Day Light Savings “Fall Back” Pointers  By Christopher Hoffman The Uniform Time Act enacted in1966 is happening this month whether we enjoy its benefits or not. The ritual of Day Light Savings will soon require the changing of clocks back by one hour. In 2007, our federal government specified that daylight savings time would apply from 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March until 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday in November. This year we will be setting our clocks back one hour at 2:00 a.m. on November 6 th . How are people affected by daylight savings time? The change can affect many, especially those who battle depression and anxiety. As the seasons transition from Fall into Winter it becomes tougher for people to acquire enough sunlight. Exposure to sunlight results in the absorption of Vitamin D which is an essential component to fighting off depression and anxiety. This lack of sunlight and Vitamin D, results in depression levels going up. Conversely, when winter transitions to spring, depression levels usually go down due to the increase in daylight hours. Not only do time changes affect mood but it also affects sleep schedules. One study found, on average, a person loses 40-45 minutes sleep during the “Spring Forward” phase of daylight savings time. However, we do gain an hour in the “Fall Back” phase but in the end, does this really even out? The following are helpful tips we can do to prepare ourselves for the adjustments in the time change: Gradually adjust bedtime 2-3 days before transitioning to daylight savings time by waking up 15-20 min earlier than usual. Establish a consistent sleep schedule routine even on the weekends by getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Nap in moderation by not exceeding naps longer than 20 minutes in length. Spend time outside. Refrain from consuming caffeine too close to bedtime. Refrain from alcohol consumption before bed. Being “pro-active” with our own preparations when it comes to daylight savings time may be the best way to manage and “cope” with the side effects.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based trauma therapy shown to be effective for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The US. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense and International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies have endorsed CPT as “a best practice treatment of PTSD.“ (Resick, PhD, Chard, PhD & Monson, PhD, 2022). The average length of treatment for clinically significant reduction of symptoms is 12 weeks. Some clients report relief at 6 weeks. (Typical therapy is 6-24 sessions, 45/60 minutes dependent on client’s needs and/or insurance).

All children experience episodes of anxiety. It is expected and normal during certain developmental stages and experiences. Children in infancy and toddler stages can have some degree of anxiety when leaving their parents and younger children can have short term irrational fears of the dark, animals, weather, strangers, etc. If anxieties are intense, long lasting or begin to interfere with daily functioning then it would be prudent to seek evaluation with a mental health or medical professional.

Living with chronic pain, at times, may lead one to feel isolated and misunderstood. Especially when  society may perceive you as looking  “normal.” This perpetuates the stigma and leads many individuals to further retreat.  If you or your loved one are living with chronic pain, below here are some thoughts to consider.          There is often a sense of “loss of identity” when you are learning to navigate through life with chronic pain/illness. You may not be able to do some of the things you used to do. Also, some people may not understand your journey while others will. Your inner circle may become smaller but also deeper and more connected.            Often, people feel guilty for having to rely on others or feel like a burden. This guilt can bleed over into many areas of one’s life and create a cycle of depression and anxiety. Being able to gain insight, challenging counterproductive thoughts, and learning when to enforce boundaries will help. Lastly, make sure you are incorporating self-care strategies into your daily routine. We often neglect self-care at times when we need it the most; take a moment to think of five things you are grateful for, listen to music, journal, enjoy the sun (or rain) etc.  

What is counseling?    Let’s simplify counseling into an analogy.  Counseling is like emergency roadside repair work.  Your car has a flat tire, dead battery or other issue.  This problem prevents you from continuing on your journey and results in you calling an Emergency Roadside Repair Service.   The service comes to fix the problem you’re back on the road and continuing with your journey.   In essence, the engine is fine, the body of the car is fine and your car does have an issue but this doesn’t mean the whole car is ruined.   On the road of life we all have “flat tires.”   The engine is good, the body is good but we do have problems at times.   Mental Health counseling is helping us fix the “flat tire” so we can resume our journey through life.

“I should do the extra assignment my boss assigned me,” “I should be a 4.0 student.” “ I shouldn’t eat dessert,” “I should just be grateful, there are people out there who have it worse than me.” These are some examples of counterproductive thoughts, aka the “should” statements, that many therapists trained in (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) CBT will challenge with their clients.             Many of us call it “catching the shoulds.” Notice how often you are “shoulding yourself.” Once you recognize this you can then challenge these counterproductive thoughts. Play detective and ask yourself “what would I tell my loved one if they made similar statements?” We are often our own worst enemy. Once we flip the script and realize, “ I would be gentler with my friends etc.,” we can hold space for ourselves and become more compassionate.    The “shoulds” are not the only example of counterproductive thoughts. Click on the link below and pay attention to how often other counterproductive thoughts pop up. It may be beneficial to write down when it occurred, what feelings you had, and how you felt physically. If you would like more strategies to help, please consult with a therapist trained in CBT to help guide you. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5cb61b1e29f2cc34d16e2bd6/t/6022eb8fc92dd368b05e0cd0/1612901283479/cognitive-distortions-list-infographic.pdf

Most people have heard of the term “Mediation” but many are not exactly sure what it means. Mediation is a process to help individuals resolve their differences. A mediator’s job is to guide both parties in a discussion about their dispute or conflict and through negotiations, work towards a jointly accepted agreement.

Statistics show 1 out of 4 women experience physical abuse from an intimate partner. This blog certainly recognizes that men are victims. However, for the most part society focuses on women. The focus seems to always concern the question, “why did she stay?”  “why won’t she just leave?” etc. The questions come with good intent but may leave the woman feeling isolated.            Many women have many reasons that they stayed. In fact, there was a whole hashtag trend #whyistayed on the internet a few years ago (below is an article). Domestic abuse is more than just physical. Domestic abuse is emotionally and mentally damaging.  There are also the different phases of domestic abuse; the abuser will hurt and then apologize and swear it will never happen again. These stages are not linear and not one person follows the same course or time frame.              It is to be noted, women often make less money than men and are usually the childcare providers. This puts even more of a strain on them.  There are ways out, but one must be sensitive to each individual case. Sometimes a safety plan is put into place along with gaining job skills or more economic freedom. Looking at options for childcare, etc. Be mindful, that society may focus more on why she stayed and less on why he abused. A therapist can help navigate the feelings that come with leaving or staying and most importantly empower her. Listen to why she stayed or is staying. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/whyistayed-twitter-domestic-violence_n_5790320                Katie Akkerman

Hygge!! It’s pronounced “hue-gah” and I fell in love from the moment I learned about it. Denmark has held the impressive honor of being one of the happiest countries in the world for something like 40 years in a row. This is mind blowing really! I mean, what the heck do those Danes know and have that the rest of the world is craving??!! They have up to 17 hours of darkness per day in the depths of winter and it gets damn cold there. Little sunshine, tons of snow, dark days, freezing temps and they are HAPPY people?!