Nicole McNelis, LPC

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPBXgIcD7M2/

"I don't want a Hallmark card, I want a policy change."

Does your brain feel foggy lately? Having a hard time getting out of bed? Maybe feeling more irritable than usual? That's a normal reaction to the past year we've had and you're not alone. Here are some tips to fight the mental fog and exhaustion:

Toxic positivity can be so harmful... especially for moms.

It's Maternal Mental Health Week!

Great article about steps to take when feeling overwhelmed!

"What is the impact of all this screen time on our kids?" It's a question that I wish I had the answer to... both personally as a parent and professionally as a therapist. Although I don't have the answers, this podcast is the most nuanced and thoughtful discussion of the topic that I've heard. The host is a parent and clearly shares much of our parental concerns about kids facing screens all day long for nearly a year now. The guests are two experts (a tech report...er and a pediatrician) who offer advice based on research, but most importantly they are also parents - and so they hold back on judgement and lean into empathy. So what did I get out of listening? This is hard... really hard.... all of it - pandemic parenting and pandemic schooling. We need to make peace with all of this technology that is here to stay and we need to find new ways to measure its usefulness and its possible negative impacts. We are all doing the best that we can and most days survival is enough. It's a good reminder for all of us - myself included. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-point/id121534955

"As much as parents are straining, Fisher said, they are also showing incredible resilience themselves, and their children are learning from those tiny moments scattered across so many months. During Zoom calls for his work, he said his colleagues are juggling these impossible tasks work, kids and life. Parents are the true heroes of this pandemic, he said." https://www.pbs.org//how-to-help-kids-build-resilience-ami

Therapy is pretty amazing. Hearing stories like this truly warm my therapist heart. What an honor to share in the lives of others in this deep and profound way.

Excited to be included on this list! So much great parenting advice here! Take a moment to check it out!

You could just ride the winter out on the couch, but psychologists say it's important in 2021 to keep up human contact. Here are nine ways to socialize safely.