According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, some “40 million people aged 18 or older in the United States, 18 percent of the population, will suffer from an anxiety disorder each year.”

Clinical depression is a very common condition. In fact, “approximately one in five Americans experience an episode in their lifetime. However, despite its prevalence, only about 50 percent of people who suffer from depression actually receive treatment.”

The phrase isn’t uncommon. It is used so much that most people don’t know exactly what it means or if there is truly a cause for concern. According to Medical News Today, a “nervous breakdown and mental breakdown are dated terms describing emotional or physical stress that temporarily makes someone unable to function in day-to-day life.”

Bad news can come in a variety of forms, from job loss, a relationship breakup, a surprising diagnosis, or even to the death of a loved one. Receiving bad news can affect your body and life in a multitude of ways, even triggering your fight or flight response. According to Medical News Today, “everyone responds to tension and trauma differently, but know that steps can be taken to tackle the mountain ahead, deal with the bad news, adopt coping mechanisms, and make the situation less traumatic,

Foster parents share the amazing characteristic of selflessness. But, not all foster parents share the same lifestyle, family dynamic, or beliefs. Welcoming a child into your home is a big decision and one that needs to be thoroughly analyzed.

If you are tired of trying to motivate your kids to do their chores, you are not alone.  Many kids have a hard time understanding why it matters to do their chores.  You want them to be able to take care of their own messes, but your kids feel like chores are boring.  You want them to make a meaningful contribution to the family, but your kids just want to play or rest.

or some people struggling with mental health, medication can be a lifesaver. When prescribed by a doctor and taken appropriately, medication can make a real difference in people’s lives. For some, medication isn’t the answer for them or they may decide to stop taking the pills. When taking medication, it is important to stop taking the prescription with the guidance of your healthcare professional.

Respite care is when will are responsible for taking over the care of a foster child during the respite timeframe. It can be incredibly flexible, as respite care isn’t a full-time commitment.

Self-harm is a way that some people express feelings of distress and emotional pain by intentionally hurting themselves. The lack of understanding about self-harm can lead to insensitivity about the topic as most people could never imagine hurting themselves on purpose. Self-harm is a coping mechanism associated with severe mental health conditions such as “borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, and PTSD.”

Starting the process of looking into residential treatment can be overwhelming. We sat down with Nexus-Gerard's Admissions Supervisor Loren Nerison and discussed some common questions families have when starting the residential treatment process.