Now being in almost week seven of quarantine, who wishes there was a book on parenting during a pandemic?? This is all not normal, but it is our new normal for now. I know limiting screen time has gone out the window in many households, so parents can have a break or work from home.
Read MoreAfter approximately two years of personal therapy with my counselor, I had a session dedicated to what we would call my internal “friction.” You may know this feeling as internal conflict, turmoil or just plain anxiety. I reached a point in my growth where I was able to withstand quite a bit of internal friction or conflict.
Read MoreWe often begin the New Year trying to accomplish resolutions that are impossible to reach. We may want to make a lifestyle change – but our thought process around making lifestyle changes is often flawed. We get frustrated with how challenging the change can be, cheat a time or two, don’t see results fast enough and drop the resolution all together.
Read MoreSimply put, boundaries are limits that we set for ourselves in relationships. To start thinking about your own boundaries, you can ask yourself what is acceptable and what is not acceptable in certain situations. Your boundaries may, and most likely will, change from situation to situation.
Read MoreIn the heat of the moment we often forget the coping mechanisms we learn in therapy. It's easy to forget to pause and take a deep breath. I wanted to give you this list to help you in those moments where taking a deep breath just doesn't do the trick. Here are a 100 coping strategies to choose from. Enjoy!
Read MoreYour situation doesn’t cause you to feel a certain way. I’ll repeat this in a different way, what happens to you doesn’t cause you to feel a certain way. I talk about this a lot with my clients, but I really FELT it recently.
Read MoreAs much as I love summer, the holiday season is probably my favorite time of year. For me, it’s a time for family gatherings, celebrating time-honored traditions, and connecting with friends near and far. The good food and warmth and laughter I share with friends and family bring me so much joy. As the resident gratitude ambassador, this is my time of year. I’m thankful year round, but this season brings about a greater sense of reflection on what I have instead of what I don’t have. And how I can turn something seemingly unwelcome into something valuable.
Read MoreEmpathy. The word of the year. We hear about it from researchers, teachers, therapists, and our fellow parents. As humans, we could all use a little more empathy. We often confuse empathy with sympathy. To sympathize is to feel bad for how another is feeling; to empathize is to genuinely sit with another in their feeling. Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another. Today I want to talk about the importance of empathy in parenting.
Read MoreThis week’s breathing exercise is probably the one I employ most frequently in my everyday life. It’s so simple to do (it doesn’t require any facial or body manipulation), and it’s incredibly effective for the moments when I need a little “emergency calm”. If you suffer from any kind of anxiety, this breathing technique can be a great tool for you slow down your heart rate, and calm your body and mind before those stressful feelings of anxiety get out of control.
Read MoreLargely, I operate from a strengths-based perspective meaning that when working with clients I emphasize the positive and I collaboratively work with each client to find ways to encourage positive thinking patterns. A counselor operating from a strengths-based perspective helps clients identify their strengths, social supports, successes, and positive experiences in their life.
Read Morehe therapy world is filled with so many acronyms and it can get confusing and overwhelming. Each week, I will break down several of the acronyms you may have heard or read about.
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