There are aspects of winter that can be rather predictable – cold weather, ice and snow, and for some people, depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a seasonal depression that occurs at the same time each year. It usually starts in the fall and ends in the spring or early summer. Individuals with SAD typically report symptoms of fatigue, lack of concentration, sleep more, increased appetite and withdraw from activities. Another symptom can be a craving for starch or sweet foods.
Monthly Archives: January 2011
Understanding Grief
This fall, the therapists at Metis Counseling attended a training session presented by Dr. William Hoy entitled “When Grief Gets Complicated: Strategies for Counseling and Supporting the Bereaved”. Grief is the process of adapting to life after a significant loss. The terms grief and mourning tend to be used interchangeably. However, there is an important distinction among them and the process of healing incorporates both grieving and mourning. Simply stated, grief is the internal thoughts and feelings experienced when someone we love dies; whereas mourning involves taking the internal experience of grief and expressing it outside ourselves in the presence of others.