The Coping Skills Group at the College Drive office is open to new members. This group is held on Wednesdays from 12-1 and the focus is on discussing stressors and learning skills for managing them. Both men and women can join, but you must be an adult (18 or older) and a client of SCS to join. If you are interested or have more questions, give me a call at 307-352-6680. You can also talk with your individual therapist to see if this would be a good group for you.

A note for people who are anxious: People with anxiety often tell me that they can't go to groups. I think, under the right circumstances, that group can be a great option for people who are anxious. Often anxiety can rob a person of interpersonal interaction and that connection with others. Group is a structured environment where people with anxiety can work on regaining some of that interaction and some of that skill that anxiety interferes with. If you have anxiety and would like to join the group consider asking your individual therapist about how it could help you.

The American Psychological Association (APA) released results of its Stress in America survey last week. The results suggest that many people in the United States have chronic stress, have more stress than they believe is healthy, and have increasing stress. Stress is a particular problem for individuals providing long-term care to family members and for those who have chronic illnesses. You can check out the APA overview of the study results and link to the full report here. You can also check out the APA blog Your Mind Your Body for more information and for some tips on reducing stress.

If you are experiencing stress Southwest Counseling Service can help. Clinicians can work with you to teach you skills for managing and reducing stress. Several groups are available to offer support for people who are struggling with stress, depression, and other mental health concerns. Chronic stress can lead to health problems and it can keep you from living the life you want to live. If you are a caregiver or an individual who is experiencing stress due to health problems, we can also offer you support for those experiences. We even have a new program to offer trainings and information to companies to assist their employees in coping with stress.

If you have been stressed out for longer than you think you should be, give us a call at 352-6680 to find out how we can help you.

I woke up this morning to find several posts about Facebook's new initiative to help users who are suicidal get help. It looks like Facebook has worked with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for a while, and they are now partnering with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to take things one step further.

If one of your Facebook friends posts a suicidal comment, you can now click a link to report that comment. Facebook will immediately send an email to your friend encouraging that person to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) or click a link to begin a live, confidential, chat with a crisis worker.

If your friend is telling you about suicidal thoughts please take them serious and please offer help. Southwest Counseling Service has 24-hour crisis services for mental health emergencies, so there is always someone available for help in preventing suicide. You can also call 911 or take your friend to the emergency room to get help.

If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, please get help. We can offer crisis services, counseling services, case management, and other forms of support. Contact our offices at 352-6680 or 875-5515.