Blog – Page 6 – Therapeutic Center For Hope

28Jun 2017 by alexiamcleod

Effects of Postpartum Depression

Blog, Health, Motivation, Parenting, Therapy, Tips

1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression according to a study of 10,000 mothers with newborns. Postpartum depression is a type of depression that mothers may get after having a baby due to hormone changes and stress. It also may be more likely to occur if the mother has a history of depression. Postpartum depression can start anytime during your baby’s first year, but it is more common to feel the effects during the first 3 weeks after birth. You may feel sad, hopeless and guilty because you may not feel like you want to bond and/or care for your newborn. The diagnosis of postpartum depression can only come from a doctor, but if you think you may have it, it is best to schedule an appointment with your doctor.…

26Jun 2017 by alexiamcleod

Dating as a Single Parent

Blog, divorce, Parenting, Therapy, Tips

When dating it can already be difficult to find a person who you find interesting and willing to put your effort into. However, when you are dating as a single parent not only are you concerned about your interests but it can also be a bit more challenging because you are thinking of your child, too. There’s also the challenge of letting the people you date know you have a child. So many questions start to pop into your mind. It can become a huge headache for you that you rather not try, but rest assured that you are not the first single parent to date and will not be the last to do so. When setting out to the dating scene it’s important to let your dating partner know…

21Jun 2017 by alexiamcleod

Co-Parenting After Divorce: Positive Childhood Memories for Your Children

Blog, divorce, Parenting, Relationship, Therapy, Tips

Divorce is hard enough when it is between two people who loved each other very much but no longer feel like it will work out no matter how hard they try. However, dealing with divorce when you share kids can become extremely complicated real quick. One parent ends up spending more time with the child/children than the other, sharing and making more memories with the kids than the other parent. This alone can lead to problems because one parent can feel left out and as if they are not having the same quality time with their child as they were spending before the divorce. It also can be a stressful and confusing time for the children involved. Especially if they were used to both of their parents always being involved…

16Jun 2017 by alexiamcleod

How to Get My Child To Want a Healthy Lifestyle

Blog, Health, Motivation, Parenting, Tips

About one in five school-aged children from the ages of 6-19 are obese. According to the CDC, the percentage of children with obesity in the United States has more than tripled since the 1970s. But what is the difference between being overweight and obese? Well, the National Institutes of Health defines obesity as having excess body fat. While being overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. For children with a BMI (Body Mass Index) at or above the 85th percentile and less than the 95th percentile are considered overweight. However, if your child is past the 95th percentile they are considered obese. There are a few factors that can contribute to childhood obesity. For…

24May 2017 by alexiamcleod

Essential Oils to have Plenty of Good Vibes

Blog, Health, Tips

Before there were any pharmaceuticals, many people relied on natural remedies and essential oils for thousands of years. They were especially used in ancient China, Egypt, Greece, India and Rome as perfumes, in cosmetics, and as medicines. Of course, the oils didn’t come in cute bottles and packages where you could buy them at a high-end, organic, all natural store, but they still had the same effects. Although it may seem as if aromatherapies are not as practical with today’s medicine, they still can enhance your psychological and physical well-being. Typically, the contents of essential oils are extracts from flowers, stems, leaves, roots and other parts of a plant. When the aroma from the oils are inhaled, it’s believed to stimulate brain function and promote whole body healing when massaged…

17May 2017 by alexiamcleod

Health Is More than Caring For the Body

Health, Therapy, Tips

As the summer months approaching quickly, our news feeds have been filled with “summer body” advertisements and advice columns. While seasonal fitness has become a health trend in recent years, personal health isn’t just how you eat and how much exercise you get. Studies have shown that overall personal health is affected by much more, including sleep, socialization and brain activity. Overall homeostasis is determined by a healthy balance of mental, emotional and physical health. So when considering getting on the summer bikini ready bandwagon, take into account that optimally diet and exercise go along with several other factors in your life that allow you to function at your highest potential. The first and most important aspect of personal health is a good night’s rest. Getting several consecutive hours of…

01Apr 2017 by alexiamcleod

What to Say When Someone Tells You They’ve Been Sexually Assaulted

Blog, Health, Therapy, Tips

What would you say if you friend came to you and told you they were sexually assaulted? Like most people, you would probably be at a loss for words. How are you supposed to respond to something like that, especially if you have never experienced anything like it yourself? Knowing what to say can be hard, yet for the survivor what you say is critically important. With statistics like 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men would suffer from sexual assault, you most likely know someone who has been through that experience. Sadly, sexual violence is a very real issue in our world regardless of where you live or who you are. This is an issue that affects people everywhere, every day. So, what should you say if…

01Apr 2017 by alexiamcleod

Spring Cleaning for the Mind, Body, and Soul: Stress Management Tips

Blog, Health, Therapy, Tips

As the weather gets warmer and summer approaches, many of us find ourselves with a change in mindset as well. It is during this time of year that we begin to work on our “beach bod” and clean out our closets full of jackets and winter clothing to make room for our summer wardrobe. Its also a great time to re-evaluate how we are doing internally. April is the perfect time of year to take a personal inventory of how things are going in your life. Coincidentally April is also stress awareness month, a time to relax, prepare for finals, prepare for vacation, or get back to our goals for the upcoming months in a productive, stress-less way. So how do we do this? Spring comes with many a motivational…

29Mar 2017 by alexiamcleod

Pro-Choice or Pro-Life: Letting Adoption Be the Answer

Adoption, Parenting, Therapy

The differences between those who are “pro-life” and those who are “pro-choice” has caused a political, societal and social wedge between anyone and everyone with an opinion on this hot button topic. What many people don’t realize however is that although this is often a topic of conversation, it is also something that affects the decisions of women worldwide regarding their civil liberties once they find out they are pregnant. In a day and age with so many lines drawn separating people politically, there is always a grey area left to be examined. There is often so much pressure to choose a side, political party, or particular stance on an issue, that people don’t really give themselves the opportunity to think “what if this decision arose in my own life…

21Mar 2017 by alexiamcleod

From The Eyes of a Birthmother Part II

Adoption, Blog, Parenting, Therapy

Now, I want to start off this second part taking it back. Lets go back to where my whole decision making process started. I know that there are 3 options when you become pregnant: Parenting, Adoption, or Abortion and for me I knew I wanted this baby. I was taught that life began at conception so there was no doubt this baby would come into this world. It was the coolest but most difficult thing that had ever happened to me. It was hard knowing that this was something I could not hide. If you lie or steal it’s a lot easier to hide the evidence, but a baby isn’t something easily hidden. People would eventually see a big belly on me. Now, I’d be lying if I didn’t have…