Life By Design Therapy

  New Year's Eve is a time for celebration -- and for many of us, alcohol is a part of that. This year, we encourage you to embrace mindful drinking to support your mental health and avoid overdoing it during the New Year's countdown. Follow these four tips to approach your relationship with alcohol more mindfully and stick to your limits this New Year's Eve: 🥂 Ask yourself WHY you're drinking. Are you using alcohol as a coping mechanism, to loosen yourself up in social situations, or to forget painful memories? Or, are you using it for cultural reasons, because others are drinking, because you just like the taste? This simple question can be very enlightening on your drinking habits! 🥂 Savor the taste of your drink. Not only does savoring your drink invite you to drink more slowly, but it also offers you the opportunity to slow down and embrace being in the present moment. 🥂 Set flexible limits. When you create a hard rule for yourself (i.e. "no more than two

  Getting grounded -- whether it's during a panic attack , a flashback, or any uncomfortable moment -- can be a challenge, but it's a valuable way to get back in touch with your body and your surroundings in the present moment. These days, grounding yourself is easier than ever with the products available on Amazon and other stores, online and off. Some products you may want to grab if you are struggling to stay grounded include: 💫 Fidget cubes. These toys are designed for those who get fidgety or jittery when anxious or distressed to use their energy in a productive way. 💫 Weighted blankets. The weight from these blankets is designed to feel like a hug, releasing feel-good chemicals like oxytocin and bringing you back to the present moment. 💫 Sand bags. These yoga props can be placed on the lower back to provide a soothing and calming sensation when laying down or meditating. Is there another product you use to ground yourself that isn't on this list? Let us know in the

  As New Year's approaches, many of us are thinking about the goals we will set for 2021. When you're setting your personal growth goals, try to keep the following tips in mind: ⭐️ Use clear details. Rather than saying "I want to save money," specify how much money you want to save, and how often. ⭐️ Set a deadline. When do you want to achieve your goal by? If you're stuck on this, set New Year's of 2022 as your deadline! ⭐️ Check in throughout the year. So many of us set goals for the New Year, only to forget about them by March. Try to set regular intervals to check in on your progress. ⭐️ Celebrate your successes. Society tells us we should move on to the next thing as soon as we're done, but it's important to acknowledge how far you've come. When you've achieved your goal, or a milestone along the way, take a moment to pause and reward yourself with something like a sweet treat or a day off. Using these guidelines, what goal will you set fo

  Do you.... Talk yourself out of things you want to do? Worry too much about things you cannot control? Overwork and stress yourself out about doing a perfect job? Care too much about what others think? In our society, these traits -- like overworking and perfectionism -- have become so acceptable that they're almost considered the norm. In reality, these traits can be a manifestation of deep-seated anxiety, which has the power to control your life.... if you let it. In an intimate relationship, most people wouldn’t stand for a controlling, demanding significant other. Why is our relationship with anxiety any more accepting of these character traits? Anxiety can control your life, what you think and do, but you con't have to settle for living with it. You can take back your power. If you're ready to begin working through your anxiety and moving forward from society's expectations, schedule a free phone consultation with Life by Design Therapy today. https://www.lifeby

  Change. Simply saying the word can sometimes make you feel anxious and nervous. You like your routines and the thought of making radical, drastic changes to your life sounds so uncomfortable that instead you retreat to what is familiar. But what is familiar in your life? Is it anxiety and fear? Do you feel stressed and worried all of the time? Do you feel uncertain and troubled about your future? Are you dealing with unresolved grief or lingering sadness? While these feelings are common, you do not have to accept them as your only reality. Your life is intended for so much more! Though pain and troubling feelings are a part of the human existence, they do not need to define you. Free yourself from the hurdles that have blocked you in the past. Contact Life by Design Therapy to learn more about how we can help. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  CORONAVIRUS HOLIDAY TIPS FOR CELEBRATING SAFELY by Melody Wright, LMFT Life by Design Therapy wishes all of our clients a happy Thanksgiving and a very merry holiday season! As we approach a long string of winter holidays, COVID-19 is on everyone's minds. The holidays offer an important opportunity to reconnect with family and friends, which we could all use right now given the stress of current events -- but many of us are wondering if it is feasible or even safe to plan a holiday celebration during a global pandemic. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/blog/coronavirus-holiday-tips/11/2020

  A common question people have when they come to therapy is, "How can I tell if I'm depressed or just sad?" Many people do not understand the difference between sadness and depression, leading them to use "sadness strategies" to comfort someone with depression -- for example, telling them to "cheer up!" or reminding them of everything good in their life. Sadness is an important emotion. Without sadness, we would never be able to feel joy. But unlike depression, sadness is temporary and, many times, circumstantial. When the event causing our sadness eventually passes, our sad feelings fade, and our mood lifts. Alternatively, depression can feel like there is no end in sight. By definition, it must last for a period of at least two weeks. When we are sad, we can often keep our sadness in perspective, reminding ourselves that it will pass -- but depression can cause an attitude of hopelessness, leading many to believe that they will never be able to expe