ACA Counseling Corner Blog

Most of us don't really enjoy getting older. But it doesn't have to be as negative an experience as many people think it must be. There are things we can do, especially as we enter our senior years, to help ensure that we're living an active and healthy life.

Our children make mistakes, bad decisions, errors in judgment. It's to be expected. And as parents we're usually right there to help them avoid that mistake, or to try and fix it if it's already happened. Our natural inclination may be to help, but experts advise that kids need to sometimes make the wrong choice in order to learn and mature.

Most Americans are not aware of how large a problem teen suicide is today in this nation. However, the statistics show that teen suicide is the second leading cause of death among young Americans. It's vital for friends and families to recognize the signs of teen depression, and to take steps to get treatment before it overwhelms their teen.

Most of our lives are fairly noisy. Thanks to portable electronics our music, pod casts and phone calls are usually within reach. Add to that all the everyday noise of modern life and often it can be difficult to hear oneself think. Yet experts tell us that having a little quiet time can have both psychological and physical benefits. Here are a few tips for finding a bit more quiet in your life.

"Did you get an A on that test?" "Did your team win today?" "Have you received that college acceptance letter yet?" Parents can sometimes find it hard to understand how much competition and pressure their children may be facing. The competition kids face in today's world isn't always a bad thing, but there are things parents can do to help insure it's healthy, helpful and enjoyable competition in which their children are engaged.

As people get older many of them tend to complain more, often for good reason. Seniors often encounter frequent and serious health issues, may be facing troubling financial issues, and be saddened on a regular basis by the passing of friends and relatives. The problems and issues that seniors face can lead to serious clinical depression. It's vital to recognize the signs of depression in the elderly, a major cause of suicide among that group.

From global warming to political wrangling to international conflicts, the news today is seldom reporting on happy things. With the news being more accessible than ever through cable news stations and online social media reports, it can be hard to avoid most of the bad news, but paying too much attention to it can have a negative effect on one's physical and mental health.

The average lifespan has increased dramatically in the last half century. While that's a great thing, it also has meant changes in many families. More of us are facing the responsibilities of helping elderly parents at the same time we may be facing the demands of our own life. It's important to find a healthy balance between the two.

It's fairly common for someone who isn't in a close relationship to feel lonely and sad for him or herself. We live in a society that promotes being paired with someone else, and especially around Valentine's Day we are usually buried with ads depicting happy, romantic couples. But the reality is that not being in a romantic relationship doesn't mean that someone is really alone.

Most of us are hesitant to confront even a close friend or relative when we feel we're seeing that something isn't quite right. Or, if we do decide to tell them we seeing things that should be changed, there's a good chance we'll be confrontational or positioning ourselves as an expert who knows how to fix it all. But there is a better way.