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Massage therapy has helped millions of people with tension and stress. The American Massage Therapy Association found that in 2015, massage therapy was nearly a $12.1 billion industry. In a general sense, massage therapy involves “pressing, rubbing, and manipulating the skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments”, according to Mayo Clinic. There are several diverse types of massage therapy, including:

Art therapy can give people a voice, develop social skills, assist in relaxation, and much more. Art therapy is defined by the dictionary as “a form of psychotherapy involving the encouragement of free self-expression through painting, drawing, or modeling, used as a remedial activity or an aid to diagnosis”. As stated on the Huffington Post, art therapy exercises are often meant to emphasize the process, not the result, of the project. The following are some therapeutic art projects that you may want to begin to help you connect with your feelings and express yourself:

According to the American Holistic Health Association, “holistic medicine is the art and science of healing that addresses the whole person – body, mind, and spirit”. Holistic medicine considers the environmental, nutritional, physical, emotional, spiritual, and lifestyle components of a person’s life. The 2007 National Health Interview Survey revealed that approximately 38% of adults used complementary and alternative medicine. In total, 83 million adults spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket for these services, and those numbers have likely increased. Holistic medicine consists of several different practices:

Many people in recovery cite spirituality as a key element to their success. In a study conducted by researchers from Maryland, participants in recovery were asked to explain the role of spirituality in their recovery. Many participants explained that when they were actively addicted, their spirituality seemed to suffer, and it seemed to go “hand in hand” when they entered recovery. Spirituality is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as “the quality that involves deep feelings and beliefs of a religious nature, rather than the physical parts of life”.

With the opioid crisis, many people are in search of pain management techniques to help them work through the pain without having to use medication they once used before that could potentially lead them to addiction. If you experience chronic pain, this may be a challenging time for you as you learn to navigate healthy ways to manage your pain while avoiding prescription drug abuse, addiction, and overdose. Thankfully, there are a variety of holistic practices that you can incorporate into your daily routine that may help with pain:

Mental Health America states that codependency can be passed down from generation to generation within dysfunctional families. This is often because dysfunctional families refuse to acknowledge that problems exist and as such, family members learn to repress their feelings and disregard their own needs. When this occurs, family members often “lose touch”, disconnect, and hide themselves away. If you are someone who has gone through this, you may have developed some habits of codependency. This can be incredibly dangerous, as it increases your risks for being in abusive relationships. Psych Central has identified several characteristics of codependency, including:

Bipolar disorder is classified as a mental illness characterized by alternating periods of mania and depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, those with bipolar disorder often experience mood swings and changes in activity levels, which can affect all aspects of daily life. If you have bipolar disorder, you may be wondering how and if you should address this in your workplace – after all, it’s a common fear that those who disclose this information to managers and/or employees will face ostracization and other reactions from stereotypes. David J. Miklowitz, professor of Psychology at the University of Colorado-Boulder, explained for Forbes Magazine the challenges that many with bipolar disorder face when it comes to the workplace. He stated, “The stigma is real. It can be as subtle as fellow workers attributing justifiable reactions to situations to your illness, or as blatant as not getting a job or a promotion”. Previous research has followed through to confirm these fears, as previous studies have found that individuals who have disclosed their mental illness in the workplace have reported being denied opportunities for training, promotion, or transfer, and coworkers have reported viewing an individual with a mental illness as a personal failure. However, to push past these obstacles in the workplace we must, as a society, discuss mental illness more openly and provide more support for those who disclose. For example, the Huffington Post argues that businesses are losing $100 billion and 217 million lost workdays due to mental illness. If businesses can learn to address these concerns with employees and provide more resources and support, productivity levels and employee retention may yield incredible rewards. In addition, creating a culture of acceptance means that there is less stress, more conversation, and more inclusion. These benefits are so large that many employees would gladly take a salary cut in exchange for these invaluable gains. If you have bipolar disorder, it is completely up to you whether you feel open and safe to disclose your mental disorder to your employer and/or coworkers. Never compromise your safety if you feel that it would be threatening to disclose. If you work for a company that values inclusion and acceptance, this could be a fantastic opportunity to build more cohesion in your workplace. If not, you may be able to speak with your company’s Human Resource department to learn more about how you can incorporate a more inclusive-centered atmosphere into your workplace.

Approximately 1 in 4 adults in the United States have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is a very real, very intense disorder that can affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life. The disorder may involve agitation, hypervigilance, impulsivity, meaningless repetition of words or actions, ritualistic behavior, social isolation, and more. No matter what type of OCD you are experiencing, note there are tools you can use to help overcome this. OCD can be very distressing, but here are several tips to help you begin your journey to recovery:

There are two kinds of couples when it comes to couples therapy. First are the couples who don’t think they need professional help or work on their relationship. Second are the couples who realize that needing professional help and working on their relationship isn’t a bad thing. One group is ready to do the work required of them in therapy. The other is not. Most of the time, both people in the relationship need to be willing and ready to seek therapy if the relationship is to work. Unfortunately, many couples wait too late – until one has already mentally distanced themselves and left the relationship – before seeking help. CNN notes that couple’s therapy should be sought long before a couple believes they “need” help. Kristie Overstreet, a licensed mental health counselor told CNN, “Most issues within a couple start small and then grow in size when they don’t get resolved. This is where therapy can help, by giving tools and techniques to improve conflict resolution.” For many, seeking therapy early on can save a relationship - even years of distress. Many couples find that an objective third perspective from a counselor can help them recognize problems and how to fix them before the issues become bigger. Oftentimes therapists will assign couples homework to know they are working on their problems outside of the therapist’s office as well. There are many other benefits that couple’s therapy can provide, according to Psychology Today:

Most of us have been there. Feelings of dread and panic arise when a big test is coming up, when we are about to enter an interview, when we are asked to come up and speak on stage, and more. The symptoms of anxiety can feel very real, and very scary. You may easily experience heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, detachment, tingling sessions or numbness, and more. If we let it, severe anxiety can take complete control over our lives. Thankfully, help is available and there are ways to overcome some of these fears we are experiencing. For example, medication can sometimes help us focus on what’s most important: our mental health. Alexander Crawford shared his experience with anxiety, depression, and psychosis on the Anxiety and Depression Association’s main page. Here is an excerpt from his story: “I had my first psychotic breakdown. The next couple years of my life would amount to a living hell. As I pretended to take my antipsychotic pills, I routinely got into arguments with my family, the local police, and so on. I remember being so paranoid that I would have specific garbage cans I could throw my pills away in…Stabilizing allowed me to complete undergraduate studies, work, take vacations, and in general just enjoy my time. I have been stable now and on medication for about five years, and I definitely have not looked back.” For many people who have overcome their anxiety, it has taken them many tries at finding what works best for them. Ben shares his story and what has worked best for him on the Anxiety Disorders Association of Victoria, Inc. website. Here is a short clip from his story: “I suffered from acute agoraphobia. I was terrified to leave the house. I wouldn’t ride on planes, trains, or any form of public transport. I was terrified of being caught in traffic jams, lifts, shopping centers, open spaces, crowds, and especially hot, crowded rooms…I keep myself symptom free by regular meditation, keeping physically fit, having a high self-esteem, a healthy diet, resting when I need to rest, surrounding myself with calm people and not partaking in work that causes me anxiety.” Severe anxiety can take many forms, and there are different tools that each person can use, depending on what works best for them. If you are struggling with severe anxiety, recognize that there are many tools you can use. Make the decision to seek help today.

According to a 2016 study published in the Psychological Science Agenda, workaholism consists of several things:

The National Institute on Mental Illness estimated in 2007 that 9.1% of the population had a personality disorder in the United States, and that number has likely grown. Personality disorders are characterized by mood swings, along with the way a person views themselves, others, and the world. Undiagnosed personality disorders can significantly affect the way a person lives day to day, and can cause much distress to a person as they experience challenges in their work, home, and social life. Research has shown that personality disorders are caused by a multitude of factors: genetics, childhood trauma, verbal abuse, high reactivity, and other environmental factors. Let’s explore each of these with research: Genetics -  A 2010 study published in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience found that genes can influence the development of a personality disorder. In particular, if a person is more vulnerable to pathology or negative emotionality, high impulsivity and low agreeableness, and introversion, they are more likely to develop a personality disorder. The study further stated that genes that are linked to neurotransmitter pathways, specifically involving serotonin and dopamine, can increase the susceptibility that a person has in developing a disorder. Childhood trauma – According to the American Psychological Association, studies have shown that childhood trauma – and sometimes even the number and type of trauma experienced – in childhood can increase the risk factors of a person developing a personality disorder. A study conducted by researchers in China and Australia examined 1402 patients and found that childhood maltreatment had a strong association with most personality disorders. Verbal abuse – A study published in Comprehensive Psychiatry found that verbal abuse alone can increase the chances of a person developing a personality disorder. The study found that children who experienced verbal abuse were more than 3 times as likely than those who did not experience verbal abuse to have borderline, narcissistic, obsessive-compulsive, and paranoid personality disorders during their adolescence or childhood. High reactivity -  Childhood reactivity has been shown increasingly in patients who develop borderline personality disorder. Emotional hyper reactivity is when a person is extremely sensitive to both internal and external stimuli – their senses become easily aroused and they may seem to overly react to things. Other environmental factors can include connections with peers at a young age, as well as any substance abuse. If you have been diagnosed with a personality disorder and are ready to be on your way to recovery, make the decision to seek help today.