Vivienne Lewis Journalist Profile

Articles

Mental health goal setting for the new year

Jan 11, 2025 | canberradaily.com.au | Vivienne Lewis

The start of a new year is an excellent time to reflect on your mental wellbeing and plan for positive changes. Consider what habits or experiences from the past year energised you and what drained your energy. For example, did regular exercise, spending time outdoors, or connecting with loved ones help you feel more balanced? On the other hand, did overcommitting, skipping rest, or excessive screen time leave you feeling depleted?
Taking a gap year – the pros and cons for young people and parents | Canberra Daily

Jan 9, 2025 | canberradaily.com.au | Vivienne Lewis

As a clinical psychologist and academic at the University of Canberra, I work with many young adults who are finishing Year 12 and considering whether to take a gap year. I also teach students who come to university straight after school and those who have taken a year off. Additionally, I support parents who often feel uncertain about their child’s decision to take a break, wondering if an entire year is necessary and how to ensure it’s a productive experience.
Coping with Christmas from a mental health perspective

Dec 14, 2024 | canberradaily.com.au | Vivienne Lewis

As Christmas and the end of the year approaches, many of us experience a mix of excitement and stress. The season brings warmth and togetherness, but it can also feel overwhelming. While the Christmas season is often joyful, it can also lead to pressure, anxiety, and sadness. The demands of shopping, planning gatherings, and navigating family dynamics can heighten stress.
Navigating redundancy

Dec 7, 2024 | canberradaily.com.au | Vivienne Lewis

Experiencing redundancy can be emotionally overwhelming, evoking feelings of anger, loss, uncertainty, and diminished self-esteem. From my perspective as a clinical psychologist, I recognise the profound impact this change can have on your career, mental health, and sense of identity. Let’s talk about some strategies to support you during this transitional phase. Firstly, it’s important to acknowledge and validate your emotions.
Navigating disagreements: How to engage in respectful conversations and avoid arguments

Nov 23, 2024 | canberradaily.com.au | Vivienne Lewis

Disagreements are a natural part of life, whether with friends, family, or even strangers. While it can be tricky to engage with those who hold different views, handling these situations with patience, openness, and respect is key. By encouraging healthy conversation, we can express our opinions without creating unnecessary tension or conflict. Let’s look at some common disagreements and how to handle them. One area where disagreements often arise is in political discussions.
How to psychologically prepare for a medical procedure

Nov 15, 2024 | canberradaily.com.au | Vivienne Lewis

Preparing for a medical procedure, no matter how minor, can evoke a range of emotions, the most common being anticipatory anxiety, worrying about what will happen and the potential outcomes. I see many clients who are very worried about medical procedures, from common things like seeing a doctor for a pap smear or having a mole checked, to having a colonoscopy or undergoing surgery.
Coping with boredom

Oct 27, 2024 | canberradaily.com.au | Vivienne Lewis

Feeling bored is a common emotion that arises when we are not interested or engaged in an activity. It’s seen as a negative experience and most of us have felt it. An example is when you are in a work meeting or in class and are not interested in listening and are getting frustrated and restless with the content or delivery. Although boredom is normal, for some, this feeling can have negative consequences.
Fostering a positive self-worth

Oct 19, 2024 | canberradaily.com.au | Vivienne Lewis

As a clinical psychologist, I see many clients struggling with low self-worth. Self-worth is important to our mental health and wellbeing and refers to seeing oneself as valuable and important as a human being. It encompasses the understanding that each person is valuable and deserving of respect, regardless of external achievements, appearances, or opinions of others.
Dealing with chronic stress in the workplace

Oct 15, 2024 | canberradaily.com.au | Vivienne Lewis

As a clinical psychologist, I work with many clients experiencing stress due to workplace factors, including bullying and harassment, staff shortages, and under-resourcing of services, as well as working long hours. Some describe feeling chronically stressed both at work and at home. What is stress? Stress occurs when you perceive that the demands of your environment or what is expected of you outweigh your ability to cope, whether at work or at home.
Dealing with body image issues in the lead up to the school formal

Oct 6, 2024 | canberradaily.com.au | Vivienne Lewis

I see many young clients with body image issues where they hold negative perceptions of their appearance; they’re the wrong body shape or weight, aren’t attractive enough, or they don’t look good enough. This can lead many to feel unhappy about themselves and also into dangerous behaviours such as dieting for weight loss, excessive spending on makeup and clothing to ‘look their best’ and anxiety leading up to the event.