Is My Teen Depressed?

If your teenager seems moody and has been withdrawing from their daily life – including no longer doing things they enjoy – you might find yourself wondering “Is my teen depressed?”. Here at Hillcrest, we’d like to provide you with an easy guide to recognizing the symptoms that might plague your teen. Teen depression is…

Read More

What Recovery Looks Like with Aftercare

Deciding to seek therapy for a mental health disorder can be a life-saving decision. Unfortunately, the successes of treatment can lose their impact without proper aftercare. Aftercare is an essential part of the recovery process, and, for long term success to be realized, the value of aftercare cannot be overlooked.

Read More

How Can I Practice Self-Care

There has been a lot of discussion recently about the importance of self-care, but what does that actually mean? For adults, its about finding time in a very busy schedule to take care of oneself emotionally, physically, and spiritually. A mature adult with good time management skills will always find the time to give to…

Read More

What are the Stages of Anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal emotion. Anxiety is the brain’s way of reacting to stress and letting you know there may be a potential danger you should be aware of. Everyone experiences anxiety symptoms occasionally, especially when faced with a problem or an important decision. Occasional anxiety is OK; however, consistent or chronic anxiety is not.

Read More

How Neglect Can Affect A Child

What does neglect look like? What signs or signals will a child who is the victim of neglect display if they are silently calling out for help? Neglect can be difficult to spot. Therefore, a child suffers through or is victimized by neglect for many years (possibly their entire childhood) without being able to receive…

Read More

How To Talk To Your Child About Trauma

Being a witness to or involved in a severe accident, violent crime, terrorist attack, or natural disaster (such as an earthquake or hurricane) can be overwhelmingly stressful for children at any age. Even kids and teens who were not directly impacted or involved in the incident can still experience trauma due to repeated exposure to…

Read More

Does Music Therapy Really Work?

It has been said that music can heal anything. If you are having a rough day, turn on the radio and allow the feeling of the beat and sounds of the vocals to reach your soul. If you are sad, turn on a happy tune. Need to get “pumped up” for a workout or a…

Read More

Does Your Teen Need To Start Therapy?

Some people pass through adolescence and their teen years easily and swiftly, with minimal challenge or turmoil. For others, the arrival of puberty brings about change, and sometimes these changes can be difficult for both teens and their parents to manage. Inevitably, guilt or blame begins to factor in as parents try to understand how…

Read More

How Depression Affects Learning

When people think of depression (or clinical depression), they often think of someone who struggles with feelings of sadness or who frequently feels down for longer than “normal” periods. People with depression are also sometimes seen as lazy or antisocial as they often experience fluctuations in their energy levels or tend to lose interest in…

Read More

How Does Bipolar Disorder Affect Mental Health?

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition characterized by extreme changes in one’s emotional state. Bipolar disorder was formerly called manic depression due to the experiences one has with states of mania followed by states of depression. During a previous blog we discussed bipolar disorder, its symptoms, characteristics, risk factors and treatments in detail so…

Read More