2020 was a difficult year for most of us. As a society, we were hit with one blow after another, between the pandemic, economic struggles, social inequality, major changes in work and education, and disruption of life as we have always known it. That is in addition to any personal losses that we have suffered, such as the loss of loved ones, illnesses, or unemployment.
2021 is a new year and a chance to start over. Instead of allowing the challenges of 2020 to hold us back, we can learn from them and move forwards. Many of us have been putting off dealing with problems, waiting for “a better time” or for the pandemic to be over. It is time to take action, face our challenges head on, and begin the new year with a positive attitude and a plan of action. At Mindful Assessments & Psychological Services, we have many services that can help you to do just that.
What problems have you been facing that you are ready to take on? The stress and anxiety of the past year has taken its toll on us. For some people, it is getting in the way of their everyday functioning. It could be depression, anxiety, or dealing with a personal loss. Working with a professional therapist can help you deal with these issues and teach you coping mechanisms so that they no longer disrupt your life. By taking care of your mental and emotional health, you may find that other areas of your life can benefit as well. Our psychologists are available for virtual therapy sessions so that you can get the support you need without having to physically come to our office.
The challenges that we have been dealing may also be detrimental to our relationships with others. You may have more conflicts with loved ones due to the extreme emotions and circumstances that we have experienced. It may be harder to connect with others and to be able to understand their point of view. Individual, couples, or family therapy can help you to strengthen your relationships and work through your difficulties. Parents may need assistance in helping their children cope. Our normal parenting strategies may not be working any more. Our psychologists can help parents learn new techniques to deal with their children’s behavior and to support their emotional health. This can also help to improve parent-child relationships.
Maybe your struggles are not emotional, but intellectual in nature. The quarantine, while protecting our physical health, has not been beneficial to our cognitive health. Isolation and loneliness, combined with a lack of social and mental stimulation, have led to a decrease in cognitive abilities for many people, especially those already at risk for or experiencing a decline. While accepting your own cognitive decline or helping others deal with theirs is not easy, not doing so can have a major negative impact on your quality of life. On the other hand, by being proactive and getting a neuropsychological evaluation, you enable us to help to identify exactly what is going on and make recommendations for ways to try to slow the decline and to find ways to improve your wellbeing.
Academic concerns have been a major topic for many families. Students have struggled with hybrid and remote learning and are falling behind. It may be time to find a tutor to help your child get caught up to grade level. Or it is possible that other concerns about students’ abilities have come to light. Some students struggle with self-management skills, such as organizing, time management, and studying efficiently. These students may benefit from executive functioning coaching, which can teach them the skills they need to become better learners and workers. Other students may have more significant difficulties, such as a possible undiagnosed learning disability or ADHD. Students who were able to get by in school under the watch of an attentive and experienced teacher may now be lost while at home on a computer. Identifying learning disabilities through our neuropsychological evaluations can help to determine what exactly is going on and help get modifications or additional support, even with remote learning.
The new year is an opportunity to start over again. Instead of focusing on resolutions that many of us will never keep, look for ways to deal with the problems that have been holding you back. Take some time to reflect on what changes you need to make, and then seek out the professionals who can help you make those changes. 2021 is full of hope and possibilities and Mindful Assessments & Psychological Services can help you take the steps to make it a great year!
Resources
https://www.mindfulassessment.comblog_12_16_2020.html
https://www.mindfulassessment.comblog_2_25_2020.html
https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/executive-function-coaching-overview
https://www.mindfulassessment.comlearning-disabilities-evaluations-nj.html
https://www.mindfulassessment.comadhd-evaluations-nj.html
https://www.mindfulassessment.comcontact-mindful-assessments-psychological-services.html
References
https://www.trvst.world/inspiration/what-are-the-benefits-of-a-positive-attitude/
https://www.lehighcenter.com/the-importance-of-seeking-mental-health-treatment/
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/cbt-for-kids
