Postpartum Depression otherwise known as postnatal depression is a complex mix of emotional, physical and behavioral changes that last for an extended period of time. It affects new moms wherein they feel happy at one moment and depressed the next. This form of depression usually happens within the first few days or weeks after giving birth and can last for a week, months or even a year in rare cases.

What Causes Postpartum Depression?

A possible cause of PPD is hormonal changes. Other causes may include substance abuse, marital issues, family history of birth-related challenges and depression, broken sleep patterns, financial issues, and immaturity, particularly if the parents of the newborn baby are young.

Who is at risk?

Women who have experienced depression before pregnancy are more at risk, and should properly discuss this issue with their before their due dates.

Does Postpartum depression (PPD) affect only women?

No. Postpartum depression can also affect the father if they cannot support the child or in rare cases when they find out that the child is not theirs.

Signs and symptoms of Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression can show different signs in different women. A few visible symptoms include, but not restricted to the following:

• Sleeplessness
• Crying for no reason
• Inability to concentrate
• Withdrawals from family and friends
• Extreme mood swings and irritability
• Overly sad or irritable
• Guilt or shame feeling
• Suicide thought

If you are a new mother and are experiencing any of the following symptoms or you see them in a loved one, it is recommended you seek help without delay, particularly if the symptoms are persistent.

Treating Postpartum depression

Postpartum depression (PPD) may go undetected. However, effective treatment starts with an early acknowledgment of the symptoms and adequate testing. The best ways to overcome this form of depression is through therapies and anti-depressant. Mild forms of PPD can be treated through counseling and family support. Women with moderate and severe forms of depression may require both medications and counseling. In addition, both partners can be included in the treatment process because it is important for the male partner to understand what is going on and tolerate the feeling of his partner.

What you can do to help yourself

Some of the several things you can do to help relieve the feelings of DDP include:

• Focus on the short-term goals that can be achieved rather than thinking about long-term goals
• Share feelings with your friends, families, and partner to achieve a more positive outlook
• Look for cheap activities like walking, reading, visiting a worship center etc.
• Avoiding stressful situations during pregnancy

The less anxious and isolated you are, the better you will feel.

Conclusion

The treatments and recovery associated with any kind of depression depend on the extent of the depression. With proper treatment, postpartum depression (PPD) can be conquered. For effective therapy treatments, you can book an appointment with us now.

DYSLEXIA: causes, symptoms, and testing

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a disorder that is quite personalized in its symptoms and severity. It is often classified by a victim’s inability to read and/or write properly.

What causes Dyslexia?

Basically, Dyslexia is a neurological defect and learning disability caused by hormonal growth during at the early development stage of the fetus in the uterus.

Types of Dyslexia

There are three (3) major types of dyslexia classified by their cause. These include:

Trauma Dyslexia: This usually happens after someone has experienced brain injury or brain trauma due to a car accident, a fall from a tall ladder among many others. It usually affects the area of the brain that controls the victim’s ability to write and read. Trauma dyslexia is mostly seen in adult patients. Hardly do children suffer from it.

Primary Dyslexia: It is genetic or hereditary in nature, and is caused by a dysfunction of the cerebral cortex. Primary dyslexia is more common with boys than girls and does not improve or get worse with age. People who have this type of dyslexia usually struggle with writing, spelling, and reading in a variety of degrees, through adulthood.

Developmental Dyslexia: Also known as secondary dyslexia, developmental dyslexia is believed to be caused by hormonal growth during the early stages of development in the uterus. This type of dyslexia is more common in boys and believed to be highly treatable with a good chance of lessening and even going away as the child develops.

Furthermore, Dyslexia can also be classified based on the type of skills the victim is struggling with. These are:

Visual Dyslexia: This is when the victim struggles with the ability to write letters, numbers, and words in the right style and order.

Auditory Dyslexia: This is when victims struggle with the sounds of words or letters. It may also be caused by hearing and ear issues that start at an early age.

Symptoms of Dyslexia

• Short-term memory
• sub-standard reading abilities
• low self-esteem
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Restlessness
• Confusion

Testing for Dyslexia

If you or any of your loved ones have a combination of any of the dyslexia symptoms mentioned above, it would be a great idea to take a simple dyslexia test to validate or deny the possibilities. Two types of tests are required for anyone dealing with dyslexia. The first one is the screening test and the other, a detailed test.

Dyslexia screening test: The main aim of the screening test is to know if the more detailed test would be needed. It is a somewhat simple test that does not essentially determine if someone has dyslexia. It is used to know if someone has some kind of learning disability be it dyslexia, ADHD or even autism. It is often used to screen people from the learning disabled group.

The detailed test: It is more challenging, expensive, time-consuming and painstaking for the patient being tested. It may require several testing sessions. If you start with the detailed test to determine if the person has dyslexia or not, it would be a great waste of money and time and would generate needless stress for the patient being tested.

For any patient suffering from dyslexia, consulting a life coach can be a great step in helping them overcome these problems. They will help to put the victims on the best track to happiness, success and to achieve their full potential. You can contact us at (insert number) to book an appointment or for more information.

The wedding ceremony and the honeymoon paparazzi are all over, and the journey of marriage, which is the reality, has begun. Now that you are living together as one, both of you would need to make some adjustments in your way of living. Consider the present world we are in, where we are facing global economic recessions, it is no surprising if you have financial challenges in your marriage, even if you are just newly wedded.  This is basically a phenomenon that cannot be avoided.

Money is probably the most common cause of problems in marriages these days, and has been proven to be the major reason for 90% of divorce cases globally. No doubt, every marriage encounters money problems at a point in time and it would be wrong to say that lack of money can never bring a marriage to a close. It is not an issue of the amount you or your spouse earns that brings about these difficulties, but rather, the spending habits. That being said, here are a few causes of financial problems in marriage.

Causes of financial problems in marriage

• Unemployment – When either of the couple is gainfully employed while the other is not
• Communication gap- When there is no discussion on your spending habits as well as other money related issues.
• Jealousy- probably your spouse is earning more than you, and you are jealous of your spouse attaining greater heights by investing more in business. This, in particular, is common with men.
• No planned monthly financial plan and thus, spending irrationally without other person’s approval.

All these and many others will surely hurt any marriage if the couple fails to trash them out.

Now that you have realized some of these causes, the next step is to find a lasting solution to the money-related disagreement in your marriage.

5 Ways To Avoid Financial Issues In Your Marriage

• Be sincere with each other:

Express your concerns over money and handle them in a polite manner. This way, you will be able to find a common ground to deal with your differing financial habits and attitudes.

• Create time to consider your financial expectations and also find common goals:

One of the best money and marriage tips is to discover common goals as far as money is concerned. Come up with solutions about your family’s attitude towards spending and also set realistic expectations and goals that are attainable. If you desire something, continue to save until you can actually get them. You also need to understand how to prioritize your goals, for instance, what to spend on bills, children, home, entertainment, savings etc. Create and live within a budget.

• Run Your Home Like A Business

Every winning business has a financial plan, and so does every successful home. Probably the worst money and marriage mistakes both of you can make is to forget to develop a budget for yourselves. Whether you earn a little income or make lots of money, a budget can enable you to see where the money is going, how it is working for you, and also be able to identify challenging areas and come up with effective solutions to fixing those problems.

• Differentiate between want and needs:

Never spend what you do not have. Learn to differentiate between what you want and what you actually need. Credit cards and unnecessary loans will only sink you more.

• Consult an expert

If your problems are so severe that you feel you are unable to get off them on your own, then may need to seek the help of a professional consultant or financial planner with expertise in helping people with their financial difficulties. They have seen it all, know what works and what does not, and can help you get to the root of your money and marriage challenges by proffering real life solutions to any challenges you might be facing. This does not mean that you are sharing your marriage issues with an outsider, but it is an opportunity for you both to discuss your challenges with experts and together work to achieve a common solution.

Conclusion

Money is just a tool and should not be the reason for divorce. Therefore, try as much as possible not to dispute over it. Spending more time to dispute over money when you are suppose to be nurturing your home will certainly bring financial stress in your marriage. And ultimately, could lead to divorce.

For more details on handling marriage and money challenges, kindly contact us here.

A good relationship is essential in keeping up a stable and healthy life, although it is usually surrounded by endless situations that are driven to challenge its stability. Not only do relationships involve those happy moments and times of fun and joy. There are also times of dilemmas and troubles that you and your partner must go through. But by experience, going through these trial times together can make your relationship stronger and better than it is used to. How then can you make a relationship work and also a long-lasting one? Highlighted below are some tips that could be of help in making your relationship a stable one.

Be optimistic

Avoid any negative thoughts in your relationship. Be less judgmental and be more accepting towards others particularly with your partner. Always have a positive impression that will definitely enlighten the bond both of you are having.

Appreciate and Accept individual’s Differences

We are all created uniquely. Therefore, you need to understand the variations that you and your partner are having. These variations may at times bring about conflicts and may also lead to problems that are occasionally hard to resolve. However, avoid talking down your partner plus saying things that go over the line from friendly teasing, as it may be painful to your partner. Keep a harmonious relationship, accept and adjust the variations that you both are having.

Improve your communication skills

Be honest and open-minded. Share your feelings, thoughts, values and views with your partner. Be attentive and give an open ear to discern your partner’s thoughts. Enhancing your communication skills will assist you to respond correctly and also avoid misunderstanding. It will aid in establishing trust, which makes the relationship more stable and strong.

Resolve conflicts or issues early

When your relationship starts to grow with conflict, ensure it is resolved as fast as possible. Do not let conflicts affect the major part of the bond you share with your partner. Together with your partner, evaluate the cause of such conflict, develop an action plan and take steps to solve the conflict effectively.

Avoid making comparisons
Note that every relationship is unique. Never compare your relationship with others. Doing this may cause the problem to your own relationship other than help it. In fact, it may be what would trigger your relationship to be completely destroyed.

Treat your Partner with all Respect

Do not disrespect your partner and never complain. Be polite by giving your time, listening carefully, and responding to his or her needs appropriately. Learn to value your partner by respecting them; the kind of respect that can be achieved by accepting each other’s differences. Putting up enough effort in treating your partner well would also help in keeping your relationship. No matter how hard or harsh the situations are, try to be patient and calm. Be open about your feelings and accept the emotions and feelings of your partner.

Establish and Grow Trust

Apart from love, trust is the foundation of every relationship and is embedded in the soul of your bond. Once trust is established, a harmonious relationship will surface. Trust glues the differences and similarities between you and your partner. Not only that, it will lead to a one loyal and fruitful unit.

In addition, give relationship counseling a try

Is your relationship about to end? Relationship counseling is usually the only way left to have it fixed. Relationship counselors are experts and can help you resolve most issues facing your relationship and also enlighten you on how you can become a better partner.

Conclusion: To make a relationship work requires lots of work and should be given quality time and effort. However, making the most of whatever you have and enjoying every step of the way is the crucial key on how to make a relationship work. In summary, the major keys to making a relationship work include trust, respect, and good communication. Both of you must learn to assist each other in keep up these three (3) core values in your relationship. These values will assist you to strengthen and maintain the bond you have established with your partner. Always keep the faith and never stop loving each other.

Parenting is a topic that drives deep emotion, raises key questions and unique to every family. To different people, parenting means different things. While there are no set rules, official handbooks, school or special classes that teach parents about good parenting skills, it is a skill that can be learned and mastered. Parenting skill is not something you discover or you are good at, it is more of practicing your responsibility as a parent in a loving but practical means.

Good parenting skills play the biggest role in the development of a child. It officially starts when you gave birth to your child. As a parent, your best teacher is actually your daily experiences. Most parents would agree that raising children require a lot of patience, trustworthiness, nurturing, humor and guidance. However, how and when to apply these skills is something most parents learn through practice.

Parenting skills also differ. Some are very innovative and caring while others are firm and total disciplinarian. It is important to also know that a parenting skill that works for one child may not work for another as every child is unique, and moods and situations change on daily basis. You don’t have to worry. Parenting skills do take time and are not developed and/or enhanced over night. As your child grows, you also grow in dealing with them. However, there are some parenting skills that are very crucial in an effective and good parenting. They include:

SELF CONTROL

Showing self control before a child does two different things: It shows a child how to manage their emotions and act accordingly; It protects a child from possible abuse that occurs when short-tempered emotions drive a parent’s actions. By learning to control your personal behaviors, you are already giving the child the tools they need to ascend to a responsible adulthood.

FOCUS

With lots of distractions in our world of today, parenting a child requires focus. As a parent, we need to pay attention to our children, know their whereabouts, address their needs, wants and also assure their safety. By so doing, we can recognize those things that ought to be done to effectively raise them.

YOU MUST BE INVOLVED

Parenting is a social behavior, and the most significant social interaction you can have is with your child. Be involved with their life, know their friends and talk to them on daily basis. Doing this in a positive way makes the child understand that you truly care about them. Although teenagers, in particular may dislike your interference, but do not stop. Always tell them that love them and that your interest in everything they do is your parental responsibility. By developing the above important parenting skills, you can adapt your unique parenting approach to every child.

Conclusively, while self-help books and your parent or friend’s advice are available for you, there is no blueprint for parenting. As said earlier, experience is the best teacher. However, it is essential to also seek advice from respected and reputable parents. There are also some experts in parenting that you can contact. Contact California Counseling group for more details on parenting skills.

Deciding to get a divorce can be one of the hardest decisions a couple can make. What can however, make the divorce decision more painful is when kids are involved. Preparing kids for divorce can be challenging. However, how their parents handle the entire process will determine the extent to which they will be affected. Any responsible parent would probably have spent time wondering how the divorce process will affect their children, and worry about ways to help their children cope during the divorce. Having said that, outlined below are a few techniques to consider in other to have a safe divorce.

Talk about the divorce openly with the kids

The first step towards a safe divorce is for you and your partner to sit down as a family and tell the kids about the divorce. While doing that, you should ensure not to speak evils of your partner or talk about the problems in the marriage. This is not a time to blame anyone, since you never want to get into an argument in front of them. Take this time to talk to them in a very calm and understanding tone. Also, use age appropriate language. 3-year old and 7-year old kids are in different maturity levels and understand things differently. Be sincere, but take note to use the right language for the age of the child or they will not understand the situation.

Reassurance

Make them to understand that they will continue to be loved and cherished by the two of you. Let your children know that your love for one another has changed, but the love you both have for them remains strong and steady. Let them understand that the need for the divorce is not because of anything they did.

Give them the opportunity to ask any questions.

This is very essential as the kids will be curious. Understanding how to handle the divorce in their own terms will help them accept it much easier. If they are not ready to talk with you about their feelings, give them the time they need. Let them understand you both care for them, and will still be in their life. Since they will most likely become upset or sad, make them to understand that they are not losing either parent, just that you will no longer be living together. Provide them with the support they need to enable them get over the difficult time with ease.

Consider counseling as a coping option for your kids

In several cases, kids of divorcing parents have feelings of responsibility for the situation, which can result in guilt feelings or even depression. If you would want to guard your kids against this vicious cycle, a mental health expert can help to protect your kid’s wellness in the course of the divorce proceedings. If you can afford a therapist or other health care experts, consider this as an alternative for your kids. You may likewise consider counseling for yourself. Doing this may help you and your kids by proxy.

Conclusion

The well-being of your kids should be a top priority in the divorce proceedings. You can reduce the negative effects on your children if you and your partner end the marriage in a mature and healthy way. Be as honest as possible with them without going into all the reasons for the divorce. It is possible the kids will more than likely handle the divorce differently, so be prepared for their reactions and be supportive to their feelings. Being open can help them to handle this challenging time in a healthy and stable way.