You realize you have reached your limit and you need something to change for you, your child or a family member. Wellbeing is honestly the last thing you may be thinking of as you are struggling to get through the day. Therapy is a remarkable tool to get on the path to wellbeing.

Harborside Wellbeing is a private mental health practice run by Beatrice Tauber Prior, Psy.D. a Clinical Psychologist with 25+ years in the field. Dr. Prior provides therapy to children, teens and adults. She is known for her work with those impacted by trauma, abuse, grief, anxiety and depression.

Dr. Prior offers teletherapy as an option for those who choose teletherapy. Research says that teletherapy can be as effective as face-to-face therapy. Beginning May 2020 Dr. Prior will again offer face-to-face therapy, in addition to teletherapy. Please click here to view the COVID-19 practice update which outlines the ways Harborside Wellbeing is keeping you healthy, whether in the office or in the community. Dr. Prior continues to be committed to assisting in meeting the mental health needs of the community. She offers seminars via webinar format and free resources via video conferences and radio chats. 

Dr. Prior’s professional guidance is frequently cited in magazines, newspapers and on-line blogs.  Her expert advice has been cited in Saturday Evening Post, Woman's Day magazine, Healthline, Reader's Digest, Mens Health, Shape magazine, Theeverymom.com, Charlotte Observer, Alzheimers.net, and many other well known publications. After years of working with families impacted by progressive illness (i.e. Parkinson’s disease, MS, Huntington’s disease, and the various forms of dementia) she wrote Grandma and Me: A Kid's Guide for Alzheimer's & Dementia  (the first in a series of children’s books) that provides the tools to help children and all family members cope and find ways to maintain positive connections with those impacted by illness.

Dr. Prior knows your time is limited and the search for a health professional can be overwhelming and stressful. She offers a free 15-minute phone consultation to give you the chance to ask questions and help you make up your mind about therapy, a clinical assessment and next steps.  Contact Dr. Prior by going to the contact page or call us at 704.940.1822 and leave a phone number and best time to reach you.

You wake up sweating and your heart is racing. You think you had a nightmare, but then realize you are dealing with a real-life crisis in the form of a pandemic. This may be the first time we are facing the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s not the first time we as humans have dealt with a crisis. Here are a few tips to help you not only survive this crisis, but thrive when it is over:

1.      Place limits on the amount and type of news coverage you consume. Information about the COVID-19 pandemic is needed (i.e. school closures and working from home). However, overconsumption can be harmful. Researchers warn us that scrolling on social media increases cortisol (our stress hormone), and as our internet and social media use increases, so can feelings of loneliness, depression and anxiety. Choose one or two reputable sites to view each day for updated information. Do not spend time scrolling and over consuming.

2.      Begin your day with a task you enjoy. Start the day with a cup of coffee or a hot shower. Do not start your day by looking at your phone for the latest alerts, updates, texts, etc.

3.      Make sure each day includes hydration, time moving in nature, and healthy nutrition. Now may be the best time to incorporate the healthy habits that you have wanted to begin. You do not have the commute to an office, so there is time for that walk around the block.

4.      Take control of your mind. Most of us are experiencing thoughts that are anxious. Concern is helpful because it mobilizes us to act in a way to keep ourselves and others safe (i.e. washing hands, social distancing). However, anxious thoughts that are left unchecked will race ahead, consume our waking and sleeping moments, and can send anyone into a tailspin. Look at the thoughts that are sending you into a tailspin. Maybe you have the thought, "This will be awful, and I won’t be able to handle it."  This is what psychologists call catastrophic thinking. Going down this rabbit hole will derail you from managing your reality. Catch the thought when it first occurs and challenge it. Just because you think it does not make it so. A more realistic thought may be "This is awful, but I have experienced awful before, and I have survived it and handled it."

5.      Connect with others. Social isolation can keep us protected from the virus but it can also have the unintended consequences of loneliness, angst, and despair. If you are home with family, begin each day by looking your family members in the eyes and say “good morning” before moving on to the tasks of the day. Loving face-to-face connection releases a whole cascade of healing and protective neurotransmitters in the brain that have the power to heal the hurts of the past, provide comfort in the present, and provide emotional protection when a person encounters future struggles.  Eye contact is a nonverbal reminder to each family member that no matter what they are about to face, they are connected and they can emotionally support each other. If you are home alone look for ways to connect to others. We all have the visuals of Europeans who have opened their windows to connect to neighbors while never leaving their homes. Rather than text a friend, R U OK? pick up the phone and call your friend.

6.      You are not alone. Pick up the phone and call a friend. Skype with a grandparent. Reach out to Harborside Wellbeing for a telehealth session. Do not struggle alone.

7.      Remember this is one chapter in your book of life. If you look at your life as a book with lots of chapters, this is only one chapter in your book. There are more chapters to come. You did not have the choice that this chapter was added, but you do have the choice of how this chapter reads. This chapter will include loss and tragedy. Look for the triumphs in the midst of tragedy. While you may be feeling as if much is out of your control, you can control how you respond. Choose to not only survive this time in life but get ready to thrive once the next chapter begins.

Please pass on this information but no information may be copied or reproduced with out reference to its author, Dr. Beatrice Tauber Prior, Clinical Psychologist. Copyright 2020.

To provide access to quality mental and behavioral health promotion, screening, prevention, early intervention, and treatment services for newborns to end of life. Clients of all religions, socioeconomic, cultural backgrounds are welcome.