Ula Sky

03/01/2025

10/14/2024

No one likes to be told that they did something wrong, but for kids with mental health or learning challenges, receiving criticism can feel particularly painful.

It’s not that criticism is a bad thing. Learning from mistakes, missteps, or misunderstandings is an important part of life. But for some kids, intense emotions can drown out what is actually being said.

Here's how caregivers can help kids deal with criticism from others, and constructively deliver feedback:
https://childmind.org/article/how-to-help-kids-deal-with-criticism/

10/12/2024

Resisting pain and negative emotions often exacerbates the issue in the long term, rather than alleviating it. Attempts to eliminate discomfort can paradoxically create more. Pain is an inherent aspect of life, and while suffering can be managed, resistance to it substantially intensifies distress. By reframing personal struggles, individuals can transform them into victories. As Allen Ginsberg astutely observed, 'The suffering itself is not so bad; it’s the resentment against suffering that is the real pain.'

It is logical and reasonable that, despite acknowledging suffering, we strive to mitigate it. Reflect on the factors that contribute to your distress and the underlying reasons. Self-compassion is rooted in acceptance, which inherently opposes resistance. By acknowledging and permitting pain, rather than rejecting or avoiding it, we facilitate healing. Our guiding principle, 'what we feel, we can heal,' underscores the significance of acceptance in the present moment, naturally precipitating transformation. When we confront fear, anxiety, or pain with an openness to acceptance, rather than solely focusing on reduction, we often achieve the most effective and lasting alleviation of suffering.

05/01/2024

Counseling Awareness Month celebrates the counseling profession as well as the individuals who do this important work. ACA member Monica P. Band, owner of Mindful Healing Counseling Services in Washington, D.C., rests her therapeutic and advocacy work at the intersection of mental health and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

https://www.counseling.org/cam