WellnessWithHolli

I could not let this month go by without paying tribute to all the women - and men - who have Bravely Fighting Breast Cancer fought or who are bravely confronting their battles with Breast Cancer. I feel so encouraged that in my lifetime, I have witnessed incredible support, attention, and financial resources being directed towards early detection, effective treatments, and finding a cure for Breast Cancer. Indeed, amazing strides have been made. At the same time, women and men -and their loved ones - continue to be affected by this insidious disease. With the diagnosis of Breast Cancer  or when an individual receives a life –threatening or life-altering diagnosis – of any kind - each person responds or reacts in different ways .  There are so many variables at play such as age and overall health issues, family members and their ages, financial resources and means, professional constraints, and personalities, just to name a few. And of course, there is the fear and unc...

Domestic Violence is one of the themes of Awareness for this month . Sometimes, I feel like it is an issue that doesn't get the attention it deserves. Of course, October has other important causes - such as Anti-Bullying and Breast Cancer Awareness - but I also think that it is an issue that we are uncomfortable discussing. It often isn't until an individual has lost her/his life because of it or until a high-profile celebrity makes the headlines because of a domestic violent incident that it captures our attention. Even though these tragic stories grab our interest for a short period of time, I Shame, Secrecy and Stigma believe it is hard to look deeper into the topic of Domestic Violence because although we have made strides in its awareness due to the ongoing work of countless individuals and organizations, Domestic Violence remains an issue that is shrouded in shame, secrecy and stigma. Why does this continue to be the case? First of all, there are many long-held m...

We live in a time (and have been for decades) of incredible advancements, discoveries, and inventions. Every day, we learn of new discoveries that will make our lives easier, safer, healthier; for the most part, they will enhance the quality of our lives. Just think for a minute about the strides being made in medicine, in Eco-friendly manufacturing processes, and in the fields of technology. It is indeed amazing! At the same time as these advancements bring about positive changes in lifestyle, health and well-being, there are times where we are also at risk of experiencing unhealthy, sometimes life-altering consequences. Let me explain as we examine two behavioral concepts.   Finding Balance! First, over time and with repeated usage of any advancement, discovery, procedure or practice, we can expect to experience side-effects, consequences, unhealthy or unpleasant co-occurring symptoms. Sometimes we find this out right away such as when we take a medication that does n...