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The way you communicate and express your needs and emotions to other people can either strengthen the connection in that relationship or take away from it. You convey your experience to other people through your body language and tone of voice as well as your word choice. Nonviolent communication is an important skill for everyone to learn.

If you struggle with perfectionism, you may also experience high levels of anxiety from trying to reach the unattainable standards perfectionism calls for. The funny thing about perfectionism is that even after you do everything to appease the voice of perfectionism, there is always something else to do to attain further perfection. This further perpetuates the cycle of perfectionism and feelings of inadequacy.

Healing journeys can be lonely. Whether you are healing from addiction, mental illness, or something else, it can feel as if nobody understands what you are going through and how exhausting the process is. As lonely as healing journeys can be, it can help to remember you are not alone, even when it feels like you are. Being alone can be a powerful space where you can get to know yourself on a deeper level that leads to growth, authenticity, and the freedom to be who you are.

Spring is here, and many are looking forward to the warm, sunny weather. It is time to get outside, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy all the greenery. While some may find significant relief soaking up the pleasantries of spring, others may become burdened with despair. This paradox shows that individuals are unique in their mental health experiences. It is important to learn more about the positive and negative reactions individuals with mental health disorders can have during this time of year.

Hope is a feeling of trust and desire for something to happen, such as healing, as you begin to experience recovery and feel your innate wholeness. It is also what gets you through the hard times in recovery from substance use and mental illness. When times are tough and you struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel, there are ways to access hope during your recovery journey.

Being in active substance use recovery can make it challenging to navigate romantic relationships since you must dedicate enough time to your recovery. This perhaps leaves less room for connecting with individuals outside of your treatment program. You may be wondering how to start a romantic relationship in recovery and navigate meeting people while prioritizing your recovery. It can be challenging to manage both at the same time. Yet finding, keeping, and nurturing relationships throughout recovery can be just as important a piece of recovery as any other part.

Have you ever wondered why you are experiencing a season of depression or anxiety? Mental health conditions like these tend to come and go throughout people's lives, although they may always be lingering in the background. Some days the volume is turned up higher than others.

Therapy does not always involve talking. There are non-verbal therapies you can choose in your mental health or addiction recovery program. This article will describe eight alternative methods available at Avalon Malibu to offer something unique to your recovery experience.

Navigating relationships in recovery can be challenging, especially as you learn which ones to let go of and which ones to hang onto. It is an integral piece of recovery and moving forward from your past.

People who struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may feel like they cannot control the thoughts, obsessions, and impulses that flood their minds. OCD can be a debilitating experience and make people feel as if their brain is not their own.

Anxiety can get in the way of being able to feel calm and at peace in everyday life, even when there is not anything “wrong.” Many symptoms of anxiety are emotional and psychological, but they can also manifest as somatic (physical) symptoms, which can exacerbate feelings. The somatic symptoms of anxiety can often worsen anxiousness, as it is confusing to not know why you are experiencing physical symptoms in the absence of a physical illness.

You believe that talking to a friend is just as good or better than seeing a therapist, but is this true? A friend's ear is valuable in some situations but inappropriate in others. Therapists have strengths in certain areas, so they bring something different to the discussion that a friend often cannot. This article will elaborate on five essential differences between talking to these two social support groups and highlight why you should not be ashamed to "see a therapist."