Transgender individuals face healthcare disparities across the country. Unfortunately, some states have actively taken measures against gender-affirming healthcare, making it nearly impossible for transgender or gender-fluid individuals to get the medical attention they need and deserve. 

It’s easy to feel both helpless and hopeless when you live in one of these states. While it’s easy to suggest writing to your local congressperson or doing what you can to encourage state laws to change, that can often feel easier said than done. 

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is learn to cope in safe, healthy, and effective ways. 

There’s no question that we’re living in a more progressive nation. Don’t lose heart. It just might take a bit longer than we all might hope for your state to understand the importance of gender-affirming healthcare. In the meantime, let’s cover a few things you can do to keep moving forward. 

Anxiety is an extremely common mental health issue. But, when you’re the one diagnosed with it, it can feel like you’re alone and unsure of what to do. In fact, being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder could potentially trigger more anxiety. 

Take a deep breath. First, recognize that you’re not alone. Millions of people across the world deal with anxiety, and it’s very manageable if you take the right steps and get the help you need. 

With that in mind, let’s cover some tips you can use to cope with a newly diagnosed anxiety disorder. 

Everyone deserves to have a safe space. There’s no denying we live in a chaotic world, and you might not always feel secure. Sometimes, uncertainty and fear can come from a physical location. Other times, it can simply be the result of the society we’re in. Things can often feel tumultuous, and having a place you can go to feel safe and secure is essential for your well-being. 

Unfortunately, the term “safe space” has been misconstrued and even used as a trope in recent years. These issues don’t take away the importance of being able to identify safe spaces if you need one. 

So, how can you do that? Let’s take a look at how to identify safe spaces, and even how to create your own. 

Whether you’re making a move soon or you’ve been living in the same place for a while, there’s often an underlying fear and sense of discouragement when it comes to living in a red state as a trans person. 

You might feel like you can’t open up or truly be yourself. You might assume you’ll never find support or a community you can lean on. Maybe you’re even worried about discrimination. 

While it’s true that red states aren’t typically as open and supportive as their blue counterparts, you don’t have to live your life in fear while in your conservative location. Instead, look for “blue dots” within your state, and you’re likely to find your tribe.

Let’s dig a little deeper into how you can find support in a red state as a trans individual. 

We all look forward to holidays, right? The laughter, the family gatherings, the food, the gifts. But there's an unspoken guest on these joyous occasions: anxiety. It sneaks up on us, turning our anticipation into apprehension, our joy into jitteriness. But it doesn't have to be this way. Let's learn how to manage holiday anxiety together.

Have you ever felt a little knot of unease when your phone beeps with a new notification? Or perhaps a sense of dread washes over you when you think about the mounting pile of unread emails in your inbox. Maybe the idea of being 'disconnected' or 'offline' for a while causes you stress. If you've felt these or similar feelings, you've experienced what we call 'digital anxiety.'

Digital anxiety is a modern phenomenon arising from our constantly connected, digitally-driven lifestyles. It encompasses the stress, fear, and unease related to digital technology usage.

You might be wondering, "What is emotional abuse?" It's a question that's tough to answer because, unlike physical abuse, the scars aren't visible. Yet, they are there, deep within the heart, affecting a person's view of the world and of themselves.

Emotional abuse in childhood often involves persistent negativity, criticism, rejection, or humiliation, creating an environment of constant fear and self-doubt. Let's take this understanding one step further and see how this hidden wound can lead to social anxiety.

You know, throughout our lives, we forge countless bonds and relationships. We meet people, build connections, and enrich our lives with their presence. Yet, sometimes, the thought of forming and maintaining these connections can be daunting, can't it? It's a struggle that many of us face, but we rarely talk about friendship anxiety.

Psychological injustice is a form of injustice that happens inside our minds. It's not as visible as physical injustice, but it's just as real and just as damaging. It involves being treated unfairly because of our thoughts, feelings, or mental health conditions.

Do you know how it feels when you're not heard or your emotions are dismissed? That's psychological injustice. It's when your experiences, emotions, and feelings aren't acknowledged. They're brushed aside, trivialized, or ignored.

As humans; we are naturally inclined to find comfort and strength in being part of a group. We're hardwired to connect with others, to share experiences, and to learn from each other. And when it comes to battling anxiety, that togetherness can be a game-changer.

In group therapy, we don't walk this journey alone. Instead, we move forward together, like a team climbing a mountain, supporting each other every step of the way.

I understand how politics can spark anxiety. It's all around us, in the news, our conversations, and on social media. It's a lot to take in, right? You're not alone in feeling this way. Today, I want to help guide you through managing your political anxiety.

Sleep anxiety is a form of performance anxiety. Much like how some people may become nervous before giving a presentation or stepping onto a stage, individuals suffering from sleep anxiety get anxious about the prospect of not being able to fall asleep. This fear, unfortunately, often creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, making sleep even more elusive.

Picture this. You're in your mid-20s or early 30s. You've been working towards your dreams, navigating life, and following the plan you set for yourself. But suddenly, you feel lost. You're asking yourself questions like, "Am I on the right path?" or "What if I've made a mistake?" If these thoughts sound familiar, you may be experiencing a quarter-life crisis.

We all have had those moments. Those moments where our hearts pound a little harder, our breaths come a little shorter, and a feeling of unease settles into our gut. That moment when we hear the news of a natural disaster happening elsewhere. It's hard, isn't it? Feeling that knot of worry and fear in your chest.

Have you ever had a moment when your trusted companion suddenly went silent in the face of adversity? That sense of abandonment can be quite crushing, right? Let's translate that feeling into the corporate world. Companies, much like our friends, build trust and loyalty with us, their customers. But what happens when they stop advocating for what we hold dear?

The LGBTQ+ community has seen more support in recent years than, arguably, ever before. However, just because the community has made strides in equality doesn’t mean there isn’t a long way to go.

There’s no question that the LGBTQ+ community has come a long way in recent years. It’s been a long, hard road to get here. But, the rights and equalities the community has today are leaps and bounds above where they were just a decade earlier.

The LGBTQ+ community has seen major strides and accomplishments over the last decade. But we’re nowhere near where we should be regarding equality, anti-discrimination, and acceptance.

There’s no question that the LGBTQ+ community has come a long way in recent years. It’s been a long, hard road to get here. But, the rights and equalities the community has today are leaps and bounds above where they were just a decade earlier.

Many of us find that the stillness of the night, when the world seems to pause, is when our anxiety hits the hardest. Your mind may become a theatre, playing back the day's events or projecting apprehensions about what's to come. But why does it seem so much more intense at night? It's essential to understand that several factors play a role in this nocturnal surge of anxious feelings. Let's take a look at these factors, one at a time.