 Do you ever feel like you speak but aren’t heard? As social creatures, our most natural desire is to connect with others. Language is the most accessible tool for communication for many (though some might favor communicating through touch, sounds, writing, or other mediums). Unfortunately and inevitably it can be tricky at times!
Read on to discover a few quick methods to improve how you communicate with others in any area of your life using research-backed methods of resonant language and nonviolent communication.  Join the Virago Wellness Team in collecting donations for Maine Needs!
We are collecting items for Maine Needs Minute for Mom Kits. You can either drop off items and we will package them into kits or you can make your own Minute for Mom kits! Here's what Maine Needs Recommends to include in the kits:
On 12/14 our team will wrap and package the kits and deliver them to Maine Needs.  A State of the Union Meeting is an intervention created by John and Julie Gottman from the Gottman Institute to help couples reflect on what is going well in the relationship and what needs more attention. It’s the most popular intervention for couples to maintain close connection and work through conflict. It’s a time to focus on each other without any distractions from the outside world. I see it as ritual instead of a chore, as a ritual has meaning and is ceremonial. A weekly one-hour meeting is suggested but couples can be creative in working out the rest of the details such as, do we add nourishment, a beverage, do we meet in a quiet space in the house or somewhere else? If there are children, how do we meet without interruption? It’s important to see these meetings as a ritual and a priority. The goal is to make sure that each partner feels heard and seen so put down your phone, tablet, or laptop!  Perhaps you’ve heard about EMDR as a type of therapy that is effective at treating trauma and PTSD. This is true and EMDR can be used to treat a variety of mental health challenges from anxiety and phobias to trauma to self-worth issues. You don’t have to have a major trauma to benefit from EMDR therapy.
 Like many people, my parents raised me to be an independent person and not rely on someone else to be successful.
 Current events continue to negatively impact the mental health of our clients. It’s normal and understandable that the events in your world impact you emotionally and mentally. You may experience waves of different emotions, increased stress, and even physical impacts as a result. This is a trend that does not appear to be changing anytime soon. In response to the Roe V Wade news this week it’s not surprising that as a women’s counseling center, many of our clients and staff are feeling the weight of this developing issue.
(Important reminder that reproductive rights affect more than women) Here are a few strategies to help you navigate these, and other stressful times:  Holidays can be wonderful but they can also be a huge source of stress. You may not be able to control a lot of the factors that contribute to the stress but there are a few things to do to make sure you still have a holiday season that feels good to you!
Here’s some tips for maintaining your mental health during this time of year:  We are entering the shortest days of the year.
Oct 21-February 21 are the darkest months here in the Northern Hemisphere and that can take a toll on your mental health even if you don’t have seasonal depression. You may have noticed a decrease in energy and motivation, sleeping longer, difficulty waking up, lower moods, and generally feeling sluggish. Here are a few tips to beat the dark day blues:  I know it sounds strange to hear a trauma therapist warning you to slow down when it comes to healing from your past but the truth is you can inadvertently be retraumatized if things are not conducted in the correct ways. This is especially true if you are a person with a complex trauma history (more than one traumatic experience) or if your trauma included physically or sexually unsafe situations.
If you have experienced trauma and you are considering processing your trauma history here are some things to consider first...  Anxiety affects everyone, not just those of us who have a from an Anxiety Disorder. Here are three easy to remember strategies for managing anxiety. These are adapted from Dialectical Behavior Therapy’s TIPP Skills
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