Jenny Maenpaa
Supporting Yourself and Loved Ones Through ...

May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the significance of mental health and the support systems needed for those of us who are grappling with negative aspects of it. Mental health struggles can be isolating, overwhelming, intensely confusing, and often invisible to the naked eye. Yet, amidst the darkness, there can be light in the form of empathy, understanding, and unwavering support from loved ones. When we speak about mental health, we often only highlight the down sides of mental health struggles, and forget to mention the incredibly positive impact taking care of and supporting our mental health can have. 

Supporting Yourself and Loved Ones Through Mental Health Challenges: A Guide for Mental Health Awareness Month
Jenny Maenpaa
Navigating Climate Anxiety: Acknowledging Fear ...

Navigating Climate Anxiety: Acknowledging Fear and Taking Action

In recent years, a new term has entered our collective vocabulary: climate anxiety. This phenomenon reflects the growing concern and fear many people feel about the current and future state of our planet. As the consequences of climate change become increasingly apparent, more of us are experiencing heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and despair. The sense of impending doom can be overwhelming, so we’ve gathered some info and tips on how to acknowledge these feelings, support yourself through them, and find ways to cope and take action.

Navigating Climate Anxiety: Acknowledging Fear and Taking Action
Jenny Maenpaa
Unraveling the Misconceptions: Understanding ...

Unraveling the Misconceptions: Understanding Neurodivergence in ADHD and Autism

April 2nd is World Autism Day, and since we work with many adults with diverse diagnoses, we wanted to shed some light on neurodivergent conditions like Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and how they’re commonly misunderstood. You probably know plenty of neurodivergent people and don’t even realize it, or maybe you’ll see some of your own traits in this blog! The term neurodivergent is an umbrella term that describes people who have different neurological abilities from those who are considered “typical” (though we don’t love that terminology since everyone’s brains are wildly different from one another!), which includes both ADHD and ASD. These conditions, though widely recognized, are often surrounded by misconceptions that can lead to stigma and alienation. 

Unraveling the Misconceptions: Understanding Neurodivergence in ADHD and Autism
Jenny Maenpaa
“We get it, you’re afraid of women. You should ...

Here’s my 5-step beginner’s plan for dismantling the patriarchy.

“We get it, you’re afraid of women. You should be.”

stress

Supporting Yourself and Loved Ones Through Mental Health Challenges: A Guide for Mental Health Awareness Month

Supporting Yourself and Loved Ones Through Mental Health Challenges: A Guide for Mental Health Awareness Month

May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the significance of mental health and the support systems needed for those of us who are grappling with negative aspects of it. Mental health struggles can be isolating, overwhelming, intensely confusing, and often invisible to the naked eye. Yet, amidst the darkness, there can be light in the form of empathy, understanding, and unwavering support from loved ones. When we speak about mental health, we often only highlight the down sides of mental health struggles, and forget to mention the incredibly positive impact taking care of and supporting our mental health can have. 

Making Friends with Your Anxiety

Making Friends with Your Anxiety

Making Friends with Your Anxiety

For many of us, anxiety is the gremlin that follows us around in the shadows, always ready to flare up and accost us when we’re at our most vulnerable. You might know the pattern: you’re already worrying about the presentation, the meet-up, or the family event, when suddenly a switch is tripped, your nervous system kicks into overdrive, and your rational thoughts are hijacked by fear and dread.

Understanding and Managing Holiday Stress

Understanding and Managing Holiday Stress

Despite the cheerful decorations and cheesy movies during the holiday season, many people find themselves dealing with heightened anxiety, stress, and emotional exhaustion during this time of year. Even when the festivities and gatherings are things we genuinely look forward to, the sheer volume of obligations that fill the months of November and December can be overwhelming, even for the most organized and prepared among us. To help you navigate a potentially tricky time, we gathered some tips and considerations to help you manage the holiday season and make it a time of joy, rather than a source of stress and exhaustion.

Overcoming Fatigue, Burnout, and the Desire to Check Out

Overcoming Fatigue, Burnout, and the Desire to Check Out

Here's a not-so-difficult trend to pick up on—women are burnt out. Pandemic fatigue has set in, and we're all tired, both mentally and physically, from carrying what feels like the weight of the world on our shoulders. We've lived through two years of jumping from one unknown situation to the next. Some days it felt like all we could do was keep putting one foot in front of the other. It's exhausting, and if you've hit that point, you may feel tempted to check out and just let life happen. However, we want to share a few strategies to help you resist that temptation and regain control of your life.

Can Stress Damage Our Brains? 5 Brain Healthy Activities to Do Daily

Can Stress Damage Our Brains? 5 Brain Healthy Activities to Do Daily

Can stress actually physically change our brains? What really happens to our brains when we're stressed?

We tend to move throughout our day and lives without giving much thought to our brain and brain health. We know it's there, we assume it's working and doing the job it needs to, and we don't think much about it until there is a problem that forces us to. But understanding how our brain works under stress can help us better understand how to manage it and keep it healthy now and in the future.

Preventing Burnout and Staying Sane During the Holidays

Preventing Burnout and Staying Sane During the Holidays

Stress, anxiety, and depression can become amplified during the holidays. Even when all of our demands are things we actually want to do, the sheer number of obligations during the months of November and December can overwhelm even the best planner.The trick to managing the season is not to think you can conquer the stressful events in your life, but rather to create conditions in which those events don't drown you. You can decrease the impact the demands of the holidays have on you while increasing your enjoyment of the season.

"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead!" - Why Not Getting Enough Sleep Might Actually Accelerate that End Result

"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead!" - Why Not Getting Enough Sleep Might Actually Accelerate that End Result

"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead!" - Why Not Getting Enough Sleep Might Actually Accelerate that End Result

Lack of quality sleep leads to a general slowing of alertness and inconsistent performance, especially in terms of attention, diligence, and focus. Sleep-deprived people are also more likely to get sick and to take longer to recover, leading to more days of missed work and a negative impact on work performance.

Stress Can Physically Change Our Brains, But We Can Treat and Prevent It!

Stress Can Physically Change Our Brains, But We Can Treat and Prevent It!

Stress Can Physically Change Our Brains, But We Can Treat and Prevent It

When we experience stressful events, the amygdala (area of the brain focusing on emotional processing) sends an emergency signal to the hypothalamus (the brain command center) that says it’s time to pick the “fight or flight” response. The good news is that we don’t have to totally overhaul our lives in order to make positive changes. Small daily habits can improve brain health and keep us sharp.

How to Cope with Different Types of Stress in 2021

How to Cope with Different Types of Stress in 2021

Our bodies are designed to do so much more than look cute in jeans!

That said, it’s totally normal to have feelings of self consciousness, embarrassment, shame, and guilt regarding their weight gain and changes to their outer appearance. Clients are stating they feel uncomfortable in their clothes, uncomfortable with their body shape and size, and fear for what others might say about their weight gain.