• : Author

    Sandra Kovacs Stein was born in Calcutta, India, grew up in the Dominican Republic, and went to school in Canada, where she planned to settle after getting her Master’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology. Instead, she fell in love with an American and moved to Queens, New York after they married. Stein has experienced many unexpected twists and turns in her life, which have taught her to be adaptable and open to trying new things. She has enjoyed a variety of work experiences, including speech pathologist/audiologist, computer programmer, technical writer, abstractor, and transcriptionist. With the advent of digital photography, she became an avid photographer of nature and wildlife, and has used some of her photos to author several children’s picture books. Stein lives in northern Virginia, close to her daughter, three of her seven grandchildren, and four of her six great-grandchildren.

  • Chronic Loneliness: Is It a Thing?

    Chronic loneliness is loneliness that persists for a long period of time and does not go away. You feel detached from others, as though you don’t belong, and are unable to find anyone you can connect with on a deep level. Although it is not a diagnosable mental health condition, left unaddressed, it can affect you both physically and emotionally. Reasons People Become Lonely Loneliness is a subjective emotional experience. The way you perceive and experience your social interactions and [...]

  • Social Media and Teens: The Upside and the Downside

    According to a 2023 report by the Surgeon General Advisory, teens who spend over three hours a day on social media “double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, including symptoms of depression and anxiety.” Not all teens, however, are affected the same way. Studies have linked social media to both healthy and unhealthy effects on mental health. How much time a teen spends on social media is not the only determining factor, but also how they use [...]

  • 14 Ways to Manage Stress

    Do you feel overwhelmed by too much to do and not enough time to do it? Are you dealing with a difficult situation at home or work? Do you have unexplained aches and pains, and/or feel tired all the time? Are you feeling all stressed out? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, this article on ways to manage stress may provide you with some much-needed encouragement and hope. Stress is that gap that is [...]

  • 10 Signs of Depression in Men You May Not Be Aware Of

    Do you get easily irritated, struggle to control your anger, or feel constantly fatigued? Do you work all the time or drink a lot to try and numb your feelings and help you cope? If so, read on. These are signs of depression in men, and you may be suffering from it. Depression is a common mental health disorder that impacts the way a person feels, thinks, and manages his or her daily responsibilities and activities. It affects both [...]

  • Professional Boundaries in the Workplace: What They Are and Why You Need Them

    Boundaries are physical, mental, and emotional limits that determine how you care for yourself, interact with others, and allow others to treat you. They enable you to stay in control of your life. Professional boundaries in the workplace are especially important when you face the challenging task of trying to balance work obligations with personal time and responsibilities. Establishing professional boundaries in the workplace enables you to maintain a healthy balance between your personal and professional life so that [...]

  • How to Recognize Early Warning Signs of Mental Illness

    If you have ever wondered if you or someone you know may have a mental disorder, this article on the warning signs of mental illness could be for you. Mental illness is a broad term that refers to a wide range of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or addiction that affect your mood and the way you think, feel, and act. They can be a source of intense distress that has a negative impact on [...]