Sanz Plans | Building Hope

What Do You Want To Change Today?

How to Deal With Change

It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory. ~W. Edwards Deming This is a time of year when people often are readying themselves for change. The start of a new year is only days away. You might be thinking about making some New Year’s...

I’m Tired of Being a Survivor

Have you survived something very difficult in your life? A tough childhood? A major trauma? An abusive marriage? It takes a lot to go through the steps of naming your pain and feeling your pain and moving from being a victim of something very traumatic or painful...

How Steady Is Your Relationship?

COMFY? How Stable is Your Relationship? Take your typical 4-legged wooden stool. It’s nice and stable…if it’s got all 4 legs. You can probably even manage with 3 solid ones. But fewer than 3 and there’s instability…you don’t want to sit on a 2-legged stool. Although...

You Can Do Better Than “So, How Was Your Day?”

“So, how was your day?” Fine. “What happened in school today?” Nothing. You’re trying to connect. You’re trying to get them to open up. But even when you ask open-ended questions, sometimes no one really wants to talk. How do you get beyond one-word answers and...

Getting a Jump on Seasonal Depression

If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, then that first cool hint of air untinged by the humidity of summer doesn’t make you feel excited for the beginning of Fall. Where others become inspired by the changing colors of Fall...

Stop Kicking the Turtle! Or How to Let Yourself Grieve

If you’ve ever suffered an important loss in your life…whether it was the loss of a loved one, a beloved pet, or a special dream…then you know what it means to grieve. Mourning a loss is an important process, and it’s one that you cannot just skip because it feels...

Mental Health Symptoms To Not Ignore

There are hundreds of symptoms that can indicate a mental health issue is developing, but it can be difficult to know when to pay attention to them and when they are not a concern. Here is a relatively simple way to be able to assess whether you are experiencing...

It’s Snark Week!

You know them… snarky people. The masters of that combination of sarcastic and cynical that ends up being smugly critical and absolutely unbearable to human beings after a while. If the snarks are your friends or co-workers, you can handle it because they will...

When Should You Freak Out?

Ho, Ho, Ho? It is January 21st today and my Christmas tree is still up. A hectic holiday season that included 2 bouts of the flu, preparing to teach Abnormal Psychology, and other commitments have taken their toll on seasonal order. All my other Christmas decorations...

Mothers are People, Too…

Happy Mother’s Day! “If it’s not one thing, it’s your Mother!” There’s a saying in psychotherapy that goes “If it’s not one thing, it’s your Mother.” Shall I say the field of psychology has often been less than kind when it comes to Moms, blaming them for causing...

Ready to Begin Your Journey?

You have found the place for people who know they need to or want to make changes to be healthier, happier, and more fulfilled. It’s for people who want to lose weight, gain weight, or stop eating disordered behavior. It’s for people who want to stop walking around day after day criticizing themselves and not feeling “good enough.” I’m glad you’re here and I hope you’ll come and read often! ~Anita.

Begin Your Journey To New Hope

Dr. Anita Sanz

PHD - Clinical Psychologist

My primary aspiration in life (beyond survival!) has been to try to foster hope, create safe spaces for good work to occur, and improve well-being through co-creating unique and helpful life strategies with others. To that end, I became a licensed psychologist and coach, and have written extensively about mental and emotional wellness. Becoming the new co-host of the Giving Voice to Depression podcast fits perfectly with my intention of wanting others to know that they are not alone in their experience of struggling in the world. I believe there is so much that we can do to help each other get through… and then get to where we can thrive and enjoy life. I have worked successfully for over 25 years with clients with a broad range of mental, emotional, and physical health issues and also taught psychology classes at the University level. My own lived experience as a late-diagnosed autistic person with ME/CFS gave me a unique set of challenges that have helped me to appreciate the struggles of others with increased humility, empathy, and compassion. Because of both my training and my life experience, I am very good at breaking down the overwhelming into manageable pieces and helping my clients learn how to trust their own experience to craft life strategies that work. It brings me the greatest joy to connect with others and be able to help in whatever way I am able.

An Affirmation for Overwhelm and Procrastination

A Meditation for Peace

A Short Meditation for Sleep

Need Help Now? You may call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 anytime 24/7. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. You can find other mental health resources here: https://givingvoicetodepression.com/resources.htmPlease get help if you need it. Thank you.