Entries by Joanna Bloss

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Among many other findings, this study discovered that individuals who experienced 4 or more ACE factors in childhood had a significantly increased risk for myriad health problems including substance abuse, cancer, suicidal behavior, obesity, smoking, heart disease and depression.

About Dialectical Behavior Therapy

DBT uses four skills modules to help clients cope more effectively with intense thoughts, moods, emotions and behaviors. They are mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness.

Hope for Borderline Personality Disorder

Experiencing constant emotional storms is a reality of life for the millions of individuals who suffer from the symptoms associated with Borderline Personality Disorder (or BPD).

BPD is a debilitating condition that is typically diagnosed in young adulthood and is characterized by emotional instability, chaos in relationships, a sense of emptiness or or lack of identity, and difficulty communicating feelings and needs appropriately. Many individuals with BPD struggle with ongoing thoughts of suicide; they often self-injure or engage in destructive and impulsive behaviors.

Mental Health Resources

If you are looking for information on anxiety and depression or mental health resources either nationally or in the Indianapolis area, here are some trusted sources…

Creating a Depression-Fighting Plan

While many of us think of depression as sadness, that doesn’t even begin to describe it. Although sadness can be a component of depression, individuals with major depressive disorder frequently experience a sense of emptiness and meaninglessness and often profound feelings of helplessness, hopelessness or worthlessness.

How to React to Life Stressors More Effectively

In July 2020, Kyle Burgess was taking a run on a mountain trail in Utah when he stumbled upon some adorable baby animals. Knowing his family would enjoy a video, he pulled out his phone and started recording. At first he thought the animals were bobcats, but when their mother appeared on the path to chase him away, he quickly realized they were cougars. Amazingly, Kyle maintained his cool and kept filming while the mother pursued him for a terrifying near-six minutes…

A Three Step Strategy for Managing Anxiety

Morning after morning I woke up with a hard-to-describe feeling that started deep in my abdomen and swelled through my chest. I would lay in bed, miserably waiting for this unwelcome and never-tardy intruder to show up and temporarily paralyze me with a mixture of fear, dread, and self-recrimination.

Celebrate!

When we take time to celebrate the little and the big events in our lives and the lives of people we care for, it creates a domino effect of all kinds of good things.

A celebration is a perfect example of a positive emotional experience, and we know that filling our lives with positive emotional experiences is essential for good mental health.