CAMFT encourages people to focus on emotional health in 2010

While most New Year's resolutions revolve around changing your outward appearance by losing weight or hitting the gym, the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) encourages people to rethink their New Year's resolutions this year to focus inward on their emotional health in 2010.

It's no secret that 2009 was a difficult year. Americans suffered from record unemployment, the mortgage crisis, plunging markets and shrinking checkbooks. The stress took its toll, and it sometimes took all we had just to get by.

That's why it's especially important this New Year to focus on your emotional health, which can shape your overall approach to life and color your every day interactions and experiences. Start 2010 with a fresh perspective and a revitalized mental outlook with one of these resolutions from TherapistFinder.com:

1. I resolve to spend more time with the people I care about most and less time with people who sap my emotional strength and make me feel bad about myself.
2. I will take ten minutes for myself each day to relax, acknowledge what I'm thankful for, and focus on the positive aspects of my life.
3. I resolve to confront any problems and issues that arise instead of ignoring them and sweeping them under the rug, whether it is through writing in a journal, playing music, talking with a friend, or seeing a therapist.
4. I resolve to quit beating myself up about mistakes I made in the past that I can't change, and I will eliminate my negative self-talk.
5. I will find a therapist who can help me cope with emotional challenges I'm experiencing as a result of a difficult 2009, so that I can live my life to the fullest.

If you are struggling with emotional or mental issues as a result of a difficult 2009, visit www.TherapistFinder.com to find a therapist near you. A therapist can help you cope with relationship problems, anxiety, depression, work struggles, challenging family dynamics, and other issues that are preventing you from living a full and happy life.

SOURCE California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists; TherapistFinder.com