Tag: mental health counselor

Recognizing the Early Signs of Mental Health Concerns

Taking care of your mental health is as important as looking after your physical well-being.
When we actively take care of our mental health, it seeps into various aspects of our lives, such as our work how we socialize with others and our overall morale. It is important to address our mental health needs and seeing a mental health counselor can be significant in improving your overall wellbeing and lifestyle.

Visiting a therapist for an assessment can be the first step in identifying mental health issues that you may be struggling with and creating a treatment plan to tackle it. If you are feeling hesitant or unsure if it is time to seek some support, here are a few behaviors and feelings you may relate to, that could be impacting your wellbeing.

Stress exists in our lives in various ways. It can be from work, school, or significant life events. It can make us feel as though we have little to no control over a situation and can threaten our sense of self. When stress becomes prolonged and overwhelming, it can lead to lack of sleep, irritability, muscle tension, substance use, and withdrawal from social affairs. Managing stress can be tricky and at times difficult, a mental health therapist can support you in identifying methods to tackle and reduce the stress you are feeling.

Our moods can change throughout the day, which is natural. Our mood can be influenced by many different experiences such as interactions with people we encounter to certain thoughts we have. Extreme mood changes, however, can affect our lives negatively and create dysfunction. If you are experiencing extreme mood changes which are impacting you, booking an appointment for psychotherapy in Dubai can guide you in regulating and handling intense mood changes.

When we feel overwhelmed with intrusive thoughts and stress, we tend to isolate ourselves from family, friends and even shy away from carrying out routine hobbies. Although this can happen unintentionally, humans are social beings who rely on each other for self-actualization and belonging. Isolation from social settings over a long period of time can intensify feelings of anxiety and depression. Seeking support for our mental health can be beneficial as it can be focused on certain behaviors that impact us most, for example therapy for anxiety disorder can be significant in reducing nervousness, feelings of dread or panic.

Other indicators include:
● Significant tiredness, low energy or fatigue
● Changes in mood, appetite, and sleeping habits
● Difficulty concentrating or staying focused
● Excessive anger, hostility, or violence
● Problems with alcohol or drug use
● Trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people
● Sex drive changes
● Suicidal thinking
● Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above or noticing other signs of declining mental health, you may book an appointment for consultation with one of our specialists. Our experienced professionals will evaluate your current mental state and design a treatment plan that is appropriate for your condition. Human Relations Institute and Clinics are a psychology-based practice based in Dubai, UAE, providing mental health and psychological services to individuals and businesses in the Middle East and abroad.

Psychology Skills Used in the Workplace

There are several ways psychology can be applied in the workplace, from assisting employees who are suffering from stress anxiety to providing mental health counseling services that can help keep the workplace safe.

Workplace, or organizational, psychology is primarily applied to detect and resolve difficulties and create improvements in the workplace which can help maintain a good work environment and improve employee engagement as well as productivity. Most human resources officers have adequate knowledge and experience to properly facilitate staff training, do performance evaluations, and come up with solutions on how to keep the staff motivated at work.

What are the Psychology skills used in the workplace?

Recruitment – Applying psychology in the workplace can help determine the required educational attainment, important skills, and work experience that you would need from the candidates you will hire. Knowing these characteristics can also help you create the most suitable job description for a certain person in a particular position.

Training – Psychology skills can help you pinpoint the staff’s training needs and provide relevant training and guidance in an engaging and interesting manner. Adequate training must be provided by the employed to ensure that the quality of work or output adheres to the standards of the business and the requirements of the law. Employees must also be provided with additional training on workplace safety, especially if their position puts them at risk (of harm or injury) while performing their tasks.

Performance evaluation – Evaluations are performed to give employees feedback about their performance for a certain period. The feedback and evaluation of their current performance (including strengths and weaknesses) must lead to improvement of productivity on the part of your employee. This is also a great opportunity to discuss their concerns about their work and the workplace itself.

If several staff members are suffering from anxiety and stress, seeing a mental health counselor may help in addressing their concerns, as well as provide relevant advice on how they can take care of their mental health.

Salary and compensation – These are critical points in developing a great compensation strategy. With the amount of competition in the market, some employees/applicants have started looking into other benefits that set the company apart from others, instead of just focusing on the salary.

Proper compensation may reinforce the idea that the staff is doing well and that their work and efforts are appreciated by the organization. This feeling of satisfaction from their work may help keep them from relying on other things such as alcohol and substance abuse to feel good about themselves.

Motivation – Several studies found that increased motivation among employees often leads to higher productivity. Stress and anxiety on the other hand might affect productivity and the quality of their output. Hence, companies often use work psychology to use techniques like contests, commissions, performance appraisals, and other reward systems to keep the employees engaged and motivated. Additional benefits such as anxiety treatment in Dubai is also something that you can add, especially if you have an employee who had a recent traumatic experience or is suffering from anxiety.

Whether you have a staff or know someone who needs substance abuse counseling, or you need expert advice to improve your workplace environment, Human Relations Institute and Clinics are a psychology-based practice based in Dubai, UAE, providing mental health and psychological services to individuals and businesses in the Middle East and abroad.

A Guide to Child Adoption in the UAE

Can expats adopt a child in the UAE? 

Expatriate couples residing in the UAE who wish to adopt a child will need to consider adopting from either their home country or another country. The adoption process for expats can still be conducted from the UAE, however, they cannot adopt Emirati children. Should they decide to process the adoption internationally, the UAE will honor the child’s documents as long as they are able to present all documentation and have completed all legal requirements.

What are the steps to adopt a child in the UAE?

If you wish to process the adoption in the UAE, here are the steps that you need to follow:

  • Complete the home study program with a qualified psychologist or adoption service counselor
  • Gather and submit all required paperwork (must be certified and attested by relevant authorities)
  • Reach out to an adoption facilitator (from the chosen country or home country of adoptive parents)
  • Flying out to the country of adoption to meet the adoptive child
  • Complete all the paperwork
  • Apply for a visa and bring the child to UAE

While it is not always the case, the adoption process may be stressful for both the adoptive parents and the child. If you’re a first-time parent, visiting a mental health counselor may be beneficial for you. They may be able to give you guidance on how to establish a good first impression and build a connection with the child while the adoption is being processed.

Depending on the adoptive child, you may also book for mental health counseling services, especially if the child had any traumatic experiences.

If you are looking for an adoption services counselor to assist you with the adoption process in UAE, you may reach out to Human Relations Institute and Clinics, a psychotherapy clinic based in Dubai, UAE. They have been providing adoption counseling services in the UAE for more than 15 years – offering emotional and psychological support to prospective adoptive families while evaluating their level of preparedness and presenting them with necessary guidelines to help them through their adoption journey as successfully as possible.

 

Managing and Treating Anxiety among Adults

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions experienced by adults nowadays. It affects one’s physical, emotional, and mental health in various ways.

Unlike other types of mental condition which usually manifests later in life, both children and adults may develop anxiety due to stress, as well as other environmental and genetic factors. As soon as you detect signs of anxiety or higher levels of stress, it is highly recommended that you seek help from a mental health counselor to determine what triggers your anxiety and recommend a treatment program that is appropriate to your current condition.

Can anxiety be treated without medication?

Many institutions offer mental health counseling services to help patients recover without relying on medication. Medication is used with severe levels of anxiety.

Depending on the patient’s existing health conditions, doctors may recommend the following as part of one’s treatment plan:

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is one of the most effective interventions for anxiety. It gives a person the chance to discuss what triggers their anxiety, explore coping mechanisms, and work through some experiences that may contribute to their anxiety. Some psychotherapy clinics prefer cognitive behavioral therapy among other types of psychotherapy because it focuses on helping a person understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, however other therapies are equally helpful. Using these methods also helps them to find ways on how to disrupt their negative thoughts and avoid anxious thinking patterns.

Change diet and nutrition

Making changes in one’s diet or intake of certain food items may also become a part of a client’s therapy for anxiety. Reducing caffeine and alcohol intake is highly recommended as these drinks can often make the person restless. Keeping a log of one’s food consumption can help determine if certain foods trigger or worsen their anxiety.

Support groups

Anxiety can make a person feel isolated even with the company of others. Hence, it is beneficial to have a support group that can help the client cope and feels less alone. A great support group will provide practical wisdom that can help a person find the right provider, talk to their loved ones about their anxiety, or manage the process of seeking workplace accommodations.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of anxiety, especially when you’re surrounded by a lot of people, you may need to talk to your therapist about what social anxiety treatment is appropriate for your condition. Human Relations Institute and Clinics is a psychology-based practice based in Dubai, UAE, providing mental health and psychological services to individuals and businesses around the globe.