Resources
At RDC Liberation, we believe that healing and personal growth extend beyond therapy sessions. To support you on your journey, we’ve curated a selection of helpful resources — from worksheets and readings to podcasts and self-help tools — all designed to empower you and provide additional guidance between sessions. Explore the following categories:
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Anyone can build better self-discipline given time and motivation.
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Linking self-discipline to longtime values and letting go of stereotypes can help.
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Learning self-discipline can be like a fitness journey, where one goes from awkward to refined with practice.
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When you live in routine, you don't have to think so much.
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Doing something new helps build flexible thinking and "wakes up" your brain, which is part of mental wellness.
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When you engage in a new experience, the brain is likely to release dopamine, which improves your mood.
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Being your own best friend goes beyond self-care.
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Today’s needs might be drastically different from tomorrow’s, so be flexible enough to switch gears.
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We can’t pour from an empty cup, so we need to prioritize our needs before we can help others.
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Writing about your ideal self can enhance personal growth and boost well-being.
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Your best self aligns with values, unlike the external-driven "ought" self.
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Clear vision of your best self fuels motivation and goal-setting.
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Get regular exercise.
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Eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated.
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Make sleep a priority.
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Try a relaxing activity.
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There is no one cause of loneliness, and it can result from everything from a change in your living environment or a breakup to the death of a loved one.
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You may also feel misunderstood or like others are judging you, and that can make you feel lonely.
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While spending your time alone feels easier, too much time isolated in a tough mental state can lead to intrusive thoughts (unwanted thoughts that are difficult to get out of your mind) and negative self-talk.
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Your family, taking a little time off means family projects can be tackled, fun day trips can be planned, or we can simply be available to our family during times when we would normally be at work.
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Personal Growth, a little vacation – or even a stay cation – can also be a great time to work on personal goals.
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Avoid burnout, taking some personal time can also be an effective way to avoid work-related burnout.
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Stay healthier and happier, these daily stressors can be hard on us and can lead to depression, mental and physical fatigue, irritability and other problems that take away from our abilities to enjoy life.
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Mindfulness, deep breathing, setting boundaries, and being curious can help relieve holiday tensions.
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Treat yourself with the same kindness and compassion you would give to others.
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Making everything perfect is impossible. Enjoy the holidays anyway.
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Check in with yourself. Are you feeling overwhelmed or stressed? Find ways to ease holiday anxiety and use them when these feelings arise.
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Recognize that certain loved ones may always be difficult. Set a personal boundary to limit how much you will engage with them.
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​Practice gratitude and self-compassion. This will help you to focus more on the positive aspects of your life, and less on the negatives.
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Set boundaries about topics of conversation. Topics like politics and current affairs can create anxiety and tension.
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​Say no. There is pressure to say yes to plans, especially during the holidays. If a plan causes you more stress than joy, give yourself permission to decline the invitation.
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Staying positive, which is the habit of seeing the good in situations and expecting things to work out well.
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Practicing gratitude, which means being thankful for the good things in your life.
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Taking care of your physical health, since your physical and mental health are connected.
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Developing a sense of meaning and purpose in life, which could be through your job, volunteering, learning new skills, or exploring your spirituality.
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​Connecting with others, since strong, healthy relationships may help protect you against stress.
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Mental health affects every aspect of our daily life, including work and school performance, the quality of our relationships, sleep patterns, and general well-being.
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Good mental health equips individuals with the resilience to face life’s inevitable challenges.
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Individuals struggling with mental health issues often experience feelings of helplessness and frustration, which can affect those around them.
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​Mental health awareness highlights available resources, such as therapy, counseling, and support groups. It can help people navigate the mental health system, making it easier to access the appropriate services.
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People who are emotionally and mentally resilient have the tools for coping with difficult situations and maintaining a positive outlook.
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The truth is that, whatever your issues, there are steps you can take to improve the way you feel and experience greater mental and emotional well-being. And you can start today!
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Reaching out is not a sign of weakness and it won’t make you a burden to others. Most people are flattered if you trust them enough to confide in them.
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The mind and the body are intrinsically linked. When you improve your physical health, you’ll automatically experience greater mental and emotional well-being.
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Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down; and, if you feel comfortable, close your eyes.
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Take several slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
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Use your 5 sense to notice things you see, touch, hear and taste
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Notice how your body feels. Are you more relaxed? Is your mind calmer?
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Social media can have both positive and negative effects on mental health.
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Excessive social media use can trigger feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation, and worsen symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
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Research suggests that about 59 percent of U.S. teens have experienced bullying online.
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​ Sharing endless selfies and all your innermost thoughts on social media can create an unhealthy self-centeredness and distance you from real-life connections.
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Mental health and mental illness are not simply two sides of the same coin. Mental health, just like physical health, exists on a spectrum from poor to optimal.
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Positive mental health and well-being is a combination of feeling good and functioning well.
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On an individual level, there are steps you can take to optimise your mental health. The first step is identifying your existing support networks and the coping strategies that you’ve used in the past.
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However, when distress or poor mental health is interfering with our daily life, work, study or relationships, these suggestions may not be enough by themselves and additional, individualised treatment may be needed.
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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can occur when someone has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. PTSD is often a scar our service members return home with after seeing combat or witnessing a traumatic event.
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​It’s not uncommon to turn to alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism during times of mental stress. While they may offer temporary relief or distraction from the problem, increased substance use can lead to long-term consequences.
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Nearly one in four U.S. servicewomen reports being sexually assaulted in the military. It doesn’t just happen to women though, it happens to men too.
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​Any of the mental health disorders or traumas mentioned above can lead to feelings and helplessness, despair, and suicidal thoughts.
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Self-care is linked to improved mental health, self-esteem, self-worth, and optimism.
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Self-care involves valuing ourselves enough to make our health, well-being, and happiness a priority.
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​We often don't take enough care of ourselves, which can have long-term effects on well-being.
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We’re all we have, and we owe it to ourselves to take care of our physical and mental health. While we don’t set out to do ourselves harm, self-care often ends up last on the list of priorities in our busy lives.
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Recognize That Errors Tend to Occur When We're Already Distracted, Busy, Out-of-Routine, Tired, etc.
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Identify Failure Points of Systems and Plans
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Identify Why Something That Seems Simple Isn't
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Understand the Limits of Habit Tricks
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​If You're Tempted to Do Nothing, Eliminate the Worst Option
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Avoid the Hyper vigilance and Doom-Scrolling. Ironically, constant exposure to stressful news can increase searching and scanning for more stressful news.
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Sleep on It. Your Way
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Communicating with nature can reduce stress, improve mood, enhance cognitive function, and help with sleep.
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Small Acts of Creativity
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​Journaling benefits the emotional wellness of people of all ages.
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1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year.
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1 in 20 U.S. adults face serious mental illness annually.
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1 in 6 U.S. teens have a mental health condition, but only half of them get treatment.
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50% of mental illnesses start by age 14, and 75% by age 24.
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In 2023, 20% of high school students seriously considered suicide.
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The average age of onset for eating disorders is 12 to 13 years old, with eating disorder specialists reporting an increase in the diagnosis of children, some as young as 5 or 6.
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Social media can help individuals with eating disorders by providing them with access to peer support, treatment options, and other information.
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Pay attention to warning signs of eating disorders, including changes in behaviors around food, physical changes, types of social media use, and conversations about food or body image.
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​ Remind them that you are there to support them and just want them to be well.
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You Want Help Managing Stress
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You Are Having Difficulty Regulating Your Emotions
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You Have Some Unhealthy Coping Skills
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Self and Relationship Improvement
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You Are Struggling to Reach Your Goals
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You Want to Improve Your Relationship(s)
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You Want to Increase Your Self-Awareness
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Dealing With Major Life Events
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​You Want Some Parenting Support
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Like many mental health concerns, depression is not something that is often discussed openly.
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Yes. Children can experience depression, just like adults.
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Research shows there are many possible factors that lead to depression, including family history, stressors and life events, and environment.
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Symptoms can vary from person to person, and they may even change from day to day. While some people may display obvious signs of sadness (being noticeably down or tearful), others may appear distracted or irritable.
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It’s normal for every child to feel sad, down, or have the blues from time to time; it is an ordinary part of growing up. Still, there’s a difference between feeling down sometimes and experiencing clinical depression.