The Mental Health Blog
I’ve Set Up My First Therapy Appointment, Now What?
That’s great! Setting up the appointment can be a daunting step in the therapeutic process, but you did it! The anticipation leading up to the appointment can also feel intimidating no matter how many times you’ve been to therapy before. If entering into a new...
My Working Theory of Change
If you are currently sitting in a problematic situation or experiencing a difficult emotion, it can feel suffocating and endless. Sometimes, the severity and intensity of an obstacle we are facing or emotion we are experiencing can be so draining there seems little...
Managing Holiday Stress
The holidays, while wonderful for some, bring a lot more stress and pain than joy for many. There is a never ending list of reasons why: excessive spending, busier schedules, reminders of grief, and overall blues from Seasonal Affective Disorder. There is no sure way...
Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate partner violence can be extremely scary, shameful, and exhausting. Oftentimes, partners can feel exhausted from the cycle, scared, lonely, and feel shame for the abuse occurring. People may feel trapped in a relationship, feeling like they don’t know...
The Effects of Stress and Strategies to Reduce Stress
Do you ever just feel overwhelmed? Find yourself getting sick easily or feeling tired all of the time? You can’t ever seem to get enough sleep? There’s a good chance you could be experiencing stress. Let’s talk about the long-term effects of chronic stress. According...
Has the Latchkey Generation Overcorrected on Parenting?
Many in Generation X came home from school to an empty house devoid of adult supervision. We were expected to let ourselves in with our “latchkeys”, do our homework, complete our chores, take care of our younger siblings, and stay out of trouble until one or more...
Myth… Things Have to be Really Bad to go to Therapy
If you’ve been feeling a certain way and have been thinking about going to therapy, but are unsure or you know someone who is going to therapy, but their life doesn’t seem that bad and it’s leaving you confused, this post is for you. We’re myth busting today. The...
Family Therapy — Why Aren’t We Doing It and Why Should We?
*Everything I discuss in this post is based on clinical and personal observances and opinion rather than research or scientific fact, unless otherwise noted. This post is specifically geared towards immediate families with adult children, whether you are the adult...
Why Am I So Anxious?
When I start to get anxious, my heartbeat quickens. I feel like I am out of breath even when sitting and taking deep controlled inhales. My stomach suffers, sometimes with a sore ache throughout the day and other times with waves of nausea and vomiting. Other...
Turning Towards Your Partner
A couple is arguing, both individuals do not make eye contact, arms crossed, and their focus is elsewhere. Do you think these issues will be resolved? Based on the couple’s body language, they are closed off from each other. Much of the research on couples discusses...