As the vibrant colors of autumn paint the landscape of Flagstaff, many residents find themselves facing a common challenge: seasonal depression. This mood disorder, known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), typically arises as daylight hours diminish and it can significantly impact mental well-being. Here are some effective strategies to combat this condition and embrace the beauty of fall. 1. Light Therapy One of the most effective treatments for SAD is light therapy. Specialized light … [Read more...] about Seven Tips to Help Combat Seasonal Depression
mental health
Finding Safety When I Needed It Most: How Flagstaff’s Guidance Center Helped Me Through Crisis and Reminded Me I Wasn’t Alone
A year ago, I came frighteningly close to losing my life. After a serious suicide attempt, I didn’t end up at The Guidance Center right away, but in the months that followed, I was admitted twice to their Psychiatric Acute Care (PAC) Unit. Both times, I walked through those doors in crisis. Both times, I walked out feeling safer than when I came in. I want to share that, because I know how hard it can be to take that first step toward getting help. The PAC Unit is a 16-bed emergency … [Read more...] about Finding Safety When I Needed It Most: How Flagstaff’s Guidance Center Helped Me Through Crisis and Reminded Me I Wasn’t Alone
Supporting Northern Arizonans’ Mental Health
School’s out for summer and for many it’s time for travel and relaxation. But for those of us at The Guidance Center, we’re reinforcing our commitment to being available for those who need us. You may be familiar with the statistic that one in five Americans faces a diagnosable mental illness. Even more will experience some type of mental health crisis. These experiences affect our businesses, our families and friends, our neighbors and, often, ourselves. At The Guidance Center, we provide … [Read more...] about Supporting Northern Arizonans’ Mental Health
Tips to Recover from Stress, Feeling Overwhelmed
I think we can all wholeheartedly agree that the last two years have been quite stressful. I see a lot of patients feeling very overwhelmed because of the strain. They are having trouble bouncing back and feeling like their normal selves. The truth is that stress will always be present in our lives, but it’s how we respond to the stress that matters in terms of our physical, mental and emotional health. I’d like to provide some tips to help recover from a prolonged period of stress that have … [Read more...] about Tips to Recover from Stress, Feeling Overwhelmed
Outdoor Adventure Therapy: Treating Mental Health Issues that Lead to Addiction
Society can sometimes take a binary view on the way that we look at addiction. A person begins doing drugs and alcohol recreationally, which leads to overindulging in drugs or alcohol, which leads to addiction that requires treatment. However, as we continue to better understand mental health issues and the role these issues play in addiction, we being to understand that some people’s relationship with mental health and addiction is much more complicated. The last two years, from the start of … [Read more...] about Outdoor Adventure Therapy: Treating Mental Health Issues that Lead to Addiction
How the Gut-Brain Connection Impacts Mood
Have your ever heard the saying, ‘the gut is the second brain’? Have you ever wondered what it means when people say that? I’d like to answer that question and more today! First, the second brain is your enteric nervous system (ENS) and it consists of hundreds of millions of neurons, or nerve cells, that line your gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus to the rectum. The connection between the gut and the brain is becoming more and more recognized when it comes to our moods, such as anxiety … [Read more...] about How the Gut-Brain Connection Impacts Mood
Animals Helping to Ease Pandemic Stress
It’s challenging enough to be a young person with mental health issues without the added trauma generated by a worldwide pandemic. Children and teens the world over are grappling with the stress, fear, grief, isolation and uncertainty created by COVID-19. Unfortunately, the struggles and losses of the past 14 or so months are likely to continue to affect young people and their families for some time. These hard times are shining a spotlight on an annual event that traditionally is devoted to … [Read more...] about Animals Helping to Ease Pandemic Stress
Using Yoga in Recovery Therapy
Back2Basics offers a holistic and integrative approach to the treatment of addiction and co-occurring issues. By nature, the program is designed to bring participants into the outdoors and learn to be more comfortable in their own skin. We also bring in components of nutrition, fitness and mindfulness to complement the therapeutic and recovery work. In addition, the practice of yoga is an important component for teaching young people in recovery to become more “grounded” in their bodies. The … [Read more...] about Using Yoga in Recovery Therapy
