Exercise and Mental Health: 3 Biological Benefits of Physical Activity
Katie McLaughlin, LPCC Katie McLaughlin, LPCC

Exercise and Mental Health: 3 Biological Benefits of Physical Activity

At some point or another, I am sure you have heard about the great benefits of exercise, especially for improving and maintaining mental health. Sometimes hearing something is beneficial isn’t enough of a reason to give it a shot, so here are 3 backed-by-research reasons why exercise improves our mental and emotional well-being.

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The Secret to “Controlling” your Emotions
Katie McLaughlin, LPCC Katie McLaughlin, LPCC

The Secret to “Controlling” your Emotions

When we feel emotional pain and it feels like it will never end, it is not necessarily that first emotion that is causing us distress. It definitely could be, don't get me wrong. We humans certainly have the capacity to experience incredibly painful emotions, each of which are valid to experience no matter the circumstances. The aspect of this pain cycle that I want to focus on, though, is our secondary reaction.

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Breathing Techniques For Stress Management
Katie McLaughlin, LPCC Katie McLaughlin, LPCC

Breathing Techniques For Stress Management

The good news is that there are so many different ways to regain control of your breathing, therefore increasing feeling calm and grounded. One of the options you have is to practice something called Belly Breathing. Basically this is simply a practice of sending your breath all the way down to your lower abdomen, rather than breathing solely into your chest.

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5 Easy Ways to Practice Mindfulness
Katie McLaughlin, LPCC Katie McLaughlin, LPCC

5 Easy Ways to Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Another popular term floating around these days that advertises incredible life change. But what is mindfulness and how can it really change your life? Let’s start with the basics.

Mindfulness is a state of being present and aware in the moment. With all of the chaos that life tends to bring, this idea of being still enough to even notice what’s around you may seem out of reach.

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