Mental health
Massiel Bradberry
Beneath The Surface of High Functioning Anxiety

High-Functioning Anxiety is a complex and often misunderstood experience. The iceberg metaphor serves as a visual representation of the layers of emotions and pressures that people with HFA typically navigate beneath the surface. 

Beneath The Surface of High Functioning Anxiety
Self Esteem, Tips
Massiel Bradberry
Your body is not your worth. Body neutrality ...

Most of us have heard of the body positivity movement, and while its intentions are good, unconditionally loving one’s body and appearance can seem unrealistic to a lot of people, especially when we consider that 80% of women and 34% of men reported being dissatisfied with their bodies That’s why we want to share a middle ground with you, body neutrality, a place where liking your body isn’t a prerequisite for feeling good about yourself.

Your body is not your worth. Body neutrality & radical self-acceptance

Mental health

Coping with loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Coping with loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Humans are social creatures, and many of us find comfort in staying connected. When we are deprived of these deep social connections, we have a tendency to feel lonely or isolated. The longer this isolation and loneliness last, the higher our risk is for mental, emotional, and physical problems. Typically, loneliness is a signal to a depressive episode and is seen as an individual problem treated with things like exposure therapy. Now, isolation is a lot more nuanced. Because we are social distancing due to a global pandemic, “treating” loneliness and isolation behaviors takes a little more creativity.

Isolation makes you think that you are the only one, and you’re the only one who’s feeling alone and that’s not true. This is NOT a normal situation, and you’re already handling it - however that looks like for you. As this pandemic continues, we want to give you a few tools for coping with these hard feelings, because you really are not alone in this.

Why Am I So Tired? Exploring the effects of anxiety, stress, and trauma on the body

Why Am I So Tired? Exploring the effects of anxiety, stress, and trauma on the body

Do you feel exhausted constantly? Are you eating well, getting lots of sleep, exercising regularly but you still feel tired all the time? You might be experiencing emotional exhaustion. Almost always, when we suppress our feelings and emotions, they tend to manifest in many different ways. Our unaddressed anxiety, stress, and/or trauma can manifest as tension headaches, body aches, chronic pain, and chronic fatigue.

Can you take a moment to think back to what feelings or anxieties you might be suppressing right now? Are you in a stressful living situation? Did you recently experience a breakup? Are you feeling the lasting effects of the pandemic, election, or racial injustice? It’s okay if you aren’t able to put a finger on the exact “reason” or specific anxiety, stressor, or traumatic event that is being manifested outwardly. Today we’re exploring the signs, symptoms, and coping tools for emotional exhaustion on the body.

How to take care of yourself as you fight for social change

How to take care of yourself as you fight for social change

The past few weeks have been emotional. It’s June 2020 and communities across the United States and all over the world, are coming together to stand and fight for change. It’s been both heartbreaking and inspiring. And as we confront systemic and institutionalized white supremacy, and work to eliminate and counteract racism, we must not forget about taking care of ourselves. Remember, the fight doesn’t stop. Our collective strength will continue, and our voices will be heard.

It’s okay to take a moment to recollect ourselves, because by neglecting self-care we run the risk of burnout and exhaustion. Self-care is essential to maintain our energy and motivation, because the fight doesn’t stop.

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Processing Intergenerational Trauma & Healing Black Mental Health

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Processing Intergenerational Trauma & Healing Black Mental Health

We hear your pain. We are listening to cries that are centuries old, and we stand with you.

People whose roots originate in trauma, whether that be a history of war, famine, genocide, or slavery, will often experience intergenerational trauma. This trauma is not new. It has lived in bodies from generation to generation, and right now, Black people are experiencing a collective re-traumatization, so we ask ourselves, what can we do?

Do I Have High Functioning Depression?

Do I Have High Functioning Depression?

A misconception about depression is that the person experiencing it must show obvious symptoms, like having a difficult time getting out of bed or struggling to work, go to school, or shower. This is “low functioning depression,” and refers to when depression gets in the way of every day functioning. Today we’re covering the signs and symptoms of high functioning depression, or dysthymia; a form of depression that allows for most every day functioning. We’ll talk about how to spot it, and tips for the future.