While there’s undoubtedly been a major cultural shift in the collective perception of mental health and treatment for psychiatric disorders, finding a therapist that you click with—whether you’re looking for cognitive behavioral therapy or emotion-focused therapy still isn’t exactly a seamless or judgment-proof process. As the growing effort to remove the stigma that’s shadowed the discourse surrounding mental and psychological health for ages continues to widen, teletherapy (therapy sessions conducted via phone calls, video conferences, and chat) has become increasingly available and desirable, thanks in part to more convenience and flexibility with appointments, along with the current social distancing measures in place due to the pandemic.

Aside from that, many patients simply feel more comfortable and relaxed during sessions when they’re in the comfort of their own home rather than a potentially intimidating clinical setting. As a side note, even if you don’t have a mental health diagnosis under your belt, we have our ups and downs, and frankly, it’s just nice to have an outsider’s prescriptive—yes, your friends and family are not only trained professionals, but they can also be (lovingly) biased.

Even when you’ve finally taken the plunge and decided to give therapy a shot, finding the right therapist or mental health care provider can be a struggle—whether you’re looking for in-person or virtual care. Often times, it’s a grueling process of trial and error, and the first one or two candidates don’t quite feel like the best fit. This process can be pretty discouraging, and can often leave those in need exhausted (because no one wants to re-hash their life story again and again to new people before meeting “the one”) resulting in giving up in therapy altogether. In fact, it’s kind of like using dating apps—you give your new date the same “best version of yourself” shpeal as if you’re on a job interview, only to discover the chemistry is off, or you get ghosted and have to move onto the next match.

Fortunately, just like dating apps (and first-time dates held over a Zoom call), most online therapy platforms make choosing the right therapist for you, your lifestyle and concerns pretty easy by asking you a series of questions and taking intel on your personal preferences (i.e. which gender you prefer and what type of symptoms or experiences you’re looking to work on). Sure, it’s not a foolproof process, but you are able to choose between a few recommended professionals that meet your criteria. In my experience, there is absolutely nothing more isolating than suffering from a mental health episode and feeling as though you’re alone in the harrowing journey to simply feel like yourself again — let alone feel happy.

While medication is often a necessary part of treatment, talk therapy has really helped me identify common thought patterns (for me, they’re anxiety-fueled cognitive distortions) which has helped me become more self-aware and able to distinguish when it’s my anxiety (I like to think of “her” a separate entity rather than an imbalance of mood-modulating neurotransmitters in my brain) talking versus my logical mind. Of course, one common critique of telemental health is that the therapeutic benefits will be lesser than face-to-face sessions. While this will vary for each person, some studies have indicated that virtual therapy can be just as effective as in-person care.

Finally, although it sucks to say it, therapy can be downright expensive—especially if you don’t have insurance or government health care assistance. Ahead, we’ve outlined some online therapy resources for a variety of different budgets to help you get the care you need (and 100 percent deserve) without having to step foot in a daunting medical office.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Courtesy of Talkspace.

Talkspace

Talkspace gives you access to thousands of licensed and background-checked professionals without having to leave the comfort of your own home. Depending on which medium you choose to use for your sessions (video, cat. call, etc) will dictate the pricing, but it starts at just $69 per month (prices vary depending on the service you select) if you want to give it a risk-free shot. The one advantage I found with TalkSpace is that I could vent via chat whether it was early morning or late night when a situation arose, rather than having to wait around to see my therapist at our set appointments on Friday. The ability to just type out the situation that had occurred and how I felt about it immediately (although you can’t expect an immediate response at midnight) was also helpful in and of itself.

Amwell.

Amwell

Regardless of whether you’re dealing with symptoms related to hormones (i.e. postpartum depression) or a lifelong battle with Bipolar disorder, Amwell is here to help. They have a huge network of licensed and experienced professionals trained to deal with not only hormonal-based “phases,” but also OCD, life transitions, PTSD, chronic insomnia, and even couple’s therapy.

Pride.

Pride Counseling

Specializing in specific LGBTQ+ concerns, Pride Counseling gives you access to trained doctors, therapists, and psychiatrists to talk to remotely. Whether you’re struggling with the idea of coming out to your family or simply having relationship issues, Pride Counselling offers a forum of non-judgemental professionals to help you get through, and learn better coping mechanisms and communication skills along the way.

When we refuse to judge others, we express love and compassion. Love does not mean we become passive and allow others to abuse us. It is quite the contrary.

Compassion is not weak but strong. It allows us to see where the suffering in the world arises. People can irritate us every day with their silly antics. We may think a compassionate heart means we are to ignore the irritations and allow others to walk all over us.

Some people do and say mean things, while others are coerced into remaining tolerant. One’s tolerance level can be commendable, but there lies the secret. Enduring a constant onslaught of trivial complaints leads one to resent the issues people complain about. This may happen when we judge in secrecy.

Convert Confrontations to Compromise

The revelation of private judgements took me by surprise one day. Outwardly, we keep most of our opinions to ourselves. We may join a discussion but attempt to remain neutral for the sake of keeping peace and refrain from hurting someone’s feelings.

There are times when our disagreements turn into a confrontation due to strong viewpoints. This allows one to stand firm in their convictions. However, it makes it difficult to bend. Blessed are those who can bend.

Beware When No One Listens

Some time ago, I began noticing that people behaved in an odd but similar fashion towards others. Whenever certain individual spoke, someone would quickly change the subject, wouldn’t look at the speaker or make eye contact, and would cut them off in mid-sentence.

The subject may have been interesting, but people stopped listening before the person was finished, and no one asked a question. I quickly realized we all irritate others in all kinds of ways but are not privy to how or when.

The more I investigate the theory, the more confirmation I have that my sentiments are accurate. We always think we are correct, and even if that is the case, no one wants to constantly be the student.

Shocking Revelations

When one believes they are fully courteous to others, respectful of their opinions and tolerant of their quirks, it makes this knowledge fraudulent. We can agree we all have imperfections, but we never consider how much those imperfections irritate others.

After getting over the shock, I considered the reasons and meaning of my observations. I concluded it was likely true that we all annoy others at times – with our behavior, our theories or even our desire to always be correct. After all, everyone wants the light to shine on them, occasionally.

Tolerance Is a Virtue

Our culture teaches us to tolerate others despite their differences. Yet, we are often intolerant of others in conversation.

The person who jumps in to speak before another is done is being impolite. The authoritative person may have statistics on their side to confirm the winning argument. No one questions these statistics, but they may not have all the facts.

There are people who wear you down with talk until you simply give up. The loud people always get their ideas across, and the impatient people are scary.

There are also those with bothersome habits – like tapping the table, or running a finger over the rim of a cup – that make one want to scream, “Stop!” You don’t say it, but you look away and take a deep breath.

Some people whine and complain about everything and anything. You may reach the point of exhaustion and want to go back home and go to bed. They may criticize you for speaking too slowly or not speaking fast enough to suit them.

Others dislike your vulnerability, openness or gentleness. You may wonder if they distrust you for your virtues. Tolerance is required from all sides and types of people.

When Conversing, Let Go of Control

Sometimes, people arrive with a negative attitude and you recognize it before they even open their mouth. It’s not difficult to discern, since they usually bear it in their expression. Others have an ache or pain that bothers them, but sometimes you just want to yell, “It is my turn to complain so be quiet.”

When you receive a compliment, respond with a thank you even if the outfit isn’t new. We all have the hardest life, the most difficult circumstances to endure and the saddest story to tell at various points in our lives. Some people find it difficult to be content or pleased. Lots of love and support is needed.

Strength Is Power

Most of us believe strength defines power and endurance. We don’t think of quiet suffering as endurance, and we almost dislike people for not complaining.

We tolerate other races and people from different economic groups, yet we frown upon our own siblings who appear to be proud of their accomplishments. The question is, why should people care about our possessions and accomplishments?

There are so many things we find exasperating; the list is endless. Most of these bothersome occurrences are never brought to light, and we must all be thankful for that.

You need to have the strength to speak up for the underdog and strength also to listen to another side of the argument. Strength helps us compromise and compromise gives us power.

Vulnerability Reflects Power

Admitting vulnerability and accepting our own weaknesses reflects our strength. Only a strong person has the power to expose their flaws without feeling threatened.

We are not superhuman and we all experience similar loves, hates and annoyances. Perhaps our pretenses ought to be removed and our defenses lowered.

None of us enjoy being made fun of or becoming the butt of the joke, and so we hang on to our pride to the point of exhaustion. It would be a relief to really become tolerant rather than live in the secretive resentment where we hide.

Honesty Controls Gossip

Leading a more open life stops some of the gossiping which frequently occurs behind our backs. By stopping our comparisons with others, we release a gentler life cycle free of competitions and jealousy.

Age, sex, economic status and other tools of assessment are not as important as the fact that pain and ache resonate with all of us.

When we say we are all in the same boat, nothing could be more honest. Most of us feign good fortune as well as the extent of suffering. Some exaggerate while others pretend they are invincible. In the end, the conclusion is clear: we are all defenseless when it comes to the sorrows of life.

Don’t Endure Life; Live It!

Undoubtedly, the ways we choose to endure life and those irritating quirks we pick up along the way, drive people undercover. Lifting the blanket of impatience, we discover an actual person who has feelings, loves, desires, sufferings, pains and opinions.

They are like us, and, usually, they can see our faults as well as their own. Human nature should cause us to pause and reflect on that annoying mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, sibling, parent, friend and even enemy.

It may happen, in some future season of our life, that we find ourselves making the same mistakes we find so annoying in others now. Reflection helps us find more reasons behind these situations.

We realize we are more alike than we are different when we stop seeing our failures as barriers that make us less acceptable, when we stop seeing a weakness as defeat – or helplessness as childish, defenselessness as failure, and susceptibility as deferment of our own abilities.

To be human is to be weak, helpless and defenseless, and at times, a failure. To be human is also to be strong and in control, powerful and the victor.

What we can’t allow ourselves to forget is that being human permits love, empathy, understanding and tolerance to become a part of a humane lifestyle. That is the essence of true tolerance.

How comfortable are you embracing your own flaws and weaknesses? Are you tolerant of other people or do you find yourself being critical and judgmental at times? Please share your thoughts below!

Leah McSweeney’s Pink and Black Puffer Jacket on Instastories

Real Housewives of New York City Instagram Fashion 2021

Before bracing the chilly streets of NYC the other day Leah McSweeney stopped to snap a quick mirror selfie in her cute pink and black puffer jacket. Which we definitely ain’t complaining about considering we love anytime a ‘wife gets on the Gram’ to show us a little North face. 

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to See Her Sold Out The North Face Jacket

Click Here to Shop it on eBay

Click Here to Shop it in Yellow

Click Here For Info on Her Sweatshirt

Photo: @LeahMob

Originally posted at: Leah McSweeney’s Pink and Black Puffer Jacket

Your 70th birthday is a big one! I experienced it already, so I know. The inevitable question is, “What gift would you like?” It will come as no surprise that my first wish was to have my sons and grandchildren all together.

70th Birthday Gifts: Does It Really Matter?

Like so many women, my first reaction was to say, “It really doesn’t matter. It’s just another birthday.” We often tell family and friends that we are downsizing and really don’t need a gift!

But any birthday that ends with a zero seems worthy of some special recognition. So, I reached out to the fabulous women in our Sixty and Me community for inspiration.

Not surprisingly, many agreed with my own feelings that most of us don’t really need more ‘things’ and that the best gift for a 70^th birthday party would be shared family time and memories.

Others offered some great ideas for adventures and experiences that would be fun. High tea, a sunny solo beach holiday, or a visit to a spa were all wonderful suggestions.

I personally would recommend checking out our own “Aging Beautifully” affirmation cards. They make a wonderful gift. Created with love, they offer inspiration for a full and joyful life.

Here are our fifty 70th birthday gift ideas:

Editor’s Note: Some of these ideas may not be available while under Covid-19 restrictions, but you can sure jot them down for future birthdays!

Time Spent with Family and Friends

Janet, Joan, Lyn, Gwen, Teresa, Sylvia, Cheryl, and Sue from our Sixty and Me community all mention that they would like time with their family members and friends for their 70th birthday.

We know life is pretty busy and sometimes family members are scattered around the globe so having everyone get together for our special day can make us feel special and appreciated. The gift of time and attention is priceless, even if we must satisfy ourselves with a virtual meet!

Photos

Sandra says that she would like to receive photos. Framed photos of our grandchildren are always a nice addition to our homes. Purchase a frame or a framed montage to add family photos.

Memory Book

Memory books are a great way to assemble family memories in one place for easy viewing. Dianne says that this would be her perfect 70th birthday gift. Look online for photo printing services like Shutterfly that can design and print memory books. Choose photos of memorable family vacations and events that will have the birthday girl going down memory lane.

Store Voucher

Cherril and Lynda suggest store vouchers. How about getting a gift card from your favorite store? You can go out and get yourself what you truly want. Not a bad idea!

Notebook

Cherill also mentions that receiving a notebook where one can jot down some inspiring quotes or poems is a very thoughtful gift idea.

Candles and Soap

Also on Cherill’s list are pampering items that we don’t necessarily purchase for ourselves very often. A personalized scented candle or handmade luxurious soaps can make us feel relaxed and beautiful.

Holiday

This is quite a popular choice for a 70th birthday gift. Jane, Sandra, Gwen, Betty, Sue, Ruth, Amy, and Shelly all say that they would love a holiday for their milestone birthday. This can be a solo vacation, a beach holiday, a cabin in the woods, or a plane ticket to your favorite destination.

Helicopter Ride

Melinda is one of our most adventurous readers and wants a helicopter ride for her 70th. What a great new way to see your city! Don’t forget to bring your camera to take amazing photos from up there.

Grandchildren’s Artwork

Karyl wants some of her grandchildren’s artwork to decorate her home. I love that idea!

Afternoon Tea

Valerie, Lori, and Janice mentions that they would love to have afternoon tea with some girlfriends.

Salon Visit

Patty says that she would really enjoy a visit to a salon for some pampering.

Meal at a Favorite Restaurant

Do you have a favorite restaurant? Patty, Marlene, Sue, and Valerie suggests splurging on a meal at your favorite place with a group of friends. Or ordering a delivery of your favorite meal!

House Deep Cleaned

Andrea offers a great idea – to hire a crew to come in for a day and deep clean the house. Check online for your local cleaning services.

Facial, Massage, Manicure, or Pedicure

Andrea, Laura, and Carol proposes a pampering day at a spa. Check on Spa Finder to find a spa near you.

Hire a Handyman for the Day

Another great idea of something that is really needed and helpful is to hire a handyman for a day. Suzanne suggests that you make a list of things that need to be done and fixed around the house and have your family hire someone for the day to come and take care of these things.

Tickets to a Show

Gwen and Marlene would like to go see a show. It can be a music show, an opera or theater performance, a sports event, or a circus. Whatever is interesting in your area. Why not make it a family or a girlfriend outing?

Netflix Certificate

Staying home and watching movies or TV series is what you really like to do? Marlene suggests a certificate to an online streaming service like Netflix or Amazon Prime.

Life Storybook

A book that you fill out with your life memories and experiences. Elizabeth suggests the Book of Me. You can fill it out and give it back to the person who offered it to you. What a fascinating way for your loved one to learn more about you and to leave a legacy of your life.

A Birthday Week of Activities to Enjoy

Why not make a whole week of celebrations! Mary wants her birthday week to be filled with activities that she can do with her family and friends.

DNA Kit to Explore Family Ancestry

This is a very interesting 70th birthday gift. Sharlene proposes to order a DNA kit to find out about your ancestry. They are quite common and easy to use. Maybe you’ll find long lost relatives and expand your family circle.

A Special Rose Bush

Sara wants a unique rose bush from a variety that’s not easy to find.

Specialty Coffees

Sharon loves coffee and would enjoy getting some luxury coffee blends.

Organic Lotions

Natural lotions are good for our skin. Sharon submitted her idea about organic and natural lotions.

Box of Chocolates

When is the last time you got yourself a box of chocolates? We don’t normally splurge on things like that, but Sharon insists that it’s always a pleasure to receive.

Global Access Card or Priority Pass

This is an amazing idea for travelers. Cynthia recommends a global access card or priority pass for entry into lounges in airports. A luxury we wouldn’t necessarily think of getting ourselves, but very well worth it.

A Thought-Provoking Book

How about a thought-provoking or inspiring book? Brené Brown, Ekhart Tolle, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Maya Angelou are a few examples of authors and thinkers who write thought-provoking books.

Set of Affirmation Cards

In my opinion a set of affirmation cards that inspire us to live life to the fullest are also a great gift.

Tablet with Books

How about an electronic reading tablet with a selection of pre-loaded books? Colleen mentions that it is much easier to carry a tablet than to carry several books when going on a getaway.

Special Notes

Anita has a great idea for having people send special messages letting you know what you mean to them. Get your tissues ready!

Pretty Tablecloth

Janice would enjoy a pretty embroidered tablecloth for afternoon tea with family and friends.

Cruise

Cruises are quite popular for milestone birthdays. Susan and Almetra would love to go on a cruise with the special people in their lives.

*Cruises are on a standstill at the moment, but the industry will pick up when it is safe to do so. Make sure to verify health and travel restrictions before booking.

A Party with Male Strippers!

Victoria is our wild one! She wants a party with hired male strippers. Why not! We only turn 70 once.

Art Supplies

Brenda and Shelly are our burgeoning artists and would like oil paints, canvases, and other craft and art supplies.

Subscription to a Local Choir

Brenda would also enjoy seeing a local choir more frequently.

A Tattoo

Another fun idea to commemorate our 70th birthday – a tattoo! Get your custom design created by a talented tattoo artist to remember your milestone birthday forever.

An iPad

Staying connected is important and Sue recommends an iPad or electronic tablet. This way you can video chat with family and friends that live far away.

Retirement!

This is a good one! Mair would enjoy a much-needed retirement.

Love, Respect, and Care

These are all things that are nice to receive all year round but are made even more special when an extra effort is put during your special day. This is what Lea is wishing to receive on her 70th birthday.

Nice Bottle of Wine

Teri wants a nice bottle of wine on her milestone birthday. Cheers!

More Plants!

Cindy can’t get enough plants. She would like to be gifted as many plants as possible for her 70th.

Gift Cards

Gift cards are always a good idea. Vickie would like to go on her own shopping spree to get what she wants for her birthday.

A Cheque

Ruth wants a cheque for her special day. A blank cheque? Hmmm, someone may end up with an empty bank account.

Quirky Coffee Mug

Barbara likes to collect coffee mugs and would like one that celebrates her 7 decades.

A Rocking Chair

Mary was kidding when she said she wanted a rocking chair, but I think that it can actually be a good idea. It doesn’t have to be the traditional “old lady” rocking chair of the past. It can be a modern-looking chair that will fit in nicely with your decor.

Visit from Grandchildren

Cheryl would enjoy a visit from her children and grandchildren for her 70th birthday.

Game Night

Teresa would enjoy an evening of playing board games with her family.

Quiet Day with Loved Ones

Lyn doesn’t want anything fancy for her birthday, only to spend some quality time with her partner, her elderly mother, and her best friend.

Engraved Jewelry

A piece of jewelry with a meaningful message on it.

Online Classes

Taking online classes has become all the rage. How about cooking lessons from Gordon Ramsey or creative writing classes from Margret Atwood?

Tasting

Wine tasting or chocolate tasting tickle your fancy? Check your local listings for the events available in your area.

So, there are 50 wonderful ideas. The focus is still on experiences and not stuff, but there are enough creative recommendations to make any 70^th birthday anniversary memorable and fun!

I’ve also found several websites that specialize in personalized gifts for a 70^th birthday. For example, if you want to receive a copy of a newspaper from your year of birth, Historic Newspapers is one option you can suggest.

Getting Personal is a good gift site option in the UK and Virgin Experience Days gives some fabulous 70^th birthday adventure ideas!

So, if you are celebrating your 70^th birthday soon, just forward the link to this article to those people who are asking, “What do you want for your 70^th birthday?”

What gift would you like to receive for your next birthday? What 70^th birthday gifts or experiences would make you smile? Please share below!

While 2020 was certainly trying for most of us, the Year of Covid can also be viewed as one that forced us to slow down and see our lives through a close-up lens. It shined a spotlight on what was working and also unmasked what was not working in our homes and in our lives.

If your life was spiraling out of control, if your life was on autopilot, if you were too busy to even experience life’s little moments with loved ones, when Covid struck you were suddenly challenged to figure out new ways to live, work, learn, play, and communicate while sheltering in place.

What Was Different?

For the first time in a long time, you:

• Prepared home-cooked meals together.
• Sat at the table for family meals.
• Enjoyed conversations around the kitchen table.

At the same time, you were challenged to:

• Work remotely and run businesses from temporary home office setups.
• Home school your children or grandchildren from the kitchen table.
• Communicate with colleagues, family, or friends for hours on Zoom.

And yet, through the many challenges and inconveniences,you learned to adapt, you grew, you changed.

As your home began to play a greater role in your life:

• You began to experience yourself, your family, and your home differently.
• You found new ways to balance work, home, and relationships, in spite of the clutter and chaos.
• You became more aware of the little things you may not have been present to before.
• You discovered ways to “make due,” to live with less while enjoying it more.
• You likely discovered newfound freedom and flexibility, a whole new life outside the office.
• You began to lean into a simpler, more meaningful life you desire post Covid.
• You learned a lot about what you really needed to be happy and content.

“Cloffices?”

Born out of necessity, you, along with many others, discovered how to creatively convert closets into make-shift home offices (cloffices). You learned how to help homeschool your grandkids overnight. And you may have found ways to repurpose your deck or patio for a much-needed getaway or sanctuary.

In effect, you reinvented the way you live, work, learn, play, and communicate – perhaps without even knowing it. You made yourself at home in your own home… all because of the pandemic.

Our Houses Became Our Homes Again

Covid gave you more time to rethink what matters most. It might have even given you a “new set of eyes” to help you “see through walls” that helped you rediscover the true meaning of “home.”

You’ve learned. You’ve become wiser. You’ve changed.

As you turn the page and begin to shift your thoughts and focus to 2021, you have an opportunity to continue this journey of creating the life and home you really want… one that nurtures, inspires, and energizes you.

In 2021 and beyond, your home will continue to play an even more important role in your life.

• Many of us will continue working remotely from home, choosing the freedom and flexibility it offers.
• New entrepreneurs will start home-based businesses, opting for more purposeful and fulfilling work.
• Others will simply enjoy and experience their homes in a completely new way.

As we Americans become more reliant on our homes in the future, and as we spend more time there, home design and layout will need to adapt to accommodate our ever-changing needs and demands.

Emerging Design Trends: How Covid Is Changing Home Design

So, designers will need to reimagine how our homes can work smarter and harder for our ever-evolving lifestyle post Covid.

Multifunctional Spaces

Homes now must have the ability to quickly and seamlessly transform to an open plan into a variety of functioning areas for work, learning, and entertaining. Several ways that this can be done is via sliding glass walls, barn doors, and movable partitions.

“Going to the Office” Offices

Dedicated home offices that make you feel like you left home to go to the office will be well outfitted spaces that incorporate functioning work areas, ergonomic chairs, proper lighting and acoustics so you can be more focused and productive.

The “Great Outdoors” Rooms

Creating outdoor spaces where we can live, work, play – and get away – are now “must-haves” for good mental health and well-being. Sanctuary spaces connect us to nature, a must in our work-from-home world.

Zoom Rooms

Zoom calls and conferencing have become an integral part of our daily lives. In addition to having the right video equipment and lighting, staging the right back-drop for your calls and conferencing is equally important.

Spa Bath Hideaway

A spa-like bathroom is a room with a purpose: relax, recharge and get-away from it all. It has become a place to hide, a sanctuary, a retreat from much needed space to unwind.

Each of these new home design trends were driven by lifestyle changes resulting from sheltering in place and working from home. Our lives have changed drastically in 2020 and will likely continue to change in the years to come.

How will you make yourself at home in your own home in 2021? Have you embraced growth and constant change? What new designs have you implemented in your home to make it more work/family friendly? Please share with the community!