Most of us want to give our best effort when it comes to doing work. Sometimes we may struggle with wanting our work to be “just right.” This may be a tendency for perfectionism, which is defined as striving for flawlessness, setting excessively high performance standards, and having an overall

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that presents in women of reproductive age and results from excessive production of androgens, or testosterone. PCOS affects 6%-15% of women, and research suggests that individuals with PCOS are at an increased risk of experiencing depression and anxiety (Carron, Kooienga, Boyle, &

Shyness is an emotional state that is characterized by fixation and increased worry about being negatively evaluated by others in social situations. Common characteristics of shyness include feeling uncomfortable and/or hesitant to engage in social situations, especially in unfamiliar situations or with unfamiliar people. Everyone experiences shyness at times, no

Traumatic events are shocking and emotional overwhelming situations. It’s natural for people who experience or witness them to have many reactions, including intense fear, horror, numbness, or helplessness. There are many dimensions of trauma, including magnitude, frequency, duration, and controllability. Reactions to traumatic events vary in considerable ways and can

Irritability is a commonly expressed symptom in individuals suffering from a variety of mental disorders, specifically Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Bipolar Disorder (BD) (Yuen et al., 2016). New research suggests that irritability in BD may be more related to an individual’s experience of anxiety than previous research suggested. According

It can be difficult for adolescents who are mandated to therapy to engage in session. This can be for several reasons, such as the nature of why the client is mandated, which for adolescent males can be due to probation or other juvenile issues. Therefore, a lot of the time

The details of goal setting are often overlooked, but making goals is an important aspect of achieving what each individual perceives to be success. Goals are generally derived from our values, which are those things that are important to us. In working towards goals, individuals have the opportunity to experience

Clinical work has to be a balance of addressing personal and systematic factors. If clients are homeless and anxious, it is great in theory to work on cognitive restructuring of distressing thoughts and relaxation techniques. However, the majority of their time is spent in a very anxiety producing situation. Maslow

Have you recently encountered a stroke and are now feeling shifts in mood, leading you to feel more sad than normal? 1/3 of individuals who experience a stroke will undergo shifts in their mood, often causing depression. The mental distress caused by having a stroke as well as the physical

Adolescents struggling with depression often deal with symptoms that significantly impact their academic and social functioning and may put them at an increased risk for self-harm. While there are various treatments for depression, research suggests that the use of existing treatments with adolescent populations yields mixed results and may not