The Benefits of Couples Therapy

By Syd Sukalski

You and your partner are considering couples therapy, but you aren’t sure whether it is for you. Well, look no further. In this article, we will talk about couples therapy, what it is, who it’s for, and some of its many benefits.

But before we dive into talking about couples therapy, let us introduce ourselves.

New Perspective Therapeutic Services caters to all of your mental health needs. From individual therapy to family counseling nearby, our therapeutic approaches produce successful results for many of our patients. And, if in-person therapy is not an option for you or if you prefer an online therapy chat, remote therapeutic services are an option. So, if you are struggling with your mental health or any of your relationships, contact us. We want to help you along your healing journey.

What Is Couples Therapy?

Couples therapy or marriage counseling is a form of therapy that you and your partner attend together. You may be married or dating, but you go to improve your relationship. This time belongs to you, and you may use it to discuss anything you like: ongoing problems in your relationship, disconnectedness, sexual troubles, or emotional issues.

Marriage Counseling Can Help You Understand Your Relationship

Couples therapy can help you understand how your relationship works. It may uncover which topics tend to spur arguments or increase tension, whether one of you holds more power in your relationship, how you communicate with one another, and how you resolve your conflicts. Understanding these patterns will help you improve and advance your relationship. Couples therapy will give you the potential to form a deeper connection.

Your Counselor Will Provide an Impartial Ear

Sometimes, when you and your partner tend to argue about the same subject over and over again, it can help to see a therapist. A therapist provides an impartial ear for you and your partner. She is not on anyone’s side. She is there to support both of you and help you understand each other’s points of view. Your therapist wants to help you improve your relationship.

Couples Therapy Is a Safe Place

While you are dealing with conflict, having a safe place to voice your thoughts, opinions, and feelings is integral. Seeing a counselor will provide you with this. Your therapist will help you and your partner set boundaries and mediate your conflict safely and helpfully. You and your partner will learn to communicate effectively. And, if things get a little too fiery, your therapist will step in when they find it necessary or see an opportunity to teach better communication skills.

Marriage Counseling Helps You Resolve Problems and See New Perspectives

While couples therapy can help with various issues you and your partner may be having, one of its main draws can be helping you and your partner work through your most common conflicts. Maybe you and your partner are considering children or often disagree about the best ways to raise your existing children. Maybe you even find yourselves frequently disagreeing over chores like laundry and dishes. Your therapist can help you understand your conflicts from an objective standpoint. Couples therapy can help you work through your ongoing problems and see each other’s perspectives.

Marriage Counseling Teaches Coping and Communication Skills

One of the best things your therapist can do for you is to teach you and your partner effective coping and communication skills. These techniques can help you and your partner resolve conflicts you’re having at the current moment and will help you with future problems as well. 

Couples Therapy Can Help Deepen Your Relationship with Your Partner

Couples therapy can help you in many areas of your relationship, but its primary goal is to help you and your partner restore trust and deepen your relationship. You can do this by improving your communication skills and learning strategies that will help you and your partner view your conflicts objectively the moment you have them. Couples therapy provides a safe place for you and your partner to work through your problems. 

For more ideas on how you can improve your mental health or how you can show kindness, find support at New Perspectives Therapeutic Service.

Nigeria McHellon, MSW, LCSW

Email me at: nm.newperspectivestherapy@gmail.com

Call or Text me at: (904) 439-6524

Find a Therapist in Jacksonville | Find a Counselor in Jacksonville | Find a Therapist in Atlanta or Georgia | Find a Counselor in Texas | Find a Counselor in Delaware

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Mental Health and Friendships

By Syd Sukalski

Mental health is a tricky subject when it comes to your relationships with your friends and loved ones. These are some of the people who know you best in the world, and you may find yourself either wanting to lean on them or pushing them away when talking about your mental health. Maybe you’re avoiding a trip to see a licensed counselor because your friends are so supportive and want you to talk to them. Or maybe, you’re worried about putting too much on your friends and don’t know what kind of boundaries will keep your friendships healthy.

We’ll talk about how mental health can impact your relationships with your friends, how to talk to your friends about your mental health, and what boundaries you should set. 

But first, let us introduce ourselves. 

New Perspective Therapeutic Services uses successful, proven therapeutic approaches to help you improve your mental health and achieve the results you need. We provide several therapeutic services, including, but not limited to, crisis Intervention, marriage therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and family counseling nearby. If you or your family are looking for compassionate, trustworthy mental health professionals to help you on your journey, New Perspective Therapeutic Services is here to help. Visit our website and find a therapist near you.

Now, let’s talk about mental health and friendships. 

How Can Mental Health Affect Friendships?

If you have a mental illness like anxiety or depression, you may find that it has become your instinct to push your friends away, to avoid or even hide from them. But the odds are your friends are worried about you and want to help you, and consciously deciding to let them in can be a powerfully healing choice. Your relationships with your friends can help you overcome some of the isolation you might feel because of your mental health. Allowing your friends to support you may help you forge some of the strongest bonds in your life. 

Mental Health Communication with Friends

You might be worried about broaching the subject of mental health with your friends but remember. You don’t have to tell them if you don’t want to. However, you might have one or even a few friends that you feel comfortable talking to about your mental health, and maybe you want them to know that you’re seeing a counselor or just that you’re struggling. Telling your friends may help them understand better where you’re coming from if you find yourself pushing them away. It might also help you feel supported and cared for in a way that might surprise you. 

Opening that conversation can be difficult, but it can certainly benefit everyone involved. Find a place where you feel comfortable, and think about how you want to begin. Maybe you even feel more comfortable writing things down and simply giving them a handwritten letter. You might also find it advantageous to prepare yourself for different possible reactions, just in case they react badly. Sometimes, people don’t know how to respond in these situations, but this can be because your friend is just concerned for you, or maybe you’ve accidentally struck a nerve and made them think about something in their own life. If you don’t get the ideal response, it’s okay. Just give your friend some time. They care about you and will want to know you’re getting help.

Healthy Friendships and Mental Health

It can be hard to maintain healthy friendships while dealing with a mental illness because you may want to push your friends away. Communicating with your friends can be a great way to help them understand why this is happening and prevent them from being hurt by it. You may also be concerned that, by allowing your friends to support you, you will become too dependent on them, and they will cross the line from friends to caregivers. 

Talking to your friends about your specific problem can be a great idea, as it will help them understand where you’re coming from and how to support you, but try not to overwhelm them or lean on them too heavily. Friends can be an excellent support system that can help you heal, but your friends are not likely licensed therapists. Make sure you know where the line is between friend and therapist. Try to cultivate a healthy friendship. Communication is key to helping them understand and support you, but leave the job of a counselor for your therapist. 

Establishing Boundaries Between Friends

Your friend may wonder how much support you need from them. Maybe you don’t know yourself. A great way to establish what’s okay and what isn’t is to talk about it. Your friend may have boundaries they want to set as well. And boundaries don’t mean you’re rejecting someone or that they’re rejecting you. It means that you agree to be realistic about how you can help and support each other.  

Outgrowing Friendships and Mental Health

You may find it challenging to maintain friendships while struggling with your mental health. You might not feel as comfortable with some of your friends as you used to, and that’s okay. Outgrowing friendships is natural. It’s just important that you find what’s best for you, and if your friends present a loving support system, a little communication can be extremely beneficial for all of you.

For more ideas on how to show kindness, find support at New Perspectives Therapeutic Service. We offer on-demand therapy with Crisis Intervention and want to help you in any other way we can.

Nigeria McHellon, MSW, LCSW

nm.newperspectivestherapy@gmail.com

Call or Text: (904) 439-6524

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Why Should You Choose a Licensed Therapist

By Syd Sukalski

“Therapy is too expensive.” “I’ll be in therapy forever if I start now!” “They’ll put me on pills that’ll make me even more depressed.” …There are a lot of stigmas that surround the world of therapy and counseling.

Things are getting better as far as the world’s acceptance of mental health as a medical necessity, but still, it can be difficult. As a result, you tell yourself, if I try harder, I won’t need treatment, or if you need to talk, you can rely on your friends and loved ones. Improving your mental health with a healthy support system among friends and family is so important but keep in mind that there are many benefits to seeing a licensed therapist as well. Sometimes, therapeutic services are often the best way to help yourself heal.

Before we begin discussing the benefits of seeing a licensed therapist, let us introduce ourselves.

New Perspective Therapeutic Services wants to help you improve your mental well-being through therapy specialized to suit your needs. We care deeply for our patients and want to help them live purposeful and healthy lives. Some types of counseling we offer include individual, couples therapy, and family therapy nearby. Contact us today to learn more about online therapy to get started.

Now, let’s get into some details about your licensed therapist and what our sessions will cover.

What Is a Licensed Therapist?

A licensed therapist has undergone extensive training and education to be there for you and give you the best help they can. They must complete a minimum of a Master’s Degree from an internationally accredited program in mental health counseling, internships in their chosen field, and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE). Your therapist must be highly qualified to treat you. So, when you see us at New Perspective Therapeutic Services, you can be confident that you are in good hands.  

What Will Your Licensed Therapist Cover in Sessions?

This question depends on the type of treatment for which you attend our sessions. But, regardless, a lot of what we talk about will be decided by you and where you take the session. Topics can range from everyday problems and learning simple strategies to cope with them, or they can be more focused on a single event or mental illness. We will respond to whatever you bring to the table.

Now, let’s discuss the benefits of working with a licensed therapist.

Your Counselor Will Keep Everything Confidential

Counselors and Therapists must abide by the rules and codes their state sets for their practices. One of these rules always includes a confidentiality agreement. This agreement is an understanding between you and your counselor that whatever you say in your session will remain entirely confidential, with only a few legal exceptions.

It will help you and your therapist create a trusting environment where you don’t have to worry that things you’ve said will leak out to places you don’t want them heard. This rule is put in place to help protect you, and it will help you and your therapist create a safe and open space for you to share honestly.

Your Counselor Must Follow Certain Ethical Rules

Along with the confidentiality rule, your therapist must observe several other regulations which control your relationship with them. These rules describe all appropriate and inappropriate behaviors and interactions your therapist may or may not have with you.

These ethical rules set the boundaries between you and your therapist. If a therapist breaks them, they can lose their license. Again, these ethical rules are in place to help you feel safe in your sessions and to help you establish a trusting relationship with your therapist.

Your Counselor Can Help You With Things Your Friends Can’t

Because therapy is often about sharing your thoughts and feelings, sometimes people think they can rely on their friends and family to listen and help them. While it’s good to have friends and family supporting you, remember that your loved ones are not professionals. And, while it may help to have them around, they probably won’t be able to help you like a licensed therapist, who has undergone years of training, will be able to.

Your Counselor Has Trained Extensively in Different Therapeutic Approaches

Your therapist has studied extensively to get to where they are right now. They understand the science behind different therapeutic approaches and know which are most successful. They’ve gone to school, earned their master’s degrees, completed internships, and gotten thousands of hours of clinical experience.

These things are all required for your therapist to have obtained their license, and it’s all so you can be sure that you can trust them and their expertise. You can feel confident and safe while you share your experiences, thoughts, and feelings with them.

You Can Benefit From Individual or Family Counseling Nearby

Individual therapy can help you in all sorts of ways. It can make you more confident, help you become a better communicator, and relieve you of symptoms you might be suffering from mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. But therapeutic services are not just for the individual.

At New Perspective Therapeutic Services, we can help you with anything from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to couples therapy, to family therapy and marriage counseling. Mental health is not just about the individual. It’s about improving together, so we can live rich lives with fulfilling relationships.

If you’re considering therapy for yourself or your family, contact us today. We want to help. For more ideas on how to show kindness, find support at New Perspectives Therapeutic Service.

Nigeria McHellon, MSW, LCSW

nm.newperspectivestherapy@gmail.com
Call or Text: (904) 439-6524
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The Benefits of Online Mental Health Care

By Syd Sukalski

The pandemic changed a lot of things for a lot of people. It changed how far apart we stand in line at the store, how we greet people we haven’t seen in ages, and even how some people work and go to school. But the pandemic also brought about a surge in online mental health care. Not many good things came out of the pandemic, but this is one of them. So today, we’ll talk about all things online mental health counseling and its various benefits.

If you think you need therapy services or you need someone to talk to, please keep reading. Online mental health care may be for you. 

First, let us introduce ourselves. 

New Perspective Therapeutic Services offers a wide range of counseling services, including marriage therapy, individual therapy, and family counseling near you. Nigeria McHellon, MSW, LCSW, New Perspective Therapeutic Services’ Clinical Director and counselor, uses the best therapeutic approaches to help you and your loved ones improve your mental health and work through your troubles. Contact us today if you are interested in therapeutic services and would like to schedule an appointment. We want to help you on your journey to better mental health.

Now, let’s talk about online mental health care. 

What Is Online Mental Health Care?

Simple: online mental health care or counseling is the same as the therapy you might go to for anxiety, marriage counseling, or depression. But, instead of going to your therapist’s office, your session would take place online! New Perspectives counseling will be with you whether you want to join us in person or online. We want you to be able to access the resources you need to improve your mental health. 

Now, let’s discuss some benefits of online mental health care:

1. Online Mental Health Counseling Is Convenient and Accessible 

One of the best things about online mental health counseling is that it can happen from anywhere and makes therapy more accessible for people who live far away or can’t leave their homes due to disability or something else. Plus, because you’ll be attending therapy from your own home, you’ll often get to choose times that work best for you, and you won’t have to worry about traffic, waiting rooms, or parking meters.

2. It’s Comfortable and Approachable

As previously stated, this happens in the comfort of your home! Whether you attend therapy from your kitchen counter, bedroom, living room, or that plush chair in your basement, online counseling ensures a level of comfort you might not get from your therapist’s office. If you get nervous when going to new places or unfamiliar areas, online therapy eliminates this problem and makes counseling easier to approach. You can feel safer and more secure while attending therapy from your chosen comfy spot.

3. It Can Be More Affordable

Therapy can be expensive, but the good thing is that online mental health care often costs less. Especially for therapists who practice exclusively online, just practicing is less expensive because they don’t have to pay for things like office space. As a result, they can often afford to create more options and better prices for people who don’t have the proper insurance. However, most states now require insurance companies to provide online mental health care as part of their package but ensure you check out your insurance company and state laws to make sure. 

4. Online Mental Health Care Is Effective!

So, there are several benefits to online mental health care, but is it effective? Is it as effective as the in-person type? In many cases, yes! Research tells us that online mental health care can be every bit as effective for people with all sorts of mental health conditions, including anxiety and moderate depression. 

5. Online Therapeutic Services Are on Your Terms

With higher accessibility, lower prices, and scheduling catered to you, online therapeutic services are 100% on your terms. We can help you as often as you schedule an appointment. We’re here to help you work through all your problems, whether you think them big or small, know that we are here for you no matter what. All you have to do is reach out.

New Perspective Therapeutic Services is here for you, online or in person. If you feel you could benefit from our services or would like to talk, contact us today.

For more ideas on how to show kindness, find support at New Perspectives Therapeutic Service.

Nigeria McHellon, MSW, LCSW

Email me at: nm.newperspectivestherapy@gmail.com

Call or Text me at: (904) 439-6524

Find a Therapist in Jacksonville | Find a Counselor in Jacksonville | Find a Therapist in Atlanta or Georgia | Find a Counselor in Texas | Find a Counselor in Delaware

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The Benefits of Marriage Counseling

By Syd Sukalski

Are you considering marriage counseling in your relationship with your significant other? Maybe you are a couple or a married individual who thinks marriage counseling might be for you, but you need to learn more about what it is, who it’s for, and some of its benefits. Well, you have come to the right place.

We’re going to talk about marriage counseling momentarily, but first, let us introduce ourselves. 

New Perspective Therapeutic Services provides a compassionate environment to all clients who maintain different reasons for coming to therapy. Nigeria McHellen, MSW, LCSW, is an experienced therapist who bases all of her therapeutic approaches on evidence of success and a desire to help her client’s individual growth. She offers a wide variety of therapeutic services to help you, the client, get all of the help and healing you need to improve your mental health.

But now, let’s talk about marriage counseling.

What is Marriage Counseling?

Marriage counseling, also called couples therapy and doesn’t necessarily have to occur between two married people, is a form of therapy where you and your partner see a counselor together. During your most likely once-a-week sessions, your therapist will help you and your partner work through conflicts, learn to communicate more effectively, and hopefully improve or repair your relationship. Marriage counseling is rarely ongoing and will likely only consist of a few sessions or a few months of sessions, depending on your problems. 

Now, let’s talk about some of the benefits of marriage counseling.

Resolving Key Conflicts in Your Relationship

If you consider marriage counseling, you may find that you and your partner argue the most about one topic. This subject can be anything from doing the laundry or the dusting to making a big move across the country or whether you are ready for children. Seeing a counselor may help you and your partner resolve these issues or at least see the other’s side more clearly. It can also help you find the root problem behind these conflicts and work through that problem. 

Helping You and Your Partner Understand Your Relationship

Marriage therapy can also help you and your partner understand the dynamics of your relationship. In thinking about these, you might consider who, if either of you, holds the most power in your relationship. You might also think about your patterns, what you frequently disagree or argue about, and how you communicate with one another. Establishing these patterns and dynamics can help you understand your relationship fully and can be instrumental in healing it.

You and Your Partner Gain a Neutral Third Party

One of the great things about therapy is that you receive honest, objective advice from someone who has both of your best interests at heart. The best therapist for you and your partner is someone whom you both feel you can trust. That way, you will both respect what they have to say, and you will be open to their feedback. Having this trusted third party can help you and your partner see one another’s perspectives and how an outsider may perceive your actions and words. 

Couples Therapy Creates a Sanctuary for You and Your Partner

It can be difficult when you and your partner find yourself arguing frequently. You might feel on edge, or maybe you are having trouble communicating. Chances are, the thing you are dealing with is highly vulnerable. Conflict with a romantic partner almost always is. You might find it scary or nerve-wracking to talk about some of the things you’re feeling or experiencing. Marriage counseling can help with that. Seeing a therapist, even if it’s an online therapy chat, provides a different type of space for you and your partner to work through your differences. Therapy of this type sets rules and boundaries, so you and your partner can be as honest and respectful as possible of one another. 

Growing Closer to Your Partner Through Marriage Counseling

Marriage counseling occurs when you and your partner feel that your relationship needs help. It is a vulnerable process that requires honesty and open conversation between you both. Throughout the process, you and your partner will likely learn quite a bit about each other. It may help you grow closer and form a stronger bond than you had before. Even if the trust was an issue, you might find that this process can help you. It can give you and your partner the means to build a better, more stable, and honest relationship.

Marriage counseling can sound scary, but it can help you and your partner. If you are considering marriage counseling, check out therapists near you.

For more ideas on how to show kindness, find support at New Perspectives Therapeutic Service.

Nigeria McHellon, MSW, LCSW

Email me at: nm.newperspectivestherapy@gmail.com

Call or Text me at: (904) 439-6524

Find a Therapist in Jacksonville | Find a Counselor in Jacksonville | Find a Therapist in Atlanta or Georgia | Find a Counselor in Texas | Find a Counselor in Delaware

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Festive Finances: Tips for Financial Well-being

During a season intended to be full of joy, generosity, and connections, the financial burden that comes with the holidays can create excessive stress. Holiday expectations mixed with financial obligations can take a toll on your emotional and mental wellness.

Given the clear link between financial wellness and mental health, here are some useful tips to help reduce financial stress during the holidays.

1. Create a Budget

Budgets help us prioritize and manage our most important expenses. Knowing where your money goes reduces surprises thus decreasing stress. Allowing funds for gifts, parties, travel, food, and the charitable donations that happen during this time of year is the key to creating your budget. With a more conscious approach to spending, you’ll feel more in control.

2. Reduce Gift Anxiety

Gift-giving can be an overwhelming and intense process. What does she want? Will he use it? What do I get the person who already has everything? What if the gift I give isn’t good enough? The stress to impress can often outweigh the joy of actually giving. There are solutions!

o Ask them what they want! At first this feels like it doesn’t count if you have to ask but you will be surprised by how many people appreciate the ask and will quickly tell you exactly what they want.

o Divide and Conquer. If you are gift-giving for a big family or a large group of friends, consider doing a Secret Santa gift exchange. The money won’t be the only thing saved, consider the time, and your mental strain! Even more than the gift, consider potluck for dinner and kids making crafts for decorations.

o  Be Creative. Don’t underestimate the power of a coupon book or homemade gift. Creative gifts are cost-effective and add that extra special touch of personal connection. They are a quick way to show your family, friends, or coworkers how much you care about them and their specific needs.

3. Prioritize Self-Care

Whether it’s the financial stress of the holidays getting to you, professional stress, or general stress, self-care can be just what you need to make you feel better. It might not feel like the best time to spend money on yourself but there are plenty of no-cost ways to care for yourself – think bubble bath, mediation, going for a run… How about a quiet night watching holiday movies? Caroling, sledding, or seeing holiday displays.

4. Ask for Help

It’s okay to speak to a professional. It does not make you weak and it does not mean anything is wrong with you. New Perspectives helps people learn to manage stress and anxiety regardless of the season. We provide therapy and coaching sessions from the comfort, privacy, and convenience of your own home at the time (day or night) that works best for your schedule.

In many cases, New Perspectives is covered by your insurance with little to no out-of-pocket expense. Whether it’s the holidays or daily life, we teach people practical, effective skills that have them feel better and live better.

Money problems and mental health issues are intrinsically linked. Continuous financial stress wreaks havoc with mental health but there is support available. New Perspectives has the experience and support to help.

Looking for a licensed therapist near you? Need a counselor to help support your mental health through the holidays and beyond? New Perspectives is accepting new clients!

Call Now

Gratitude is an Attitude

November encourages us to embrace the power of gratitude. Gratitude has the power to shift our focus on negativity to appreciating the positive aspect in our lives. Daily gratitude provides a deeper connection to self, to others, and to the world around us.

Gratitude is a psychological booster in a big way – think mental health therapy! Research shows that gratitude can improve our overall level of health and well-being, enhancing our moods, and decreasing stress. Grateful people have fewer stress-related illnesses like depression and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and are more physically fit, happier, and have more satisfying personal and professional relationships. Even grateful kids are more likely to get A’s in school.

So what does it mean to be grateful? Well, it doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine or being in denial about anything that is going wrong. Cultivating gratitude means choosing to focus your attention on what you appreciate thus, controlling your experience. Because let’s be honest, sooner or later things don’t go our way and life feels out of control. Gratitude gives us something we can control, our thoughts! It’s about appreciating the wonderful ordinary things that we often take for granted. Gratitude is an attitude!!

“There are only two ways to live your life, one is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein

By giving attention to the positive, we rebalance our thoughts and emotions. We can use gratitude as a tool to experience joy even when we are having a hard time. But how? How can we practice gratitude? Here are a few easy ways to start brining gratitude in to your every day:

  • The best way to start practicing gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal, noting things you are grateful for each day.
  • Gratitude meditation is another good way to practice gratitude. 
  • Handwritten letters and notes are simple and meaningful ways to give thanks to the people in your life
  • You can always donate your time by volunteering. Volunteering is selfless and a wonderful way to express gratitude towards the organizations and people working to help others.

In the spirit of the Thanksgiving season, November is truly a time of giving thanks. Gratitude generates a positive impact on personal and mental well-being. Practicing gratitude isn’t a replacement for therapy. New Perspectives Therapeutic Services has licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy.

Searching for mental health support? Looking for a therapist near you? Virtual therapy sessions available!

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Kindness Matters.

And there’s scientific research to back it! People who are kind and compassionate show significant reduced stress and improved emotional well-being. We often push kindness to the side in favor of stress, because we are too busy, or maybe we just aren’t paying attention. But if we take the time to be kind – to other people and to ourselves – we can reap the emotional rewards! It can really make a difference and especially for people who are struggling or in a vulnerable position.

If you are in a position where you are not being kind to yourself or to others and feel you need help, you want to talk about it or vent, New Perspectives Therapeutic Services is here now. We have a variety of treatment options with licensed therapists and counselors available. Contact a licensed therapist now. We are located in Jacksonville, Florida but provide virtual sessions across Florida, Georgia, and Texas.

What are the health benefits of kindness?

  • Helping others feels good
  • Kindness creates a sense of belonging and reduces isolation
  • It helps keep things in perspective
  • It helps to make the world a happier place
  • The more you do for others, the more you do for yourself

It’s easy to appear kind in our digital environment but harder to commit to it in our daily behavior and actions. However, kindness is contagious and one small act leads to more and more. Kindness could also be built in to business decisions and government policy in a way that supports everyone’s mental health and also reduces discrimination and inequality. But that starts by individual commitments to showing kindness in our own words and actions.

How can I show kindness?

Here are several ways you can show kindness every day:

  • To yourself:
    • Prioritize “me” time so you can relax and do the things you enjoy
    • Treat yourself to something small
    • Spend time in the nature
    • Exercise and take care of yourself physically
  • At home and in your community:
    • Call a friend
    • Volunteer for a local event
    • Send flowers
    • Help a neighbor
    • Check on someone who you know is struggling
  • At work:
    • Say hi to colleagues, remember their birthday and special life happenings
    • Offer to support a colleague with a project
    • Listen to a colleague who is having a bad day
    • Praise a colleague for a job well done
  • In public places:
    • Open doors for others
    • Smile and say hello to people you pass by
    • Be a consider driver/bicyclist
  • On social media:
    • Write an encouraging post or share a special quote
    • Think about your comments and replies before posting; try not to say nasty things
    • If it isn’t kind, think twice

You can find so much joy in being deliberately kind! It doesn’t have to take too much time and doesn’t have to cost money. An act of kindness can be as simple as a compliment. Now is the time to re-imagine a kinder society that better protects our mental health – and you are the person who can make a difference! For more ideas on how to show kindness, find support at New Perspectives Therapeutic Services.

Nigeria McHellon, MSW, LCSW
nm.newperspectivestherapy@gmail.com
Call or Text: (904) 439-6524

Find a Therapist in Jacksonville | Find a Counselor in Jacksonville
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10 Ways to be More Mindful at Work

1. Be Consciously Present

2. Use Short Mindful Exercises at Work

3. Be a Single-Tasker

4. Use Mindful Reminders

5. Mindful Work: Slow Down To Speed Up

6. Make Stress Your Friend

7. Feel Gratitude

8. Cultivate Humility

9. Accept What You Can’t Change

10. Adopt a Growth Mindset