Mental Health

Harnessing the power of daily affirmations can help you and your patients

Mental Health Awareness Month is a great time to educate patients about the importance of self-acceptance. It’s also a perfect opportunity to focus on your own mental health.  

DISCLAIMER:   The content provided on this blog is general in nature and does not constitute legal or medical advice.  This blog is for reference only.  Always consult with a qualified health care provider for any questions you may have regarding thoughts of suicide.  If you believe someone is at imminent risk of harming themselves and is refusing help ...

Nurses are no strangers to stress. Even if we do everything possible to stay balanced and mentally healthy, the job often involves high-risk situations, emotional conversations, and long hours.  

Staying mentally healthy is critical to physical health and quality of life. But the impact of mental health issues, and the ability to get the support and treatment needed, is not the same for everyone.

In those anxious moments, what can you do to get through it? How can you cope and recover in a healthy way? Important: When you are in crisis, there is help available. You are not alone. Call, text, or chat. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org . These connect you to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.  

When you’re dealing with a difficult situation, does your reaction help get you through it, or make you more stressed?  

What’s the first thought that comes to mind when you think about mental illness? Is it something negative? If so, it probably comes from the stigma associated with mental health. A stigma is defined as “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.” And despite more conversations happening around conditions like ...

During this unprecedented time of fear and stress, nurses are at high risk for mental health issues like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress.  Help is available and you are NOT alone . Below are things nurses can do every day to relieve stress and stay well, as well as key additional mental health resources, specifically curated for nurses. ...

Spring brings with it themes of renewal and rebirth, which makes it the perfect time to start new, shed old skin, and do something you’ve always been reluctant to try. Why? Because stepping out of your comfort zone in a safe way can be good for you.   Sure, routine is comfortable, but does it push you to become a better and healthier version of yourself? If ...

Entering the workforce as a new nurse and dealing with anxiety is nothing new. During a seemingly unending pandemic, however, new nurse anxiety has grown. New nurses have little time to adjust to an intense, high-pressure environment. Research shows that long-term exposure to high-pressure environments weakens nurse resiliency and increases ...

What can having a nurse mentor do for you?  Explore the benefits of nurse mentorship in this blog.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, nurses are finding fresh, socially-safe ways to take care of their mental health. Burnout is a prevalent issue for more of us than ever before, so it’s important to find helpful practices to avoid it. One way to do this is through journaling. Did you keep a journal as a child or young adult? After you wrote your thoughts ...

By  Julia Sarazine, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC , a nurse practitioner and certified mindfulness teacher who is passionate about teaching mindfulness to health care professionals and the community.   Have you experienced increased irritability, felt overwhelmed and exhausted or had difficulty falling asleep? These are all symptoms of burnout are more ...

By Brenda L. Lyon,  author of the book “Haven’t You Suffered Enough? Clinically Proven Methods to Conquer Stress”.  The article was derived from the newly released book HAVEN’T YOU SUFFERED ENOUGH? Clinically Proven Strategies to Conquer Stress by Dr. Brenda Lyon, PhD, CNS, RN.   Dr. Lyon’s message is grounded in validated theory, research and her ...

Guest blogger, Terri Bogue, MSN, RN, PCNS-BC , co-author and developer of both the website and book entitled Extinguish Burnout: A Practical Guide to Prevention and Recovery , continues her blog series on nursing burnout by contrasting post-traumatic stress disorder and post-traumatic growth. Nurses and other emergency responders see some of the ...

Guest blogger,  Terri Bogue, MSN, RN, PCNS-BC ,  co-author and developer of both the website and book entitled Extinguish: Burnout A Practical Guide to Prevention and Recovery , continues her blog series on nursing burnout by contrasting it with compassion fatigue.  Her first blog addressed the need to thrive not just survive and the second, ...

Guest blogger,  Terri Bogue, MSN, RN, PCNS-BC , co-author and developer of both the website and book entitled Extinguish Burnout , continues her blog series on burnout prevention.

You spend so much time caring for others that you put yourself last. Your mind and body deserve some me-time. Patient care is only as good as the care you give yourself. And as the saying goes, the more you  fill up your own cup, the more you can pour into the cups of others. That’s the message Alison Hernandez, PhD, RN-BC, has for all nurses, but especially ...

Guest blogger, Terri Bogue, MSN, RN, PCNS-BC , co-author and developer of both the website and book entitled Extinguish Burnout , shares some insights in preventing burnout in the nursing profession.

Learn how nurses benefit from mini resilience-building exercises throughout the workday. Many nurses place themselves last on their list of priorities during their shifts. They forget to fuel themselves with healthy snacks and water, or take a bathroom break, or stop and catch their breath. Strong evidence links job stress, safety, and health ...

Pitch-black mornings and evenings, shorter days, and colder weather that makes it unpleasant to be outside for long: All these factors can contribute to feeling blue in the winter. And it’s perfectly normal.  However, if you feel sluggish or sad for weeks, you might have seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The change in seasons during the winter can ...

Learn a simple technique to feel better quickly. If you’re feeling stressed, tired, overwhelmed, or in pain, try tapping. Also known as the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), tapping is similar to acupuncture, where lightly tapping certain points on the face and upper body can help relieve tension and stress. Unlike with acupuncture though, you ...

Are you burned out? Karen Anderson, Clinical Nurse Specialist for Patient and Family Centered Care at the Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania explains how to recognize the symptoms and how to get help. 

Nurses often work in high-stress environments and deal with life and death situations. This makes us almost twice as likely to experience depression as people in other professions. That's why it is important understand the signs and know how to get help. The good news is that since we’re in the health care industry, we have access to the treatment and ...

Did you know workplace stress impacts nurses with nearly the same frequency as infectious disease agents, on-the-job falls, and workplace violence combined?  Alleviate your stress by trying out these easy-to-implement strategies shared by Nicole Vienneau, RN and board-certified integrative nurse coach at Blue Monarch.