The Wellness Diary

Insights, advice, new research, tips and tricks, and new resources to help you with your mental health journey.

Sandra Kushnir Sandra Kushnir

Mindful Living: Learning To Be Present In Your Life

Mindfulness is more than a 1-hour meditation class or a 10-minute guided recording on an app. It's a way of life, a moral compass and a change in perspective that can improve all aspects of your life including relationships, self-awareness, attunement to the environment and the ability to understand and regulate your internal experience. 

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Sandra Kushnir Sandra Kushnir

Going The Distance: What It Takes To Make Relationships Work

As technology has changed how we meet, communicate and date- long distance relationships have become a norm in our culture. Yet, there really hasn't been much discussion about how to navigate these types of relationships and the struggles that come up for couples who are trying to "go the distance." 

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Sandra Kushnir Sandra Kushnir

The Power Of Projection: When You Can't See The Truth

Projection is a powerful thing. Probably one of the most powerful psychological and emotional qualities that sets humans apart from other animals. We project our thoughts onto paper and create stories, songs, and poetry. We project our ideas and create incredible inventions and we project our hearts deepest wishes, desires, pain onto others and relationships, all without even consciously realizing it. 

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Sandra Kushnir Sandra Kushnir

Living With Anxiety: What You Need To Know

Yes, living with anxiety is not easy. Almost, all of us have experienced or gone through a period in our lives when we felt anxious, stressed or feel like life has become unmanageable. It is normal to feel anxious during certain times in your life: before an exam, first date, difficult conversation or when in high-pressure situations such as graduate school. 

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Sandra Kushnir Sandra Kushnir

Why It's Ok To Get Hurt: Life's Greatest Lessons

Our greatest growth often comes from the most difficult times in our life. Getting hurt is inevitable in life, especially when it comes to relationships. It's hard to always know how to cope and process everything when you are in the trenches of pain and darkness.

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Sandra Kushnir Sandra Kushnir

Vulnerability: The Leap Into The Unknown

Vulnerability means showing up and allowing yourself to be seen, speaking your truth and putting yourself at risk for rejection. It's saying "I love you" and not knowing how the other person feels. It's hearing that you have cancer. It's walking into an interview for your dream job. It's becoming a parent for the first time. It's facing someone that you have hurt. It's admitting that you struggle with an addiction or that your relationship isn't working anymore.

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Sandra Kushnir Sandra Kushnir

The Narcissistic Relationship: Take Back Your Power

Narcissist's lack a coherent sense of self so they use environmental stimuli to feel worthy and powerful. They may seek out travel, expensive clothing, powerful jobs or beautiful partners to project to the world that they are worthy. Using life experiences, things and interesting stories about their lives to feel worthy and lovable. 

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Sandra Kushnir Sandra Kushnir

Coping With A Loss: What To Expect And How To Recover

Going through the stages of grief can be one of the most mentally, spiritually and physically draining emotional experiences we go through as humans.  The loss of a person, relationship or a significant aspect of your life can trigger feelings that are so powerful and overwhelming, you may not know how to cope with them. 

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Relationships Sandra Kushnir Relationships Sandra Kushnir

The Commitment Phobic: How To Spot One And Protect Your Heart

Commitment phobia stems from unresolved childhood trauma and is an unconscious re-enactment of their internal conflict. Part of the psyche yearns for closeness, companionship, and love, while the other part is terrified of the responsibilities that come with a relationship. Being in a relationship with a commitment phobic is extremely emotionally draining and creates a confusing "push and pull" for anyone involved with them. 

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Sandra Kushnir Sandra Kushnir

It's The Little Things: Finding Time for Self-Care

In today's world is go-go-go, Monday-Friday goes by in the blink of an eye and suddenly it's the weekend.  

How exhausting is that?! At times, it can feel empty living this way, lost in the hustle of high expectations, to-do lists, and responsibilities. Stress levels can build up and cause emotional and physical responses such as anxiety, depression, and sleep problems.

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