Anxiety Relief Archives

4 Ways to Help Relieve Anxiety and Stress During the Holidays

I love the excitement of the holidays, but I know it’s also a time when many people are dealing with more stress and anxiety than usual.

If you’re feeling frazzled, I’m here to help with some easy-to-incorporate tips that will help relieve anxiety, stress and the blues.

A mindfulness practice is one of the best ways to relieve anxiety and stress, but you might find it hard to fit into your schedule right now—exactly when you need it most. I recently wrote a post for The Guardian with two simple mindful meditation exercises that you can […]

2021-08-27T04:13:36+00:00By Erin Olivo|Wise Mind Living, Anxiety Relief, Gratitude|Comments Off

Are You A Believer?

Guess what? Two years ago today I wrote the first post for my Wise Mind Living blog.

I just re-read the post and wanted to share it with you here because it’s a good reminder about how to reduce your stress and anxiety by living in balance between your emotions and logic.

I’ve really enjoyed writing these posts for you and getting your feedback has been wonderful. As I begin this third year, I’d love to know what topics resonated with you and what topics you’d like to read more about.

Check out the rest of the blog […]

2021-08-27T04:13:36+00:00By Erin Olivo|Wise Mind Living, Anxiety Relief|Comments Off

How to Heal Yourself From Traumatic Life Experiences

I’ll never forget my experience on the morning of September 11th fourteen years ago.

I was just a few blocks away from the World Trade Center and watched the towers fall with a mixture of disbelief and sheer panic.

Since then, I have worked with many patients whose lives were devastatingly changed forever on that day.

But all of our lives were changed in some way, and putting traumatic life experiences like 9/11 behind you and beginning the healing process can be challenging.

If you’re struggling with this, check out my Psychology Today blog post on How to Put Painful Experiences Behind […]

2021-08-27T04:13:36+00:00By Erin Olivo|Wise Mind Living, Anxiety Relief, Depression|Comments Off

5 Signs You Should See A Therapist

One of the most common questions people ask me when they find out I’m a psychologist is, “How do you know when it’s time to see a therapist?”

We all experience periods of feeling sad, stressed out, anxious or depressed, but these are usually short lived. If you’re experiencing any of the signs below, it’s probably time to seek professional help.

Your mood or emotions are extreme and getting in the way of living the life you want to be living.

A tell tale sign that you might need a mental health diagnosis is when your mood is […]

2021-08-27T04:13:36+00:00By Erin Olivo|Feel Better About Yourself, Wise Mind Living, Managing Emotions, Anxiety Relief, Depression|Comments Off

15 Common Ailments That Are Caused By Stress

Did you know that some of the most common ailments are really stress symptoms?

Do you get headaches in the late afternoon for seemingly unknown reasons? Maybe you suffer from insomnia or have a nagging stomachache that just won’t go away.

These are just a few of the common ailments that are caused by stress.

And the reason why your symptoms persist is because you’re not managing the distressing emotions that are the real cause of your stress.

There are many symptoms of stress that turn up as physical ailments and you might be experiencing more than […]

2021-08-27T04:13:37+00:00By Erin Olivo|Stress Less, Anxiety Relief|Comments Off

How To Fit A Mindfulness Practice In To Your Busy Schedule

I know that many of you would like to start a mindfulness practice but aren’t sure where to begin.

Or you’re wondering how to fit this in to your already busy schedule. I have a solution for you: an informal mindfulness practice!

There are two types of mindfulness practices: formal and informal. Both are key to Wise Mind Living, and you can do both or alternate depending on your schedule.

A formal practice is the version most people imagine when they think of meditation – sitting in a quiet space for about 20-minutes, […]

2021-08-27T04:13:38+00:00By Erin Olivo|Live Mindfully, Wise Mind Living, Meditation, Managing Emotions, Anxiety Relief|Comments Off

What Is An Anxiety Attack?

Sometimes patients come to me because they want to know how to deal with an anxiety attack. However, the symptoms they’re describing are technically those of a panic attack—a burst of fear or worry with intense physical manifestations.

A panic attack hits you all of a sudden: one minute you’re fine and the next minute your heart is pounding, you can’t catch your breath, you’re sweating like crazy and you feel a bit dizzy.

It can feel so extreme that you think you’re dying – or going insane. Thoughts like that, of course, make the whole thing worse by providing […]

2021-08-27T04:13:39+00:00By Erin Olivo|Stress Less, Anxiety Relief|Comments Off

Four Tips to Overcome Social Anxiety

The holiday season is upon us and although it’s supposed to be festive and fun, it can also bring a lot of anxiety-producing social occasions.

Whether it’s due to an office party, a big gathering at your in-laws, or an open house in your new neighborhood, many people suffer from social anxiety and that can make you feel out-of-sync with the merry mood.

If you’re dealing with this problem, Wise Mind Living strategies can teach you how to overcome social anxiety.

My patient Angelina was having anxiety issues about her upcoming office holiday party and asked me […]

2021-08-27T04:13:39+00:00By Erin Olivo|Stress Less, Wise Mind Living, Anxiety Relief|Comments Off

The Best Ways to Cope With Negativity

Have you ever had one of those days where your exposure to negativity is overwhelming?

I had one this week. After a long day at the office, I turned on the evening news and heard about the shooting in Ottawa, the ongoing fear of the Ebola virus, and the continuing ISIS attacks.

Whew – sometimes it feels like the world is going crazy!

It’s hard to not let the negatives around us become negatives inside us. But you don’t have to let the bad news ruin your day or make you anxious.

Here are three tips to help you shake off the […]

2021-08-27T04:13:39+00:00By Erin Olivo|Be Happier, Wise Mind Living, Anxiety Relief, Gratitude, Acceptance|Comments Off

Why Spending Time In Nature is Key to Stress Reduction

Fall is officially in full swing! The lazy days of summer have been replaced with a hustle and bustle that coincided with the kids going back to school.

You can feel the energy in the air, and for me it’s even more intense this year for several good reasons.

In addition to prepping for the launch of my book and working with my patients, I just started writing for the Oz Blog! I’m very excited to be working with Dr. Oz again. You can read my first post here […]

2021-08-27T04:13:39+00:00By Erin Olivo|Stress Less, Wise Mind Living, Anxiety Relief|Comments Off