It's not uncommon to enjoy a drink after a hard day. It can be relaxing and take your mind off of your troubles. But what does regular alcohol consumption do to your mental health? How does it affect your brain? And how does it make some mental health issues worse? These are all the questions that we will answer during the newest episode of It's a Code You!

For questions, comments or feedback please reach out to us at [email protected]

Resources discussed in the episode:

Al-Anon: https://al-anon.org/ Alcoholics Anonymous: www.aa.org SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration  https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline 1-800-662-HELP

Content warning This episode will cover sensitive subject matter and may be upsetting to some listeners.

Did you know that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys will experience some form of sexual abuse before their 18th birthday? Do you know the signs of grooming behaviors in other adults? Most people think that they have to worry about strangers around their children but 90% of children who are abused are perpetrated by people their parents know and trust. 

In this episode we will talk about the prevalance of child sexual abuse, the physical and mental affects, how to foster body autonomy in your children, how to recognize grooming behaviors in other adults or older juveniles and what to do if you see something that feels off. 

For questions, comments or suggestions please write to us at [email protected]

National Sexual Violence Resource Center

www.nsvrc.org

In this episode we'll take a look at bids for connection, how they are missed and what the research says about couples who are happier and healthier together. 

We'll give you real actionable steps that you can put into place today to improve your communication, connection and to start to repair any resentment that might be present. Friendship is the basis for any healthy relationship and it's easy for that to get lost once you've had a family or start to advance in your career. Join us and we will help you get started back on the road to friendship once again.

Have questions, comments or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Do you feel that you're not getting quality sleep? Or maybe you do shift work and you struggle with feeling rested and staying up? This episode we chat with Dr. Jessica Salwen-Deremer, a clinical psychologist with experience in treating sleep disorders with CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia). We'll take a look at the components of healthy sleep, what having a sleep routine can do for you as well as other topics to help you try and get a better night's rest.

If you have a comment or question or you'd like us to cover a specific topic, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Resources mentioned in the podcast episode:

Mindfulness Coach app

Insomnia Coach app

Blue light blocking glasses for those doing shift work with red or yellow lenses

CBT-I treatment for insomnia

We're rebranding! In order to adequately communicate who our audience is, we've decided to change things up a bit. It's a Code You! Mental Health Support for Those Working in Healthcare will be replacing Behind the Mask: Thriving in Healthcare. Our episodes will remain the same, with the same intent: To provide support an education on topics related to mental health, parenting, relationships with a specific focus on healthcare workers and how they may be affected. We will strive to offer real life tips and action steps from mental health professionals. 

Please join us, subscribe and share!

Most people have experienced bullying at some point during their childhood, either being the victim of a bully, having a friend be bullied, or perhaps you were the bully. Children today have to experience bullying with the added pressure of social media. The bully isn't just the kid at school or on the bus, now they can text or post about you online. This episode we will talk about how social media in general affects our mental health, as well as development. We'll also explore cyberbullying and what to look out for, how to help your child if that's something they are experiencing. 

Resources mentioned in the episode:

US Department of Health and Human Services-STOP BULLYING NOW HOTLINE-24/7-1-800-273-8255.

Stopbullying.gov

Bullying Clinic-Boston Children’s Hospital

Bad apps-Badoo, Monkey HILY, Penty of Fish and Hot or Not—these can all register locations.

If your child is being bullied-contact the content provider-ex. Instagram, etc.. and call police. Call school superintendent, State Dept of Education, US Department of Education 

If the bullying is based on identity-contact the office for Civil rights, US Department of Justice-Civil Rights Division

Cyber bully Research Center-1-407-374-3334

"Treat Yo Self" became popular after an episode of the sitcom, "Parks and Recreation", but the idea of retail therapy has been around for a long time. Feeling down or depressed and buying yourself a little pick me up is done by many. In this episode, we look at why this can be a negative coping mechanism and how raising your emotional intelligence can help put a stop to this and other maladaptive coping skills. 

Do you ever feel like your child became a different person when they entered their teenage years? This episode we will chat with Pam Bertolino, LICSW, who has 35 years of experience as a family therapist and two daughters. You'll walk away with some validation for your experiences as well as some action steps to help foster a better connection with your teen.

In this episode, we will discuss what Dry January is, how it started and why taking a break from alcohol can provide some benefits for your physical and mental health.

Each year most Americans set certain resolutions, usually health related, that they want to accomplish. But how many actually succeed? This episode we will get into what the numbers say about how many people are successful, why you might be bailing on your resolution and tips on how you can set yourself up for success.