Resource Articles

Mindfulness is the practice of maintaining nonjudgmental awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis. By acknowledging thoughts without attaching to them emotionally, those who practice mindfulness are able to better manage stress, anxiety, and even physical health with a sense of calm control.

Social media and news coverage of shootings, bombings, protests, sexual assaults, and other events has been graphic and intense.

By Chad A. Buck, Ph.D.

​​By: Chad A. Buck, PhD The term "boundary" is used often but it is not always understood or properly-executed. A physical boundary is a wall or a barrier between two things. It keeps property separated so it is clear who owns it or with whom it belongs. A psychological boundary is not all that different.

When a person experiences, witnesses, or is confronted with an event or situation that involves actual or threatened death, serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others, he or she can experience fear, helplessness, and horror.  PTSD results when effects of exposure to a traumatic event persist beyond one month following the event. Please answer "Yes" or "No" if you have been exposed to or witnessed a traumatic event and have engaged in or experienced any of the following over the past month on a fairly consistent basis.

According to the World Health Organization's moderate drinking guidelines, women should consume no more than one 5 ounce serving of alcohol per day, and men are to consume no more than two 5 ounce serving of alcohol per day.  A 5 ounce serving of alcohol is equal to one shot of 100 proof liquor or a 12 ounce mug of beer.  In addition, women should not consume more than 4 alcoholic beverages on any occasion, and men should not consume more than 5.  The more a person goes over these recommended amounts of alcohol consumption, the higher his or her risk for alcohol dependence.

According to National Eating Disorders Association, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males in the United States suffer from anorexia or bulimia, and millions more struggle with binge eating disorder.

​Work/Life Connections-EAP coordinates Crisis Intervention Services and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Services for the VUMC community. Definition: A Critical Incident is "any event which has the potential to produce unusual or distressing emotional symptoms such as an accident, injury, death, disaster, threat or act of violence, or other traumatic event at the workplace."

​An online screening is not a substitute for a complete mental health evaluation. It does not result in a diagnosis. It can, however, provide an indication of whether or not a person has symptoms consistent with a particular illness.