Taking care of yourself isn’t just about eating right and staying active—it’s also about your behavioral health.

How you think, feel, and respond to life’s challenges can shape your overall well-being just as much as your physical health.

Understanding behavioral health can make a real difference in how you feel daily, whether managing stress, coping with life changes, or building healthy relationships.

Let’s take a closer look at what behavioral health means, why it matters, and the services that can help you care for your mind and body.

What is Behavioral Health?

Behavioral health refers to the connection between your actions, thoughts, and emotions and how they affect your overall well-being.

It’s not just about avoiding illness—it’s about actively supporting positive mental health, which is key to living a balanced, healthy life.

This concept recognizes that your thoughts, feelings, and choices are all connected. It includes handling stress, building strong relationships, and making decisions that support your well-being.

Many factors shape your behaviors, including genetics, environment, and personal experiences. Behavioral health focuses on understanding these influences and finding ways to improve habits for better overall health.

What are Examples of Behavioral Health Issues?

Behavioral health issues can manifest in various forms and affect people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.

Some examples include:

1. Anxiety Disorders

2. Depression

3. Substance Abuse

4. Eating Disorders (anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder)

5. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

6. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Why is Behavioral Health Important?

Behavioral health plays a crucial role in overall well-being, influencing everything from physical health to relationships and daily life.

How you handle stress, emotions, and challenges can affect your habits and choices.

For example, high-stress levels can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms like overeating or substance use, which may contribute to conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Your behaviors also shape your relationships. Struggling with anxiety, for instance, can make communication difficult and impact your ability to maintain strong connections.

Prioritizing behavioral health helps you build healthier habits, improve relationships, and support mental and physical well-being, leading to a more balanced and fulfilling life.

What Services are Available for Behavioral Health? Many behavioral health services are available to help you improve your behavioral health.

Here are some of the most common options:

● Counseling and Therapy – Talking with a licensed professional, such as a psychologist, counselor, or social worker, can help you work through challenges, manage emotions, and develop healthier coping strategies.

● Medication Management – In some cases, medication may be recommended to help manage symptoms of mental health conditions.

This is often used alongside counseling or therapy for the best results.

● Support Groups – Connecting with others who share similar experiences can provide encouragement and understanding.

Support groups, whether led by professionals or peers, offer a space to share and learn from one another.

● Crisis Intervention – If you're facing a mental health crisis, immediate help is available through crisis hotlines, emergency services, and crisis centers.

These services provide urgent support when you need it most.

Compassionate Behavioral Health Support Available in Langdon and Walhalla, ND

If someone you care about is struggling with behavioral or mental health concerns, you don't have to face it alone or travel outside of the Langdon area. LPH offers appointments and referrals through our telehealth services. Megan Overby, DNP, FNP-C, is also available on-site to assess and prescribe for children who suffer a variety of mental/behavioral disorders. At Langdon Prairie Health, our team is here to listen, assess your needs and create a treatment plan that fits your situation through our convenient telehealth services. Schedule an appointment with one of our providers today to get the support and care you deserve.

We talk a lot about mental and behavioral health these days, don’t we?

But when you’re the one struggling, all that talk can feel overwhelming. Stress, anxiety, or unhealthy habits can pile up, making it hard to get through the day.

And when you don’t know what will help, it can feel even heavier.

However, understanding what behavioral health therapy is can make a difference. This blog post explains how it works, the benefits, and where to find the right support for behavioral health.

What is Behavioral Health Therapy? Behavioral health therapy helps you understand how your thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected.

How you think and feel can shape how you behave, and when those thoughts or feelings aren’t in a good place, it can affect your daily life.

You can learn how to work through those patterns and find healthier ways to cope through therapy.

This type of therapy can support you if you're dealing with things like anxiety, depression, PTSD, or addiction.

Types of Behavioral Health Therapy: Approaches and Techniques

There are a few different types of behavioral health therapy, and each one takes its approach to help you manage what you're going through.

Some of the most common options include:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): With CBT, you focus on recognizing and changing negative thoughts and behaviors.

The idea is simple—when you change how you think, you can change how you feel and act.

This type of therapy is goal-oriented and designed to help you work through challenges like anxiety or depression.

2. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT is a type of CBT that's often used if you struggle with intense emotions or relationship issues.

It helps you build stress skills, manage difficult feelings, and improve your connections with others.

3. Exposure Therapy: If fear or anxiety has been holding you back, exposure therapy can help.

With guidance and support, you're slowly and safely introduced to the things that make you anxious.

Over time, this can help you feel more comfortable and confident managing those fears.

What are the Benefits of Behavioral Health Therapy? Behavioral health therapy can give you real tools and support if you're struggling with your mental health.

Here are some of the most common ways it can help you:

1. Stronger Coping Skills: You might practice deep breathing, mindfulness, or changing unhelpful thought patterns.

These skills can make it easier to manage what life throws at you.

2. Better Self-Awareness: When you understand what triggers you or causes certain patterns, it becomes easier to know when you need extra support.

Over time, this can boost your confidence and help you feel more in control of your responses to challenges.

3. Healthier Relationships: Therapy can help you work on communication and build stronger, more meaningful relationships.

As you take care of your mental health, you may find it easier to reduce conflict and build trust with the people around you.

4. Managing Symptoms: Therapy helps you understand what’s causing your symptoms so you can manage them in healthier ways.

When you control symptoms, daily life feels more manageable, and you can focus on what matters most.

Find the Right Support for Behavioral Health Therapy in Langdon and Walhalla, ND

If someone you care about is struggling with behavioral or mental health concerns, you don't have to face it alone or travel outside of the Langdon area. LPH offers appointments and referrals through our telehealth services. Megan Overby, DNP, FNP-C, is also available on-site to assess and prescribe for children who suffer a variety of mental/behavioral disorders. At Langdon Prairie Health, our team is here to listen, assess your needs and create a treatment plan that fits your situation through our convenient telehealth services. Schedule an appointment with one of our providers today to get the support and care you deserve.

When you or someone you love is struggling with stress, anxiety, or unhealthy habits, it can feel overwhelming to figure out where to turn.

You may have come across the term behavioral health specialist, but what exactly do they do?

In this article, we’ll break down their role, services, and how they can make a difference in your life or the life of someone you care about.

Understanding the Role of a Behavioral Health Specialist

A behavioral health specialist helps you manage emotions, behaviors, and relationships to improve your well-being.

Whether you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, or other challenges, they provide the support and guidance you need to make positive changes.

You can find behavioral health specialists working with people of all ages in hospitals, mental health clinics, schools, and private practices. They provide behavioral health services to support individuals, couples, families, and groups, helping you build healthier coping skills, improve communication, and navigate life’s challenges.

Using evidence-based techniques and therapeutic approaches, they focus on what works best for your situation.

They aim to help you feel more in control, develop better habits, and find the right path toward healing and personal growth.

Key Responsibilities of a Behavioral Health Specialist

A behavioral health specialist’s responsibilities may vary based on their expertise and where they work, but here’s how they can support you:

1. Assessing Your Needs – They evaluate your mental health through conversations, questionnaires, and assessments to understand your symptoms, history, and challenges. This helps determine the best course of treatment for you.

2. Creating a Treatment Plan – Based on your assessment, they develop a personalized plan that may include therapy, medication management, or other strategies to help you reach your goals.

3. Providing Therapy – Through one-on-one, family, or group sessions, they use proven therapeutic approaches—such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or dialectical behavior therapy—to help you work through challenges and build healthier habits.

4. Tracking Your Progress – They regularly check in on how you're doing and adjust your treatment plan as needed. They may also collaborate with psychiatrists, social workers, or other professionals to ensure you receive well-rounded care.

5. Educating and Empowering You – Part of their role is to teach you about mental health, provide coping strategies, and connect you with resources, such as support groups, to help you maintain long-term well-being.

How to Choose the Right Behavioral Health Specialist

Choosing a behavioral health specialist is a personal decision, and it’s important to find someone qualified, experienced, and a good fit for your needs.

Here are a few tips to help you make the right choice:

1. Check Their Qualifications – Look for professionals with a graduate degree in psychology, counseling, or social work who are licensed to practice in your state.

2. Look at Their Expertise – Different specialists focus on different areas, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, or substance use. Consider what you need help with

and find someone with experience with those concerns.

3. Go with Your Gut – Therapy works best when you trust your provider, so choose someone who makes you feel heard and supported.

Qualified and Compassionate Behavioral Health Specialist Available in Langdon and Walhalla

If someone you care about is struggling with behavioral or mental health concerns, you don't have to face it alone or travel outside of the Langdon area. LPH offers appointments and referrals through our telehealth services. Megan Overby, DNP, FNP-C, is also available on-site to assess and prescribe for children who suffer a variety of mental/behavioral disorders. At Langdon Prairie Health, our team is here to listen, assess your needs and create a treatment plan that fits your situation through our convenient telehealth services. Schedule an appointment with one of our providers today to get the support and care you deserve.

If you or someone you love is looking for mental health support, you’ve probably heard the terms behavioral health and mental health used interchangeably. But are they the same? Not quite.

Both play a big role in overall health, but understanding the difference can help you get the right care.

Let’s simplify it so you can make informed decisions for yourself or a loved one.

Behavioral Health vs. Mental Health: What’s the Difference?

Before getting into the key differences, let’s start with the basics.

While behavioral health and mental health are connected, they focus on different aspects of well-being.

Understanding what each term means can help you make informed decisions about your health or the health of a loved one.

What is Behavioral Health? Behavioral health looks at how your actions, habits, and coping strategies affect your mental and physical well-being.

It includes handling stress, forming relationships, and responding to challenges. Your lifestyle choices, social interactions, and even cultural influences all play a role in behavioral health.

Behavioral health is about how your choices and actions shape your overall well-being. This can include everything from healthily managing stress to seeking help for substance use or other behavioral concerns.

What Is Mental Health?

Mental health refers to your psychological and emotional well-being. It’s about how you think, feel, and process experiences.

It influences your mood, stress levels, and ability to cope with life’s challenges.

Mental health includes:

● Emotional resilience

● Self-awareness and perception

● Personality and identity

● Cognitive function and brain health

● Mental health conditions like anxiety or depression

While mental health can influence behavior, it isn’t the same as behavioral health. Think of it this way: mental health focuses on your inner state, while behavioral health looks at how your actions shape your overall well-being.

Common Types of Behavioral and Mental Health Disorders

Many types of behavioral and mental health disorders can impact daily life. Some of the most common include:

● Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder

● Mood disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder

● Personality disorders, including borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder

● Substance use disorders, which involve the misuse or dependence on drugs or alcohol

● Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder

● Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders

● Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related disorders

● Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

When to Seek Help

Knowing when to seek help can be challenging, but some signs indicate it may be time to reach out for support. These include:

● Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or worthlessness

● Changes in eating or sleeping patterns

● Difficulty managing daily activities and responsibilities

● Excessive worry or fear that interferes with daily life

● Substance use that is causing harm or disrupting daily life

● Thoughts of self-harm or suicide

Behavioral Health Services Available in Langdon and Walhalla, ND

If someone you care about is struggling with behavioral or mental health concerns, you don't have to face it alone or travel outside of the Langdon area. LPH offers appointments and referrals through our telehealth services. Megan Overby, DNP, FNP-C, is also available on-site to assess and prescribe for children who suffer a variety of mental/behavioral disorders. At Langdon Prairie Health, our team is here to listen, assess your needs and create a treatment plan that fits your situation through our convenient telehealth services. Schedule an appointment with one of our providers today to get the support and care you deserve.