Overcoming winter doldrums

This is the time of year that people begin to wish they were someplace else, preferably warm and on a beach with a tropical breeze in the air. While I look forward to shedding the extra layers and having the windows open in my house, I also work on enjoying where I am at here and now.
Being present and appreciative of what you have can help ease the discomfort of long winter nights. I think that the winter blahs have been more intense this year due to the extra amount of snow most of the the midwest , mid atlantic, and east coast regions have been pounded by. Even so, there are things that help stave off the depression that sets in at this time of year.
1. Stay active! Keep moving and not just from the fridge to the couch. The more you move the better you will feel.
2. Get outside. Yes I know it is cold out there, but being outside is very therapeutic. You’ll be amazed at how many people are actually out there with you!
3. Maintain sleep hygiene. The older I get the more important this is for me. Relying on caffiene to wake up will not only help dehydrate you, it will also throw your natural rhythms off.
4. Make a plan and stick to it. New year’s resolutions don’t work because people pick an arbitrary day to change behavior with no real plan. Slow but sure is the key. Have realistic goals to stay active and it will pay off in the long run.
5. Enjoy the longer days. Sunlight is very powerful. Get out there and soak up the positive energy it provides!

The Big game is over, now what?

After the superbowl many guys feel adrift until the promise of March madness brings another huge sporting event to focus on.  Why is it that is is so hard for most men to talk about things not sports related?  If we can be passionate about our favorite team, what keeps us from opening up about other things?  A lot of it is social conditioning, it is what we grew up with.  We can’t pin it all on this though.  I think that most men believe expressing emotions is too effeminate.  On the contrary, the more you emote, the more you are able to be comfortable with who you are.  This doesn’t seem to be the prevailing view, but most partners appreciate the ability of their significant other to let them in on how they really feel.

Now, I have to go to work on my brackets for the big dance…..

And so it begins…

Since I have been in this industry for over 20 years now, I would like to share some of my observations.  Look for updates on trends in mental health care, critiques on current therapies, and musings about my experiences (exciting or mundane).

Look for my new Green Bay private practice clinic information at http://www.psychology today.