Kristie McNealy, MD

Today I have a guest post to feature from Catriona Boyle of Counselling Directory, a UK based mental health resource.  While I know only a subset of you guys are in the UK, the site is full of articles and blog entries that are useful to anyone!  I encourage you to check it out.

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Achieving and maintaining mental wellbeing is very important, for both mind and body. However, around one in four people suffers from some kind of mental issue during their lifetime, but many do not seek the help they need to manage or overcome the problem.

Awareness of mental health problems is constantly rising, making it easier for people to recognize the signs and know what help is available. Counselling is regarded as an effective form of treatment for many mental health issues.

The initial decision to take the plunge and accept help is undoubtedly one of the hardest parts of the whole process. However after this decision had been taken, a whole new set of questions can arise with regards to actually finding the counselor.

There are numerous issues to consider – practical and otherwise. What about, for example, location? Despite counsellors’ assured complete confidentiality people may prefer to see a counsellor that is perhaps outside their local area, but still in surroundings they are comfortable in.

And what guarantees that the counsellor is the real deal? There are no laws in the UK that govern counselling, so what’s to stop anyone setting up shop to listen to people’s problems? There are qualifications and professional bodies, but these can often be confusing and over-whelming.

Counselling can take many different approaches – from person-based to psychoanalytic, and it’s important to choose a counsellor with an approach the person will be comfortable with and respond to well.

Counselling Directory was set up to provide a simple, easy, and most importantly un-daunting way of connecting people that need help with the people that provide it. A comprehensive searching tool, the site allows postcode, town and country searches, and produces a list of counsellors registered in this area. Each counsellor has a profile, listing a bit about themselves, their approaches, what areas they deal with, and all their training, qualification and experience and fees.

The site shows which counsellors are registered/accredited with a professional body, and full profiles are only displayed after insurance and qualification documents are checked or membership with a professional body has been verified.

The site has also become a huge information bank – there are articles written by the counsellors, as well as comprehensive information on all kinds of distress – from depression to eating disorders to abuse, to help people identify their problems and become informed, not scared.

Life got away from me again this past week, so I need to announce the winner to my Yoplait Whips! giveaway courtesy of Yoplait and MyBlogSpark.  Congratulations to our winner, Karen!  Karen please check your email for a message from me about colecting your prize.

To everyone else – don’t forget that you can print a coupon* for $0.55 off any 2 cups of Yoplait Whips! yogurt.  If your store doubles coupons, you should be able to get two cups of yogurt for free, or close to it.

*This coupon offer for free Yoplait Whips! yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee.

It seems like there is a new brand of Greek yogurt at my grocery store every month, but the one I buy most often is Yoplait.  With several flavors to choose from, zero fat and twice the protein of traditional yogurt, Yoplait Greek finds its way into my menu at least 2-3 times every month.  So, when I was contacted about reviewing some Yoplait Greek recipes on my blog, it was a no brainer.

I already knew that Yoplait Greek is yummy in smoothies and traditional Greek recipes like tzatziki sauce, so I decided to try something different, and opted for Yoplait’s Savory White Chicken Chili recipe.  The chili is easy to whip up, and you can make it from start to finish in just 35 minutes.  It’s flavorful without being TOO spicy, and you can easily adjust the heat by using a different type of chile.  Best of all, the Yoplait Greek yogurt makes the broth delicious and creamy, while adding protein!

Unfortunately, the chili was such a hit, I didn’t manage to get a picture of my own batch before it was gone.  With that in mind, I’d suggest doubling the recipe if you want left overs, or if you’re feeding kids with hollow legs . . .

You can snag a printable version of the recipe at the Yoplait Greek website.

While I was cooking with Yoplait Greek, I also used it to whip up my own quick sauce to top fruit filled crepes.  It’s simple, yummy, and more nutritious than a whipped cream topping.  It also makes a great dip for just about any fruit.

Yoplait Greek Cream Sauce / Fruit Dip

• 1 container plain Yoplait Greek yogurt
• 1-2 T powdered sugar for desired sweetness
• 1/4 tsp extract of your choice – We paired vanilla extract with our strawberry crepes.  Almond would be nice with peaches, or lemon with blueberries.  The possibilities are endless!

Mix together yogurt, sugar and extract with a fork or whisk.  Add additional sugar to taste if the dip isn’t sweet enough for you.  Serve immediately, or refrigerate until needed.

Disclaimer: I was provided with free product coupons to use for the recipes in this post, but the opinions are mine.  No other compensation was received for this post.