Blog posts, news articles, and other resources from The Center • A Place of HOPE
When we think of someone with a distorted body image (known as body dysmorphia in the field of psychology), we tend to think of a frail young woman who eats very little (or not at all) in order to stay thin – a person with anorexia nervosa or another eating...
“The pain of grief is just as much part of life as the joy of love: it is perhaps the price we pay for love, the cost of commitment. To ignore this fact, or to pretend that it is not so, is to put on emotional blinkers which leave us...
When someone we love lives with a mental health condition, it’s natural we want to support them in any way we can. This is true for all mental health conditions, including borderline personality disorder. But when your loved one has borderline personality disorder, it may feel more challenging to support...
Although there are laws to combat it, childhood abandonment still, unfortunately, happens every day. Childhood abandonment could include instances in which a parent physically abandons or gives up their child, as well as when the child is made to feel abandoned in other ways (such as through loss or neglect)....
It’s well-known that restful sleep is one of the best things we can do for our overall health and well-being. But too many of us aren’t getting the sleep we need; reports show that over a third of Americans aren’t getting the recommended hours of sleep every night (at least...
If you were asked to think of ways to improve your mental health, what would be the first things that came to mind? If you’re like most people, you probably thought of activities like going to therapy, practicing mindfulness meditation, or even exercising. And these are all evidence-based ways to...
Around New Years, we make a lot of promises to ourselves—less procrastination, more exercise, less junk food, more study, and so on. Most of these resolutions involve greater will-power and self control, something we always seem to have in short supply. Guess what research shows is the number one most...
Depressed people experience an altered sleep cycle, entering REM sleep more quickly and spending less time in sleep stages three and four.
Scientists have identified a strong connection between dehydration and depression, noting that even mild dehydration will affect your moods. Two studies from the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut demonstrate that it takes relatively little dehydration (1.5 percent loss in the body’s normal water volume) to alter your...
Prebiotics are substances that support the growth of certain microbiota, while probiotics are made up of the microorganisms themselves. Just one probiotic supplement contains billions of good bacteria. Introducing probiotics to resolve issues means you’re attempting to restore proper levels of intestinal microflora for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients....
We each tend to harbor one or more secret activities or behaviors that we just can’t seem to get enough of. This “never enough” activity becomes our absolute necessity, our reward, our coping mechanism. We need (or so we think) this activity to insulate ourselves from the world. Because this...
A number of our clients come to The Center with chronic pain that has persisted for years. This is often referred to as Fibromyalgia. The client has tried pain medications, diets, stretching, physical therapy, massages, and more. Nothing has seemed to work. But after we begin treatment using the whole...
How can you put your life back together after addiction? Healing happens when you reintegrate healthy connections with yourself and others. Once you admit you’re broken, you must agree to look at reconnecting the pieces of your life that addiction has torn apart. Your relationships may be strained, estranged, or...
Have you ever noticed how relaxed you can feel after you've done something physically strenuous? It's possible to relive a little of this feeling by engaging in progressive muscle relaxation.
Imagine being involved in a terrifying incident where you were physically harmed or threatened. Then imagine reliving that awful memory over and over again, each time as fresh and horrific as when it happened. This is the essence of PTSD.
Micronutrient deficiencies in folic acid, thiamine, magnesium, and omega 3 fatty acids have been linked to the prevalence of depression.
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The whole person approach to treatment integrates all aspects of a person’s life: