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When Counseling Sessions Don’t Fit In Your Schedule
When Counseling Sessions don’t fit in your schedule is sponsored by Better Help. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mental Health is a hot topic these days. At least to mention it, but are we really talking about it?

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Mental Health and Me

I’ve talked a fair amount about my mental health, mainly surrounding postpartum and perinatal depression. I don’t hide what I’ve gone through in hopes of being there for others.

What helped me the most through my first bout of true depression was counseling. I had hit a point in my life where no one could understand what I was going through, not even myself. That counselor changed me.

After I got “better” I stopped seeing him. He wanted to continue our sessions, but only if Mark could join us. He thought it would be good for the both of us. That wouldn’t work with Mark’s schedule, so I stopped going.

However, because of that experience, I always recommend counseling to those I encounter. I’ve actually been trying to get Mark to see a counselor for years to help with his anxiety (and yes, he gave me full permission to share his struggles with you). He always claimed to never have the time though. His excuses were almost always the same, “They can only see me during the day, and I can’t take work off for this.” “There’s just no time.”

Making Time for Counseling

Well, not quite 2 years ago I had a bout of severe depression and anxiety. I was 7 months pregnant, going to school full time, trying to keep the blog up and doing my best to be a good mother, and wife. Then Mark lost his job.

Our paycheck was gone. Our insurance was gone. And my mental health plummeted. Luckily the online school I was going to offered free mental health services for students and their families.

So one day, when I just couldn’t do it anymore, when I needed to talk to someone that wouldn’t judge me, judge my husband, or tell me to buck up and get on with life, I sat in the car and called the counseling hotline.

I cried and vented, and just let this complete stranger know everything that was going on, and how angry and scared I was. I couldn’t tell you what she told me, because I don’t remember. What I do remember, is how I felt afterwards.

Benefits of Counseling
- I felt validated in my feelings
- I felt stronger for letting someone in
- I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders, at least part way.
- I knew I could always call back
See, I didn’t have time to go in to counseling. I had piles of paperwork to fill out to get on insurance before the baby came (plus hello, no insurance to cover the costs of counseling!). Phone calls to make that sent me in crazy circles. And job hunting for both Mark and myself in case he was unable to find employment. Oh and 1 kid still at home, and 3 others that needed me to be there before and after school.

Tele-counseling was the only way I could get the relief I needed. If you are effected by mental health issues, but can’t find time to go see a counselor, it is no longer an excuse. My phone call with that counselor lasted about 15-20 minutes, while I sat in my car between running errands.

Mark has since started school at the same online university I just graduated from, and has also found benefits from their counseling services. They helped him make the time needed for his mental health.

Counseling for Everyone

Since this particular counseling service is only available to current students and their families,you may be thinking your stuck with the same problem – no time to get the help you need. That’s where you are wrong.

Turns out there’s some great counseling you can get online, via text, or video chat. Betterhelp.com wants you to take care of you, as do I, so they’ve put together a resource to help you find the online counseling that’s right for you. Check it out, and please, take care of yourself.
December 12, 2018
Being Beautiful: An inspiring anthology of wit and wisdom on what it means to be beautiful

What is Beauty? The new book by Helen Gordon, Being Beautiful is an inspiring anthology that aims to answer just that – or at least make us think on it more.

You may also enjoy Beautifully Said: Inspiring Quotes by Women and Girls

What do I find beautiful? The sound of birds chirping early in the morning is beauty to my ears. The leaves changing colors in the fall, or the pops of color from flowers in the spring are beautiful to my ears. A morning watching fresh snow fall gently to the ground, covering the earth in pure white adds beauty to my soul. Watching children play together, helping each other learn new tricks, or comforting one another when they tumble and fall. The not so quiet whispers of my girls as they ignore sleep in favor of each others company, or my son asking to sleep with baby brother because their love is overflowing. These moments that touch the senses are beautiful to me.

When I was a kid, I didn’t understand beauty. My mom was allergic to makeup, and she generally let me wear whatever I wanted to. Unfortunately I had no sense of style, and no desire to care about it either. In middle school, I would frequently go much too long without washing my hair. Kids would make fun of me, and I would write them off as bullies. My outward appearance didn’t matter to me. Only my spiritual well being, and how nice I was to others was important. As long as I loved myself, right?

Do you see it? As an adult looking back, I see my folly. I thought being beautiful was a physical thing, and materialistic. Girls who focused on their outward beauty were below me because I focused on something ‘better’. My spiritual and educational goals. I know now they were never separate. There is such a thing as being too focused on your outward beauty, but the same holds true for our inner beauty. Because no one will see that inner beauty if we hide it under dirty clothes, unwashed hair, and an attitude that our lack of materialism makes us superior.

I have loved perusing the pages of Being Beautiful: An inspiring anthology of wit and wisdom on what it means to be beautiful. This isn’t a book you just pick up and read. It truly is for perusing. Opening the pages and reading where it lands, quotes from many walks of life. Helen Gordon has included sections on Inner Beauty, Outer Beauty, Finding Beauty, Living Beautifully, and Defining Beauty. Each section has much to discover and ponder over.

As the Irish novelist Margaret Wolfe Hungerford once said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

So, while I now take better care of my outward appearance, and still find beauty to be the things that touch my spirit, I make more of an effort to care for my outward beauty as well.

October 24, 2018
Everyday Enzymes that Help Digestion

Start getting the most out of your food with the help of Everyday Enzymes.

I had the opportunity last week to talk to Dr. Liz Cruz, the creator of Everyday Enzyme’s. I’m no health nut, and struggle understanding most health-related topics. Being able to talk with Dr. Cruz about the Everyday Enzyme’s was extremely helpful to me, and I hope it will, in turn, help you.

What are Enzymes?

Enzymes are biochemical catalysts. They work to break down our food into molecules so that our body can process more of the nutrition held within.

The following are the questions I asked Dr Cruz, and her answers summarized by me.

Why make Everyday Enzymes?

Dr. Cruz works as a gastroenterologist in Arizona. She had many clients complaining of issues such as feeling bloated, not feeling that their food was digesting, acid reflux, heartburn, low energy, and feeling moody. In her words “it’s much more than just gastrointestinal.” Dr. Cruz went on to explain the phenomenon known as the Enzyme Gap, which is a study that says every 10 years our bodies enzyme production goes down. She says there are 2 ways to combat this gap. #1. Eat Healthy. #2. Eat Enzymes

For awhile she would suggest over-the-counter enzymes but found because of the lack of quality in many pills, they still weren’t helping much. So she decided to make Everyday Enzyme’s as pure and natural as possible.

What would you say is the most important ingredient in Everyday Enzymes?

This was a fun conversation that I found very telling about the product. Dr. Cruz gave it a lot of thought and finally admitted to me that she didn’t believe anyone ingredient was more important than the others. She has worked to create a pill full of different enzymes all equally important to break different nutrients.

What makes Everyday Enzymes better than eating Activia Yogurt?

This is where I learned quite a bit. Activia and other good yogurts are full of probiotics. Probiotics and Enzymes are not the same things. The probiotics add good bacteria that help keep our guts healthy, while Enzyme’s actually helped break down the food.

How will I know if Everyday Enzymes is working for me?

Everyone is different, so it depends on the individual and why they are taking it. For her clients, it should help get rid of the feeling of bloating, or undigested food. In her own words “I take them, not because I have issues, but I’m 52, and in the long run I know they’ll help me.”

So whether you’re taking them as something to benefit you, or to specifically help with gastrointestinal problems, how they show their effectiveness will be different. Dr. Cruz suggests taking them for at least 30 days, but preferably 90 days to start seeing any difference in health.

Are Everyday Enzymes FDA approved?

Since this is not a drug, but a health supplement, the FDA does not treat it the same. However, because getting quality enzymes into these pills is important to Dr. Cruz, all of the ingredients are FDA certified.

I’m Having a Cholecystectomy, how will Everyday Enzyme’s benefit me?

This was a more personal question, as I was getting ready to have my gallbladder removed, and wanted to know if there were any specific benefits I could find taking Everyday Enzymes. Dr. Cruz told me whenever one of her patients has a cholecystectomy she encourages them to take enzymes. The function of our gallbladder is basically a back-up to help with our digestion. By taking away that back-up, I can use all the extra help in the digestion tract available.

If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Cruz and the Everyday Enzyme’s visit www.drlizcruz.com/

September 7, 2018
The Power of a Smile

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, Colgate-Palmolive. All opinions are mine alone. #OpticSmiles #CollectiveBias.

Have you ever noticed how one person’s smile can change your day? It could be from your neighbor, your friend, your children, your mother to the cashier, waitress, or mailman. Smiles are truly powerful little muscles on our face.

A smile can say many many things, but here are 4 powerful messages I read in a person’s smile.

LOVE

When someone smiles at me, I feel loved. To me a smile is like giving a hug. We can’t go around hugging everyone that needs one (though you would be awesome in my book if you did), but we can give smiles out freely.

STRENGTH

A smile gives someone strength. We have this greeter at Walmart who always welcomes us with a smile and stickers and suckers for the kids. His smile gets me through the store in one piece, especially when I’ve got all the kids tagging along.

COURAGE

Smile’s are often given out, but by giving yourself a smile. Working those muscles out for you, you giving yourself courage. There’s the phrase “grin and bear it”, which tells us exactly this.

SAFETY

A smile from a loved one, reminds me that I’m safe with them. I can talk to them and be myself. When you give a smile, you let someone know they can feel safe around you.

See, I told you smiles are powerful! Sometimes though, we may not want to open up because we’re embarrassed. We may feel our smile judged like Yzma’s was by Kuzco. By nature humans have a tendency to judge, and the last thing we want is our powerful smiles to be in this spotlight. I took Colgate® Optic White® Express White toothpaste for a test drive, and WOW! With 2x more whitening power (vs Optic White® Sparkling Mint® TP), I was blown away with the results.

Whose teeth are these?! As you can see, I don’t have the straightest teeth in the world, but I came to terms with that a long time ago. The yellow however, often had me closing my mouth, too scared I would offend instead of uplift.

I know the power of smiles, so it’s time we use that! I printed out some of those SMILE cards above, and we headed back to Walmart to spread some love. Princess R helped me, and we left some smiles around for other customers to find. We started of course with our greeter, and ended sharing more than just smiles with some kids in need.

After Walmart we headed out to give one more smile to someone unexpectedly. Mark eats a lot of microwave noodles for lunch, and sometimes it’s soda and a poptart. We sent a quick text “Are you busy? Do you want a sandwich? We’re Outside!” He ran out to meet us with a big grin, and we reciprocated with a smile, a card, a sandwich and an apple.

Spur of the moment world changing power going on right there folks! Honestly I really should be better at sending him with lunch…we’re working on that.

Next time you’re at Walmart, spread some smiles, and pick up your own bottle of Colgate® Optic White® Express White. On 2/28 select stores will have roaming demo’s and $1 Off coupons – see if your store is on the list.

How will you change the world with a smile today?

February 25, 2015
How to Start a Hobby

Picking up hobbies always seems to be easier when you’re a child. When you’re in school there are so many different clubs and groups you can join to expand your interests and learn new things. However, once you’re an adult getting into a new hobby requires a bit more work.

Hobbies are a great way to make friends, expand your knowledge and take a little time for yourself. Even though it might take a bit more time and energy to get into a new hobby, it’s definitely worth it.

Start With Smaller Hobbies

If you’re looking into different hobbies, go with something smaller first. Take the focus away from watching TV or sitting in front of the computer for hours. For example, you can go for walks around your neighborhood or volunteer once a week at an animal shelter. Do something that gets you away from your usual habits and gets you into your hobbies.

Expand Your Knowledge

Just because you’re done with your formal education doesn’t mean you have to stop learning. Many fun and exciting hobbies stem from wanting to learn new things. If you’re interested in learning new things, educational apps can be a perfect way to get started — and at no cost. Looking into classes at your local community college can also be a good place to start.

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Try Something You Wouldn’t Normally

For many of us, venturing out of our comfort zone is a little too scary to try. However, exploring new options could lead to something you really enjoy — and you would never know you liked it if you hadn’t gone outside your comfort zone.

Remember Your Past

While it’s good to try new things, there’s nothing wrong with digging into your past and remembering the things you enjoyed as a child. There’s a good chance you will still enjoy the things you liked when you were younger. For example, if you were a fan of playing pretend when you were younger, joining a theater group could be good hobby for you to try.

Start Collections

Collecting can be an excellent and fulfilling hobby for most people. Whether you’re interested in stamps – which have become a classic pastime for a reason – action figures, comics or even antique teacups, there’s certainly something for you. Be sure to start with some research so you know what you’re getting into.

Get Creative

You are never too old to learn an instrument or start drawing. You can take some lessons to help learn the basics or simply try to teach yourself to the best of your abilities. Writing can also be a good way to express yourself and vent any negative emotions you may be feeling. The great thing about creative hobbies is you can express yourself in a healthy way.

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Work With Your Hands

If you’re interested in doing more physical work, many hobbies can be suited for that. Making models — airplanes, cars, whatever you’re interested in — can keep you busy for hours and leave you with wonderful designs.

Check Out the Community Center

Your local taxes go toward supporting your area’s community center, so you might as well take advantage of the options they provide. There are usually a wide variety of classes you can sign up for at low cost, such as yoga, knitting or swimming. Reach out to your community center to find out how you can get started.

Get Outside

There’s nothing quite like enjoying the great outdoors, and many hobbies take that into account. Running or marathoning are good options, but make sure you work your way to the intense races. Geocaching combines the thrill from exploring and the exercise from hiking for an exciting hobby that can literally keep you on your toes.

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Picking up new hobbies leads to some great experiences. You can meet people with similar interests and you’re keeping yourself busy and active.

Kate Wilson is an outdoor lifestyle blogger who loves helping others live greener and happier lives. For more, follow her on Twitter @kateowilson or check out her blog, This Wild Lifestyle.

January 19, 2015
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week

February 21 to February 27 is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

I’m pleased to welcome Samantha Hope to the blog today to share her experience and why she is involved with Project HEAL

Eating Disorders don’t just affect young girls. There is such a lack of understanding when it comes to eating disorders. Eating Disorders come in all shapes, sizes, genders, and ages. There is no “cookie cutter” eating disorder as I am sure some have heard the saying before. This is where my story comes in. I was 33 years old, married with 4 kids when this dreaded illness took me over. Yes…an eating disorder is an illness. Another thing that is misunderstood. Someone does not wake up one day and say I think I am going to have an eating disorder. Eating disorders aren’t just about weight either.

I grew up as an only child and was raised by my Mom as my Dad passed away from cancer when I was just 10 months old. I had a good upbringing, no trauma. I was loved and cared for. Growing up, I was happy with myself for the most part. I was shy and did have a low self-esteem, but nothing that was out of the 0rdinary. In July of 2008, I had a hysterectomy. Shortly after my recovery came to an end I ended up getting sick. It took months to finally figure out what was going on and to realize that what started with an
illness quickly turned into an eating disorder. After searching and searching, I came across the Center for Change. I was able to see a therapist and a dietitian as I tried to work on things outpatient, as I did not think there was a way for me to do a higher level of care. Well after a year of that and not much progress I entered the day program. I spent 6 months visiting the Center daily Monday – Friday’s. When I discharged was I recovered??? No. Was I on my way to recovery??? Yes.


Being a Mother and a Wife that has suffered from an eating disorder I want to reach out to other women and help them. I want them to know they are not alone in the battle. There is help no matter how old you are, how long or short you have struggled. I want them to know that recovery is possible. That is why when I heard about Project HEAL I knew I wanted to be involved. I saw that a Project HEAL – Utah Chapter was just created and I became the Co-Founder. I love speaking out on this issue and my heart breaks for all those that have been affected by an eating disorder. I have also returned to school so I can get my degree and help those suffering more in depth than what I can, working with Project HEAL.


I do want parents that are suffering to understand how their actions are affecting their children. Children are smart and they pick up on what we do and don’t do, what we say and don’t say. You may think you are being secretive but in reality, you are causing damage to yourself as well as to your children. Please again know that you are not alone, please reach out for help. Eating disorders have such a stigma and are so misunderstood. I have
chosen to speak out to help people to understand more about them and I hope to be a positive influence to even just that one person. If I can be an example and help one person it will make everything I do worth it.

My name is Samantha Hope. I was born and raised in California and moved to Utah when I was 19. Shortly after moving here, I met my husband and we got married in Dec of 1995. We currently live in Spring City, Utah. We have 4 kids, 3 boys, and 1 girl. I am currently taking online classes through Utah State University and will graduate in April with my Associates than I plan to get my Bachelors in Family Life Studies and Masters in Social Work. I want to be able to help those that are
struggling in Sanpete County as there is nothing here to help those struggling. As well as being the Co-Founder of the Project HEAL – Utah Chapter. I am also a Pink Zebra Independent Consultant. I lead a busy full life and I love every minute of it.

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Get help for yourself or a loved one

National Eating Disorder Association HelpLine

February 25, 2014