How are you doing? Most of you have probably seen the recent post that went viral from Elmo asking the question “How are you doing?”… It is no surprise the number of responses the post attracted. This is one of the many ways Sesame Street seems to often understand what the world needs more than we often acknowledge! Why were …

We all know the sensation of being caught in a spiral of negative thoughts, unable to break away. The name for this kind of intrusive and repetitive thinking pattern is called perseverative cognition;  this post takes a look at ways in which this particular thinking pattern contributes to anxiety and how we can effectively manage it. Counseling services Orlando Choosing …

Well, here we are. Another chapter ending and a new year beginning in linear time – all the while the earth in the northern hemisphere quiets. The tension in these rhythms is palpable to me as I practice surrendering into wintering while the world rages. – Current Practice: With this chapter of the moon, in the daily practice, we are …

Emotions can play an important role in how you think and behave. The emotions you feel each day can compel you to take action and influence the decisions you make about your life, both large and small. Emotions can be short-lived, such as a flash of annoyance at a co-worker, or long-lasting, such as enduring sadness over the loss of …

Austin Texas Counselor Carolyn Maurin is now offering Online counseling. Online counseling has revolutionized the accessibility of making positive changes in your life. As a Texas-based online counselor, I witness my clients thriving and conquering challenges while receiving therapy from various locations, such as the comfort of their homes, during work breaks, between classes, or even while on vacation. The …

Getting Through Grief and Letting Go Letting go of grief is no easy task. Grief is something you might be holding tight to—a reminder of your loved one or a connection to their memory. Loosening your grip and ultimately surrendering your grief can seem like a scary and daunting task but it’s a necessary process you must go through to …

By: Alison Printz, LSW Swipe right on a picture of a cute stranger. Match with them. They message you. Go out on a few dates. A few dates turn into a couple months of dating. They’ve met your friends, they spend Sunday mornings with you having bagels, they’re best friends with your dog. Then when it’s time to define the …

Self-help books and resources can provide valuable insights and strategies for personal development and growth. They often encourage us to “Eat the Frog” or “Do Hard Things” as a means to overcome challenges and achieve our goals. While these principles are helpful, many of us find that there are deeper reasons why we struggle to implement them in our lives. …

Love is a complex and multifaceted emotion that influences our relationships and overall well-being. As therapists, we strive to unravel the intricacies of human connections, seeking to guide individuals on their path to healthier and more fulfilling relationships. In this article, we delve into the ancient Greek forms of love, shedding light on how they can help us better understand …

The daily grind sometimes seems to just build up and build up over time. We often don’t realize how much we are carrying or how much pressure we are experiencing until something minute tips the scale. When that happens, we may become increasingly aware of the discomfort, emotional or physical, that is present for us. Sometimes just the ability to …

The following is part of an email thread between a client and myself. I thought I would post it as there is value here for everyone feeling the effects of what I call “parenting anomalies”. “Q: How can I fix my childhood neglect? A: The problem is there is no one magic thing that anyone can say, that will immediately …

Creating boundaries Looking back through an old journal, I read a reflection on the function of boundaries during a time I was feeling the impact of a lack of them in my life. Our boundaries exist in us. Even if we aren’t aware of them, we feel when they are crossed. There’s an emotional cost that, over time, can become …

Getting Through Grief and Letting Go Letting go of grief is no easy task. Grief is something you might be holding tight to—a reminder of your loved one or a connection to their memory. Loosening your grip and ultimately surrendering your grief can seem like a scary and daunting task but it’s a necessary process you must go through to …

How to Channel Your Mind’s Inner Chatter As naturally as we breathe, we “decouple” from the here and now, our brains transporting us to past events, imagined scenarios, and other internal musings. This tendency is so fundamental it has a name: our “default state.” It is the activity our brain automatically reverts to when not otherwise engaged, and often even …

Researchers are learning more about how traumatic events may physically change our brains and how anxiety therapy can help. Neurologists have revealed changes to a brain mechanism used for learning and survival may play a role in how someone responds to a threat following a traumatic experience. Another study found that another mechanism responsible for emotion and memory is impacted …

Depressed again for no apparent reason? Do you or someone you know consistently feel depressed as we head into fall and winter? Seasonal Depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a type of depression that recurs for some individuals during the same time each year. SAD usually starts during adulthood and is rare for individuals under the age of …

What are the Causes of Insomnia? Insomnia is a sleep disorder that affects as many as 35% of adults. It is marked by problems getting to sleep, staying asleep through the night, and sleeping as long as you would like into the morning. It can have serious effects, leading to excessive daytime sleepiness, a higher risk of auto accidents, and …

Our breath is a something we always have with us (hopefully), and it can be accessed and utilized in diverse ways to achieve different mental and physiological states. There is a myriad of different breathing techniques available out there to try. Box-breathing, Alternate-Nostril breathing, Sama Vritti and even the “Tummo” method recently popularized by “The Iceman” Wim Hof to increase …

Children Are More Sagacious Than You Think As parents, we are assailed by injunctions to protect our children, to engage with them creatively, athletically and intellectually, to feed them nutritious food and make them floss their teeth. Even when not being given direct advice, we listen out, comparing ourselves with others, wondering what we’re getting right or wrong. Usually, I …

Children who experience trauma tend to have health problems later in life. Dr. Nadine Burke Harris explains why—and how we can help heal those wounds. Patrice Hooke, LMFT offers Couples counseling Costa Mesa Newport Beach Orange county California working with Individuals, Couples, Adults, and Adolescents. Specialties: Depression Grief Loss Relationship Dating Issues Stress/Life Transitions Anxiety Mid-life fertility Issues. When Dr. …

Every day in this world is a shaky, uncertain, constantly changing landscape — and that causes us to try to get control. Anxiety and Depression Counseling Chicago Jana Fuchs, LCPC Owner and Founder of JF Counseling and Consulting specializes in therapy anxiety counseling for depression. My goal as a therapist is to help you find solutions that work for you …

Depression Treatment Raleigh Do you feel down? Have you lost interest in things you used to enjoy? Are you critical and judgmental towards yourself? We can help you find the Inner Path that can lead you out of your depression. Therapist near me 144 Wind Chime CT. #1 Raleigh NC 27615-6433 Are you a good enough friend, employee, partner, or …

Living with anxiety and Depression can be tough. Your thoughts might race, you might dread tasks others find simple (like driving to work) and your worries might feel inescapable. But loving someone with anxiety can be hard too. You might feel powerless to help or overwhelmed by how your partner’s feelings affect your daily life. If so, you’re not alone: …

Feeling the need to be in control is natural. It’s something we all inherently want, and we feel best when we know exactly what is going on in all the different areas of our lives. It’s important to realize, though, that we can never control everything. Trying to do that leads to many different negative emotions when things don’t go …

Breathwork is about being able to control how you breathe and it has many health benefits for your mind and body. But what exactly is is breathwork? Is it the same as meditation? How do they differ, and what benefits do you get from breathwork? Let’s find out! What Is Breathwork? Breathwork is a breathing exercise or technique performed to …

When we decide to create a new habit — exercise, healthy eating, meditation, writing — we can get excited and optimistic, and have an idea of how it will go perfectly. This is such a hopeful time! Unfortunately, reality has other plans. Our perfect idea of how our new habit will go is pretty much never how it actually goes. …

Deciding to tell the people you love that you’re struggling with depression is a big step. Not only is it challenging to find the energy to reach out to people, but there are naturally worries about how the news of your diagnosis will be received. Unfortunately, there are too many misconceptions about mental health and what it means and the …

Depression is a serious mood disorder. with an estimated 16 million American adults having at least one major depressive episode in the past year.1 It can affect how you think, feel, interact with people, and handle daily life. It can cause feelings of sadness and a loss of interest or pleasure in things you once enjoyed. Anyone can be affected …

As a therapist I’m usually a good sleeper. In fact, sleep and I have a bit of a thing going on. But last night? We weren’t friends at all. I was tossing and turning, my body ached, and my mind raced. I tried all my tricks, but it just wasn’t happening. And my alarm went off after I managed maybe …

Anxiety Disorder Occasional anxiety is an expected part of life. You might feel anxious when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or before making an important decision. But anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. …

Is ADHD a gift? Yes. No. Kinda. Sorta. Maybe. It depends. And everything in between. ADHD brains are different. And with difference comes great strength and great struggle. There are some indisputable advantages to ADHD brains- they work in some unique and marvelous ways. But living with a brain that works differently than much of the rest of the world? …

Remember that anxiety list you keep? It might not be a literal list, but it is a list somewhere in your psyche. I am referring specifically to that list that gets added to every time you say “no” to your desires. Whether you are aware of the painful “no moment” when it comes up, a little part of you sulks …

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a short-term (8 – 20 sessions) and structured approach to couples’ therapy developed by Drs. Sue Johnson and Les Greenberg in the 1980’s. It is grounded in research while focusing on negative communication patterns and love as an attachment bond. Attachment Theory in Couples Therapy “Attachment” between people typically provides a safe haven: a retreat …

We have all struggled with uncertainty at one point or another in life, and you may find that the more you search for an answer, the muddier everything becomes. While using our analytical skills is important to help us weigh out the costs and benefits of various options, our analysis only takes us so far. What can you do when …

At the end of a day of work, there can be a simple practice of wrapping things up and shutting down for the day. Boca Raton Therapy Christiane Blanco-Oilar, Ph.D., ABPP is a Board Certified Counseling Psychologist, specializing in Boca Raton Therapy. Dr. Blanco-Oilar has expertise in helping you through life transitions, grief and loss, intimacy issues, relationship difficulties – Couples …

Awe might seem an unobtainable luxury to many but, with the right approach, you can enjoy it daily – no mountain required. On a crisp, clear day in January about four years ago, my children and I joined a few thousand Rhode Islanders in a protest march against a recent change in law that restricted the number of refugees who …

When communicating in counseling It can be easy to focus more on what we are saying than how we are listening. If we are not truly hearing what someone is saying to us, then communication is not successful and misunderstandings occur. While listening may seem straight forward, there are many ways to practice poor listening skills that you may not …

The menstrual cycle is composed of four different phases, which vary in duration from woman to woman, and may fluctuate in length. The phases are menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal. While the length of a menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman, many experience a cycle that lasts 28 days. During the fluctuations of a cycle, key hormones – testosterone, …

Cortisol is our body’s primary stress hormone. Our levels of cortisol fluctuate throughout the day, with morning typically being when we have our highest levels of cortisol with a decrease throughout the rest of the day. The changes in our cortisol levels throughout the day is known as diurnal cortisol slopes.1 What is the function of cortisol in the body? …

When we get into a situation that feels uncertain, most of us will immediately try to get to a place of certainty. Instead of writing a blog post, I’ll find myself wanting to check emails or my favorite websites. Instead of having a difficult conversation, we’ll stay in a crappy situation for longer than we need to. Instead of putting …

One of the most rewarding changes in your life can be finding peace with a morning routine. I’ve made it a habit to wake before most of the world, at about 4:30 a.m., and just enjoy the quiet and solitude. It has made all the difference in the world. I sit quietly with a cup of coffee, and enjoy the …

Most of us have something on our task list we’re avoiding or a project we’ve been putting off. Think for a moment: what’s the task or project you’ve been avoiding lately? Some possibilities: That report you don’t want to write Your book or blog you’ve been meaning to write The business you’ve been wanting to create for years Your garage …

If you’ve decided to read this article, it’s perhaps because you, or someone you know, is trying to heal in the aftermath of a toxic relationship. Or maybe you have been wondering how to leave a toxic relationship and how you will be able to heal. Whatever drew you to read this article, I want you to know that you …

A therapeutic approach in treatment planning has focused on the initial healing of individuals who have survived Post-Traumatic injury. A consultation, and comprehensive assessment of the client can direct that individual to an improved and motivated quality of life journey. Though the integration of theory, intervention, insight and to multi-cultural awareness, my goal emphasis has been on clients who are …

Looking for a therapist website builder? Website builders are tools that typically allow the construction of websites without manual code editing. They fall into two categories: online proprietary tools provided by web hosting companies. These are typically intended for users to build their private site. Some companies allow the site owner to install alternative tools (commercial or open-source) — the …

Sometimes it can feel like we’re stuck in life, doing the same things we’re unhappy with, over and over again. Maybe you’ve been procrastinating on your meaningful work, or getting stuck in indecision or perfectionism. Maybe you’ve been putting off exercise or meditation, getting your finances in good shape, or making some other important change in your life. Depression Treatment …

Understanding oxidative stress is important because we are exposed to many environmental and dietary stressors that can contribute to an imbalance in our body that impacts overall health. Oxidative stress is defined as “a disturbance in the balance between the production of reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and antioxidant defenses.” 1 Oxidative stress occurs when your body has an imbalance …

Childhood anxiety treatment is one of the most important mental health challenges of our time. One in five children will experience some kind of clinical-level anxiety by the time they reach adolescence, according to Danny Pine, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health and one of the world’s top anxiety researchers. Pine says that for …

Underlying much of what we do is an uncertainty, an anxiety, a fear, doubts, dissatisfaction, and ultimately depression. And we react to these anxieties, dissatisfaction and uncertainty in so many unhelpful ways: we seek distraction, we eat unhealthy food, we procrastinate, we get caught in a cycle of anxiety and unhappiness, we lash out at others, we dwell in our …

Warning signs that you might be sabotaging a good thing You meet someone new and happily date for a little while. The connection is great, there is chemistry, and sex is fun. You start spending more and more time together and begin considering becoming a couple. But then, you stop replying to their texts right away. You cancel dates. You …

Depression Treatment Raleigh We live in uncertain times. Actually, things have always felt uncertain to the people who live in those times, but these days it might feel even more heightened, with the hyperconnectivity of the internet, social media and constant messaging, comparing ourselves to everyone else, and a very tense, divisive political situation (not just in the U.S., but …

At A New Day Family Counseling, we understand the challenges men face today to improve their mental health. Men typically engage in fewer health-promoting behaviors, have fewer social supports, possess less effective behavioral responses to stress, and use fewer health care services than women. Men are 4 times more likely than females to die from suicide attempts (Centers for Disease …

Alcoholic neuropathy is one of the most common and least recognizable consequences of heavy alcohol use. People with a long history of alcohol misuse might experience pain, tingling, weakness, numbness, or loss of balance as a result of alcoholic neuropathy. Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholic Neuropathy Signs and symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy can progress gradually, and they are usually subtle …

The principles of good communication for Couples Therapy Palo Alto could also apply to divided Americans. At family gatherings, in bars and restaurants, relatives and friends are shouting at each other instead of engaging in what used to be called political discussions. These high-volume, emotionally charged exchanges are also increasingly the norm in venues ranging from local governments to national …

Online Counseling for Work Stress New York City What does your reflection reveal? There are times when we see parts of our character we don’t like. The moments are often fleeting, yet can be haunting. Did I snap too harshly on the person again? Was I too passive in the meeting as usual? Am I too smothering to my child …

The Pros of Online Therapy Are you considering Online Counseling in Texas? The internet has opened up new avenues for mental health treatment, but there are some pros and cons you should consider before you decide if e-therapy, also known as teletherapy,1 is right for you. In the face of the social distancing measures required in our COVID-19 crisis, many …

online therapy Texas Online counseling is the provision of professional mental health counseling services through the Internet. Services are typically offered via email, real-time chat, and video conferencing. Some clients use online counseling in conjunction with traditional psychotherapy, or nutritional counseling, and a growing number of clients are using online counseling as a replacement for office visits. While some form …

Recent developments in the COVID-19 pandemic have motivated me to transition to an entirely virtual practice. I believe firmly that social distancing is the safest and most ethical way to ensure the well-being for everyone and protect my clients. I use a HIPAA-compliant platform that can be accessed by phone, iPad, or computer. No set-up needed; you simply click a …

Digital media, including social media, became a centerpiece of day to day life at a seemingly exponential rate. Before I graduated high school in 2006, I remember many evenings spent on ICQ (used to chat with friends), making simple websites with shout outs to my friends which included obnoxious lists of inside jokes, and playing The Sims Online. I whiled …

Being a Marriage and Family Therapist in the Bay Area specializing in Couples Therapy Palo Alto, means I have the privilege to meet clients from very diverse backgrounds. One of them is the Silicon Valley background which is a culture in and of itself. Clients and couples with this background share some distinct characteristics: high achieving, hard working, intelligent, ambitious, …

Family Stress Test Stress is a natural and normal “by-product” of every family’s life. In fact, family stress can bring out the best of us: as we stretch to meet the challenges we face, we become better parents, our children blossom and our families grow. But too much stress can spiral our families in the other direction. Take this Thriving …

Mary Ainsworth’s work on attachment identified three attachment categories (secure, insecure avoidant, and insecure ambivalent/resistant). The development of the disorganized/disoriented classification evolved as a part of Mary Main’s doctoral research in which she noticed that approximately 10% of infants in Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Procedure were difficult to classify.1 Disorganized attachment is an additional attachment category that was identified in 1986 …

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most widely used evidence-based treatment for depression and anxiety. In CBT, the focus is on thoughts, and how they directly affect emotions, and behaviors. If you are having a lot of negative thoughts, you are likely to have a lot of negative feelings. During cognitive behavioral treatment, you and your therapist will work together …

When our children come to us with a problem, we usually want to help them. So we console, interpret, advise, distract or praise. Other times, we feel we must teach our children, and so we interrogate, lecture, moralize or order. And probably more often than we’d like, we respond angrily—blaming, criticizing, ridiculing, shaming or withdrawing. However, all of these responses …

Your Reaction to “The New Normal”: Are My Thoughts And Feelings Normal? How Are You? No, Really, How are you? The answer to this question is often a resounding, “Eh.” As therapists, we see the silver lining in this: emotional honesty (we can see your eye roll). We have found that because we are in a difficult common experience, we …

You come home and see the pile of unopened bills and bank statements, but instead of opening them, you move onto something else. Maybe you come up with a justification for passing that pile for the umpteenth time, or maybe you stuff the slight feeling of panic back down and ignore it. You have no idea what your credit score …