introducing your infant to your loved ones.

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How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Help Your Anxiety

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How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Help Your Anxiety

If you’ve ever searched for a therapist or counselor in New Orleans or Metairie, you’ve probably come across the terms “cognitive behavioral therapy,” or “CBT,” and may have wondered what the heck that is. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a style of therapy that can be very beneficial in treating anxiety. But what is it, and how does CBT work?

Coping with Anxiety: When Meditation Doesn't Work

Coping with Anxiety: When Meditation Doesn't Work

I’ve heard a similar response from many people: “I tried to meditate but I just can’t get my mind to stop. It just doesn’t work for me.” If you’re someone who has tried to meditate but struggled with this practice, what can you do to still be able to get the same benefits that quiet meditation provide?

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Overcoming Self Judgment of Anxiety

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Overcoming Self Judgment of Anxiety

While the openness of people in the public spotlight has begun to normalize the discussions surrounding mental health struggles, in my conversations with friends and colleagues and in my work with clients, I have found that many of us still hold self-judgment and shame over our own struggles with anxiety and depression. As I’ve talked with other women, there are three common narratives many women seem to believe about themselves and their mental health that make acceptance of one’s anxiety and depression extremely challenging.

5 Ways to Cope with Anxiety During COVID-19

5 Ways to Cope with Anxiety During COVID-19

For us all, 2020 has certainly been a year that we will not quickly forget. When the coronavirus first hit, none of us predicted that life would look like it does today. “Oh, I can’t wait to be stuck in my house, homeschooling my kids, while trying to still get by, day by day, during a global pandemic with no end in sight,” said no mom ever. Yet, here we are – over two months into this life-altering time in history, and with little clarity on how life proceeds from here.

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Practicing Gratitude as a Military Spouse

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Practicing Gratitude as a Military Spouse

As a spouse of a military member, we face constant ups and downs that make life challenging. It can be hard to find the good sometimes when we are in the throws of military life. But they are there. Here are 5 ways to practice gratitude as a military spouse in the face of challenges.

Coping With Anxiety: Feeling Stuck? Check Your Altitude

Coping With Anxiety: Feeling Stuck? Check Your Altitude

You set out to learn to manage your anxiety and improve that area of your life. You seek out strategies, techniques, mantras…anything to help you find a better way of coping with the anxious thoughts and feelings. Maybe you’ve picked a particular strategy, such as mindful breathing, that you practice daily.  But a month or two down the road, you’re having a hard time seeing the effects of this practice in helping you decrease these unwanted anxious thoughts and feelings. “Is this even working? Have I even changed?”  You aren’t alone if you find yourself with these questions. When a client comes to me with these kinds of feelings, I ask them to “check their altitude.”

Coping With Anxiety: How Are You Practicing Brave?

Coping With Anxiety: How Are You Practicing Brave?

Ever since my son was able to walk, we’ve been going to the same playground regularly. He knows the different slides he likes, the stairs he religiously climbs again and again, and the swinging bridge he’s been too nervous to cross for months. It became almost comical how he would run up to this bridge, only to abruptly stop. Occasionally he would cautiously dip his toe on the bridge to assess his safety, and immediately turn around and head in the opposite direction. 

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