Teresa Quarker-Smith, Author at Dr. Teresa Smith

October 16, 2024 by Teresa Quarker-Smith Leave a Comment

9 Vitamins & Supplements That Can Help Relieve Anxiety

Anxiety can greatly impact a person’s overall health and well-being, and if you struggle with this condition, you may be willing to do almost anything to relieve your symptoms. There are numerous lifestyle changes you can make to help manage your anxiety—for example, you could try meditating, exercising, sleeping more, and reducing your caffeine and alcohol consumption—but did you know that certain vitamins and supplements also have stress-reducing effects? Research suggests that the following nine vitamins and supplements may help relieve anxiety:

Ashwagandha
Chamomile
L-theanine
Magnesium
Melatonin
Omega-3 fatty acids
Valerian root
Vitamin B complex
Vitamin D

As with any type of medication, it’s important to consult with a medical provider before beginning a new vitamin or supplement regimen. Also be sure to keep in mind that results typically don’t occur immediately.

Get Help With Your Anxiety

If you’ve tried to relieve your anxiety with the vitamins and supplements listed above but you’re still struggling with feelings of uneasiness, fear, or dread, contact us today. The therapists at our practice have extensive experience treating patients with anxiety and we’ll be happy to schedule a consultation at a date and time that’s convenient for you. We understand that each patient requires a unique treatment approach, and once we’ve learned about your symptoms and the remedies you’ve tried in the past, we’ll be able to recommend strategies that are customized to your specific needs.

October 14, 2024 by Teresa Quarker-Smith Leave a Comment

How to Tell When You’re Feeling Burned Out

Many people think of burnout as simply being incredibly tired after a long week or month of work or school studies. But burnout is much more than a physical exhaustion; it has in fact been called the “triad of depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and feelings of detachment.”

Here are some additional signs of burnout:

Pessimism

Pessimism is a major red flag that someone is experiencing burnout. And they won’t just feel pessimistic about whatever it is that is causing them big stress (job, school, relationship), they will feel pessimistic about life and the world at large.

Sleep Issues

Burnout makes it incredibly hard to get a good night’s rest. Either a person finds it hard to fall asleep, lying there wide awake for hours, or they fall asleep but then wake up throughout the night. When we don’t get enough quality sleep, it makes it difficult to cope with stress, which makes it hard to sleep, and the vicious cycle continues.

Sudden Physical Ailments

A major sign of burnout is suddenly experiencing physical symptoms that you never have before. For instance, many of my clients, with no prior history of GI upset or headaches, will begin to have chronic issues.

Is it Time to Speak with Someone?

Burnout shouldn’t be taken lightly. You shouldn’t try to ‘tough it out’ and get on with things. Now is the time to make your mental health a priority. If you would like to speak with someone about what has been bothering you, please reach out to me.

Sources:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/burnout/unusual-signs-of-burnout/

https://positivepsychology.com/burnout/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/burnout

October 11, 2024 by Teresa Quarker-Smith Leave a Comment

9 Daily Habits That Can Boost Happiness

Are you struggling to find joy in your everyday life? If so, you’re not alone. Many people have a difficult time achieving happiness, and yet it’s critical for our health and well-being—happiness can reduce stress, lower our blood pressure, improve our cardiovascular health, strengthen our immune systems, and help us sleep better. Some studies show that being happy can even lead to us feeling less pain. Happiness can also cause us to feel more optimistic, enhance our productivity and problem-solving skills, and improve our relationships with family, friends, and coworkers.

With all of that in mind, here are nine things you can do on a daily basis to help you start feeling happier:

Exercise.
Eat a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids (and avoid skipping meals and eating deep-fried or highly processed foods).
Sleep for at least seven hours each night.
Use breathing exercises whenever you begin feeling stressed.
Put away items in the proper place to eliminate clutter in your home and workplace.
Spend time with friends and family, whether in person or over the phone.
Make a list of the things you’re grateful for.
Smile even when you’re not feeling happy.
Pay someone a compliment.

It’s Time to Get Happy

If you’re looking for ways to become a happier person, contact us today. Our caring therapists can provide you with customized advice on lifestyle changes you can make to boost your happiness. We look forward to meeting with you and helping you take the first step toward enhancing your quality of life.

October 9, 2024 by Teresa Quarker-Smith Leave a Comment

Why Setting a Strong Female Role Model is Important for Your Daughter

Every Halloween, little girls all over the country choose costumes that reflect what they want to be when they grow up. And each year we see many girls choosing to dress as princesses and fairies, kitty cats and maybe the odd super hero. Rarely do we see young girls dressing as executives, scientists, or world leaders.

It can seem benign enough, but it does beg the question: are young girls still under the impression their choices in life are limited? And what can parents, particularly mothers, do to set a good example?

The Importance of Role Models

If you are a runner, you probably know that for most of human history no one was able to run the 4-minute mile. In 1940, someone actually got to 4:01, and for nine years that is where the record stayed, with not one runner in the entire world being able to break it.

It seemed to everyone that the human body, no matter how fit and trained, would never be able to break that record. But then on May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute barrier, running the distance in 3:59.4.

And then a very interesting thing happened: barely a year after this feat, someone else ran a mile under 4 minutes, and then more runners did it, and then even more. Now it’s common practice for runners to run the mile in under 4 minutes.

Role models show others what is possible, and that’s powerful. Humans tend to not attempt things unless we believe it can be accomplished.

Our children learn from watching us. They learn how to think, act, and feel about themselves and the world around them. Here are some ways mothers can set a strong female role model for their daughters:

Body Image

It’s important for mothers to encourage their daughters to be healthy and strong, but not to obsess over beauty. It’s not enough to talk the talk, moms have got to take care of their bodies and health and accept themselves as they are.

Boundaries

Unless they are shown otherwise, young girls may grow up assuming they must constantly please others and never say no. Moms, it’s important to show your daughters that setting boundaries is healthy and necessary.

Confidence

Confidence comes from a mindset that failure and mistakes are merely chances to learn. It also comes from knowing strengths and abilities as well as limitations. In other words, confidence is a byproduct of knowing and accepting our true selves.

Are you having a hard time being the role model you’d like to be? Maybe you’re a stressed-out single parent who could use some coping strategies. If you’d like to speak with someone, please be in touch. I’d be happy to discuss how I may be able to help.

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/our-gender-ourselves/201205/female-role-models-the-absent-conversation

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/thinking-about-kids/201205/i-could-do-why-role-models-matter

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beauty-sick/201705/gift-mothers-daughters

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fixing-families/201402/9-ways-be-the-best-role-model-you-can-be

https://www.nomeatathlete.com/4-minute-mile-certainty/