Our Latest Blogs

10 Useful Tips to Overcome Presentation Anxiety

presentation anxiety

Being nervous before any major presentation is a normal thing. However, some people end up having a panic attack by merely thinking of standing in front of a crowd. Read these effective presentation tips and learn how to overcome your anxiety. 1.      Get Familiar with the Room and Its Setup Familiarize yourself with the surroundings […]

Shelby Harris, PsyD, CBSM

Dr. Harris Therapist

Dr. Shelby Harris is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for anxiety and depression in adolescents and adults, and behavioral sleep medicine (BSM).

Caron Renaissance

Renaissance-Clinical-Offices---Beacon-Square

Caron Renaissance is an extended-stay residential treatment program for adults ages 18 and up with substance misuse and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Self-Harm Leaves Scars Both Inside and Outside the Body

man in cap

When some people picture self-harm, they may envision a teenage girl cutting herself. This sort of scenario certainly does occur, but it’s important to recognize that self-harm in adults and among males happens too and is more common than you might realize. Self-harm also takes a variety of forms, not just cutting. It can be […]

Rose Hill

Situated on 400 peaceful and serene acres, Rose Hill offers comprehensive mental health treatment and rehabilitation services designed to help adults, 18 and over, recover and achieve lasting independence.

How Medicare Covers Mental Health

mature woman

Seniors tend to have chronic illnesses that can lead to mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Then there are mental health disorders that are chronic illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, which also affect young adults and people in middle age. According to the World Health Organization, fifteen percent of Americans who […]

How to Plan an Alcohol Intervention: Tips from an Expert Interventionist

intervention planning

By Ken Seeley, Founder and CEO, Ken Seeley Communities   As a seasoned interventionist, I have been involved in facilitating a wide array of groups of people who desired to motivate a loved one to seek treatment for a substance use disorder. Managing an intervention effectively takes planning, practice, and knowledge of the features associated […]

Top Meditation Techniques to Fight Addiction

outdoors meditation

No matter what substance you use, if you do it regularly, some changes leading to addiction inevitably occur in your brain. To rewire an addicted brain, you need to undergo a treatment process that will heal not only body but mind as well. Reaching abstinence is a big victory. But the struggle will continue as […]

What Addiction Taught Me About Relationships

helping hands

My drug and alcohol addiction put me through the worst of times, especially when it came to personal relationships. My addiction, however, taught me a lot about enabling, codependent relationships, and toxic relationships. What I once thought of as fairytale romances were really just a rollercoaster ride of emotional manipulation and enabling. I realized that […]

World Health Organization Reports CBD Oil Is Generally Safe

Cannabidiol (CBD) has recently gained a lot of traction for its many purported mental and physical health benefits. And anecdotal evidence to support these claims is strong. People tout the products for helping with pain, sleep, and even skin conditions. The issue is that scientific proof is hard to come by. Clinical research is limited […]

The Negative Impact of Stress on Mental Health

What is Stress? Stress can be defined as the way you feel when you’re under abnormal pressure. Everyone experiences stress from time to time, and it is a natural physical and mental reaction to life events. The below infographic from Study Medicine Europe examines the science of stress and offers an in-depth look as to […]

Understanding the Warning Signs of Suicide and What to Do if You’re Concerned

suicide warning signs

It is difficult to reach adulthood without knowing someone who has attempted or died by suicide. It’s natural to feel helpless and guilty when someone you know takes this step, even if you were not close to the person. When a suicide occurs, our thoughts turn to how to prevent it in the future. Read […]

The Connection Between Mental Health and Intimacy

intimate friends

While most of us assume that intimacy is something we only experience physically, intimacy also depends on, and greatly impacts, our brains. In fact, mental wellbeing and intimacy are so closely related that each can affect the other. What is intimacy? Intimacy can be both emotional or physical, oftentimes both. Emotional intimacy refers to a […]

Kenneth Willis, MD

Ken_Willis

Dr. Willis specializes in treating adults with eating disorders, who may also have co-occurring mental health issues such as mood, anxiety, and trauma disorders.

6 Emotional & Mental Health Issues on College Campuses

college ivy

With the college years being one of the busiest, and probably, the most stressful part of a young adult’s life, there definitely is a lot of risk for college students to experience a number of health issues. But aside from physical afflictions, there is also a possibility of experiencing mental and emotional health problems, if […]

Teen Mental Health & Sleep: What’s the Connection?

Teen Mental Health

Sleep and mental health go hand in hand, especially when it comes to the mental and physical well-being of teenagers. Unfortunately, not enough teens across the country are getting the sleep they need. It’s recommended that teens get nine hours of restful sleep each night, but between 60% to 70% of teenagers in the United […]

How to Take Care of Elderly Parents with Mental Illness

elder care

Most seniors don’t seek treatment or even help because they view their mental changes as a natural part of aging or partly because they are ashamed of their condition. While it’s normal for elderly people to experience some level of forgetfulness, it’s important to seek professional help if they show obvious changes in behavior or […]

Spotting Bipolar Disorder in Teens

moody teen

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition the symptoms of which are often deeply misunderstood. It can be easily mistaken for other mental health issues, or even brushed away as a natural part of being a teenager, another factor which helps to camouflage it in adolescents. Bipolar disorder is, however, a mental health issue […]

How Writing Can Improve Your Mental Health

mindful writing

Writing is a medicine for your mind. Whenever you feel mentally and emotionally exhausted, writing down the things that bother you will help you structure your thoughts and bring peace to your mind. Many therapists recommend investing time writing every day to improve your mental wellbeing. Dr. Mark Rowe MD, who is also an expert […]

Is Social Media Detrimental to Your Teen’s Mental Health?

teens on smartphones

Parents have always been concerned about the impact of technology on their children, and this is also the case with social media. In fact, the Family Online Safety Institute claims 43% of parents believe that the harmful effects of social media outweigh its benefits. Its link to mental health issues, in particular, has sparked a number of […]

Appleton – McLean Hospital

Appleton is a residential program for adults ages 18 and over who have a severe mental health condition such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and who may also have a co-occurring condition, which may include substance use, mood disorders, personality disorders or anxiety.

Do You Live to Work or Work to Live? Finding the Right Work-Life Balance

relaxing with a book

As adults, we spend most of our lives at work. Some of us are self-professed workaholics and some, like me, value our personal time. Some of us may enjoy working 50, 60, or even 80-hour weeks. They are the type of people who live to work. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But for […]

5 Quick Ways to Use Your Body to Rescue Your Mood

body positive

If you feel anxious and depressed, it will come as no surprise that no matter how you try, you can’t simply think your way into a better mood. But what can you do to help yourself when you feel stressed, down, worried, or hopeless? Just a basic understanding of Polyvagal Theory, the work of Stephen […]

Tara Levinson, PhD, NCSP, Psychologist

Tara Levinson Headshot

Dr. Levinson is a licensed clinical psychologist who works with children from early childhood through adolescence and specializes in the areas of behavior management, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), learning differences, ADHD and executive functioning, anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

The Disturbing Relationship Between Prescription Drug Misuse And Suicide

prescription drug misuse

Suicide and prescription drug misuse can be pretty complex, often interwoven in a cause and effect relationship. Neither one is easy to spot (or prevent, for that matter). For many individuals with mental health disorders like depression or borderline personality disorder the risk of suicide is even higher. Each year in the United States, over […]

5 Things I Learned from Running a Mental Health Website for Families: Celebrating www.rtor.org on its 5th Anniversary

celebrate rtor anniversary

May is a great month to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. May is the perfect wedding month. Babies born in May are the biggest of the year and adults with May birthdays consider themselves lucky and express more optimism than those born in other months. What better time to enter the world than when the […]

4 Outdoor Exercises to Boost Your Mental Health

swim for health

Fresh air on your face, hair blowing in the wind and the shifting scenery around you as the daylight changes – and the weather, too. Being outdoors definitely awakens the senses and stirs the emotions. Getting outdoors is said to ‘blow the cobwebs away’, however, it can do so much more than that. The benefits […]

Aspiro Vantage Point

The Aspiro Vantage Point wilderness program helps teenagers, young adults, and their families through challenges related to a wide range of emotional, learning, neurodevelopmental, psychological, and behavioral difficulties.

The Art of Self-Forgiveness: How to Let Go, Forgive Yourself, and Move Forward

wellness butterflies

 If you are really struggling with feeling bad about something, set aside those feelings of guilt or remorse for just one moment and listen… There is one simple truth about humans that is often forgotten–humans are not infallible. Everybody makes mistakes. The majority of us have made some terrible mistakes. Some mistakes may have cost […]

5 Steps to Stopping a Panic Attack: My Personal Approach

How to Stop a Panic Attack

This week I was diagnosed with multiple ear infections (not to mention a sinus infection with migraines) and was put on an antibiotic. Not a big deal, right? Well, apparently it doesn’t sit well with me because I’ve had horrible reactions both mentally and physically ever since – one of which being the dreaded panic […]

How Volunteering Can Aid Addiction Recovery

volunteer cooperation

Recovery from substance abuse can be a process that requires a lifelong commitment to sobriety. Once recovering addicts leave rehabilitation, there is often still a long road ahead. When reentering society, many former addicts find themselves out of work, or struggling to reacclimate to the job they left behind. While returning to work can be […]

WestBridge

WestBridge provides residential treatment for men ages 18 and up with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Continuum of Care

Continuum of Care provides comprehensive residential case management, crisis services, and housing support services for adults living with mental illness.

Paige Greytok, Marriage and Family Therapist

Paige-Greytok

RtoR Family-Endorsed Provider Profile   Paige Greytok, Marriage and Family Therapist Greenwich, CT   Paige Greytok is a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (MFT), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), and Certified Alcohol and other Drug Counselor (CADC), who specializes in the areas of addictions, marriage and family issues, anxiety and […]

Reduce Teen Anxiety in 35 Minutes: The Benefits of the Family Meal

family meal preparation

The teenage years can be a tumultuous time for many young people.  Dealing with growing bodies, the transition to middle or high school, and increased academic and social demands can make teens feel anxious about who they are and their ability to handle new challenges.  For most of us, anxiety is a familiar emotion that […]

The Psychosocial Impact of Acne on Teen Mental Health

girl in mirror

As you may know, acne is a common skin disease experienced mostly by teens and young adults. And in the majority of people, the skin disorder would clear after a couple of years – usually from late teens to early 20s. However, what you may not know is that aside from the scarred face – […]

How to Practice Gratitude When You’re Depressed

young adult gratitude

Happiness is a goal that most people hope to achieve. It’s why you’ve seen an increase in practices such as self-care and gratitude. Gratitude is a form of self-care that aims to bring a sense of well-being and contentment through appreciating the things we have in our lives. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to practice […]

Barn Life Recovery

barn life recovery photo

Barn Life Recovery is a community-based holistic rehabilitation center that provides an intensive outpatient and day program for individuals with mild to moderately severe mental illness, co-occurring disorders, and addictions.

6 Scientific Ways to Help Your Brain and Feel Happy When You Are Depressed

We live in a world where we are constantly on the go. Almost every minute of every day is jam packed full of loud noises, bright lights, and a near constant state of hustle and bustle. And when you combine that with a whole lot of life-related stress, well things don’t end up so good. […]

Living in the 21st Century: Social Media’s Impact on Mental Health and Well-being

social media phone

If you’re anything like me – or most Americans – the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning is check your phone: for updates, for statuses, for anything and everything. It seems like our entire life revolves around our phones. In today’s digital world, they allow us to do […]

Hypnotherapy in Mental Health Treatment – How Does It work?

Hypnosis for Anxiety | Hypnosis for Depression

Medical Hypnotherapy can be a powerful method to treat various mental health conditions. By creating a calm and controlled environment, it allows patients to focus on their deepest disruptors. What is Hypnosis Treatment? Medical hypnotherapy works through its ability to remove all distraction from the mind of the patient, and speak clearly and directly about […]

reSTART

reSTART is a residential treatment program for individuals who may be addicted to or overusing video games, social media, virtual reality and the Internet.

Not Mentally Ill Enough

depressed young adult

“It’s not that bad.” “Others have it worse.” “I’m just being a child.” “I’m not really depressed.” “I’m being ridiculous.” “I’m just a weak person.” “I should be able to handle this myself.” “Why am I being such a baby?” “Stop being stupid.” “Get over it.” Do you hear yourself thinking these things over and […]

Marc Tobin, PhD

Dr. Mark Tobin, a licensed clinical psychologist, provides treatment to adults, adolescents and couples who present with a wide variety of concerns, including self-esteem, anxiety, depression, grief and substance abuse.

Safe Passages Home

Safe Passages Home is a residence for men with mental health disorders who may also have co-occurring substance use disorders and who are currently under the care of a physician and other health care professionals.

How Impostor Syndrome Kept Me From Getting Help For My Mental Illness

imposter syndrome and mental health

Generally, you see “impostor syndrome” in the context of someone’s performance at work. However, in my experience, as well as Fiona Thomas’, it can occur with mental health as well.  Even more so, a few Google searches show its application outside of work performance—in relationships, parenting, talent, and then some. One thing that all people […]

How to Provide a Positive Home Environment for Your Teen with Anxiety

How to Parent a Teenager with Anxiety

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 18.1% of the population each year. They’re the most common mental health disorders of children and adolescents, affecting young people at different times throughout development. Though anxiety is prevalent among the teenage population, there […]

Mental Health Disorders Increasing Among Youth: Key Insights & Tips to Help

Teens may sometimes seem moody or emotional, but there’s a good reason for this. Their bodies and brains are still developing. During development, teens experience significant hormonal changes. In addition, life – from a teen perspective – is truly stressful. Teens face numerous challenges, such as competitiveness, cyberbullying, shaming, violence and other issues. Sometimes the […]

The Healing Center – David Greenfield, Ph.D.

RtoR Family-Endorsed Provider Profile     The Healing Center David Greenfield, Ph.D. West Hartford, CT Dr. Greenfield offers solution-focused therapy to help individuals, families and couples address a variety of life challenges.   With twenty-eight years of clinical experience, Dr. Greenfield provides cutting edge treatments in psychology, addictions, marital counseling, EMDR and intensive outpatient programs.  He […]

Medicare and Mental Health for Seniors: What’s Covered and How to Get the Help You Need

Does Medicare Cover Mental Health?

When you reach a certain age, you expect that your health may not be what it once was. Your bones may become brittle, you are more susceptible to accidents and injury, and it can take longer to recover from everyday illnesses, such as the flu or a cold, that never kept you down before. However, […]

Uplifting New Year’s Resolutions for Your Mental Health

Mental and Emotional Health Resolutions

It’s that time of year again when we wave goodbye to one year and usher another one in. That means it’s also resolution time. The problem with New Year’s resolutions is the failure rate. According to U.S. News, 80 percent of resolutions fail by mid-February. Failure has become so common that most of us probably […]

The Dorm

The Dorm is a full-service treatment community in New York City that offers comprehensive day and evening programming, partial residential treatment and individualized life skills training for young adults looking to further their independence.

Glenholme School

The Glenholme School is an independent, co-educational special needs boarding and day school for ages 10 to 21 years old located in the Berkshire Mountains.

Going Up in Flames: Wildland Firefighters and Mental Health

Wildland Firefighters mental health

We met on Tinder. His profile said he was a wildland firefighter, and one of his photos was of him covered in soot and ash with brilliant flames engulfing a forest behind him. I was completely infatuated without ever having met him. It turns out that he was as charming as he was brave, and […]

Cognitive Behavioral Consultants (CBC)

Cognitive Behavioral Consultants (CBC) is a group of internationally recognized mental health professionals who deliver innovative mental health treatments that help adults, adolescents, and children live more fulfilled lives.

How I Healed My Chronic Anxiety and Depersonalization Naturally

Anxiety and Depersonalization Recovery

Disclaimer: I am not a physician or a mental health professional. The information in this post is simply a description of what I did to help myself overcome generalized anxiety disorder and depersonalization disorder. My bouts of anxiety and depersonalization started at the age of fourteen. I was just going into my freshman year of […]

My Story of Co-Occurring Disorders and Overcoming Addiction

Co-occurring disorders, also known as dual diagnosis, refer to the combination of substance abuse and the presence of a mental health disorder. Many individuals who enter treatment for substance abuse are also diagnosed with a co-occurring disorder. Over half of all individuals experiencing drug addiction are also believed to have a co-occurring disorder such as […]

Do I Need a Life Coach? How to Determine If It’s Time to Seek Help

In life, often you find mentors to guide you towards the right path and to help train you for what’s needed to get to the final destination. We start with our parents to help us out, and then we have our siblings to help us navigate our social lives. A life coach can also help […]