Author Archives: freedomfirstpsych

It doesn’t matter what branch of the military, every family who has gone through a deployment of a spouse, son, daughter, or loved one, deals with a unique kind of stress and anxiety. Being away from home and your family can have a tremendous impact on mental health. Families with a loved one who hasContinue reading “Supporting Military Families During Deployment”

With the holidays approaching, and Thanksgiving as soon as next week, the time of intentionally giving thanks is upon us. Being thankful, appreciating what you have, and expressing gratitude shouldn’t be reserved for the holiday season. It should be expressed everyday for a number of reasons. Keeping a gratitude journal alleviates symptoms of anxiety andContinue reading “Family Attitude of Gratitude”

The holidays can be wonderful and also exhausting. They are a time for families to come together from near and far to celebrate their bond. But let’s be honest, sometimes holidays are stressful because we might not get along with everyone in our families. Family doesn’t necessarily mean biological relation. It’s the people we feelContinue reading “Thanksgiving During a Pandemic”

The term mindfulness continues to gain more momentum as the benefits of practicing mindfulness are continuing to grow. In a nutshell, mindfulness is the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. More deeply, mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and acceptingContinue reading “Why teach kids Mindfulness?”

Post traumatic stress disorder can occur after a person has been through a trauma. A traumatic event is inclusive of anything from a car accident, to witnessing a death, being involved in a natural disaster, or involvement in an act of violence towards oneself or someone else. It is a person’s emotional and mental reactionContinue reading “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Military Families”

Dementia is not a single specific disease, but an overall term that encompasses several medical conditions including Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body Dementia, Vascular Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia, and other disorders such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s. Alzheimer’s accounts for the majority of cases. Dementia in general is a term used to group disorders that are caused by abnormalContinue reading “Caregiving for Loved Ones with Dementia”

We spend a lot of time talking about children, but what about the older generations? As we progress through time, so many adult children are finding themselves taking care of their parents. In some cases, there is no serious mental or physical illness, but at times there can be severe illnesses. According to comfortkeepers.com, adultsContinue reading “Family Caregivers – Beating Compassion Fatigue”

It’s easy for children with Autism to get lost and left out of many holiday traditions, but especially halloween. There is not only a social component of having to understand social cues and speak, but also a sensory one in wearing a costume that may be mentally wanted by the child, but physically uncomfortable. ThereContinue reading “Halloween Tips for Kids with Autism”

“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it is our job to share our calm not join their chaos.” L. R. Knost Tantrums are actually a very normal part of child development. They are the way in which children learn to express themselves about anything and everything. Whether it be discomfort, fear, or notContinue reading “5 Tips to Tame the Tantrum”

Parenting itself is not easy. And when we add on mental health diagnoses it can be much more difficult. You may not know what to expect even if your child doesn’t have a mental health diagnosis, and if they do, you really don’t know what is typical or not. ADHD is typically diagnosed pretty early.Continue reading “Parenting your Child who has ADHD”