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Jessica Pontis, LCSW I don’t know about everybody else, but recently I found it very difficult to remain hopeful. It feels like every day switching on the news, checking social media, there’s something that’s going on, some loss, some mass collective trauma. We try our best to cope after incidents that leave us rocked. We do what we know how to do in order to try and make ourselves feel safe and secure. Well, sometimes it’s hard…
Read MorePlascilla Foster, LPC, NCC As a result of the Covid- 19 pandemic, many people have been forced to make changes. These changes may have been things that one has been putting off for years or unexpected changes that one needs to adjust to and accommodate quickly. Change can be a remarkable thing in someone’s life depending on how one chooses to look at the circumstance. If you feel like you need to make changes in your life…
Read MoreAndromeda Peters, LICSW The warmer months come with longer days, often accompanied by changes in our emotions after emerging from the winter blues, as well as a change in our energy levels. Rather than taking a step back to relax and slow down, we may feel compelled to pack more onto our schedules. We may plan more travel, spend more time with friends and loved ones, and have busier weekends, causing us to exert more energy. With…
Read MoreAndromeda Peters, LICSW Mental health is becoming more widely accepted on a global level. Cultures that have once deemed therapy as taboo are becoming more open to professional help. With that, therapy has become a space where one can simultaneously receive validation of their emotional experiences and a framework for shifting one’s thoughts to a healthier mindset. However, how do we know if we are leaning towards toxic positivity or just shifting to a healthier way of…
Read MoreAndromeda Peters, LICSW Grief is something that everyone will experience at some point in their lives. With that being said, grief looks different for everyone and our experiences with grief may look different for each experience we have. Although we may find ourselves at a point of radical acceptance, grief is not something one can always plan ahead for. We know we will come face-to-face with challenges, but we may experience emotional decompensation, challenges in day-to-day functioning,…
Read MoreAndromeda Peters, LICSW As we are approaching the warmer months, going into summer, mental health professionals note an increase in dopamine levels. We are able to spend more time outdoors, feel the nurturing energy of the sun, and even experience more physical activity. However, the warmer months are also accompanied by more emphasis on our physical bodies. Both the general media and social media have hindered the way we view our bodies in a society with a…
Read MorePlascilla Foster, LPC, NCC As Season 14 of Married at First Sight ends soon, making predictions on which couples will say “yes” on decision day or choose to get a divorce can be remarkably interesting. Based on what I saw this season, I predict that only two couples will say “yes” on decision day, and here is why. Lindsey and Mark According to Gottman and Silver (2015), the biggest predictor of divorce is contempt. Contempt in a…
Read MoreAmanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified Therapist Over the past several decades, there has been more awareness of the prevalence of psychological trauma and of how trauma impacts individuals. Unfortunately, trauma has become a buzzword that tends to be used too often and incorrectly. Here are some facts to help you conceptualize psychological trauma correctly: Psychological Trauma Is Not an Event or Experience The most common mistake people make in defining psychological trauma is their sole focus…
Read MoreAmanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified You’ve heard of forgiveness, but what does it actually mean? Harpercollins’ Dictionary (1989) defines “to forgive” as “to grant pardon for or remission of an offense, granting pardon to a person, ceasing to feel resentment, and canceling an indebtedness or liability.” However, forgiveness tends to be more complicated when it’s applied to real-life relationships. Marriage and family therapist Bren Chasse described forgiveness from an evolutionary standpoint. He reports that “in early…
Read MoreShannon Keating When you think of grief, what likely comes to mind? Death is most likely. This is completely understandable and valid because the two are almost always synonymous. But there are other forms of grief, a myriad of them with many layers. Grief is a complicated, multi-dimensional, individual process that can never be generalized in five steps” (TLC Group, 2006). A person who loses their job, despite the reason, may feel the grief of lost income,…
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