The Advantages of Therapy from a Small Independent Agency As in many things, from coffee shops to car lots, cosmetics stores to restaurants, we tend to feel a greater sense of comfort and familiarity with smaller, boutique, mom-and-pop businesses. But in today’s world we often
Why Do Non-Monogamous People Need Relationship Therapy? Let’s start with some definitions before we get into our discussion. For our purposes, let’s keep it simple for now, since a full examination of the topic would consist of dozens of blogs. Consensual non-monogamy describes those relationships in which
Peer to Peer Support for Queer Women What are Peer Support Services and what is a peer counselor? Peer counseling is an effective way of assisting and supporting people, on a variety of issues, by pairing them with people who have shared those life experiences. Peer
Coming Out as Queer to Ourselves Coming out refers to the process, the path, we follow to telling ourselves the truth about our sexuality and/or gender. For some, it is easy and matter-of-fact. For others, it is deeply troubling and can take an emotional toll.
What Is, “Coming Out?” We hear the term “coming out” all the time, and not just as it relates to sexual orientation. Coming out often refers to personal revelations about things outside the mainstream of our usual circles. It is often used in a humorous
Why We Need Inclusive Mental Health Inclusive therapy is, simply put, the idea (and practice) that all people, regardless of their gender, abilities, orientation, age, minority status, religion….everyone…should have access to competent, quality mental health care. How a person identifies is an irrelevant consideration when we talk about
Therapy for Restoration Maybe you feel like you have lost your sense of self or purpose? Therapy can help you restore and build a better life. In therapy, you can objectively review life events, thoughts and feelings, and your actions and reactions in numerous situations.
E-THERAPY? “Really, does that work?” I am often asked about electronic therapy. It only seems appropriate that my first blog address electronic therapy, (e – therapy). Here you are totally ready to address some mental health stuff and make those positive changes. You want a competent therapist that will understand
Recharging Through the Holidays While the holidays can be a wonderful time of celebration and cheer, the holidays can also be a time of year when many people feel pressure to do things that are draining or toxic. It can be a really tough time
Things to Consider When Seeking Therapy Finding a therapist often takes more time and effort than one may expect. You have unique needs, making it all the more important to set appropriate criteria when looking for a therapist. Every individual is unique. This means that
Virtual Therapy, E-Therapy, Telemedicine, Virtual Office, and On-Line Therapy? E-Therapy is really taking off. People experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and a multitude of emotional concerns are seeking help at higher levels than in the past. While I am excited that more people are investing in
What Is Mental Health? When was the last time you talked to someone about mental or emotional health? You probably can’t remember. The first thing that comes to our mind when we hear the term “mental health” is mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety disorders,
5 Habits That Can Improve Your Mental Health Make: Exercise A common set of problems with many people who have depression is lack of motivation, negative self-image, and general weakness. Exercise can help change all of that. Studies have shown that jogging for around 30 minutes
Three Reasons Why You Should Consider Couples Therapy “We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person.” – W. Somerset Maugham No matter how close
How to Beat Anxiety with Food Anxiety affects 20% of the population and is an extremely common disorder. Anxiety can be caused by a variety of factors including genetics, brain chemistry, upbringing and life circumstances. It’s important to know that anxiety is treatable with a
Adolescence and Mental Health Adolescence is a challenging period in life. It is a time of growth and development, a transitional part of life, moving through physical, mental, and social changes; a time to find one’s place in the world. Juvenile mental health travels along
How to Identify Gaslighting in Relationships Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse. Gaslighting can happen in any relationship and has been known to cause mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. It usually begins with little things, such as making someone
Essential Coping Skills You Should Know About Regardless of how happy or healthy we are, all of us will be tested by very trying, difficult times. Whether consciously or subconsciously, we are all in need of better coping skills. They might range from watching a
The Tragedy of Undiagnosed ADHD Have you ever found yourself in a classroom, and while struggling to pay attention, you experience a “white out?” You are aware but hear nothing and see only white? This is one type of a block. Has this happened during a
Climate Change and You Research shows that people who live in areas where there are climate disasters or natural disasters are more likely to have mental health issues. These climate events are often followed by support services to help people cope with the aftermath. But
Am I Anxious? It is common for people to describe themselves as “an anxious person” or to say “I am depressed,” instead of “I experience anxiety,” or “I am experiencing depression.” While these two different kinds of self-descriptions are expressing similar things, they differ significantly
Opening Up: A Therapy Adventure Poly: many (Greek), poly meaning many love, poly meaning more than one partner, poly as an abbreviation of polyamory. It is no secret that open relationships (polyamory) are becoming more popular. In fact, there is a growing number of celebrities
Stop Worrying about Social Media Social media has had an intense effect on society, and it seems to be increasing. It is often what we check first thing in the morning or last before bedtime; if not careful one can become fooled into thinking that
You’re about to Start Dating Someone New the same things for your future? Are their values aligned with yours? Do they respect your boundaries and understand what consent means? Can you be yourself around them without feeling ashamed or judged? These are some questions that
5-4-3-2- “I’m the (1)” Challenge. Stricken with a combination of panic and humiliation, Gio slouched in the back row of the meeting. He had not finished a project that was to be discussed today. He knew his boss, Lily, would ask him about it. Just
The Importance of Non-Negotiables Would you ever describe yourself as being bad at dating? Do you ever have difficulties in your romantic relationships and even friendships? If so, one of the reasons why may be that you have not figured out or set up relationship
Intuitive and Instrumental Grief Grief is a very personal experience that cannot be simply understood or shared the same way. To help shape how grief can be expressed, we look at intuitive and instrumental grief. The concepts of intuitive grief and instrumental grief was developed
Feeling All The Feels There are six primary emotions that are experienced all over the world. They are: mad, sad, scared, joyful, powerful and peaceful. Depending on what household and family you were raised in, these feelings may or may not have been acceptable to
How to Find the Right Therapist? It can sometimes be difficult to choose the right therapist, there are various specialties, treatments, and licensures. Here are a few key points to consider when looking for a therapist. 1. Licensing If a therapist is not licensed, it
What are Coping Skills? If you have ever been through a difficult situation, such as moving, job changes, relationship challenges, or breakups then you used some form of coping to help you move through it. Coping is simply ‘the thoughts and behaviors’ used during tough
Effective Boundaries If you find yourself always busy is it because you said ‘yes’ when you wanted to say ‘no’? If so, you might be putting others first in a toxic way and lacking boundaries. Building strong and effective boundaries are important in combating these
Happiness Increases with Emotional Support Animal Research has shown that having an emotional support animal provides comfort and enhance the brains happy chemical, dopamine. If you suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, or loss and find that an animal decreases those negative symptoms, an emotional support
The Benefits of CBT for Anxiety It is a part of life to experience occasional anxiety, however, if your anxiety level is really high and interfere with your daily life and tasks, you better see a therapist to overcome the anxiety and improve yourself. According
Teletherapy for Clients I came across this great article highlighting the benefits of Teletherapy for clients. Here is an excerpt: “Below, are listed some of the most notable benefits(of Teletherapy) to date. Low Barrier to Entry: One of the biggest challenges facing prospective therapy clients is
Self Care Life is busy and sometimes self-care gets lost as the responsibilities add up. We find ourselves stressed out about relationships, identity, self worth, career aspirations, past events or future goals. Still we keep going pushing forward, unclear on how to be fully authentic,
Fast Pass to Increased Peace Feeling overwhelmed and stressed…and…. not going to therapy? This is like only seeing a doctor for a 911 emergency. Mental health is important, taking care of your mental health contributes to overall wellness. Therapy can assist you in preparing for
The Impact of Domestic Violence Signs of abuse: Using Intimidation- An abuser may use threats of physical violence or even subtler tactics, such as the invasion of personal space, displays of physical size and strength, or certain looks, gestures, or other body language to intimidate
LGBTQ People and Therapy This is a great article from the Huffington Post. I love how it quotes real people and their expenses. LGBTQ People Share How Therapy Changed Their Lives Negative experiences like stigma, bullying and discrimination are a daily reality for many LGTBQ
National Coming Out Day Yesterday was National Coming Out Day — 2018. Yes, it’s a day for celebrating, as well as a day for understanding. In the 30 years since its inauguration, NCOD has grown to more than just an American celebration, with recognition of
Finding Time for Therapy, Easier E-THERAPY: Therapy… easier. Electronic Therapy works. But this begs the question, “What IS Electronic Therapy?” Think of E-Therapy as the therapist you take with you, wherever you may go. Life is a busy place. A busy place, where many people
The Importance of Therapy Not too long ago, The Huffington Post published an article titled “8 Signs You Should See a Therapist.” According to the article, “While one in five American adults suffer from some form of mental illness, only about 46-65 percent with moderate-to-severe impairment
Missing Pieces What is your “missing piece”? If “how would I know?” is your answer, you’re probably closer to the answer than you do know. But what if that missing piece really isn’t missing at all? What if you just need help seeing what is already there?
Therapy for You Therapists are often bound by the rules and regulations of insurance companies. Insurance companies tend to limit therapy services, so therapist limit their services. This is a disservice to the client because most effective therapy occurs weekly. If you are having anxiety
Therapy 101 Here are a few things to ask a potential therapist prior to beginning services with them. Are they licensed? This is especially important when it comes to abilities and training. What is their licensing? Therapists can have several types of licenses that allow
Learn to Communicate Better Utilizing Therapy Communication is challenging in all types of relationships. Talking to a partner, friend, family or colleague can create anxiety, depression or self -doubt. Remember the last time you had to have a difficult conversation and wasn’t sure what to
PTSD Beyond Combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, doesn’t just impact people in the military. PTSD can happen to anyone that has gone through a stressful event. Imagine PTSD as an unprocessed negative event. This could be anything from an accident to a difficulty break-up.
The Importance of Quality Time Exhaustion and complacency can negatively impact romantic relationships. Therefore, it is really important to make time to bond with your partner. Bonding is something that should be done without distractions, put away your phones, turn off the television, and stop
What are Telemental Health Services? Telemental health services are used when mental health staff is not physically present with you to evaluate your mental health needs. Mental health staff will be present at another location and available to serve you through newly available technology. Instead
It’s Not Impossible to Change Behaviors Changing behaviors is no doubt a difficult task. Have you ever set a new year’s intention and couldn’t make it permanently stick? Maybe you had some success, only to find yourself going back to those same old behaviors? You
Not Alone, Mental Health Impacts On New Parents There are many different emotions new parents experience. There are various forms of therapy, helpful articles and mommy blogs to help biological moms through the tougher times of being a new parent. While these services, can be
Services Designed with You in Mind Starting a mental health private practice has been a very challenging yet thoroughly rewarding experience. In my heart, I feel that it has always been my calling to work in the field of mental health. While in graduate school,
Anxiety Exposed in A Technological World This generation fascinates me. Everything is transparent, and hardly anything is sacred anymore. While making mental health less taboo by the in-your-face-up-to-date-now-now lifestyle we all are guilty of a time or two, we’ve also been “blessed” by the billions
The Importance of Connection and Belonging Think back to how you felt the last time you spoke with a good friend or chatted with like-minded individuals. It feels good, right, to connect with people that have your back and just get you? You are not
What is a Peer Counselor? “Peer Counselor” is a very simple and accurate label for those who play a critical and expanding role in the world of mental and emotional well being. A peer is someone who is on roughly the same level, has had the
Grief and Loss How do I heal from a loss? Is there an appropriate way to grieve? When will I get over this? Why is (insert name) able to handle this so much better than me? These are a few of the questions you may
Attachment and Relationships Have you ever found yourself wondering why you or your partner(s) are so avoidant during difficult conversations? Well, this difficulty could be link directly to attachment style. John Bowlby developed the attachment theory while working with children in the 1950s. He observed
Got Questions? We humans are a complicated and curious bunch. When we are young, many of us try to conform. As we get older, we search out and ask…are others like me or am I really so different?” Eventually, many of us reach a point when
Therapy Truth For anyone who has not attended therapy before, it can seem intimidating, especially with all the misinformation out there. People often associate therapy with mental illness, ironically this is not usually the case. Therapy has become essential to navigating life during hard experiences
Routines, Sleep and Mental Health While insomnia or sleep challenges have been part of our lives, the stress of the pandemic has increased these issues tremendously. Isolation and the multiple lockdowns have upset most of our daily routines from morning showers to the times we
The Gift of Therapy Whether you’ve taken the risk to provide yourself the space to process and grow in therapy over the past few years or have yet to begin your journey with therapy, sometimes one can find themselves asking a multitude of questions such
Philosophy of Therapy The first thing I was told during my graduate school orientation was to go to therapy. It was my responsibility, if I wanted to be a good therapist, to understand therapy from the perspective of the client. It gave me the opportunity
How to Boost Self-Worth Self-worth is recognizing the value in oneself. It is loving and accepting yourself outside of external situations and experiences. Events, like breaking up with a partner or struggling with money, create self-doubt. When self-worth is rooted outside of self, it is
Values of AMR Mental Health Therapy The following broad ethical principles are based on social work’s core values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. These principles set forth ideals to which all social workers
Traveling With An Emotional Support Animal Traveling can be a stressful thing, just the thought of traveling can trigger anxiety. For emotional support animal owners, anxiety while flying is often a thing of the past. The energy that was once used on managing the anxiety
Caregiver Support Counseling Choosing to become a caregiver, through pregnancy, foster care, adoption, or an unforeseen situation with a friend or relative is a pivotal event in life. There can be so many emotions associated with becoming a caregiver. As you are preparing to be a
OUT LOUD Festival OUT LOUD: A Cultural Evolution, a not-for-profit community arts organization, will present their second annual LGBTQ+ arts festival on June 29, 2019. The main theatre performance, featuring singers, dancers, poets, and more, will take place from 1:30-4:00 pm at The Art Theatre
Mental Health and Sleep The more we learn about sleep, the more we realize how central it is to our overall wellness. While we all know that sleep plays a big role in our health, the specifics sometimes get lost in the shuffle. As researchers
Being A Social Worker As a mental health therapist, I have struggled as to whether or not I should make political statements on my work page…. My hearts conviction is strong and I must speak out. I won’t endorse a party or a candidate. I
