Category: Mental Health

All Mental Health Articles

Where to begin: The process of #PositiveThinking.

In life,… OoooChild! In life we go through sooooo much. ONE thing I can tell you on this Post is that the way you choose to think after something happens, its what you make of it. You can make a hard situation harder, or you can acknowledged that something good may come out of that situation.

Here are Five simple steps to help you begin your positive Journey:

1. OBSERVE the positive: 

Take a moment and ask yourself what are the people, things, behaviors and words that people say that are positive, and leave it at that (for now). Don’t go all worry wards and begin to think of the negative. Keep it at the positive. If you are a people watcher, don’t be jelly or caddy… really acknowledged and observe what makes people, your surrounding, the people around you positive.

Avoid saying, for Example: I love that about you, BUT i …. or I think thats awesome BUT… see what happens is that BUT negates everything you said before that was positive. Keep it simple. I like that. I love your sense of style. I like how you cook.  NOT,I like how you cook BUT you could have added more salt. You know what people are saying to themselves when you say that? Here it goes… They are saying… “well darn it! you cook and how about you put your own damn salt!” You know most are. However, if you just say I liked your cooking. They will think “Oh she/he appreciates my co” AND do it genuinely. Because people can tell when you are faking it. (yes and this is just step one).

Summary of one: Keep it simple (unlike what I just did…LOL) I like….I think (insert positive).

2. Positive Writing

Take a journal and every morning or evening or lunch time… take 10-20 minutes to write down what you observed that was positive. What you witnessed that was positive. If you have children, write down the positives, if you have a spouse, write down hers/his positives down. Write down your positives. Again, let go of the worry or the “buts” and the “what ifs” and focus ONLY on the positives. It takes practice, you nor am I perfect… but you can do this.

Mental note helps. More so, by actually writing it, you are allowing your body to become synced with your positive thoughts. You are now feeling the positive. You are feeling the pen or pencil that is in fact putting out what you are thinking and making it more concrete. More real, it is no longer just a thought. It’s on paper.

*For families here is an idea: Take a paper lunch bag, have everyone design it in a family setting and everyday place a POSITIVE note (ONLY) in your family’s lunch bag. At the end of the day or week, read what awesome things your family members have thought about you.

3. Talk the Positive you observed and wrote.  

Positive Self-Statements

First and up most, learn to give yourself a positive kudo. SOMETIMES…MOST TIMES if you are not saying, thinking, feeling positives about yourself, then you probably are not saying positives about others. Just saying… its known to be a behavioral pattern.

So begin with Positive self-statements.  I like what I’m wearing, I like that I can laugh, I like that I’m learning to be a positive person… Use “I” statements, And throw in some (a lot of)  Love… I love that I am a good woman/man. I love that I am alive, I love that I can cook, clean, do an awesome job (insert your job/work duties here) and I love that I can say I love! 🙂

4. Continue to talk positives. 

Positive Statements 

Now, steps three and four are usually interchanged. Why? because (based on providing therapeutic experience)  most people who don’t think positive can talk about other’s positives first before talking about themselves or admitting their awesome-ness to their selves. And that is awesome. AS LONG as you work on your self too! I mean how can you tell someone their are awesome, and not see yourself for being awesome. That saying, “It takes one to know one?” well… it takes an awesome person to acknowledge an awesome person. Its in you.

Tell being what you see that’s awesome about them or something they like. I tend to be random because it makes people smile. I usually say “I think that dress, tie, looks good on you. Your rocking’ it!” Of course if i thinking it too. I have to be honest, most women tend to be able to give other women props for looking good. And it may be seen different with men. But hey! if your single ready to mingle, stroke that ego! stroke that ego!!! LOL

and Lastly

5. Believe in the positive. 

Have conversations in a positive format. 

Sometimes we lose practice of observing, recognizing, acknowledging, admitting, stating, reporting, living ours and other’s positivity that we become brittle folks. Don’t become a Brittle folk! Enjoy life. I mean your breathing for goodness sakes! Make sure you take advantage of that. Live, believe it and show it! I mean I’m Thirty *cough cough* something and I can’t believe I’m already in my thirties. now imagine you, you are either younger or more Mature (yeah you know you liked that!) than me, so make it good. Make it happen! Make is positive! Make it you! Make it life.

and

Smile (if you want to)

Jes Sofia Valle 

Emotionally Ready for School

By Renata Klabacha, LMFT

Whether it’s first day of preschool or first semester of college, children experience a wide range of emotions about returning to school; anxiety, excitement, hope and fear. It’s important to have a conversation to normalize and validate all their feelings.
Many kids are excited and look forward to seeing friends that they haven’t seen during the summer. They get to catch up and share summer adventures. Some children might be nervous to make new friends after a move while others worry that old friends won’t like them anymore. Parents can assure children that many kids feel the same and review how to make or keep friends. The Golden Rule applies to all ages; be kind, friendly, respectful and most of all be themselves. Have your child identify qualities that they possess that others appreciate and enjoy. As your child recognizes these characteristics their self-confidence and self-worth with grow, melting away any fears.
Children also worry about their academic performance. Again validate and normalize their fears. Remind your child that the school’s job is to challenge them and build on their previous knowledge. Explain to your child, that you expect them to have some struggles. This is normal and learning something new can be very difficult. Have your child identify times that they have struggles with an activity and how it got easier as they keep trying. Children with learning disabilities can be very sensitive to any criticism. Inform the teacher of the child’s learning struggles early on and maintain in contact throughout the school year to assure your child is getting the attention he or she needs. With your child, create a list of people who can help and encourage your child to ask for help often. Praise them when they do ask for help. Remind children that they are not competing with other students, they are completing with themselves.
Unfortunately children who have been bullied fear and hate going back to school. Empower your child by role-playing ways to use their voice and stand up to bullies. If your child struggles to protect themselves, reach out to teachers, school staff, and administration for assistance. Outside of school, enroll your child in an activity that makes them feel strong and confident. Any type of martial arts can make a huge difference. It helps a child learn how to physically defend themselves. Rarely, do children use their new martial arts skills to hurt others, since it is not a part of the philosophy. This allows them to better access the situation with the bully, know when to walk away, and brush off any insults; which will make them a less desirable target for bullies. Have your child pass it on, by aiding friends or other students who are also being bullied.
Lastly, find school programs or sports that match your child’s interests. It will build a connection to the school while providing support for parents and student. Assuring that the child will be involved in positive activities.

Mental Health Month

Thursday, May 1

“Speak Up for Kids” #ISpeakUp Selfie Project

APA is partnering with the Child Mind Institute for the third year of the “Speak Up for Kids” campaign. APA staff and the association’s followers on Twitter and Facebook will be encouraged to take pictures of themselves holding a sign (PDF, 163KB) completing the sentence “I speak up because…” with why they care about children’s mental health. Supporters can share their photos on their own personal networks using the #ISpeakUp hashtag. APA followers’ messages will be shared on APA social networks throughout the month of May.

Sunday, May 4

“How to Tell When a Kid is Struggling” Webinar, 7-8 p.m. (EDT)

APA and the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) are hosting a webinar for PTA members entitled “How to Tell When a Kid is Struggling Emotionally.” APA Executive Director for Professional Practice Katherine Nordal, PhD, will open the discussion. Rockville, Md.-based clinical psychologist Mary Alvord, PhD, will talk with parents, educators and youth-serving professionals about how to recognize when a youth is struggling and what to do when you know a child or teen needs help.

Tuesday, May 13

Finding Answers #EquityChat, 2-3 p.m. (EDT)

APA will co-host a Twitter #EquityChat on health disparities affecting boys and men in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Finding Answers initiative. Wizdom Powell, PhD, an APA member and expert on African-American men’s mental health, will lead the discussion. Powell is chair of the APA Working Group on Health Disparities in Boys and Men.

Wednesday, May 14

Blogging for Mental Health

Psychologists writing for APA’s public education blog, Your Mind, Your Body, invite people to share their stories related to mental health and emotional wellness.

Thursday, May 15

Community Forum on Substance Abuse and Mental Health, Chicago School of Professional Psychology, 901 15th St., NW, Washington, D.C., 5:30-7:30 p.m. (EDT)

The APA Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs will sponsor a community forum through its Ethnicity and Health in America Series to raise awareness about the physiological impact of substance abuse and addiction among Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. Hosted in partnership with the Chicago Professional School of Psychology, the D.C. Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs, the National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse and faculty members from nearby institutions, the event will focus on mental health, substance abuse/addiction and barriers to treatment.

Wednesday, May 21

Mind the Gap: Integrating Physical & Mental Health Care, Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, 3-5 p.m. (CDT)

Panelists will discuss improving mental health care for youth and families, benefits of collaborative care for mental and physical health and actions to address the challenges of integrated care. APA member Cathy Mavrolas, PhD, chief psychologist and director of training in psychology, LaRabida Children’s Hospital in Chicago, will be among the panelists. The Child Mind Institute is sponsor of the event.

The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA’s membership includes nearly 130,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people’s lives.

STRESSED because they are because they are Poor? Or poor because they are stressed?

By Brandale D. Randolph

THERE ARE TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ON THE LINK

BETWEEN POVERTY AND CHRONIC STRESS.

While both have are based on elements of research based facts, neither on there are conducive towards efforts to reducing the effects of poverty on our society. To some the debate about whether chronic stress causes poverty or poverty causes chronic stress is as rhetorical as the one about the chicken and the egg. However, just as Neil deGrasse Tyson infamously laid waste to that debate by stating that the egg came first but it was laid by something that was not a chicken, I will attempt to do so to this debate.

On one hand, if one believes that poverty causes stress, they may also inversely believe that not being poor will end the stress, then the solution will be aimed at the poverty, not the stress. Thus, is one believes that poverty is simply financially related, the efforts may be geared towards making those in poverty richer.

If one believes that poverty is simply a mindset they may be aimed at changing the way that the people whom are in poverty think about the stress they are under. Both fail because the focus is primarily on the individual and not their environment or the set of circumstances that may surround them. The logical flaw is exposed in the asking of one single question, if one were to rid a person of their ‘poverty’ but leave them in the same environment would that alleviate the stress?

Maybe, for a select few, but for many, no, the stress would simply return in another form. Therefore, the environment must also change. On the other hand, if one believes that stress causes poverty, they may also believe that the reduction of stress would help reduce the effects of poverty on the individual. Therefore the primary focus becomes on the stress and not on the individual themselves.

But that leads to other questions how is this stress being defined? Is this stress internal? It could be, it researched and proven that people who live in poverty often suffer from lower feelings of self-worth and personal value, which often then leads to self-destructive behavior. Or is it external? People who live in poverty are more prone to violent crime, food insecurity, homelessness and other health issues.

As in the other situation, the flaw lies in a single question; if you were to change the environment and alleviate many of the stress placed on people in poverty would this help alleviate their poverty? In most cases, if changing one’s environment does not always lead to changing that person themselves. In this case the stressful environment may be altered but the poverty may remain. Therefore, the individual in poverty must change in accordance with his environment.

So let’s go back to the original question does stress cause poverty or does poverty cause stress? The answer is simply that while poverty and stress do go hand in hand, the origin of stress and poverty lie, outside of each other and not within.

Stress is based on our personal perception of our environment and experiences. Two people can endure the same experience; however one may see the experience as a life or death scenario, while the other may not feel that the experience is any threat at all to their existence. Thus, the stress felt by both individuals will be different. While it may have some influence, personal income does not dictate we view our experiences. It may increase the possibility for more positive experiences but there is not guarantee that a richer person will interpret a stressful environment any different from a poorer person.

Part of the answer, is understanding that it is our personal experiences that give us the lens from which we view life. The other part of the answer is in understanding that poverty exists based on greed, not income or a mindset. Poverty exits because in a world of limited valuable financial resources, poverty occurs because one set of humans, have placed a lesser value on the labor, resources and culture of another set of humans.

This is done out of greed and simply for maximized profit. In much the same way that the greatest Kings used slave labor, our wealthiest corporations pay minimum wages. Poverty is based on this, not on stress. Stress does not create poverty, greed does. Therefore long as there is greed, there will be poverty. The remaining part of the answer lies in understanding that the solution to poverty is never within the effects of poverty but outside it among environments where the effects of poverty do not exist.

So in combining the two, the answer to the question of whether poverty causes stress or is stress causes poverty, lies in its own ‘mutant chicken’, greed. Because greed was the culturally accepted solution to the stress that some humans had in the desire to be valued above other groups of humans, poverty was created and because of the existence of institution that further that poverty, the greedy are shielded from the stress that poverty causes. While these institutions are then seen by the poor as solutions to their stress, they were established ultimately to preserve the wealth of the greedy.

Brandale D. Randolph is a blogger, advocate and author of “Me & My

Broke Neighbor: The 7 Things I Learned About Success Just By Living

Next To Him…” and the forthcoming book “The Giant Sinkhole Called

Poverty” due Spring 2013. He also co-founder and executive director

of Project: Poverty, a non-profit organization that seeks permanent

solutions to the effects of poverty on our society. He is a guest

lecturer and public speaker on issues related to poverty. For booking

information more info go to https://about.me/brandaledrandolph or at

brandale.randolph@projectpovertyonline.org.

#Recovery after #Surgery



It is hard to go through a surgery. It is like learning another language. It can be easy and difficult. But all depends on you. The way you see things, the way you interact with the people who are there to help you advance while you recover. 


Here are some Tips to help you with your recovery: 

1. Chillax 

This means calm down and relax. You are in recovery for a reason. It means you are healing from something, wheather it is a physical ailment, such as a broken bone, or surgery, or some sort of trauma, its good to take some time to focus on your body. This includes your mental health.  

This (I can attest) is one of the biggest things that many can have trouble with…What is this sitting down and not doing nothing? It may be foreign for some, but welcome to learning a new language.  Allowing your body and mind to be in sync is the number one thing one HAS to allow to do in order to heal correctly. Make sure you follow your doctors orders on what exercises to do, and what you “can’t do.” 

It takes time to get use to the not doing much while you are not doing your exercises, but you can read book and write, and even play uno with your people. 

2. Listen to your doctor. 
This is one person you have to trust to continue to work well. This person, or people or group of doctors are there for your own good. They are there to make sure that you are able to continue to recuperate, even tho they may annoy you when they tell you not to do something, or that you are doing something too much. 

I know I trust my doctors with my life… 

3. Follow the rules. 
The whole… rules are meant to be broken does not exists in this time of your life. Well, at least not yet. Rules where done because there is something about rules that will keep you safe, wheather is it no bubble baths for a month, or no walking too much or too fast. Or Don’t bend, bend 1/4 of the time, raise your leg, don’t do yoga because you might break open your incision…. they are endless, follow them.

4. Allow people in your life. 
If there is anything that I have learned the hard way is that there will be people who want to help you and be there for you. You just have to say ok. For instance the last time I was going through treatments for my spine, I had friends who would be there for me, but I never let them in. I had men wanting to take care of me and I pushed them away. I learned not to push anyone away. And I also learned that there are the type of people who really and truly want to help you will stay and make sure that you get help too. It goes both ways. Recently, (a few years) I began to be with a group of friends that taught me what friendship was, they found out what was wrong with me, came to me to the ER when I told them I was going through hard time, and other friends came with me to the doctors. They taught me that I needed to tell someone what was going on and allow them to be with me through the hard times. 
You learn who wants to be in your life through the hard times. You learn who wants you in their life after surgery. 

5. Keep your mind busy. 
Just because you can’t move, or shouldn’t move or are told not to move, that does NOT mean that you cannot keep your mind busy. Other than getting a GREAT 8 hours or more of sleep. While you are up, in some pain, reading a book always allows your mind to be distracted from pain. Puzzles from the newspaper, writing down your thoughts, poetry. If your thoughts are too dark, call someone to talk to and make you laugh. You know who your funny friends are, reach out and allow them to make you happy. I recommend that you keep your spirits up. Your mood does have a lot to do with how you heal. If you need to go to therapy, then go. Also, there are some therapist that go to your home, if you cannot go to them for some reason. 
6. Music. 
Listen to music that makes you glad you are alive, and that you like. If the music you listen to is negative and about how you will not do well…. well guess what? Yup, it won’t help you. 

7. Family. 
Some are good, some are no good. You know them better, trust your instinct. I know I’ve counted on my family for a lot of my life. I love them and sometimes you would be surprised who in your family will be there when times get hard. 
8.  Less stress 
Its time to have less stress… if you are not allergic, place some candles in the evening and medicate/Pray whatever you feel comfortable with. 

9. Listen to your doctors. And go to appointments. 

10. Listen to your doctors. 


Smile (if you want to…) 

Jes Sofia

#Adjust to #Change

We are creatures that Move. We move home, apartments, cities, jobs, states, we drive too much and we sit too much too. So what do we do when our “routine” has changed?

Here are some tips to help you Adjust to your new ways.

1. Look for the things you like in your new surrounding area. They may not have your favorite things, but they may have something better. Remember its how you perceive things. If you like your shrimp and veggies, find a place that gives you shrimp and veggies. If you like Trader Joes, then look for a Trader Joes.  Don’t be afraid to try out new things too… part of change is experiencing what you didn’t have before and now you do.

2. Make sure you know where the police station around your new surrounding is at. Safety is always important. Know the hospitals etc. God forbid you need to go one, but its always good to know “just in case.”

3. Take pics of your surroundings. I’m not saying post them on Facebook or Instagram. I’m saying, learn to love where you are around. Find the details that allow you to look for, search the beauty of where you are at. I’ve learned to look at nature. AND I love pictures so it goes hand in hand.

4. Let people who you trust know where you are at. This way, just in case you go off the rid… you have someone know where you are at (Again, safety).

5. Traffic. I know here in Los Angeles (where I’m from) we have traffic at various hours of the day, and other times, we don’t. It all depends on where you are at and where you want to go. use traffic finders to seek what routs would allow you to get to your daily and “normal” routs faster and more efficiently. The last thing you want to do is stay in traffic after a hard days work and you come home to your new place and start to hate it because of it… Oooo child!

6. Enjoy your new change. Accept the fact that you are growing, allowing change in your life and being at one with you and yours.

7. Sit in your new place and allow the good vibes to come on in.

8. Drink water. And DECORATE it pretty to your liking (if you want).

9. Relax as much as possible.

10. Smile.

Hope this helps some.
I talk from experience.

Smile (if you want to).

Jes Sofia 

5 New Year Resolutions You DEFINITELY want to make for 2014

By Brandise Brockington

In a media driven, beauty inundated society, we are pressured to work on our outside appearances, and sometimes, our insides, the true essence of who we are, can be in serious need of T.L.C.

While pursuing a new diet, to get rid of those holiday pound cakes, or starting a new workout regime, add these tips for use in the New Year, and all year long as well.

  1. Pursue Peace:

Our lives can get very busy! Work, Relationships, Responsibilities….all of these can leave us wiped out and stressed out. What can you schedule into your list of busy life demands that fosters your peace? I say schedule, because it has to be non negotiable. Here are a few ideas: a walk on the beach, sing in the shower, get a pedicure, read a book….

  1. Love Yourself:

Sounds easier said than done, but I mean it in a balanced way. Love your strengths, be aware of your weaknesses, and celebrate whom you are and how far you have come. Don’t spend any time comparing yourself to someone else’s journey. I have always believed that true beauty radiates from the inside out, and we can’t truly love others, until we love ourselves.

  1. Forgive:

Yes I said it! When you read this, was there a certain person whose face came to mind? Is there a situation that happened last year, or before, that still boils your blood?   I read once, that forgives is like drinking poison, and expecting the other person to die. Isn’t that crazy? Forgiveness is for YOU, not them. Forgiveness means you release the offending party in your HEART, so that you can be healthy. It in no way justifies or makes acceptable whatever they have done to you. You may need to find someone to help you walk through this process, but I promise you, in the end, you will be healthy and whole inside!

  1. Laugh Loud and Laugh Often:

Did you know that laughter is good medicine? Have you ever had one of those good laughs, the ones that make you cry? I have a friend, and she is soooo funny! When she calls me, it’s usually to tell some silly thing that happened to her, and we literally are crying tears of joy on the phone! Sometimes, it’s just those moments that are so timely, and extremely effective in relieving stress.   I also remember once having an awful break up. I was so sad. I called that same friend’s mom because I needed some advice on how to cope. She told me to watch some part of my favorite funny movie everyday, even if it was just a few minutes. It helped! It got my mind off of the break up, and I felt better! Laughter is healing!

  1. Focus on the Positive:

Let’s face it; it’s much easier to focus on what’s WRONG. Turn on the news, and the reports are filled with the negative and horrible things that happened today in your neighborhood, and around the world.   We have to put forth effort to find the good, and focus on that. I am not suggesting that we live in a happy bubble, ignoring problems that arise. Make yourself write a list of the 5 things that went RIGHT today. Also, make a jar, and for every good thing that happens to you in 2014, make a note and drop it in the jar. Fill the jar with positive quotes as well. When you are having a bad day, pull something out, and remind yourself to focus on the positive.

Beauty radiates from the inside out. Let’s spend 2014 working on our hearts, minds, and our spirit. Here’s to a beautiful 2014!

BOH Beauty

Brandise is a stylist working from Hawaii to New York. She is an advocate for children and health as she knows that Self-esteem is concern in the Beauty community.

Born and raised in Hawaii, Brandise has always had a passion for all things beauty. Brandise recalls, “I remember playing in my grandmother’s make up as often as I could when I was a little girl. And I have always been the family hairstylist for as long as I can remember.”

Brandise specializes in bringing excellence and simplicity to the complex beauty process. She is adept at bringing beauty to your everyday life, and enhancing that beauty for special occasions.

Mental Illness and Mental Health: The Psychoeducation of the difference between.

So what is the difference between Mental illness and Mental health?
Mental Illness: According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (2013, nami.org) a mental illness is a medical condition that disrupts a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.
Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible.
Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan.
So what is Mental Health?
Mental health, as defined by the Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health, “refers to the successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity.”
Mental health refers to our cognitive, and/or emotional wellbeing; is how about how we think, feel and behave. Mental health, if somebody has it, can also mean an absence of a mental disorder. Mental health also includes a person’s ability to enjoy life – to attain a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience  (October 19, 2013, Newstoday.com).
Jes Notes:
One thing I find that I psychoeducate a lot about is that a mental illness, because there are different types, can be like the Cold or flu, at some point someone has had a mental illness. A big one being anxiety. I have yet to see a human not have anxiety in this lifetime. It’s a normal response to life sometimes. It’s a natural response to help you alert you… What then makes it an illness is when you don’t know how to work through it.  And note I said THROUGH it. Because just like a cold or flu, it is a process. You have to let the symptoms takes its course. And No, I am not saying that a mental illness is a virus. It’s a simile.  So let me give you another example, Its like having headaches… it’s a response to your body that alerts you, that makes you see that something is off your personal balance.
You see, people who live, that would be us… go through life and push through and are resilient and make things happen, because we are “health” that does not obtain us from having anxiety when we are stressed or sadness when someone passes. All these things being, it is a “normal” response to how our body reacts to pain.
It’s when it gets out of “control” that we begin to suffer with the Mental illness labels.  If you don’t rest and you keep chugging with a simple cold, it can turn into pneumonia (label) right?  So a mental illness is the same.
As a psychotherapist, I’m constantly psychoeducating how a mental illness is not a fault of anyone. It’s an illness. Just like the flu where you have to rest up and take meds if you need to and then try to sort it all out and get better. It takes time, want and patience. Just like a lot of things we already go through in this world.
I hope this gives you a little bit of new or supportive knowledge.
Kindly,
Jes Sofia 
Disclaimer: If you do need help, please seek it. Call your physician, doctor, mental health therapist, advocate, 911 if it is emergent, or contact your local NAMI offices for support. 

World Mental Health day Chat. check it out!

 

Check out who was part of World Mental Health Chat!

https://storify.com/JesSofiaValle/mental-health-and-mental-illness-chat?utm_source=embed_header

Mental Health & Mental Illness Chat

October 10, 2013 5:00 PM PDT / 8:00 PM EST World Mental Health Day Chat with @Bloggerofhealth, Helping Create Mental Illness and Mental Health Awareness

My Affair…. with Dove


I love my Hair! 

Tis true. I think, taking care of my hair is the most time consuming part of getting ready for me. Granted I get ready pretty fast…(so I think..LOL).  But I do know and think is that taking care of myself is a big part of staying Mentally Prepared for my day. Because when I take care of me first, I can take care of everyone else better. So Taking care of me is very important. There is more to its than looking cute. 

So what does one do when they have frizzy long hair? Well, I will be honest. This is my to do list I do to keep my hair healthy as possible… 


1.  I wash my hair with Dove’s Hair Therapy. 


2. Brush it while its still wet 

3. Towel dry it and let the hair be damp dry. 

4. Add some Style+Care Frizz-Free Shine  Cream-Serum 
and let the hair dry out. 

Usually I let my hair air dry but If I have to then I’ll use my hair dryer to help it dry up a little bit. Still leaving it moist because I don’t like it all dry. 

After my hair is dry I place it in a Swirl Bun. (Is when you swirl you hair and make it into a bun). And a few hours later I have curls and bounce, soft and good smelling hair. Another reason why I don’t like to do too much to my hair is because If i add curls or dry it up with the blow dryer I get a burnt smell. 
And then I have this! I like to use my Self Friend pictures because I’m about keeping it real. So this is my Hair after I did What I wrote before. 

This is me with my hair about to speak at a Mental Health Pannel at the #LATISM13 conference in New York. 

and the Second picture is of me and Mel enjoying New York and an awesome fun time after dinner party. Isn’t she Gorgeous!? 🙂 







Note: Disclaimer: These Dove products were provided free of charge in collaboration with Bloggers of Health to facilitate this product review.  I just love their Hair Products and I like their Socially responsible company.