Today as I watched my kids at the beach playing with mollusks, I experienced a moment of mindfulness. Mindfulness is “open, active attention to the present” and is a great tool for managing everything from daily stress to more serious mental health concerns like depression, anxiety, and OCD.

Summer and stress aren’t words we usually think of together. Summer is stereotypically thought of as a time to relax and play, with long days and a slower pace.

And for many it is, but more and more I’m hearing summer as a source of stress, anxiety, and even depression from patients, friends and myself. So what gives?!?