In Front of the 8 Ball (part 2)

05.17.2013

I'm Blogging for Mental Health.

 

In Part 1 of this two part post on In Front of the 8 ball, I talked about the misconceptions around mental health, and why people avoid seeking out help or consultation. If you’ve made it to Part 2 then congratulations, as I’ve piqued your interest, and perhaps you’re contemplating the possibility of change in your life.

 

“I need help now. Whom do I see? Where do I go?” These are often the first questions we ask when we have an area of our lives that needs immediate attention.  We need: a home inspection, an educational consultation, a health or fitness makeover. If you work for a mid-size to large company or organization, it is very likely that you have access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This is a program that your employer contracts out to another organization to provide immediate assistance to alleviate any concerns or difficulties an employee may have. Employee Assistance Programs offer counseling services, as well as legal, financial, or wellness services. The best thing  about EAP programs is that all of the services are free, already prepaid via your employer, and entirely confidential (your employer will not know that you have accessed or used EAP benefits).

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In Front of the 8 Ball (part 1)

05.15.2013

I'm Blogging for Mental Health.
I am certainly no pool shark, nor have spent significant time in billiard clubs. However, I am familiar with what it means to be caught behind the 8 ball.  It’s a precarious position, where the angles of your next shot are limited. You only have so many options. Think of it as trying to watch your favorite band/team/show from an “obstructed view” seat (bom, bom, BOMP).

 

In our own lives, we generally want to avoid these difficult positions, where our options for maneuvering are limited.  Sometimes, we’d just like to skip over the difficult parts. Other times there’s a strong magnetic pull that attracts all things gloomy and negative.

 

More commonly there are those who stay out of difficult situations by staying/looking ahead, Read the rest of this entry »

A Year of Love

01.07.2013

For many, today starts the return to normal, the 1st full week of 2013, the first Monday of January (got a case of the Mondays?). Six days into the new year, and new goals may still be riding the bench, waiting for action. Other goals of flossing daily, responding to emails immediately, or others my be on the way to becoming new habits and routines for the new year.

As for me…

 

Growing up in a household where emotions were not verbally expressed frequently, I now find myself on the other end where I help people express and verbalize their own feelings (but that’s a different post). I always wondered how I would be as a father, whether I would nurture and relate to my own as my parents had, or whether I would be different. Something that I realized before the 2012 closed was that I would hear and watch others so easily verbalize love for their children, both dads and moms, and got to thinking why that was so difficult for me.

 

While not one for grand resolutions or new year’s goals, I decided to that 2013 would be the year that I say “love” more frequently, not in a way to degrade or cheapen the feeling, but to put “love” out there first, rather than be an unspoken understanding or a feeling that does not get communicated enough. I’m curious to see how this will personally change my interactions and relationships with others.

 

How about you, what will you work on this year? What about love?  The world can use a little bit more love, no?

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