Rebecca Dougherty, LCSW on Fox 2 News About Summertime Sadness! “Summertime Sadness” was a hit song by singer Lana Del Rey a few years ago. It is also a real medical condition that impacts two million people in the US. Most people are aware of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This condition occurs in the winter when the weather cools off, the amount of sunlight each day reduces, and people spend more time indoors. Summertime is a trigger for those who suffer from Summertime Seasonal Affective Disorder (Summertime SAD). When summer begins, those with Summertime SAD begin to experience depressive symptoms. Summer depression often include loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, weight loss, and anxiety. Medical experts are divided on the exact causes of the disorder, but many believe that it has to do with schedule changes in the summer for students and families, body image concerns due to pool/beach attire, and potentially financial worries due to vacation spending. Dr. Lena Pearlman, a mental health therapist in Creve Coeur, has the following advice and suggestions for those who feel depressive symptoms primarily in the summer, “Summertime sadness impacts people in much the same way that the winter version does. People feel tired, they are stressed, and they often have difficulty getting out of bed. My advice would be to seek out help from a licensed therapist, to plan ahead for the season, and to make certain to notify your primary care physician about the symptoms that you experience only during the summer.” For more information, people can reach Dr. Lena Pearlman and Associates by phone at: 314-942-1147, by e-mail at: bryan@stlmentalhealth.com or online at: www.STLmentalhealth.com.
10 Ways to Promote Positive Mental Health in Your Children By: Dr. Lena Pearlman, LCSW We receive many questions about what parents can do to help promote positive mental health in their children. Below please find 10 ways to promote positive mental health in your children: 1.) Sunlight Find outdoor activities to participate in with your children. Being inside all day, deprives our body of nature’s illumination. Serotonin is released in response to sunlight, which helps raise your energy level and mood. Sunlight deprivation can make a person feel sad and depressed. 2.) Role Model It is very important that you model positive mental health for your children. This includes helping them to observe you when you use positive coping skills to de-stress, relax, and calm down. 3.) Run, Skip, Hop & Move Your Body Exercise helps your physical and mental health in so many ways. Exercise alleviates anxiety. When exercising, the body releases endorphins – which creates feelings of happiness and euphoria. An additional benefit of exercise is that it boosts self-confidence. 4.) Breathe There are so many benefits to deep breathing! Breathing increases neurochemicals in the brain to elevate moods and combat physical pain. Breathing reducing excessive anxiety levels. As you relax your body, you will find that the breathing brings clarity and insights to you as well. 5.) Learn Something New Every Day (Even in the Summer) Having an “a-ha” moment and stimulating your brain has been shown to improve one’s outlook. It also feels good to have new knowledge or skills. This can be something as simple as learning something new on Khan Academy. 6.) Unplug There are many resources and tools that one can access online. As valuable and important as this can be, encourage your children to reduce “screen time” and to unplug. This is something that as a parent you can model for them as well. Find time at home to talk, eat meals, exercise, explore, and other activities that are technology free. 7.) Sleep Getting an adequate amount of sleep is critical for physical and mental health. People who are chronically sleep deprived can feel irritable, sad, angry, and lack motivation to do anything. 8.) Communicate Keep an open line of communication with your child. Help reinforce that you are there for them – even in the tough times. 9.) Happy Place Make sure that your child has a place to go to when they need to decompress, calm down, or reflect. This will give them time and a quiet place to work through a thought, situation, or conflict. They can then return when they are ready. 10.) Balance Help your child to have enough activities that keep them active and interested. Work hard to find balance between school, activities, family time, and time to relax. Over-programming your child can cause stress and an increase in anxious feelings. Perhaps create a list of activities that your child is interested in. Have your child rank their top few choices. You can then work with them to focus on a few of the high interest ones. —– Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates is a mental health therapy practice in St. Louis, Missouri. The practice has a team of six licensed therapists that provide therapy and counseling services to kids, teens, adults, couples, and families. Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates specializes in stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, and other mental health related issues and concerns. The practice can be reached by phone at: 314-942-1147, by email at: bryan@stlmentalhealth.com or on the web at: www.STLmentalhealth.com. The office is located at: 655 Craig Road, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63141. Our staff is here to answer your questions and to provide you information. This is all confidential. We’re Here To Help! Contact Us Today
By Dr. Lena Pearlman & Dr. Bryan Pearlman Data shows us that 90% of people who sought treatment for mental health related concerns reported an improvement in their symptoms and quality of life. National statistics also show that twice as many women go to therapy than men do. In addition, the amount of time between onset of a mental health concern and seeking out treatment is also twice as long for men than women. If we know that therapy is effective, why do men avoid going to therapy? Below are six reasons that guys avoid seeking out mental health therapy: 1.) Throw Some Dirt On It & Walk It Off! How many guys received this advice from their dad growing up? This could be in response to a sports injury, splitting up with a girlfriend or not doing well on a school project. Many guys were taught from a young age to just deal with it. 2.) Boys Don’t Cry! “Boys Don’t Cry” was a hit song by the British band – The Cure. This is also a message that guys have been taught for generations. Expressing feelings and emotions has been reserved for females. 3.) Stay Out of Our Business! There is a belief among many guys that health concerns, relationships, and family business are private. These are not to be shared with others. 4.) I’m Not Stopping & Asking For Directions. I Know Where I’m Going! Many family road trips featured the drive around until we maybe get to our destination. Some guys believe that they aren’t lost and don’t need help. This pertains to driving to a vacation getaway and also struggling through stress, depression or anxiety. It can be very challenging for guys to seek out help. 5.) No Big Deal. I’m Fine! When dealing with health or mental health related items, many guys downplay the symptoms and pain that they are feeling. To some guys, it is easier to avoid and downplay the issue than it is to admit there is something wrong and deal with it. 6.) I’m Not Singing Kumbaya, I Hate The Smell Of Essential Oils & I’m Not Laying On A Sofa Spilling My Guts To A Stranger There is definitely a misconception about what a modern therapist’s office looks like, feels like and what goes on in the office. While most offices won’t look like a man cave or a sports bar, they do more closely resemble a combination between a doctor’s office and a comfortable meeting space. So what do we do about this? How do we get more guys to go to therapy? What will it take for them to get the help that they need? There have been some successful public service campaigns targeted at taking away the stigma from mental health (particularly for a male audience). Pete Wentz (from the band Fall Out Boy) shares his struggles with depression and anxiety, Brandon Marshall (NFL wide receiver) created a PSA about his diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder, and Wayne Brady (Comedian/Actor) has spoken publicly about living with depression. More work needs to be done to get the message out to men that mental health is every bit as important in living a healthy life as physical health. This will take friends talking to friends and family talking to family. Let’s all work together to change guy’s perspective about mental health therapy. We’re Here To Help! Contact Us Today Our staff is here to answer your questions and to provide you information. This is all confidential. Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates is a mental health therapy practice in St. Louis, Missouri. The practice has a team of six licensed therapists that provide therapy and counseling services to kids, teens, adults, couples, and families. Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates specializes in stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, and other mental health related issues and concerns. The practice can be reached by phone at: 314-942-1147, by email at: bryan@stlmentalhealth.com or on the web at: www.STLmentalhealth.com. The office is located at: 655 Craig Road, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63141.
Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates provides confidential online therapy for Missouri residents. The team of 9 licensed therapists is available for appointments during the day, evening, and on Saturdays. This convenient therapy option is available from your home, office, or anywhere you can access the internet. The therapy can be accessed by computer or tablet and is very simple to use. The patient just goes to the provided web address and clicks on a link. They then have access to a licensed therapist. For more information, please contact – Dr. Bryan Pearlman by phone: 314-942-1147 or email: bryan@stlmentalhealth.com. Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates is a mental health therapy practice in St. Louis. The team of skilled and caring therapists specializes in stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, and other mental health related concerns. For more information about the practice, please visit: www.STLmentalhealth.com.
ST LOUIS THERAPIST ENCOURAGES A MENTAL HEALTH CHECKUP DURING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH (St. Louis, Missouri): May is mental health awareness month. St. Louis therapist, Dr. Lena Pearlman, is encouraging people to have a mental health checkup this month. Dr. Lena Pearlman stresses the importance of a mental health checkup, “One in four people will suffer from a mental health related issue in their lifetime. This may include anxiety, depression, stress, addiction, suicidal ideation, obsessive compulsive disorder, or other issue. Every person will be impacted by a friend or family member with a mental illness. Early detection and treatment can positively impact a person’s quality of life.” Mental health related issues are often not diagnosed or brought to the attention of a physician. Dr. Pearlman explains the cause of this, “People are screened for heart related items, cancer and other diseases. Society understands these physiological concerns and the treatments for them. Historically, mental health related items were viewed in a different light. There has often been a stigma attached to this. Due to this stigma, many people do not report their symptoms or seek out help. We are working very hard to change the perspective of mental health and ensure that people get the help that they need. This truly can be a life or death matter.” Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates is a team of nine mental health therapists in St. Louis, Missouri. The practice works with patients of all ages. They specialize in stress, depression, anxiety, relationships, and other mental health issues. Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates can be reached by phone: 314-942-1147, email: bryan@stlmentalhealth.com or online: www.STLmentalhealth.com. The office is located at: 655 Craig Road, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63141.
St. Louis Therapist, Dr. Lena Pearlman, Shares Information About Warm Weather Depression As the weather warms up, most people are excited to enjoy longer days, outdoor activities, and barbecues. There are, however, those that suffer from a form of depression that occurs in warmer weather. An estimated two million Americans suffer from a warm weather version of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Most people are aware of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This condition occurs in the winter when the weather cools off, the amount of sunlight each day reduces, and people spend more time indoors. Summertime is a trigger for those who suffer from Summertime Seasonal Affective Disorder (Summertime SAD). When summer begins, those with Summertime SAD begin to experience depressive symptoms. Summer depression often include loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, weight loss, and anxiety. Medical experts are divided on the exact causes of the disorder, but many believe that it has to do with schedule changes in the summer for students and families, body image concerns due to pool/beach attire, and potentially financial worries due to vacation spending. Dr. Lena Pearlman, a mental health therapist in the St. Louis, Missouri, has the following advice and suggestions for those who feel sad and experience depressive symptoms primarily in the warm weather months, “Summertime sadness impacts people in much the same way that the winter version does. People are sad, they feel down, they are stressed, they lack energy, and they often have difficulty getting out of bed. My advice would be to plan ahead for the season, seek out help from a licensed therapist, and make certain to notify your primary care physician about the symptoms that you experience only during the warm weather months. There is no reason to suffer alone. This condition can be treated and it is possible to begin to enjoy the warm weather months again!” For more information, people can reach Dr. Lena Pearlman and Associates by phone at: 314-942-1147, by e-mail at: bryan@stlmentalhealth.com or online at: www.STLmentalhealth.com. ### Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates is a team of seven mental health therapists in St. Louis, Missouri. The practice works with patients of all ages. They specialize in stress, depression, anxiety, relationships, and other mental health issues. The office is located at: 655 Craig Road, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63141.
8 Things To Do When You Are Feeling Down By: Dr. Lena Pearlman Feeling down, a bit lethargic, not wanting to get out of bed or just a bit sad? There are many things that you can do to feel better. The list of suggestions below is varied enough that you should find something of interest and something that works for you. 1) Channel Your Inner Monet or Renoir Whether you draw stick figures, dogs playing poker or a landscape, evidence suggests that this can help you feel more calm, relaxed, accomplished, and happy. You can even gain some of the same benefits by coloring in a coloring book. In fact, there are many coloring books developed now for adults. 2) Sing Do you enjoy singing in the shower, playing the air guitar or putting on headphones and jamming? If so, music has so many positive benefits for you. Music can help you relax, it can help you get up and dance and move around, and it can naturally make you feel happy. 3) A-Ha Moment Having an “a-ha” moment and stimulating your brain has been shown to improve one’s outlook. It also feels good to have new knowledge or skills. This can be something as simple as watching some Khan Academy clips. 4) Move Your Body Exercise helps your physical and mental health in so many ways. Exercise alleviates anxiety. When exercising, the body releases endorphins – which creates feelings of happiness and euphoria. An additional benefit of exercise is that it boosts self-confidence. 5) Write Moving your thoughts and feelings from your mind to paper helps you to process the past, be in the present, and plan for the future. Journaling brings you into a state of mindfulness. 6) Reduce the To-Do List The feeling of accomplishment is a very powerful way to overcome feelings of sadness or helplessness. These can be a series of small things that need to be done around the house. An added benefit is that these tasks will likely require getting up and moving around. 7) Turn O2 into CO2 There are so many benefits to deep breathing! Breathing increases neurochemicals in the brain to elevate moods and combat physical pain. Breathing reducing excessive anxiety levels. As you relax your body, you will find that the breathing brings clarity and insights to you as well. 8) Talk to someone Reconnect with an old friend or make a new friend. Talking with someone can help get your thoughts and feelings out. This may feel like the weight of the world has been removed from your shoulders. Often one realizes that whatever was making them feel down or sad, really is not as bad as they thought. It is also beneficial when you find out that there are others that may have dealt with something similar in their own life (and that they were able to move on). If the feelings continue for a prolonged period and/or if they begin to interfere with your ability to function at home, school or work, it is likely time that you should consider speaking with a professional. A therapist or counselor is skilled at helping people to overcome challenges, to help process their feelings, to plan for healthy coping strategies, and to assist in making a plan for improved mental health. — Dr. Lena Pearlman is the clinical director and lead therapist at Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates (www.STLmentalhealth.com). The practice has nine licensed therapists. The therapists specialize in stress, anxiety, depression and relationships – and work with patients of all ages, couples and families. You can reach Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates by phone at: 314-942-1147, by email at: bryan@stlmentalhealth.com, or online at: www.STLmentalhealth.com.
5 Reasons Why People Don’t Go To A Therapist or Counselor (When They Really Need To)… One in five people experience a mental health related concern each year. That amounts to approximately 65 million people. This group includes those experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges or more significant mental health concerns. Of that group, it is reported that only 41% seek therapy or counseling. Some argue that the 41% is overstated and that the actual figure is much smaller than that. If only a fraction of those experiencing a mental health concern seek therapy or counseling, it is concerning to think about what they are doing to cope with this health concern (if they are doing anything at all). There has been a great deal of research on why someone in need of care would not seeking assistance. Below are 5 possible reasons why people don’t go to a therapist or counselor (when they really need to): 1.) Ridin’ Solo Singer Jason Derulo had a hit song about eight years ago – “Ridin’ Solo”. The song was upbeat and fun to dance and sing along to. With lycris like, “I’m putting on my shades to cover up my eyes, I’m jumping in my ride, I’m heading out tonight, I’m solo, I’m riding solo, I’m riding solo, I’m riding solo, solo.” As upbeat and fun as the song was, riding solo when dealing with a mental health concern, is not the best strategy for improvement. A skilled therapist can help you process the past and the present, and help plan for the future. The therapist has no baggage and is an unbiased ear for you to speak with. In the mental health arena, it is better to have a teammate or coach to help you to move forward. 2.) I’m Not Crazy It is a popular misconception that crazy people seek out therapy. The majority of patients who seek out therapy are successful and highly functioning people. They are dealing with a stressor, a life issue, relationship concern, or other mental health related concern. In my practice, we see CEO’s of companies, pro athletes, medical personnel, educators, members of law enforcement, and people from just about every other line of work. We all need to do a better job of undoing the misconception of mental health only being for crazy people. 3.) I Don’t Have the Time The lack of time is a big reason why people say that they don’t seek out therapy. This is also a very popular reason why people don’t workout. Therapy is surprisingly not very time consuming. If a patient attends a therapy session for 55 minutes once per week, that amounts to less than 1% of the average person’s “awake” time during the week. Perhaps therapists should market their services differently. They should ask people, “If you could invest 1% of your week to feeling better, to be more successful, and to be happier in your relationships, would you do it?” 4.) Show Me The Money A common misconception is that therapy is expensive. Therapy is surprisingly affordable for the level of care that patients get and the amount of training, expertise, and experience that therapists have. 5.) Shhhhhhh. It’s A Secret! Some people avoid going to a therapist out of fear that their “secrets”, health information, or conversations will get back to their company, to relatives, or others. Therapists are required by law and their ethics code to keep information and conversations confidential (there are very few exceptions to this that relate to self-harm or the threat of harming others). So, if this has been an obstacle, it is time to schedule an appointment with a therapist. Rest easy, your secrets are safe with the therapist. Life is too short and we should all be happy, healthy, and productive. If you are currently, experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, challenges in your relationship, or other mental health related concern – take a few moments to find an experienced, skilled and caring therapist. They can help! —– We’re here to help! You can reach Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates by phone at: 314-942-1147, by email at: bryan@stlmentalhealth.com, or online at: www.STLmentalhealth.com. Dr. Lena Pearlman is the clinical director and lead therapist at Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates (www.STLmentalhealth.com). The practice has nine licensed therapists. The therapists specialize in stress, anxiety, depression and relationships – and work with patients of all ages, couples and families.
8 Ways To Minimize The Impact Of The Winter Blues Welcome to the frozen tundra, where the mercury drops, the sunlight escapes us, and frozen precipitation limits our movement. Naturally, this can make people feel a bit down, tired, and even stressed. In more severe cases, this can bring on a type of depression that is related to the changes in seasons. This type of depression is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or the “Winter Blues”. For most people that experience SAD, it begins in late fall and ends in early spring. Researchers estimate that up to 20% of the population experience weather related symptoms. There are some steps that people can take to minimize the impact of SAD: 1.) Exercise People who are used to walking, running, swimming or riding a bike outside tend to reduce their outdoor activity as the temperatures drop and precipitation (including the frozen stuff) increases. Exercise in any form has many benefits to your health and mood. It is very important to continue to exercise through the winter. This definitely will have a positive impact on your physical and mental health. 2.) Plan & Prepare Before winter begins, take some time to plan activities and strategies that will help to minimize the impact of the season change. Keeping active and busy can really be very beneficial to your health. A little preparation and thinking ahead can really help to improve a potentially challenging time of year. 3.) Vitamin D There is evidence that people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder have very low levels of Vitamin D. This is something worth discussing with your physician. They may recommend a supplement that includes Vitamin D. 4.) Sleeping Patterns People who are impacted by the changing seasons often have irregular or poor sleeping patterns when the weather outside turns to winter. Maintaining a regular schedule improves sleep and in turn positively impacts your health. 5.) Oils A number of people state that utilizing oils and aromatherapy can have a positive impact on their mood, outlook and sleeping patterns. This may help to reduce the symptoms of the winter blues. 6.) Sunlight Even though it is cold outside, having exposure to sunlight outside and also inside your home can really brighten your day and improve your mood. 7.) California Dreaming (or Florida) Getting away to a warm and sunny destination can have a very positive impact (even if it is only for a few days). 8.) Meet with a Professional A licensed therapist or counselor can assist you in reducing the impact of the winter weather on your mental and physical health. They have many tools and strategies to help you to overcome the feelings of being down, sad or blue. Dr. Lena Pearlman is the clinical director of Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates (STLmentalhealth.com). The practice specializes in stress, anxiety, depression and relationships. The team of eight therapists provides therapy and mental health counseling services to children, teens, adults, families and couples. For more information or to speak with a member of the team, please contact: Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates STLmentalhealth.com 314-942-1147 bryan@stlmentalhealth.com
“Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story.” – Josh Shipp Research was done to determine how someone became a doctor, lawyer, educator, scientist or successful business person – when they came from the highest at-risk group. These were kids and teens that were at the 99th percentile for risk of dropping out of school, becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol, incarceration, gang activity, or premature death. The researchers noted that these children and teens had several of the following attributes: living in poverty, incarcerated parent(s), high gang activity in the neighborhood, drugs in the household, a teenage parent, etc. So how do children and teens survive this environment? Beyond just surviving, how do they thrive and become very successful adults and rise above their circumstances? The variable present in almost 100% of these success stories is a “critical friend”. A critical friend is someone who would not let the student fail. This could be a neighbor, counselor, teacher, relative, coach, bus driver, etc. This individual looked out for them, checked-in on them very regularly, helped guide them, and made sure they stayed on the right path. They become their case manager and monitored their progress towards their goals. Another important thing that the critical friend did was provide hope for the future. They helped the child or teen to dream big, to navigate around obstacles, and supported them in reaching their goals. Being a critical friend for an at-risk child or teen does not have to be expensive, it does not require many hours, and you do not have to be an expert in any area. What it does require is commitment, empathy, love, and determination. The pay-off is huge. Our practice presents to teachers, counselors, principals, families and community members. We believe that it is so important that we make sure at-risk children and teens are on someone’s radar. They all deserve a critical friend and hope for a brighter future. Beyond presenting on this topic, we see several children and teens that are in this high-risk group. We provide counseling and therapeutic services to them. We also take on the role of a critical friend. Our team works very hard to help them with hope for the future. For more information, please contact: Dr. Bryan Pearlman, Practice Manager & Educator 314-942-1147 bryan@stlmentalhealth.com www.STLmentalhealth.com —– Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates is a mental health therapy practice in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. The practice specializes in stress, anxiety, depression, and relationships. The team of eight therapists provides counseling and therapy to patients of all ages, couples, and families.
