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Money as life energy: A mindful approach to money.
ACT, Psychotherapy Hannah Yang, Psy.D ACT, Psychotherapy Hannah Yang, Psy.D

Money as life energy: A mindful approach to money.

Money. The topic of much stress, avoidance, conflict, and sleep loss. Sound familiar? We spend far too little time talking about the role of money in our lives and creating a healthy relationship with our finances. As parents, we often spend too little time educating our children on the value of money. As educators, we fail to teach basic financial skills that are critical to our well-being as adults. Money is considered a taboo topic in our society, which further adds to avoidance and distress. And to some extent, after our survival needs and some comforts are met, it doesn't matter how much money we have or make.

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What gets you stuck? And what you can do about it.
Mindfulness Hannah Yang, Psy.D Mindfulness Hannah Yang, Psy.D

What gets you stuck? And what you can do about it.

We all get stuck sometimes, feeling as though we are not being the person we would like to be. Or maybe we're not making the changes we would like to make. Sometimes we get hung up on "sticky" thoughts such as "I'll never be good enough" or "I'm a terrible partner." Thoughts can have a velcro quality - once they are introduced they get stuck and it's difficult to separate from them. Then, the more we try to get rid of them or make them go away, the more they seem to return, causing us increased distress. Emotions can be the same way - if it's completely unacceptable for you to feel anxiety or nervousness, guess what, I bet you feel quite anxious! But, we don't need to overthink this : ). Here are some ideas to help you get unstuck:

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So, you want to talk about polyamory...
Healthy Boundaries, Relationships Hannah Yang, Psy.D Healthy Boundaries, Relationships Hannah Yang, Psy.D

So, you want to talk about polyamory...

For some people, discovering that they want to be in a polyamorous relationship is a realization gained through seeing this type of relationship in media or real life and suddenly recognizing that this is what they wanted but didn’t have the words to describe. For others, engaging in a polyamorous relationship is a slow period of self-discovery and gradual awareness that monogamy is not the only option for a relationship. However you arrived at the place where you are considering a polyamorous relationship, welcome!

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Creating Meaningful Habits: An Antidote to the New Year’s Resolution
ACT, Goal Setting Hannah Yang, Psy.D ACT, Goal Setting Hannah Yang, Psy.D

Creating Meaningful Habits: An Antidote to the New Year’s Resolution

How many of us on January 1st have set a New Year’s resolution along the lines of “I will meditate every day!” or “I will start an exercise routine”? At around the one month mark, many of us fall short of meeting these vague and sometimes arbitrary goals. This often sets off unhelpful self-talk such as “what’s the point” or “I can’t do anything right,” perhaps leading us to abandon our resolutions altogether. We might also fall into the oh-so-familiar trap of self-comparison when others seem to be succeeding with their goals.

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Values: Why they are important and how to identify them.
ACT, Psychotherapy Hannah Yang, Psy.D ACT, Psychotherapy Hannah Yang, Psy.D

Values: Why they are important and how to identify them.

Life can feel confusing when you are unsure of what's important to you. Perhaps you've taken on values of your family, society, or religion without realizing it and are feeling stuck. Values are directions that you want to go in life. They are unique to the person, so your values are likely a bit or maybe a lot different from my values or from your loved ones' values. As humans, we can easily get on autopilot and fail to take the time to ask ourselves "am I living a valued life?" And by that I mean a life consistent with your values! We often feel the most at peace with ourselves and with our lives when we are living according to our values. 

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Coping: Post-Election Conversations with Family
Healthy Boundaries, Psychotherapy, Self-Care Hannah Yang, Psy.D Healthy Boundaries, Psychotherapy, Self-Care Hannah Yang, Psy.D

Coping: Post-Election Conversations with Family

While the election has been called, the stressors of Election Day (more like an Election Week this year) and the current political and social climate are still impacting many people across the country. We have also entered a holiday season that will look very different from past holidays due to the ongoing pandemic. Whether gathering in-person or virtually, the election (and politics) are likely to come up during holiday gatherings, so how do we handle these conversations when our families may hold very different views?

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What is mindfulness? And how can it help me?
Mindfulness Hannah Yang, Psy.D Mindfulness Hannah Yang, Psy.D

What is mindfulness? And how can it help me?

Mindfulness has become a popular word, used in several contexts. Often when I ask people if they have ever heard of mindfulness, they will refer to being told to "be mindful" of their actions or behavior. I'd like to write about mindfulness in a basic context, stripping away the idea that there is a "right action." I find it most helpful to think of mindfulness as paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment, without judgement. So let's break that down further:

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Understanding Anxiety as a Messenger
Psychotherapy, Women's Health Hannah Yang, Psy.D Psychotherapy, Women's Health Hannah Yang, Psy.D

Understanding Anxiety as a Messenger

Did you know that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States? The past year prevalence rates for anxiety disorders are higher for women (23.4%) than men (14.3%). (1, footnote.) If you were drawn to this post due to your own anxiety, I hope you pause with the weight of this statistic and understand that you are not alone. My hope for you is that after reading this post you come to find a different way to relate to your symptoms and experience of anxiety.

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Election Mental Health Preparedness
Healthy Boundaries, Self Compassion Hannah Yang, Psy.D Healthy Boundaries, Self Compassion Hannah Yang, Psy.D

Election Mental Health Preparedness

A hot topic in my sessions lately has naturally been the election. Regardless of political view or level of passion/apathy, there's a wide range of stress that has been slowly building.

Many of you might be managing well enough, some of you perhaps not so much. I knew I wasn't prepared when I watched the first debate, turned it off half way through because I couldn't stand it, and had a nightmare that night.

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Quiet your inner critic with self compassion
Self Compassion Hannah Yang, Psy.D Self Compassion Hannah Yang, Psy.D

Quiet your inner critic with self compassion

If you’re like most women I know and work with you’re way more critical of yourself than you are towards other people. We have a harsh voice running in our minds all day long: “why did I say that?” … “I really should lose weight” … “I’m so stupid and can’t do anything right”.

Instead of judging yourself, try self-compassion. Dr. Kristin Neff describes self-compassion as having the same kindness and understanding towards yourself that you have towards others when they are having a difficult time.

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Mindfulness in Everyday Life
Mindfulness, Psychotherapy Hannah Yang, Psy.D Mindfulness, Psychotherapy Hannah Yang, Psy.D

Mindfulness in Everyday Life

How many times have you gone through your day on automatic pilot - and then wondered where the day went? This happens to everyone in many ways. Maybe you had a conversation with a friend and realized you didn't even know what they had just said to you because your mind was somewhere else. You might have been driving and suddenly noticed that you missed your exit because you had been so caught up in your thoughts.

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