Dr. Simone’s Mind Space

The group, that’s impacted extraordinarily much due to the pandemic are adolescents. Schools are closed, meeting friends limited, social gatherings, sports, parties canceled. Being stuck at home with parents working from home, stressed themselves can cause tension and arguments. The life of the parental generation has changed yes, home office instead of working from the office, but the life of adolescents changed much more dramatically. Even if they’re not a risk group, they pay the price out of solidarity for the older generations and risk groups.

Adolescents are supposed to be out and about with their peers. Peers are the most important group during adolescence and crucial for identity development.

Being in a constant battle between their own needs of meeting friends vs. the risk this behavior implies for their parents and grandparents is not to be underestimated.

The future of adolescents is uncertain.

What will happen once they graduate high school?

Will they be able to attend university, find an aprentiship?

How will university and work look in the future, when physical attendence remains limited or cancelled.

 

Society’s lack of understanding of this age group is concerning. We all have to emphasize with adolescents, be more tolerant for their social interactions with their peers, and not dismiss their needs.

 

#podcast #research #adolescence #peers #covid19 #womenentrepreneurship #identity #development  #drschwankinsights #drsimonesmindspace #psychology #loneliness #mentalhealth #moncle #zurich #switzerland

In the previous podcasts I’ve discussed family conflicts and challenges to meet relatives during the holidays. Today, I’ll talk about singles during this time of the year. The year 2020 has been an extraordinary year for everyone, but especially for singles. Meeting a romantic partner was limited to primarily online dates, random coincidence such as meeting someone at a friend’s party, at work, on a flight, in a café, bar, restaurant, almost impossible. Now the holidays are around the corner and many singles ask themselves how to get past these days.

 

Ideas for singles over these holidays:

 

Helping others brings joy. Bake cookies for elderly neighbors or offer to run errands for them.

 

Get engaged in after school activities for children (many parents are extremely exhausted).

 

Be active, go for walks, runs, skiing!

 

Organise activities with friends ahead, don’t wait until the last minute to make plans.

#podcast #research #holiday #christmas #covid19 #womenentrepreneurship #single  #drschwankinsights #drsimonesmindspace #psychology #loneliness #holidayblues

#moncle #zurich #switzerland

 

@drschwank

Conflict with family members over the holidays are common. High expectations that aren’t met, traditions that not everyone enjoys equally, new and old family members that collide. Conflicts over the holidays can be managed.

 

Tips to work with family conflicts during the holidays:

 

Time outs! Agree to give each other space.

 

Dealing with conflicts when everyone is agitated isn’t going to work. Calm down your nerves, then unite again.

 

Agree to disagree! Not everything needs to end in a consensus.

 

The repair is more important than the actual conflict.

 

#podcast #research #holiday #christmas #covid19 #womenentrepreneurship #family #drschwankinsights #drsimonesmindspace #psychology #tension # holidayblues #conflicts

#moncle #zurich #switzerland #matchalatte

 

@drschwank

Families plan how to meet during this unique year of the pandemic. How to celebrate their holidays when only limited numbers of members are allowed to meet.

How can family gatherings be held this year?

The smaller, more specifically selected holiday gatherings might bring something positive, as you can be more selective coho to meet. Yet, if the only people to meet are the ones you’d rather have to be blended with other more favorable family members, it’s difficult.

Needing to take decisions on how to manage to follow the restrictions put in place by the governments and still be able to practice traditions.

People around the world have to take such difficult decisions, which puts a strain on everyone. The tensions that have existed prior to the pandemic might escalate, due to everyone’s nerves lying blank after almost a year living under the constraints of the pandemic.

 

 

What can we do to get as smooth as possible through the holiday season?

 

Get a good mix of time together and alone.

 

Spend time attentively doing something together.

 

Bake, cook, play games, decorate the apartment/ house together.

 

Take walks or go for a run, do physical activity together or alone.

 

#podcast #research #holiday #christmas #covid19 #womenentrepreneurship #family #drschwankinsights #drsimonesmindspace #psychology #tension # holidayblues

#moncle #zurich #switzerland #matchalatte

 

@drschwank

It’s this time of the year when some of us cherish the cheers, holiday spirits and others would prefer it to be January so dearly. The holiday season brings up a lot of emotions and feelings difficult to contain. So many expectations and unmet ones are very hard to accept. A time where some of us feel more lonely than any other time of the year and this year even more so.

 

What are things to cope with the holiday season?

 

Helping others is always a good idea. It increases happiness and reduces feeling lonely.

 

Focus on the things you can change, rather than the ones you can’t.

 

Create your own ritual, tradition that is unique to you.

 

Try to say no when it’s too much for you, rather than tag along.

#podcast #research #holiday #christmas #covid19 #womenentrepreneurship #family #drschwankinsights #drsimonesmindspace #psychology #loneliness

#moncle #zurich #switzerland #matchalatte

 

@drschwank

In today’s episode, part 2 of the latest research on Swedish pregnant women during COVID-19 pandemic, I’m discussing together with my colleague Assistant Prof. Ewa Andersson ways to improve care for pregnant women. Topics discussed in this episode are:

• Partner support
• Pregnant women’s worries
• Loneliness
• Powerlessness in perinatal care
• Restrictions in society
• Media and COVID-19

 

Pregnant women around the world are facing an incredibly challenging time. There’s a need for healthcare professionals to better meet women’s and their families needs, to improve perinatal outcomes.

#podcast #interview #globalmentalhealth #quarantine #isolation #research #pregnantwomen #fathers #baby #research #reproductivehealth #genderequality #covid19 #womenentrepreneurship #emergingadults

#womeninglobalhealth #drschwankinsights #drsimonesmindspace #psychology #advocay #stockholm

#sweden #karolinskainstitutet #moncle #zurich #switzerland #matchalatte

 

@drschwank

@karolinskainstitutet

@mammatillmamma

@plingan

Today’s episode discusses how it is to live as an international couple together with my husband. The excitement to be different, the benefits of a multilingual home, the enrichment of having access to different cultures, traditions, and places to call home. Yet, of course there is also the part of misunderstandings, lost in translation, racism, accusations, and the challenges to build a bridge between the different backgrounds.

 

#podcast #globalmentalhealth #couple #couplesconflict #conflict #covid19 #seduction #sex #datenight #happyrelationship #womenentrepreneurship #internatioalcouple

#womeninglobalhealth #drschwankinsights #psychology #adovcay #shanghai #stockholm #zurich #switzerland #opitimalperformancekreis2 #karolinskainstitutet

 

@drschwank

In today’s episode, I’m discussing the latest research on Swedish pregnant women during COVID-19 pandemic. A second episode will follow together with my colleague Assistant Prof. Ewa Andersson. Pregnant women around the world are facing an incredibly challenging time. There is a lot of uncertainty on antenatal visits, delivery, their family being present during birth, and the concerns related to entering hospitals during the pandemic. In our research we’ve interviewed pregnant women in Swedish about their experience to be pregnant during the ongoing pandemic. They’ve described their concerns not having their partner present at delivery, as well as feeling forgotten by society.

#podcast #interview #globalmentalhealth #quarantine #isolation #research #pregnantwomen #fathers #baby #research #reproductivehealth #genderequality #covid19 #womenentrepreneurship #emergingadults

#womeninglobalhealth #drschwankinsights #drsimonesmindspace #psychology #advocay #stockholm

#sweden #karolinskainstitutet #moncle #zurich #switzerland #matchalatte

 

@drschwank

@karolinskainstitutet

@mammatillmamma

I’d never thought I’d still be swimming in the lake and the ocean, in the end of November approaching December. It all started with my passion to swim in lake Zürich after my morning runs. As it got colder, I wanted to keep up with it and happened to be empowered by two female entrepreneurs and my great friend in Stockholm, whom I’ve been running with.

It’s been a fascinating journey and the health benefits came with it. The seasonal affective disorder symptoms are much less, my Reynaud’s phenomenon much less, I can keep my body warmer for longer (benefits of improved blood circulation), even if it’s cold outside, despite low body fat, and of course it’s a great immune system booster.

I’m quite fascinated by these unexpected benefits!

The very best about it is however, the community and practicing winter swimming with friends.

 

#podcast #globalmentalhealth #quarantine #isolation #research #seasonalaffectivedisorder #depression #winterswimming #research #benefits #genderequality #covid19 #womenentrepreneurship

#womeninglobalhealth #drschwankinsights #drsimonesmindspace #psychology #advocay #zurich #switzerland #stockholm #sweden #friendship #monoclecafe

My guest today is assistant professor Ewa Andersson. She’s a senior lecturer at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm in reproductive health. Her early research on fathers already during her PhD, was looking at their role during the perinatal period. Her research field is more relevant during the ongoing pandemic than ever before. We will talk about the fathers’ role and how it’s shifted. The situation of shared parenting, and the issue of domestic violence.

 

 

#podcast #interview #globalmentalhealth #quarantine #isolation #research #fathers #reproductivehealth #genderequality #covid19 #womenentrepreneurship #emergingadults #oberseebilingualschool

#womeninglobalhealth #drschwankinsights #drsimonesmindspace #psychology #advocay #stoclholm

#sweden #karolinskainstitutet #moncle #zurich #switzerland #matchalatte

 

@drschwank

@karolinskainstitutet

@mammatillmamma