Posts with an Intended Audience of ‘General’

Reducing Stress Using Muscle Relaxation (Contract/Release Method)

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 by Kristin Slevin
Intended Audience:

With the current advances of neuroscience we are coming to a greater understanding of the connection between the health of the mind and the body. Mental tension and physical tension go together. Most of us have some awareness of this connection when after a stressful day we find that we have a headache or our shoulders are tight or our stomach hurts. Mental and emotional stress affects our bodies, each of us in our own way. What we are often less aware of is that relaxing the body can help reduce mental and emotional stress. You have probably experienced this too. Have you ever noticed how much better you feel after eating a nice meal, soaking in the tub, exercising, or cuddling with your favorite animal or person? Such activities release chemicals in the brain which help relax the body as well as promote mental well-being.

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Modern Technology in the Lives of our Children: A Lecture by Ken Myers

Monday, May 10th, 2010 by Sean Slevin
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Redeemer Classical School (located in Keezletown, Virginia) has arranged for Ken Myers to present a lecture this coming Friday (May 14, 2010) on Growing up in a Digital Nation: Modern Technology in the Lives of our Children.

Friday, May 14, 2010, at 7:30pm
Massanutten Presbyterian Church
50 Indian Trail, Penn Laird, VA
Admission is free and all are welcome.

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A Good Self-Help Book is Like a Map…

Monday, March 29th, 2010 by Sean Slevin
Intended Audience:

Map of Middle-earth, from Tolkien Lord of the RingsOne of our goals with the Transitions blog is to provide useful resources to our readers. These can be books, articles, psychological research, websites, etc., as well as, of course, our own thoughts about what can be helpful to those seeking to learn, grow and live well. We intend for all of these things to be useful and helpful (obviously, or why would we post them?), but part of utilizing any resource well is understanding what it can and cannot accomplish for you.

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Green Space and Your Mental Health

Thursday, March 18th, 2010 by Sean Slevin
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Shenadoah National ParkAs a rather severe winter fades and spring approaches it seems like a good time to write about an interesting study I came across a while back about the health benefits of living near green spaces. The perceived connection between closeness to nature and one’s health is not new, and is one which is not hard to accept on just an intuitive level. Particularly at this time of year after having had so much snow it can feel good to just see the green grass again!

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Icicles at the Transitions Office

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 by Sean Slevin
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icicles at Transitions Counseling office entrance, 250 East Market Street, Harrisonburg VAI have always been fascinated by icicles–they’re just so fantastical and otherworldly! While the snow has been pretty to watch, the frequency and quantity has meant for a lot of shoveling and rescheduling. One perk for me with all of the snow has been the increasingly enormous icicles at our office. So for a change of pace here on the Transitions blog I thought I’d write a fun post just to share a few pictures of them.

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Noteworthy Posts of 2009

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 by Sean Slevin
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Kristin and I have a habit of taking time out in the new year (usually in January, after life gets back to normal) to reflect on the previous year and look ahead to the new year. In that vein I thought I’d share a list of some of the blog posts that proved to be popular with our readers in 2009.

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What Happens After “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”?

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 by Sean Slevin
Intended Audience:

Album cover, Its The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, Andy WilliamsFor many people the holidays are “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” The wrapping up of the year with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve is a special season in multiple ways. In addition to the historical and religious aspects of the holidays, many people also enjoy the breaking from routine, celebrating and coming together with friends and family. Though I am very much a fan of all of these things, I think it is also worthwhile to acknowledge some of the ways in which the holidays and/or post-holidays can be stressful.

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Influencing Teen Driving Behavior

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 by Sean Slevin
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Driving FastThere are two informative studies in the October issue of Pediatrics that reveal: the effects that some parenting styles can have on teen driving safety, as well as the increased risk associated with teens having a vehicle of which they are the primary driver.

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Study Finds that Predictable, Required Time Off Reaps Big Benefits

Monday, October 19th, 2009 by Sean Slevin
Intended Audience:

I recently came across an article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that makes for an interesting follow-up to my post last month about the importance and difficulty of Sabbath rest. The article looks at a study published this October in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) that found that backing away from the intense, always working, 24/7 way of life yields measurable improvements in not just work quality and output but also in employee satisfaction.

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Review: Report on ADHD

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 by Kristin Slevin
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Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is one of the most common psychological diagnoses for children. Some estimate that between 8-10% of school aged children are affected by ADHD. So if you are at all involved with children, chances are that you know a child with ADHD. Your child may have ADHD. How can you tell if your child has ADHD? What should you consider when picking a doctor to diagnose and treat your child? What about medications for ADHD? These questions are all addressed in a thorough and relatively reader friendly report available for download from Consumer Reports (CR) (links to the report are in the footnotes).

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