Month: December 2016

Our minds are very powerful tools and have a significant influence in how we perceive the world, ourselves, the actions, behaviors, or words of others, and the positive or negative impacts that situations, people, or information have on us. Many believe that when something is “wrong” or negative in their life, something external needs to change, such as their job, the amount of money they have or make, their partner, something about their clothing or appearance, where…

Losing a loved one is a life changing experience. Celebrating holidays, birthdays and anniversaries can present unique challenges and feelings about grief and loss. Many of us know the stages of grief as: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. We also know that this is not a linear step by step process which means that everyone may experience different stages at different times even regarding the same loss. It is important to allow space and time to…

“Sharing is caring.” We were taught to share when we were younger, whether it was our toys, food, friends, secrets, feelings, opinions, frustrations, etc. When we were young, we didn’t hold back who we were or what we were thinking; we said what we thought and felt and we shared ourselves and our opinions with everyone around us. Yet as we get older, we tend to share ourselves, our opinions, our ideas, our thoughts, and our feelings…

Boundaries. We all have them, whether they be physical, emotional, mental, financial, professional, and/or social. They are the limits or guidelines that we set for ourselves and others for the way we want to be touched or in regards to our personal space, how we act and express ourselves, how we think and feel, our opinions and how we voice them, how we want to be treated, what we can afford to spend, and how much time…

Between balancing work, shopping, holiday parties, travel, and family events, it is easy to understand why the holidays are viewed as one of the busiest times of the year. Many perceived obligations become a priority, but one that is often forgotten or pushed too low on the priority list is your relationship. Instead of taking your partner for granted or minimizing your relationship needs, embrace the season of giving and offer the ultimate gift for you and…

It is quite common for an individual to attend therapy due to having worry or concern about their partner, their friend, their parent, their child, and so forth. Clients who are worried about a loved one often seek out professional help to learn more about mental illness, substance abuse (among others) as well as to learn how to best approach their loved one about their issues. Whether they are witnessed a loved one go through a depressive…

After a major break-up, the last thing on your mind is dating someone new. When you experience a break-up, it is important to mourn the loss of the relationship on your own, while leaning on your loved ones for support. One of the hardest aspects of a break-up is being alone with your difficult thoughts and intense emotions. However, sitting in those tough times and getting through them makes you more resilient and allows you to mourn…

As a mental health provider, I am always concerned about and upset by the stigma and negative perception of mental illness/disorders, going to therapy or seeking mental health services, taking psychotropic medication, or even talking about mental health or illness/disorders in general. There is a significant number of untreated individuals who could greatly benefit from any type of mental health services but often do not seek them due to personal embarrassment or shame, concerns about others’ opinions,…

The holidays are traditionally a mix of happy and stressful emotions. There are the fun traditions to look forward to as well as time away from work, but commonly there can be friction associated with seeing many family members of differing backgrounds and ideologies at the same time of year. Additionally, it is easy to become irritated with complicated holiday travel or stressed about spending large sums of money on gifts. So while the holidays are advertised…