BOOST YOUR MOOD IMMEDIATELY!

Want to boost your mood immediately? Here are some things you can do right now. Don't wait!

1. Practice a monster smile.
2. Ask a friend for a hug.
3. Stand up and stretch.
4. Say something nice to someone.
5. Take a walk.
6. Say hello to a stranger.
7. Take time to smell a flower.
8. Remember that stress is an attitude.
9. Pet a friendly animal.
10. Visualize yourself winning.

There are many more skills that you can utilize.  These are just a few to get you started. Remember to relax and take each day at a time. You have the rest of your life to live. Need more coping skills, give us a call at 954-800-0108. Our counselors are always willing to listen. :)

S.M.A.R.T. Goals.

A "good"goal has five distinct elements:

Specific: What do you want to achieve? How will you achieve it? Why is it important to you?
Clearly define the goal.

Measurable: Outline the steps needed to achieve the goal.  Break into small steps to make it more manageable and visualize the progress. 

Achievable: Your goals should push you a little bit past your comfort zone. But, you still should be able to achieve them with commitment and effort.

Realistic: Your goals should be important and significant to you.  The outcome should impact your life.

Timely: Your goals should have a time element established.  This way you are more likely to push yourself to achieve this goal.

Below is an example of an exercise associated with goal setting.

Imagine your life just the way you want it, write down everything you have or have achieved in terms of health (fitness level, weight, strength, appearance, diet sports, performance, energy.

Rank those goals in level of importance as A-an absolute must, B-would love to do/have it, C-it's nice, but I can live without it.

Give each goal a time frame: 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years.

You are able to substitute health with other life areas such as fiances, relationships, stress, and self-esteem.

If you feel that you are having difficulties with establishing goals and sticking with them. Contact our office today, our counselors would love to help you see progress with the goals in your life.  Our number is 954-800-0108.

Weclome Back School, Welcome Back Stress

As the school year is in full swing, many parents face stressors associated with balancing house hold responsibilities, managing work, and the needs of their children. While parents attempt to manage their own stressors, sometimes the stressors of their children get overlooked.
Here a few stressful situations a child could face: worrying about academic performance, peer pressure, social interactions, drugs and alcohol, parental pressure to perform academically or athletically, or bullying. 
Children can easily adapt to change and cope.  The following are some helpful tips to mange your child's stressors: 1. Get into an organized routine. 2. Talk with your child. 3.  Empathize with your child. 4. Get to know your community members and teachers.  If the stressors of school are too intense for the family, please contact one of our mental health professionals at Provide 4. 

To view the full length version of this article, please go to the tab "Articles" at provide4.org and find the title 'Welcome Back School, Welcome Back Stress." Also, look for the article in the local Coral Ridge Newsletter.

My Declaration of Self-Esteem.

Having problems with self-acceptance or self-esteem? Read the following poem and we can guarantee that you will feel a boost of self-confidence.

My Declaration of Self-Esteem

I AM ME

In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me

Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine

My body, my feelings, my mouth, my voice, all my actions

Whether they be to others or to myself-I own my fantasies.

My dreams, my hopes, my fears-I own all my triumphs and successes. 

All my failures and mistakes-Because I own all of me.

I can become intimately acquainted with me-by doing so I can love me

And be friendly with me in all my parts-I know there

Are aspects about myself that puzzle me, and other aspects

That I do not know-But as long as I am friendly and loving to

Myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for the

Solutions to the puzzle and for ways to find more about

Me-However I look and sound, whatever I say and do and

Whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time is

Authentically me-If later some parts of how I looked,

Sounded, thought and felt turned out to be unfitting, I can

Discard that which is unfitting. Keep the rest and invent

Something new for that which: discarded-I can, see, hear, feel

Think, say and do. I have the tools to survive. To be close to

Others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of

The world of people and things outside of me-I own me, and

Therefore I can engineer me-I AM ME and

I AM OKAY

By: Virginia Satir

Give one of our counselors a call at 954-800-0108, we are here to listen. :)

12 Ways to Cope with Stress!

Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about your day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy, healthy and rewarding life. ~Marilu Henner

12 Ways to Cope With Stress:

• Get up 15 minutes earlier.
• Prepare for the morning the night before.
• Practice a monster smile.
• Say hello to a stranger.
• Always have a plan "B."
• Become a better listener.
• Watch a movie and eat popcorn.
• Have goals for yourself.
• Avoid negative people.
• Look at problems as challenges.
• Look up at the stars.
• Plant a tree.

Feeling like you don't have control of your life and STRESSED, contact the professional counselors at Provide 4, 954-800-0108. The best investment you can make is in yourself. Give us a call today.

Theme: Honesty

I have found that being honest is the best technique I can use. Right up front, tell people what you're trying to accomplish and what you're willing to sacrifice to accomplish it. ~ Lee Iacocca

This excerpt is taken from a professor at Florida State University, Dr. Osteryoung.  Although, he solely focuses on entrepreneurs and business. Provide 4 found this piece about honesty very true for all life areas.

  There is a story about a retiring CEO who was unsure of whom his replacement would be. He called a meeting of his top aids and said that he was going to give the position to the executive who could get the greatest results from a seed he would give them today but measure the outcomes in six months.
   One of the senior management team was Bill who just could not get this seed to grow at all though he tried so hard with different fertilizers, alternative lighting patterns and all kinds of potting soil. He just did not know what he was going to do.
  On the morning before the presentation of the results of this test, Bill was talking to his wife about what should he do. She recommended that honesty was the most important attribute for a chief executive and for him to show the pot with no growth from this seed. Bill was so reluctant to do this.
  Bill decided to follow his wife’s advice and went to this meeting with his empty pot.  When he saw the others results, he felt like a failure. Their plants were lush with growth and all were at least 4 feet high. He was so embarrassed not to have any results and many times he thought about just leaving the meeting rather than being embarrassed in front of the entire staff.
   At the meeting the CEO asked each of his team to show him the results and to tell him how they had achieved such amazing results. Of course Bill hung back and was the last to show the CEO his pot but then went up and said I tried just about everything I could think of, but I just could not get the seed to grow.
  With this statement the CEO made the announcement that he decided whom his replacement was going to be. He said Bill was going to be the next CEO as he was only person that was honest about the seeds. He went on to explain that he had boiled the seeds before hand so that there was no way for them to grow at all and Bill was only one who was honest.
   While this is only a story it clearly shows the value of honesty. Without honesty there is no trust as trust is predicated on honesty.  Honesty just should be the foundation of every enterprise.

Honesty is not just a good foundation for creating a business, but is a component that is present in every day life.  If you feel that you need to gain trust back in your life, please give one of our therapists a call at 954-800-0108.

Yes, you can! The power of positive affirmations!

Positive affirmation(s) are statements that you say to yourself to change the way you are thinking, an inner dialogue with self.  Basically, taking a negative thought and changing into a positive one.  It's important that you start with the word, "I."  Examples will be provided below.
Client's often ask, "Does this really work? How?" "Absolutely" is the normal response.  In order for the affirmation to work it must be practiced daily, usually a suggested 3 or more times a day. Here, an individual is taking negative thoughts and challenging them into positive ones.  Practice allows for the negative thoughts to get overridden and eventually replace them with the positive thoughts permanently.  Once this happens, a change in self-esteem and self-confidence increase and the individual overall feels better about him or herself.  This change is not only recognized by the individual, but also by surrounding people such as peers, friends, partners, and co-workers.
Some examples of positive affirmations include: I express my own needs and feelings.  I am happy with my weight. I am my own unique self. I know I deserve love and I accept it freely in my life. I am getting better and better each day.
Need help with positive affirmations or other area of your life, please call 954-800-0108 and speak to one of our experienced professional counselors.

Are you sad most of the time? If so, you may have depression.

It's normal to feel sad at times. When the sadness causes a person the inability to function with daily life for weeks at a time, it is known as depression.  Some common signs and symptoms of depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, include: feeling sad or "empty", feeling hopeless, irritable, anxious, or guilty, loss of interest in favorite activities, feeling very tired, not being able to concentrate or remember details, not being able to sleep or sleeping too much, overeating or not eating at all, thoughts of suicide, and aches or pains. The first step in treating depression is to visit a doctor or mental health professional.  The professional will complete a comprehensive assessment about the patient and symptoms.  It is important for the professional to rule out any conditions that could be affect your mood.  Depression is usually treated with medication in combination with psychotherapy (counseling).  The medications are known as anti-depressants.  There could be side effects associated with the medication such as: headache, nausea, difficulty sleeping or nervousness, agitation or restlessness, or sexual problems. It's important to discuss these side effects with a doctor.  As treatment is progressed, an individual will start to feel better.   Depression does not discriminate against ages, sex, race, or color.  It can affect everyone.  If you or someone you know is in need of help, please contact one of our certified professional counselors at 954-800-0108.  

STRESS! What is it? And how do I cope with it?

Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or unbalances your system in some way. Modern life is full of everyday hassles, deadlines, frustrations, annoyances, and demands.  For many people stress is so common that it has become a way of life.  In small doses, stress can actually help you perform better under pressure and motivate you to do your best.  However, if you are constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the  price. Situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors.  People normally think of stressors as being negative such as hectic work schedule or a rocky relationship.  However, positive events such as getting married, a new job, getting own apartment, or starting college can also be stressful.  Anything that causes you to adjust your current state of mind can be stressful. Some common external causes of stress can be work, finances, children and family, and relationship problems.  Internal causes of stress can be negative thinking, lack of assertiveness, unrealistic expectations or goals, and low self-esteem.  Positive coping skills, such as eating healthy, exercising, sleeping 8 or more hours, implementing relaxation techniques, and talking to a trusted friend, are very beneficial to manage all stressors. It is important to recognize that there is "no one size fits all solution" to managing stress. Focus on what makes you feel positive, calm, and in control.

Need help with learning tips, tools, and solutions to manage your current stressors in your life, good and bad, give one of our profession counselors a call at 954-800-0108.

Test Your Listening Skills

by Betty Lochner

Answer these questions by grading your Listening Behaviors.  Read the questions and think about whether or not the statements are true of you.

If the statement is always true of you, note the answer is ALWAYS.
If the state is not always true of you, note the answer is SOMETIMES.
RARELy would indicate that you would rarely or never listen that way.

1. I allow speakers to complete sentences before I speak.
2. I make sure I understand the other's person's point of view before I respond.
3. I listen for the speaker's important points.
4. I try to understand the speaker's feelings.
5. I attempt to visualize my reponse before I speak.
6. I visualize the solution before speaking.
7. I am in control, relaxed, and calm when listening.
8. I use listening noises such as yes, gee, I see.
9. I take notes when someone else is speaking.
10. I listen with an open mind.
11. I listen even if the other person is not interesting.
12. I listen even if the other person is a moron.
13. I look directly at the person speaking.
14. I am patient when I listen.
15. I ask questions to be sure I understand the speaker.
16. I do not allow distractions to bother me when I listen.

Grading Information
If you have mostly ALWAYS (14 to16)  you are an excellent listener. Good for you!
If you marked ALWAYS for 11 to 13 statements, you are a good listener but could use some help in a few areas.  Go back over the questions and see where those areas are.
If you marked ALWAYS for 7 to 10 statements, you are a fair listener.  You need to listen more and talk less.
If you marked ALWAYS for 4 to 6 statements you are a poor listener.  Less than 4 indicated an extremely poor listener and you really need to btush up on your active listening skills.

Please give us a call if you scored less than 13 statements with ALWAYS, we can help you improve your listening skills.  Our knowledgeable therapists can be reached at 954-800-0108.

Distress Tolerance Skills

At some point in an individual's life, he or she must cope with distress and pain.  Either it can be physical such as a broken leg or it can emotional such as anger or sadness.  In both of these cases, this is normal, but unpredictable.  When either of these incidents arise, you hope that the coping skills you have in place work.  What happens if the coping skills you have irrational and don't work for you?  Here are some simple distress techniques you can use:

1. Accepting situations, emotions, and thoughts for what they are.  Also, known as radical acceptance.  This is not being self-judegemental or self- critical of your self, or placing blame on others.  It is simply means that an individual stops trying to change what's happened by getting angry and blaming others for the situation.
2. Distract yourself with pleasurable activities.
3. Distract yourself by paying attention to someone else. 
4. Distract yourself with tasks and chores.
5. Distract yourself by leaving the situation.
6. Distract yourself by counting.

Need help implementing these skills, call 954-800-0108 and one of our skilled therapists will help you with creating a better you. :)

Self-esteem is an individuals actions, thoughts, and feelings towards self.  It is an individuals sense of personal worth and is derived mainly from inner thoughts and values.  Self-esteem is composed of such factors as self-worth, self-competence, and self-acceptance.

Here are some tips to increase your self-esteem:
Use visualization to achieve your dreams.
Develop and work at achieve your goals.
Be aware of and make an effort to change negative/self-sabotaging self talk.
Identify and embrace you feelings.  Even the ones you do not like.
Be aware of how you compare yourself to others.
Clarify your values and make decisions that are align with these values.
Identify your strengths.
Make a point to learn something new daily.
Make a list of your accomplishments.
Learn to re frame perceived failures and don't be afraid to fail in the future.
Exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and generally take good care of yourself.
Create a social life with positive people who help promote your overall well-being.
Utilize positive affirmations and mediation daily.
Congratulate yourself as often as possible.

If you need help with the way you feel about yourself, one of our therapists will be happy to help you with increasing your self-esteem.  Call 954-800-0108.

COPING with ANGER.

Follow the following steps if you feel that your anger is getting the best of you:

C = CALM DOWN!
       Say to yourself "calm now" or "STOP."
O = OVERCOME THE NEGATIVE; OPT FOR CONTROL.
        Overcome the desire to blow things out of proportion. Say to yourself "This isn't necessarily
        awful, dreadful, terrible. Easy does it! I'm in control, I can handle this."
P = PREPARE, PROBLEM-SOLVE, PLAN.
       Say to yourself "Think! Problem-solve, don't get pushy."
I = IDENTIFY; INVITE ALTERNATIVES INSTEAD OF USING INSULTS.
      Say to yourself "Imagine success, don't assume the worst. If I start to get mad I'll just be banging
      my head against the wall. Don't use insults."
N = NAME THE ANGER FEELINGS; NEGOTIATE.
       Say to yourself "I'm angry; that's a signal to think about negotiation. Remember negatives lead to
       more negatives. Negotiation can lead to win-win situations."
G = GO!  GET ON WITH THE PLAN! GET THE HANG OF ANGER MANAGEMENT! GIVE
       PRAISE TO SELF AND OTHERS.
       Say to yourself and others "Way to go! Good Job! Nice going to both of us! Thanks for helping me
       with my anger control."

If you need help with these steps or feel that you are at a lost with controlling your anger, please give us at call at 954-800-0108, and one of our therapists are willing to listen with a open heart and non-judgemental attitude.