Wilson Counseling: The Armchair Chronicles

 http://theminorityreport.co/stixblog/files/2012/12/564949_10200415615499293_1347696144_n.jpg For me, new years resolutions were all sizzle and no steak. They sounded great, but ultimately, they were just empty promises. I am not alone. Only 45% of us will keep our new years resolutions past the first 6 months. The good news is that research has shown that people who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to make changes than those who don't explicitly make resolutions. But, you do need a plan. I recommend that you set aside about an hour of your time to sit down and answer the following questions. The answers will help you build the life you want in 2013. 1. What did you achieve this year? What do you wish you had achieved?
 What did you enjoy and want to do more of?

 2.  Once you figure out what you want to do next year, break down the
 steps necessary to accomplish your goals and put them on your
 calendar.

 Be speci...

Our nation was rocked by the horrific school shooting in Newtown, Ct. Last Week. 26 people died, 20 of them young children. As a parent of a first grader, this hits particularly close to home for me, but it is still hard to imagine the depth of the grief those Sandy Hook Elementary parents must be feeling now. I had a client who lost a child describe his grief as a tsunami that would drag him so far down he could hardly breathe. The ache in his heart was palpable when he spoke. His body seemed to shrink from the weight of his pain. So, my heart truly goes out to all of those who are suffering and grieving as a result of this terrible tragedy. For those of us with children, we are now faced with the important task of helping our kids try to make sense of such senseless violence. I know at the Houston school where my kids attend, there is talk in the carpool line, and e-mails going out about how to talk to your kids about this tragedy. I found this post from Marie Hart...

How much sleep do you get a night? The answer to that question could tell me a lot about how well you are able to handle the every day stresses of life. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours a night for adults. One major study has shown that people with insomnia are five times more likely to develop depression and twenty times more likely to develop a panic disorder (a type of anxiety disorder). People who got only 4.5 hours of sleep reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad and mentally tired. Wow. But, before you panic about your poor sleeping patterns, read on to find out what you can do to get better sleep, and be a better you. In a previous post, I discussed the effect of blue light from devices like smart phones on your sleep. Besides turning off those devices at least two hours before bed, there are quite a few other things you can do to improve your sleep hygiene. Exercise early in the day. Daily exercise serves to improve your mood and also helps you ...

http://homeklondike.com/2011/10/21/10-ideas-for-christmas-dining-room/ It's Holiday season in Houston. If you have an eating disorder, this can be an especially difficult time. Here are some helpful ideas from the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) about how to successfully negotiate your way through the holidays. Tips # 6 & 7 can be especially useful in talking about specific ways your support system can help you through this season. If you or someone you love are dealing with an eating disorder, please  contact  one of our Houston counselors to find out how we can help.

image:gratisography.com When clients come in to my Houston office complaining of feeling depressed or anxious, one of the first questions I ask them is about how they are sleeping. Inevitably, they are having trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep. I think we have all had the experience of lying in bed, feeling more anxious every time we look at the clock, wishing we could just fall asleep. But, we can't. Ugh. Sleep deprivation takes it toll one hard night at at time. Besides feeling moody and tired, getting less than 6 hours of sleep at night for prolonged periods of time can lead to a suppressed immune system, increased blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and can even increase levels of the hunger hormones (ghrelin) which can lead you to feel hungrier. Scary, right? This is the kind of news that could keep you up at night. So, how can you conquer sleep?  Actually, there are many things you can do to get to sleep faster. We will be covering one of...

image from: http://modfemme.blogspot.com/2012/10/modern-femme-at-homefrazzle-free.html Sometimes this does not feel like the most wonderful time of the year.  There is so much to do, the weather is gray, and there are food temptations galore. So, you may be feeling a little bit stressed out. Here are some quick tips to help you beat the stress, and actually enjoy the holiday season. 1. Whatever you do, don't stop doing the things you normally do to take care of yourself. Whether it is exercising, meditating, reading, coffee with friends, or a hot bath, take the time to attend to your needs on a daily basis. The small investment in your health will allow you to be more efficient, more energetic, and generally more agreeable. Even half an hour a day will give you the fuel you need to thrive. 2. When you start having visions of work dancing in your head, try making a to-do list. Writing down your thoughts will help you organize your mind. Break down your to-do's into sh...