Author: Diana Gordon, Psy.D.

The stories we tell ourselves about this pandemic may influence how we cope for years to come. The Atlantic explores the narratives we have formed about our experiences of the pandemic and how forming more adaptive narratives can help us cope. Talking about your experiences in therapy can help you make meaning and form healthier and more adaptive narratives. Feel free to reach out to us for a free phone consultation to learn more about how we may be able to help.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/05/how-will-we-remember-covid-19-pandemic/618397/

Author: Diana Gordon, Psy.D.

As vaccines have arrived and more and more people are experiencing a return to some normalcy, lots of people are also struggling with feelings of grief from experiences over the past year. While things may be improving, it's normal to be feeling sadness, anxiety, fear, or other negative emotions as we emerge from this pandemic year. The New York Times explores this pandemic grief and offers suggestions for coping during these challenging times. If you would like additional support coping with grief or adjusting to this new phase of pandemic life, feel free to contact us for a free phone consultation to learn more about how we can help.

www.nytimes.com/2021/04/01/well/mind/grief-loss-mourning-covid.html?action=click&pgtype=Article&state=default&module=styln-pandemic-burnout&region=BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT&context=storylines-guide

Author: Kari Kagan, Psy.D.

Psychologist Adam Grant recently published an article in the New York Times that describes a "blah" feeling that is probably familiar to all of us, called languishing. In his words, languishing is the "neglected middle child of mental health" that falls between flourishing and depression. Some of the symptoms of languishing include, feeling joyless or aimless, difficulty focusing, and low motivation. Someone who is languishing might not be experiencing obvious signs of depression, but studies show that if left untreated, people could be at increased risk for mental illness. As the article discusses, many people wait until they are experiencing life-altering symptoms of mental illness (i.e., can't get out of bed, can't work, etc.). Having a name for these "meh" feelings that we might otherwise dismiss might alert people to the need for early intervention and, possibly more important, that this is a common experience and they are not alone. If the symptoms of languishing resonate with your experience, I encourage you to read this article in the NYT to learn more about this experience and possible ways of intervening. If you feel you could benefit from additional help, feel free to contact us and we would be happy to schedule a consultation. 

Author: Katie Leoni, Psy.D. 

At SFBayCBT, our clients come to us struggling with a variety of issues, one of which is substance use/abuse. Due to the unique challenges that the pandemic has brought, for some there has been an uptick in their use of substances and many are looking to change their habits. This article discusses the impact of the pandemic on people's drinking habits and states that one in four adults self-reported an increase in their drinking in the past year as a way to manage stress. There are helpful, tangible strategies discussed to aid those who are interested in reducing their drinking habits. If you're wanting to explore more ways to reduce your drinking or feel like you'd like to talk to someone about your specific substance use and ways to help, please contact us and we would be happy to schedule a consultation. 

Author: Katie Leoni, Psy.D.

As the year mark of the pandemic has come and gone, many are looking toward the future with various emotions. This article discusses the importance of letting yourself feel what you are feeling by validating your own emotions. It also highlights specific strategies that a person can use to incorporate kindness and gratitude as we adjust to what life looks like in the next few months and beyond. If you are curious about other strategies and tools that might be helpful to you or if you're wanting some support as we transition out of the pandemic life, please get in touch and we'd be happy to schedule a consultation. 

Author: Diana Gordon, Psy.D.

During the pandemic, many of us have experienced a shift towards remote work. Aside from the public health benefits of remote work, many of our clients have also found other silver linings, from relaxed attire to more time with family or to pursue hobbies. However, many clients report that it can be difficult to transition between work and leisure time when both take place in the home. Feeling as though work has a discrete beginning and a discrete end can really help maintain a healthy work life balance. But how can you accomplish this when working from home? Here are a few strategies that you can try out.

Add a buffer to the beginning and end of your day

A lot of us used to build self-care into our commute, whether that was by walking or biking to work, listening to podcasts, or chatting with friends or family. Now that we are no longer commuting, it’s important to maintain a ritual to help transition you between your home life and your work life. Maybe you want to start off your day with some physical activity while you catch up on the news, or perhaps you want to call your loved ones or your friends at the same time each morning. You could also try meditating, reading or listening to a book, practicing gratitude, or other forms of self-care to start off your day. Even reserving 15-20 minutes to yourself in the morning can help facilitate a smooth transition between household responsibilities and work responsibilities. If possible, try to do the same in the afternoon when you wrap up your workday. By creating this buffer in the afternoon, you will be more prepared to take on household responsibilities and to enjoy your post-work downtime. 


Set aside a space just for work

Many of our clients report that they don’t yet have a workspace at home that is dedicated only to work. It can be really challenging to create this for yourself, especially in a small space and/or when several household members need a workstation at the same time.  But having space that is dedicated only to work can really help you maintain good boundaries between work and leisure time. For this reason, we encourage all of our clients to set up a workspace in their homes. For some this may be a full home office, but for others it may be a desk or chair in the corner of another room. If you may be sharing your workspace with others, you may find it helpful to have a basket or bin of items that you need for your work so you can quickly access it and put it away when you’re done. This allows you to sit down at your workstation ready to be productive, and also allows you to put your work away for the day when you’re finished. Try to avoid spending time at your workstation when you’re not actively working. This will help you to begin to associate your workstation with work and the rest of your home with leisure and household responsibilities. 

Hopefully this gives you some ideas of strategies to try to maintain a work-life balance, even while working remotely. It can be helpful to work one on one with a therapist who can advise you about incorporating these strategies into your day to day routine. If you would like some additional help in this area, feel free to reach out to us for a free phone consult. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

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Author: Kari Kagan, Psy.D.

Author: Diana Gordon, Psy.D.

Many any of our clients are reporting high levels of election and pandemic related anxiety, especially in these last few weeks. These are challenging times for all of us, and we all can use some anxiety management strategies in our back pocket. The New York Times summarizes some easy to use and accessible strategies for managing stress and anxiety during these trying times. For more individualized help, we would love to teach you some strategies tailored to your specific situation and preferences. Reach out to us for more information. Stay well! 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/02/well/mind/election-anxiety-stress-relief-calm.html

Author: Katie Leoni, Psy.D.

The clinicians at SFBayCBT utilize CBTi in order to help clients who come to us with sleep disorders. Our clients come to us with a wide array of issues (medical and emotional) that prevent them from getting a restful night's sleep. This article discusses how stresses associated with the pandemic have been shown to be associated with sleeplessness. It highlights numerous reasons that are contributing to a general lack of sleep, including: loss of normal routine, increased screen time, circadian rhythm disruptions due to being inside more, and uptick in overall worry. Sleep is foundational to a person's well-being and when there are sleep troubles it can lead to other problems. If you find that you're struggling with sleep and would like help to improve your sleep quality, please get in touch.

Although this article was written a few years ago during a different difficult news cycle, the concepts discussed are highly relevant to today's news. The article references a 2016 study by the American Psychological Association that found that two-thirds of Americans were stressed over the future of the country, and the constant consumption of news  was a major contributor to that stress. Dr. Steven Stosny coined the term "headline stress disorder" to describe the stress that is experienced as a result of news consumption. This article offers tips from mental health experts to help people stay informed while mitigating stress and anxiety. We hope that sharing this article offers some new ways of coping during this particularly challenging time. If you would like more information about how we can help during this time, feel free to reach out via our contact form

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/what-headline-stress-disorder-do-you-have-it-ncna830141