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Three Ways to Express Self-Love on Valentine’s Day

February 11, 2022
a vector image of a female wrapping her arms around her shoulders in a display of self love

By Sheila O’Shea “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde, An Ideal Husband Valentine’s Day is known as a day to express love to one’s romantic partner with cards, flowers, candy, and gifts. But you don’t need a partner to have someone to express love to. I’m not in…

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The Wrong Thing: The Hazards of Misdiagnosis

January 28, 2022
an image of a wooden square block on top of a piece of wood with round holes to signify putting a square peg in a round hole.

By Sheila O’Shea [Trigger warning: suicidal ideation] I knew it wasn’t Attention Deficit Disorder. I went through a battery of tests for ADD—pointing at pictures of aliens and reciting their names, holding a metal rod steady so it wouldn’t touch the inside of a metal ring, filling out questionnaires—and the doctor concluded that I didn’t…

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Resolve to Make Better New Year Resolutions

December 15, 2021
a red background with a string stretched horizontally. A yellow note with the words "New Year. New Goal" is pinned to the string.

By Sheila O’Shea It’s time again to make resolutions for the new year so we can break them in February and feel disgusted with ourselves. Whee! If that’s how your resolutions end up going, there are other ways to approach the new year that may work better for you. How To Phrase Your New Year…

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Teen Avoidance Behaviors

December 14, 2021
teen alone in room

Teen avoidant behaviors—even if they are driven by depression or anxiety—make many mental health problems worse. There can be a “snowball effect.” Avoiding one situation leads to avoiding another, and another, until the teen effectively shuts down.

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Staff Highlight: Trudy Farkas, RN

December 6, 2021
A photo of Trudy Farkas, RN, Lead Nurse, Adolescent

Lead nurse at the Skyland Trail adolescent treatment program, Trudy Farkas, RN, uses her skills and compassion to care for teens ages 14 to 17.

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Dietitian Dishes: Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Squash

December 6, 2021
a top-down photo of roasted brussel sprouts and squash on a white plate

Need a healthy side dish to accompany your holiday meal? Here’s a recipe from the Skyland Trail adult dietitian, Isabel Alvarez, RD, LD. A key component of taking care of one’s mental health is to also take care of one’s physical health. Cooking and eating nutritious, balanced meals is a simple and effective way to…

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Managing Your Depression During The Holidays

November 17, 2021
A man in a red shirt wearing a red santa hat that is covering his face

By Gordon Corsetti, Skyland Trail adult programs graduate It seems the holidays are annual events that conspire to derail any progress made against my depression. Shorter days mean I get less sunlight. Colder mornings mean it is that much more difficult to extricate myself from the warm sheets. Worst of all though, is the forced…

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Staff Highlight: Dawn Collinge, LPC

October 26, 2021
a graphic for the skyland trail staff spotlight with a photo of Dawn Collinge smiling

Learn more about Dawn Collinge, LPC, NCC, MAC, ACS, Education Outreach Coordinator at the Skyland Trail. How long have you been at Skyland Trail? “7 years.” What made you want to go into the mental health field? “Listening to a psychologist during career day when I was a junior in high school. But, it took…

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Addiction Treatment Vs. Residential Dual Diagnosis Treatment

September 20, 2021
adults in peer support group for mental heatlh

What is a dual diagnosis treatment program? A dual diagnosis treatment program helps people who have a substance use disorder and one or more co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses, including a mood disorder like major depression or bipolar disorder, an anxiety disorder, schizophrenia or another thought disorder, or a personality disorder. Therapies and programs are structured to…

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Staff Highlight: Carlyle Bruce, PhD

August 27, 2021
A screenshot from a video featuring Carlyle Bruce, PhD

Learn more about Carlyle Bruce, Ph.D., Director of Psychological Services and family therapist at the Skyland Trail adult residential treatment program. How long have you been at Skyland Trail? “I have been at Skyland for 10 years.” What made you want to go into the mental health field? “I really enjoyed talking to others, and—though…

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