Blog posts, news articles, and other resources from The Center • A Place of HOPE
High-functioning autism in adults presents unique traits, including social challenges, sensory sensitivities, and focused interests. Understanding these signs can help individuals and families seek support and embrace neurodiversity.
With over 7 million students learning remotely in the US alone, and more than half of college students having taken at least one online course, remote learning has become a significant part of the educational landscape[1]. The rapid rise of online education due to the COVID-19 pandemic has left many...
Have you heard of “biohacking”? This increasingly popular concept refers to using evidence-backed self-help strategies to improve your health and performance. While many people use biohacking strategies for their physical health, there are also effective biohacking techniques to maximize mental health and cognitive ability. These strategies are based in science,...
Have you ever felt like you don't belong in your family? Maybe you don't have anything in common with them, or you feel like you can't relate to them. Maybe you've been rejected by your family. Maybe your family doesn't accept you for who you are.
We all use defense mechanisms, whether we know it or not. Defense mechanisms are your mind’s efforts to protect you against painful emotions and experiences. Despite the negative connotation that is often associated with defense mechanisms, they’re not always harmful – some defense mechanisms can be healthy ways of coping.
If your job is stressful, you’re not alone. According to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of U.S. workers face work-related stress, and 1 in 4 rate work as the number one stressor in their lives. A whopping 1 million American workers call out of work every day because of...
We all have fears—some of us are afraid of spiders, while others are afraid of heights or darkness. But for some people, these fears become so debilitating they can no longer function. In these cases, a specific phobia may be diagnosed. Specific phobia is a mental health condition that causes...
Imagine a lone tree standing firm in a hurricane. Other trees have snapped or even been uprooted, but this tree withstands the winds. Its branches sway, but its roots stay strong. When the storm passes, the tree starts growing bigger and stronger than ever before. This is the picture of...
The video game industry is booming and only getting bigger—experts expect it to be worth over $320 billion by 2026[1]. Even if you aren’t a gamer, you likely know someone who is. Playing video games isn’t inherently unhealthy; many enjoy gaming without adverse effects. However, for some people, gaming can...
Research has consistently found that mindfulness meditation is effective for supporting mental health. It can reduce stress, increase compassion, and even combat symptoms of anxiety and depression. Suppose you don’t have time for a traditional meditation class. In that case, you may want to try mindfulness apps—downloadable tools that offer...
As they say, “The only constant is change.” As much as we might want things to stay stable forever, we will all experience several major transitions in our lifetimes. These life transitions can range from celebratory events to devastating ones, but they all have one thing in common: they impact...
Exercise is well-known as an important habit for physical health. But did you know its mental health benefits are just as powerful? Exercise is one of the best things you can do to improve your overall mental health, and can even be effective against mental health conditions like depression and...
Bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder that causes severe mood swings. It can be challenging and emotionally painful to live with bipolar disorder, and this condition can have devastating effects when left untreated. But there are effective, research-based treatments that can help. There is hope if you live with...
If you’ve ever heard anything about mental health therapy, you’ve probably heard of cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT. It’s arguably the most common and well-known therapy method today. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for a multitude of mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),...
This article aims to educate readers about vicarious trauma, which occurs from exposure to the traumatic experiences of others, often common among caregivers, healthcare professionals, and even through media consumption. It offers insights into identifying symptoms, understanding their impact, and strategies for managing and mitigating its effects. What is vicarious...
As the saying goes, “You are what you eat.” New research shows this statement is more valid than we ever realized. Nutrition plays an incredibly important role not only in physical health but also in mental health. The mind and the body are deeply connected. The food you consume—and the...
Just like physical illness, mental illness is caused by a complex combination of factors, including early childhood trauma, neurobiology, environment, stress, lifestyle habits – and genetics. Although researchers are still studying how, exactly, genetics comes into play when it comes to mental illness, they have found many, if not most,...
There is a severe health epidemic happening in America: the widespread epidemic of chronic stress. In the American Psychological Association’s 2023 report, around 25% of Americans rated their stress levels as eight or above on a scale of one to ten[1]. We tend to try to dismiss or ignore stress;...
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The whole person approach to treatment integrates all aspects of a person’s life: