Got Stress?

11/27/2020

10/30/2020

Parents, your child’s success in college depends on two things, both academic readiness and emotional readiness. Supporting your child as they aim for good grades, prepare for the SAT/ACT, and make their way through the college application process helps you set them up for success. But, are your kids emotionally ready to transition to college? Many kids struggle with emotional readiness, and may feel overwhelmed about what comes next in their lives. This can leave them feeling really stressed out. Help your child become emotionally ready for their future by enrolling in "Got Stress?", an 8-lesson program aimed at teaching students life skills to help them learn to balance freedom and responsibility while discovering how to manage stress and anxiety, which can get in the way of achieving success. Contact me to learn more about how I can help your child succeed in life! Drcolleenkennedy@gmail.com

07/04/2020

F E A R
What do you fear? Snakes, spiders, heights, air travel, giving a speech, going out on a first date? Anxiety is our body’s alarm system to help keep us safe from potential danger. But what is perceived to be a threat is different for everyone. For example, some people fear snakes, while others keep them as a pet. COVID-19 has raised anxiety in many of us, and as America reopens and schools gear up for fall, it’s important to remember that just as our fingerprints are unique, our fear, and how we react to that fear, is very unique too. For some, the threat of catching this new virus outweighs all other fears, while for others the threat of being unable to earn a living and support their family rises to the surface. You may have noticed people experiencing anxiety due to many new situations resulting from the pandemic, including difficulties finding food in the grocery stores, social isolation, working from home, figuring how to succeed in school using virtual learning platforms, parents trying to be teachers to their children while keeping up with their own jobs; the list goes on and on.

Fear can feel very overwhelming and sometimes even paralyzing. But when you get specific in identifying your fear, you can start to look at it more logically, which helps you make more rational decisions. As you start engaging in life outside of your home or work once again, take a moment to ask yourself, “What is my primary fear?” Some may answer, “I’m afraid of COVID-19.” But try to get specific. What about COVID-19 are you afraid of? Are you afraid of death? Getting very sick and needing to be hospitalized? Missing work or school if you get sick? Catching the virus and feeling crummy for an uncertain amount of time? The stores running out of food? Your job or career being jeopardized? Your spouse getting sick and losing income? What specific fear rises to the surface for you during this pandemic? If you are married, or in a relationship, what is the primary fear of your significant other? What about your college aged kids, teens, and small children? What do your friends fear? Taking some time to raise your self-awareness and having these conversations with others will help you recognize that what people are perceiving to be a significant threat to their well-being is different for each of us, and we are all struggling in our own unique way.

06/12/2020

Summer break is the perfect time for high school juniors/seniors, college students, and young adults to become more grounded in who you are and where you are headed in life while learning to manage stress and anxiety. No matter where you live, "Got Stress?" is an 8-lesson program that can reach you via videoconferencing! Learn more at colleenkennedyphd.com.

03/22/2020

H E L P L E S S N E S S
In the midst of the Coronavirus crisis, are you waking up in the morning after a good night's sleep and still feeling exhausted? You are not alone! Many parents and teens are suddenly finding themselves waking up and not knowing how to approach their day, as work and school have drastically changed these past couple of weeks. Like many people, you may be starting your day by watching the news and spending time on social media to learn about updates on the pandemic, both of which can lead to overwhelming feelings of helplessness. Having purpose is one of the things that drives us to get out of bed every morning, and to combat these feelings of helplessness, it is natural to want to help everyone in need, which can easily lead to exhaustion. So for all of you "helpers" out there who are feeling a bit tired, I want to share the Starfish Story with you, as a reminder that we don't have to help everyone today, but if we all do our part in the world and help just one person (checking in on a friend, a neighbor, an elderly person on your street, etc.), we can make a difference.

The Starfish Story
(Original Story by: Loren Eisley)

One day a man was walking along the beach, when he noticed a boy hurriedly picking up and gently throwing things into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, "Young man, what are you doing?"

The boy replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die."

The man laughed to himself and said, "Don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make any difference!"

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the surf. Then smiling at the man, he said,

"I made a difference to that one."

03/15/2020

U N C E R T A I N T Y
This is the word of the day for both teens and parents as Coronavirus makes its way to the U.S.

Uncertainty fuels anxiety as all of the "What Ifs" start storming our minds.

Dealing with the stress of actually having the virus is different than dealing with the anxiety, or fear, of what is happening in our country in regard to Coronavirus. It is easy to feel like nothing is in our control; however, there are many things that are in our control as we hunker down and try to keep the spread of this virus at a minimum. To help everyone get started thinking about the things they can control in their life right now, check out the list below:

*You can control how much you embrace or limit those things that cause you worry (listening to the news, podcasts, and reading Facebook posts about Coronavirus-does this increase or decrease your worry?) Worry is unproductive, as it doesn't change anything, and makes you feel bad. Spending 30 minutes of the day catching up on social media and news about Coronavirus rather than spending large portions of the day on the internet or in front of the TV can help decrease the amount of time you spend worrying, and increase the amount of time you spend doing productive and enjoyable things with those around you.

*You can control how you choose to implement social distancing (are you cooped up inside your house all day, are you spending some of your time outside getting some fresh air, are you using the phone/social media to stay in touch with others so you don't feel so isolated?)

*You can control how you choose to spend your time during social distancing including:

Finding creative ways to keep in touch with friends and family.

Discovering new ways to exercise at home (there are many YouTube videos for yoga, stretching, aerobics, and other home workouts). Exercising is one way to boost your mood when you are at home and feeling isolated from others.

Deciding which project you've been putting off that you will tackle in the upcoming weeks.

Choosing to learn something new and diving in with YouTube videos or other online learning tools.

Spending time teaching your older kids some of those life skills we never seem to have time to teach (cooking, sewing on a button or hemming a pair of pants, auto mechanic skills, creating a budget, online banking, how to prepare your taxes, how to create a website, etc.)

Helping others, such as reaching out to elderly neighbors via text to make sure they are doing ok.

Journaling about this very unique time in history.

Redecorate or paint your room a new color.

Bingewatching your favorite TV series.

Playing all the board games you own.

Learning new card games.

The list is endless.......

03/03/2020

Politics. It can have a tremendous impact on your mood, especially during an election year.

Parents, what *one* word best describes the impact politics has on your mood?

What word would your teen choose?

Take a minute to think about how this type of stress impacts your relationship with others.

Ways to cope with the transition of power and the rapid speed of political change that may cause stress and anxiety about the political environment and the future of our nation.

02/26/2020

We've been telling our kids since they were young that they need to work hard in school so they can get into a "good" college someday. As "someday" looms closer and closer for high school teens, how do they define a "good" college, what are they doing to prepare for college, and how is this pressure impacting their mental health?
Parents, how do you see this playing out in your teens?

  I got this strange email recently. “Date for Freshman Orientation” was in the subject line. It had to be a mistake because I’m pretty sure my twin daughters just started preschool yesterday. But alas,

02/26/2020

Parents, do you have a teen who is stressed out from too much homework, SAT/ACT prep, applying to college, extracurricular activities, work, family, and friends?

Enroll in "Got Stress?" today!

"Got Stress" is an 8-lesson program, aimed at teaching teens and young adults how to recognize and manage the stress and anxiety they are experiencing in their lives. Learn more at colleenkennedyphd.com