Theminority stress modelis a social research and public health model designed to help us better understand the lived experiences of people of oppressed communities. The model posits that within the social structure of a particular culture or society, certain (oppressed) groups experience greater incidents of minority stress (based on race, sexuality, gender, disability, etc.) in the form of prejudice and discrimination. As a result of those experiences, members of oppressed communities experience greater negative health outcomes than majority group communities....

It’s hard to keep an eye on your spending during the holidays — especially if you’re already broke. Being broke sucks, especially during December, when every store is clamoring for your credit card, your gift-list is long, and you’re invited to a half-dozen holiday happy hours. If you’re panicking as the season approaches, you’re not alone: almosthalf of Americans stress about finances. But digging yourself deeper into debt will only cause more problems later on....

Updated December 16, 2020 This year has been an especially difficult one. With Covid-19 taking upward of 250,000 lives and still counting, it’s possible that one of your loved ones was included in that number. Or maybe you lost a beloved family member or dear friend due to gun violence or a long fought battle with cancer. Regardless of how your person died, the firsts are always the hardest: the first holidays, birthday, anniversaries, and milestones without them....

A few years ago, I was having a difficult time with a family member of mine. We have a history of relationship struggles. Without going into too much detail, I feel that this person was emotionally manipulative and verbally abusive to me when I was a child. The more recent conflict was reminiscent of some of those past behaviors, and I was feeling extremely triggered and upset. But I’m not a child any longer and I’ve done a lot of work on myself over the years....

I used to believe that relaxing was a complete waste of time. If I’m feeling anxious — I would think to myself — then why would I elect to spend my time doing “nothing” when I could use that time to cross things off my to-do list and make the anxious feelings go away? Isn’t solving this problemright nowthe only way for me to feel better? According to theAnxiety and Depression Association of America, approximately 40 million American adults — roughly 18% of the population — have an anxiety disorder....

Ever get theSunday Scaries? That pit in your stomach when you realize the weekend is over and you have to go back to work on Monday? Or that feeling of dread when you examine the to-dos for the week ahead and aren’t sure how you are possibly going to get everything done? A lot of people look for monday motivation to start the week off strong. And they aren’t alone. “It’s a big transition from a warm, cozy bed to the reality of our new day,” said Elizabeth Hinkle, LMFT and Talkspace therapist....

Marriage isn’t always easy — that’s probably why so many of us are looking for some words of wisdom as we move through the wild ride of maintaining a healthy partnership. Luckily we’ve got you covered. We’ve compiled some funny, inspiring — but most of all, honest — quotes about marriage that will remind you why you signed up for this partnership in the first place. Let thesemarriagequotes help you remember the pleasure and excitement that made you fall in love to begin with....

Therapists are wise. They listen with an attentive and well-trained ear. They help guide you through stressful situations at work, new romances, breakups, family drama. Your therapist is impartial, helping you through big challenges — dealing with past trauma — and smaller things, like figuring out how to improve your morning routine. Even the illustrious Kerry Washington loves therapy, as she mentioned in an article in Essence in 2009. “Learning how to love myself and my body is a lifelong process....

Updated 4/29/2021 What comes to mind when you think of a psychiatrist? A patient lying on a long leather couch? An imposing-looking doctor in a lab coat, scratching away at a notepad? Psychiatry and prescriptions onlineReceive an evaluation and prescription for mental health medication (if needed) from a psychiatry-trained medical provider.Get started Psychiatry and prescriptions onlineReceive an evaluation and prescription for mental health medication (if needed) from a psychiatry-trained medical provider....

Updated on 5/18/2022 Psychiatric medication can be an incredibly useful tool when dealing with acute mental health symptoms that impact your ability to function. While some people need meds for chronic mental illnesses or a chemical imbalance, most people on antidepressants or anti-anxiety prescriptions need them only forshort-term support. Mental health professionals, myself included, recommend that those who take psychiatric meds do so in conjunction with psychotherapy, especially when making the decision and actually coming off of the medication....

It might seem like society has made huge strides in terms of body positivity —and in some senses, we have. We’re now way more likely to see unretouched images in ad campaigns, many brands are becoming more size inclusive, and e-commerce sites are using models who aren’t a traditional sample size. All of these are certainly steps in the right direction. When it comes to fat acceptance, though, we still have a long way to go....

In a culture that’s often defined as “me, me, me,” we’re also intent to “give, give, give.” Crowdfunding campaigns like GoFundMe and Kickstarter generate about$17 billion annually in North Americaalone — 33.7 percent more than last year. The top 100 largest U.S. charities received$49 billion in giftsin 2018. And we’re not just giving financially. Americans, 63 million of them, volunteer approximately8 billion hours of timeto non-profit organizations annually. So why do we so willingly share our time, talent, and treasure?...

This holiday season, explore how you can avoid some of the financial stress for once. Combating the Financial Stress of the Holidays While everyone’s financial situation is different, methods of managing money around the holidays are applicable to everyone. To keep the stress at bay, try these tips from Talkspace therapist Amy Cirbus, PhD, LMHC: Avoiding Holiday Burnout Burnout can occur in many forms, financial and otherwise, especially during the busy holiday season....

Updated on 3/2/21 Everyone has their comfort object. For some it’s a childhood stuffed animal or blanket; for others it’s an essential oil diffuser or white-noise machine, a favorite book or meaningful piece of jewelry. But for many people, the thing that they turn to in times ofstress,anxiety, or sadness is food. When we find ourselves emotionally eating, it’s a destructive catch-22: sometimes we may be overeating because we can’t find control in other areas of our lives, but when we overeat we feel out of controlbecauseof the eating....

Updated on 3/2/21 Starting therapy can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t feel ready. When life goes wrong, it’s hard to imagine piling on another stressful task. On the other hand, when life goes well, it’s easy to put therapy off. As atherapist, I see first hand the benefits of clients starting before they maybe feel completely ready. Here’s why you should start, even if you’re not quite ready to face your demons....