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Starting Over Isn’t Always Easy When people hear “starting over,” they may imagine a fresh start or an exciting new ...

When I lost my dad in November 2022, I met grief like I hadn’t experienced in my life before that ...

The foundation of any healthy relationship includes communication, trust, compromise, and mutual respect. Maintaining healthy relationships can become difficult when ...

Most parents are familiar with two forms of discipline: passive or authoritarian. Without going into too much depth (see my ...

It’s timeeeeeee! The start of a new school year can bring excitement, but it can also make the transition from ...

In my last blog, I reviewed a few ways to begin the self-love journey. I want to follow up with ...

We have arrived at the final stage in Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. Every stage has highlighted a key aspect ...

One of the most regular things clients reply when I ask them about their self-care routine is, there isn’t enough ...

Self-love: We all struggle with it. There are some days we wake up and look back at our reflection in ...

Your Therapist’s Book Club Boundaries: When to say yes, how to say no, to take control of your life By ...

Seeking counseling is a courageous step toward healing, growth, and emotional well-being. For many people, faith is also a central ...

Your Therapist’s Book Club Self-Compassion: The proven power of being kind to yourself By Kristin Neff Do you ever wonder ...

We are now reaching the final sections of Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. This second-to-last stage is referred to ...

In my last blog, How to Survive Survival Mode: The 3 Components of Basic Self-Care, we explored bare-minimum self-care–useful in ...

The term Codependent has been around for over 40 years, and originally was applied to spouses of alcoholics. Over the ...

Graduation season is here! Soon, your child will be donning a graduation cap and gown, many photos will be taken, ...

Often, when people consider what it takes to make mental health improvements, the initial thoughts are that the actions are ...

Following Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development has led us to early adulthood. Each of the eight stages highlights a ...

At any given moment, we are all usually trying our best to take care of all of life’s responsibilities and ...

Relationships typically do not typically fall apart because couples stop loving each other. Commonly, it is due to falling into ...

Time with teenagers can be deeply rewarding! As a former middle school counselor, I relished the opportunity to make a ...

We are officially out of the childhood stage of Erik Erikson’s journey through psychosocial development and onto a stage marked ...

After a long time in a relationship, it can be easy to assume you know everything there is to know ...

The new year is a blank canvas with new possibilities all around. We get excited to change and transform ourselves. ...

Oftentimes, when people hear the phrase “let it go”, the immediate thought is giving up, walking away, or deciding that ...

What exactly is Breathwork? Humans throughout civilization have been manipulating their breathing to bring about desired states of consciousness. Breathwork ...

As we settle into life post-time change, many of us may start to notice changes in our mental health. From ...

Today we will be taking a deep dive into the temperature component of TIPP skills. TIPP skills are a group ...

AH yes, the teenage years. A time when your normally happy and easy-going child turns into a moody stranger almost ...

We live in a stressful world today, full of worry and anxiety about the future and the past. It is ...

Mental health isn’t just a buzzword; it shapes the way we think, feel, and interact with ourselves, others, and the ...

In my last blog, we talked about letting go of unhealthy coping mechanisms in order to embrace healthier, more effective ...

As the end of the fiscal year approaches, many adults and students alike begin to feel the pressure of final ...

Our next stop on Erik Erikson’s journey through psychosocial development takes us to late childhood. Each of Erikson’s eight stages ...

Have you ever had a moment where you thought, “I didn’t handle that stressful situation in the best way”? Most ...

It’s no secret that our relationships are so important to us– not only to avoid feelings of loneliness, but science ...

When we think about the holidays and the end of any year, oftentimes we think of it as a time ...

Onwards and upwards! Welcome back to exploring the third stage in Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development. Each of Erikson’s ...

Back to Life, Back to Reality As summer winds down, many of us find ourselves returning to the familiar rhythm ...

Have you ever reflected on your capacity to manage stressful events or situations? It may or may not be something ...

We’re fastly approaching that time of year where weekend schedules become packed, family gatherings increase, and workplace responsibilities build. And ...

We’re now moving onto early childhood, the second stage in Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development. Each of the eight ...

So you’ve decided you want to embark on your therapeutic journey and begin attending therapy sessions. Congratulations! This is a ...

If you’re on social media, as most are nowadays, you’ve probably seen or heard several commonly misused therapeutic terms. Out ...

Welcome one and all to the start of our series exploring Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development. Each of the ...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023), there has been a troubling increase in adolescent mental health ...

Have you ever felt trapped by your own thoughts or emotions, and decide “not today, I’m not going to think ...

One of the most powerful tools for living a fulfilling life is acceptance. Acceptance plays an extremely dynamic part in ...

Let me set the scene: You are in a group setting for the first time (school, work, friend group, etc.). ...

In today’s fast-paced world, stress is an expected result of daily living that is a normal encounter. Stress is especially ...

Self-confidence and Acceptance  Do you sometimes catch yourself overthinking future situations in a stressful way? Thinking and rethinking about what ...

One of the great mysteries of mental health is “how does it begin?”. While I was in my undergraduate studies, ...

This blog may be a bit different than previous blogs as we are taking a magnifying glass to authoritarian parenting, ...

Over the past few years, I’ve realized that the energy of your home can have a huge impact on your ...

As previously discussed in the last identity blog, values can be motivating factors for our behaviors. But what else is ...

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 19.1% of U.S. adults suffer with anxiety. That means there are a ...

During specific times of the year (often in winter and fall months) do you have unusual feelings of low energy ...

Oh, technology – can’t live with her and certainly can’t live without her. Our love/hate relationship with technology can be ...

Eating disorders are multi-layered and have differing components, such as behaviors, thoughts, and emotions and feelings. And while millions of ...

In this installment of the identity series, we will be discussing values. Values are an important part of our identity, ...

As the extreme summer heat begins to dissipate and the golden warmth of Fall makes its entrance, the changing of ...

For the second installment of my identity series, I wanted to focus on personality. Personality is a complex topic, and ...

Welcome parents and caregivers of all kinds! If you’re looking for insight into the basics of parenting styles, you have ...

Imposter Syndrome is a phenomenon where one doubts their skills, talents, and accomplishments. This is usually accompanied by an intense ...

The thinking part of our minds is ever present. Along with the ability to think and focus on specific topics, ...

It can be said that no perfect relationship exists out there. Every couple spends time in the inevitable quarrel or ...

As a parent or guardian, have you ever struggled to get your teenager to open up about their thoughts, feelings, ...

Conflicts are a natural part of human interaction, but how we handle them can greatly impact our relationships and well-being. ...

Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages! Come one, come all, and welcome to the chaotic circus of relationships. I ...

Welcome to my identity series, where we explore the many different facets of identity. Identity can be confusing, as there ...

Summer is here and it’s truly a beautiful time of year. It’s a time to go outside, spend time with ...

School Counselors and Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) can make a great team! In the clinical world, we call this concept ...

Imagine this: You're at the airport, excited about your upcoming trip, but as the boarding announcement echoes through the terminal, ...

Hey there, fellow rider of the anxiety rollercoaster! If you've found yourself here, you're probably searching for a way to ...

You’ve healed, met the love of your life and are hopeful this time around they are “the one”. Now what? ...

Most people know what depression is, but there is something in particular we don’t usually talk about. When we struggle ...

What is your go to reaction when an individual is experiencing distress or needs? As people, our reactions can vary. ...

Have you ever found yourself questioning, “why do I feel this way?” Wondering if there is something wrong with you ...

If you have ever had urges to harm yourself, you know that it can be a scary place to find ...

The United States is often referred to as a “melting pot” but what does that mean and how do you ...

The winter chill has come to an end and the signs of spring are emerging. With the changing of the ...

There are a great number of standard phrases people use to comfort others or offer advice, such as, “it is ...

In relationships, it's not uncommon to encounter individuals who exhibit narcissistic traits. While self-love is a healthy aspect of personality, ...

Did you know that there is one practice you could incorporate into your life that can increase gratitude, help with ...

February is a time of the year when Cupid’s arrows are flying at a more than usual rate. Cupid isn’t ...

Imagine you have just received some bad news. You’ve just been told that you have not been awarded with that ...

For those of us from the now prehistoric era of the nineties, you may recall a show titled Kids Say ...

When you think of friendship what comes to mind? You might think about the friend you see every day, the ...

As we near the end of the school year, there are often parties and celebratory events that take place. Each ...

“Good job!” “Nice work!” “You’re so smart!” “This is beautiful!” We have all heard a comment of this sort at ...

There are many mental-health terms and phrases that have become popularized over recent years. The familiarity of these words has ...

With the holidays approaching, there may be interactions or events that will leave you in a less than positive mood. ...

Attachment styles are patterns of behavior and beliefs that individuals develop in response to the way they were cared for ...

Resentment is a common and often toxic emotion that can develop in couples over time. It can be triggered by ...

There have been so many times in my sessions with couple’s where the desire to “communicate better” is the key ...

Have you ever wondered at some of your thoughts or behaviors in relationships? Have you found yourself looking back on ...

Often, words like trauma or something being “traumatic” get used in everyday vernacular without a true understanding of what that ...

Do you ever feel like you aren’t getting enough sleep? That’s because most of us aren’t. And even though the ...

October is mostly associated with spooky ghosts, scary skeletons, and excesses of candy the likes of Willy Wonka have never ...

Trigger Warning: Suicide September comes with many things: fall leaves, cooler temperatures, and children back at school. Another topic you ...

We run into a lot of decisions throughout the course of our lives, from what to wear today to whether ...

When in recovery, we are challenged to engage in healthy and proactive methods of coping with life stressors. Tools can ...

Do you often feel like there are a million things going on in your mind? Like your brain is caught ...

In the time of health and wellness, and getting to know ourselves more, several have gone to personality inventories to ...

What comes to mind when you think of the word grief? Most would say death or loss, which is an ...

If you could have a superpower, what would it be? I think most would say super strength or flying, maybe ...

Hello Spring! We are now past the cold and gloomy winter months (along with being very fun from the holidays), ...

Racing thoughts, pounding heartbeat, sweating, chills, trembling through your limbs, feeling weakness or dizziness, numb all symptoms caused by the ...

In last week's blog, we discussed five ways you could be blocking healthy communication in your relationships. The ability to ...

The ability to communicate in a healthy way can make a difference in how productive your conversations are. Whether you ...

Have you ever watched a storm chaser show on tv? A storm such as a tornado has something called an ...

Picture This You snoozed your alarm and now you are 30 minutes late for work. You’re rushing around, trying to ...

With the fast pace of life and distractions all around, it’s easy to spend our days on autopilot. But when ...

Imagine you are getting set up to participate in a meditative activity like yoga. The lighting is low, essential oils ...

It’s still early in the year. Have you stuck to your New Year’s resolutions? If your answer is “no,” that’s ...

Now that it’s February, there are many out there who are just coming off the challenge that is 'sober January.' ...

“What’s your new year's resolution?” is probably one of the most asked questions during this time of the year. For ...

The holiday season is fully upon us! Decorations are out, and gatherings with friends, co-workers, family, and loved ones are ...

Do you find yourself using words such as “the best,” “the worst,” “love,” “hate,” “always,” or “never?” Do you say ...

While the most wonderful time of the year is fastly approaching, the holiday season can also bring on a unique ...

In recent years, self-care has had a rise in popularity, and in fact, is recommended by almost all professionals in ...

The habits you incorporate into your daily routine can have a positive or negative impact on your mental health. If ...

As we grow older, we take on more responsibility. You move out and go to college. No one is there ...

As the days become shorter, and the nights become longer, autumn is quickly approaching. For some, this is a well-loved ...

Suicide is a national epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 47,500 Americans die ...

Often, especially for those of us suffering from depression, anxiety, or OCD, a thought can get stuck on a loop ...

Your child experiences stress, just like you do. They have homework, friends, social scenarios, academic expectations, all on top of ...

Out of the various eating disorders in existence, Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia nervosa are more easily recognized, just by name ...

When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing that you do? For most of us, the answer ...

In the past, counseling has been incorrectly stigmatized as something only for people with serious mental health issues. But, haven’t ...

Are you happy with the way that you feel about your appearance? I don’t mean are you happy with the ...

How do you feel in your own skin? When you see yourself in the mirror, do you hyperfocus on your ...

In the age of social media, diet culture, filters and photoshop, there are so many unrealistic expectations for the way ...

Mornings are often regarded as the worst time of the day. You have to get out of bed (yuck), prepare ...

After spending the past year in self-isolation, many people are discovering that the prospect of social situations is causing a ...

Self-esteem is an important part of a healthy mindset. However, it is often easy to deplete but difficult to build ...

Given the hectic and busy world that we live in, time by yourself is necessary. It is important to take ...

Everyone gets angry at one point or another. Whether it's because a car on the freeway cut you off or ...

We’re living in a time, in which mental health struggles are at an all-time high. Mental health disorders and experiences ...

Humans have a special relationship with nature. Do you ever struggle to remember what it was like to go on ...

Do you have anxiety? Have you ever had a panic attack before? If so, you know exactly what I mean ...

This past year has been a new challenge for a majority of the population. We have taken on the challenge ...

Like the rest of 2020, this holiday season is probably going to look different from previous years. On top of ...

It is surprising how a couple can go from a loving, respectful, deep connection with their partner to living like ...

If you stop for a moment and take a good look at the relationship you have with your partner, are ...

Attention all parents!  Feeling stressed during this difficult time?  Parenting is hard enough, without a pandemic. The struggle is real! ...

The concept of journaling is not only for teenagers with their sparkly spirals and colorful pens. The benefits are applicable ...

How Important is it to Your Overall Health and Wellbeing? Social support can be described as the physical and emotional ...

In simple terms, mindfulness is being focused on the present moment and yes, kids can learn how to implement mindfulness ...

Have you ever noticed that two people can go through situations that are very similar and their responses and ability ...

“You’re weak… you just made another stupid mistake… you’ll never be good at this… you’re ugly… there’s something wrong with ...

When we think of self-care, the most obvious thing to consider is if you are eating right, exercising, and getting ...

Life is tricky and, at times, can get very overwhelming.  During bouts of anxiety and stress, you are going to ...

Studies show that we have an average of around 50,000 thoughts per day.  Wow, we really are in constant dialogue ...

Part 2: Thriving vs Surviving the Empty Nest The tough part is over!  You have already taken a ride on ...

Part 1: The Departure and Remaining Connected You’ve distracted yourself with planning the high school graduation celebration, followed by shopping ...

“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!” If you are an SNL fan, you will recognize ...