Blog Archives - Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT

What is Bipolar II? by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT

January 19, 2021 by Robyn

In 2017, the National Institute of Mental Health found that 2.8% of adults had Bipolar Disorder. Although 2.8% of the population may sound like an insignificant number of people, it actually equates to 7.8 million people. Of the adults with bipolar disorder, 17.1% of the adults did not experience significant impairment in major areas of their life. One criterion for Bipolar II disorder is that the experience of hypomanic episodes does not cause significant impairment to major areas of the ...read more

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How do I know if I have depression? By Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT

January 15, 2021 by Robyn

In 2017, the National Institute of Mental Health found that 17.3 million adults experienced depression in the United States. Of the adults with depression, 68.3% experienced significant impairment in major areas of their life. Sadness versus Depression It can be difficult to differentiate between sadness and depression. Sadness is an emotion that everyone will feel at some point in their life about something. It’s a natural reaction to certain events and circumstances. It’s also an emotion ...read more

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What I learned about video therapy in 2020 by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT

January 1, 2021 by Robyn

I’ve been providing video therapy since 2019, before the pandemic; however, the majority of my sessions were in-person before. Due to stress from the pandemic and concerns surrounding in-person therapy, I experienced an increased demand for video therapy. But as my caseload grew, I discovered other reasons for the increased demand. Prior to the pandemic, video therapy was already convenient and resolved obstacles associated with coming into the office for an in-person session, such as: ...read more

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: anxiety, bipolar disorder, counseling, depression, hypomania, mania, mental health, mental illness, online counseling, talk therapy, talktherapy, teletherapy, therapy, therapy in irvine, therapy in orange county, video therapy

Vulnerability, Emotions, and Authenticity by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT

December 9, 2020 by Robyn

*Emotion: An instinctive state of mind deriving from one’s circumstances, mood, or relationships with others. Vulnerability: Willingness to show emotion. **Authentic: Not false; genuine. Included in the definition of emotion is the phrase “an instinctive state of mind.” To be human is to experience all of the emotions, but for many different reasons, such as society, social media, culture, etc., only certain emotions are “acceptable” or promoted as the ideal of what you “should” present ...read more

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: authentic human, counseling, depression, emotions, getting counseling, getting therapy, mental health, reaching out, stigma, support, talk therapy, talktherapy, therapy, therapy in irvine, therapy in orange county, vulnerability

Reasons Why I Love Working with Bipolar Disorder and Depression by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT

October 1, 2020 by Robyn

Before becoming a therapist, I spent time volunteering for the Orange County chapter of the Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance, where I linked individuals and their loved ones with support groups for depression and bipolar disorder. I had such admiration for every individual who called in asking for resources or a support group. This was a time when seeking help and the topic of mental health was not discussed as much as it is now. Through that experience, I saw the strength and ...read more

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: bipolar 1, bipolar 2, bipolar disorder, bipolar help, bipolar therapy, counseling, getting counseling, getting help, getting therapy, hypomania, mania, mental illness, therapy in irvine, therapy in orange county

Going to therapy does not make you ungrateful by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT

September 18, 2020 by Robyn

For some people, going to therapy clashes with the concern of not wanting to come off as “ungrateful.” The experience You might be newly realizing, or perhaps have known for a long time, that you are experiencing distress. The experiences of overwhelm, burnout, or fatigue can accumulate over time to the point where it just hits you all of a sudden. Or, maybe you’ve been trying to suppress or contain what you’ve been feeling for a while, and now it’s become too much to bear. These scenarios ...read more

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: anxiety, asian american counseling, asian american therapy, asian counseling, asian therapy, bipolar disorder, counseling, depression, family, getting counseling, getting therapy, managing stress, mental health, overwhelmed, sadness, stress, talk therapy, talktherapy, therapy, therapy in irvine, therapy in orange county

Video: Breaking Barriers to Mental Health by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT

September 11, 2020 by Robyn

In this video, I discuss different the barriers to mental health and how to break down these barriers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mFn6sovjt4&feature=youtu.be For text version, see transcript at the bottom of the page. Receiving assistance from a therapist can be helpful. If you are interested in receiving therapy with me, you can call, email, or self-schedule a phone consult. CLICK HERE to learn about telehealth. Ready to get started? Let’s work ...read more

Filed Under: Blog, Vlog Tagged With: anxiety, barriers to mental health, bipolar disorder, coping skills, counseling, depression, getting counseling, getting help, getting therapy, hypomania, mental health, mental illness, overwhelmed, sadness, social rhythm therapy, stigma, stress, support, therapy, therapy in irvine, therapy in orange county

Myth: When someone gets very mad or sad, it’s because they’re bipolar.

August 6, 2020 by Robyn

In this video, I discuss how this statement is shaming and stigmatizing, along with reasons why it's incorrect. https://youtu.be/kY00z90FtJM Receiving assistance from a therapist can be helpful. I have been working with individuals who live with Bipolar Disorder and have helped them live successfully. If you are interested in receiving therapy with me, you can call, email, or self-schedule a phone consult. CLICK HERE to learn about telehealth. Ready ...read more

Filed Under: Blog, Vlog Tagged With: bipolar disorder, counseling, depression, getting counseling, hypomania, mania, mental illness, mood swing, myths about bipolar, myths about bipolar disorder, myths about mental illness, shame, social rhythm therapy, stigma

3 Bipolar Disorder Book Recs (Part 1)

July 30, 2020 by Robyn

In this vlog, I discuss 3 books about Bipolar Disorder. If you're interested in hearing about more of my book recommendations, check out my podcast Books Between Sessions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and Booksbetweensessions.com https://youtu.be/c2-9qq8B7Sc Receiving assistance from a therapist can be helpful. I have been working with individuals who live with Bipolar Disorder and have helped them live successfully. If you are interested in receiving therapy with me, you ...read more

Filed Under: Blog, Vlog Tagged With: bipolar disorder, bipolar disorder books, book podcast, book recommendations, books about bipolar disorder, books about mental illness

5 Building Blocks to Effectively Manage Bipolar Disorder by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT

July 28, 2020 by Robyn

When it comes to effectively managing bipolar disorder, the first step is to start with the basics. At first glance, these steps might look trivial and simple, but they take time, practice, patience, and self-compassion. Sleep: When it comes to monitoring and managing mood symptoms, sleep is both an anchor and an indicator. Sleep works as an anchor because it assists in mood management. Establishing regular sleep patterns is the starting point for regulating mood. Sleep ...read more

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: bipolar disorder, counseling, getting therapy, hypomania, mental illness, mood swing, overwhelmed, sadness, sleep issues, sleep problems, social rhythm therapy, stigma, stress, support, talk therapy, talktherapy, therapy, therapy in irvine, therapy in orange county