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Understanding How Important – and Unimportant – You Are

November 15, 2019

Every one of us is a unique human being, worthy just by existing on this planet. We are all important in various ways to ourselves and others, and we owe it to ourselves to understand how we relate to others. At the same time, it is also beneficial to understand just how unimportant we are to the world. We are, paradoxically, both important and unimportant all at once, and we need to understand this in order to…

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Practice! Practice! Practice!

November 9, 2019

The process of therapy can be very rewarding. Watching yourself adapt and improve can feel very powerful, especially when mastering a new challenge you didn’t think yourself capable of before. It’s easy to get frustrated because therapy is non-linear and can feel stalled at times. There are even times when it feels worse before it feels better. I have a tip on how to make the most of your time on the couch. Therapy is a very…

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Why Telling Your Story is Important to Your Brain

November 7, 2019

If you were to try and tell the story of your life, how complete would it be? Would it be a straight line start to finish? Have you ever played an instrument when you were young, stopped for years, played it casually one day, and discovered there were a lot of songs you used to know that come back only when you are playing? I know once I start talking about something, I’ll remember six other connecting…

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Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?

November 5, 2019

When you think of being an introvert or an extrovert, what do you think of? Do you think of once referring to yourself, as “I am an outgoing introvert,” or speaking of their friend who is the “life of the party” and they are “the most extroverted person I know.” I have realized that we have begun to think that the difference between the two dimensions of personality are that extroverted people are outgoing, and introverted people…

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The Relationship Between Empathy and Self Control

November 3, 2019

I recently read an article by Ed Yong that suggests your ability to have empathy for someone else is produced in the same area of the brain as your ability to have self-control. As empathy allows a person to put their opinions and perspective aside and step into the shoes of another, Yong describes this as true for self-control. Think about cheating on a diet. You are eating mostly fruits, vegetables and proteins but you get the…

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Pros and Cons of Online Dating

November 1, 2019

Online dating is now a way that many people are meeting their spouses. There are many different dating apps for our phones and then ones that are more computer based. There are ones that you can meet based on looks, or GPS of the way you travel to work, personality, etc. I cannot even keep up with all the ones that are out there. Online dating is normal and with society today, it is a great way…

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Dealing with Persistent Worrying

October 28, 2019

Danielle Bertini Worrying is a part of human nature. If people didn’t have the ability to worry, they wouldn’t be able to anticipate and prepare for life’s challenges. However, for some people, worrying gets to be overwhelming and can even lead to depression due to such a negative outlook on life. In this day and age, it can be easy to get wrapped up in anxiety and a negative outlook with recent world and domestic events. Nevertheless,…

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Mental Health and Mass Violence

October 25, 2019

Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW Mental health has become a major talking point recently as a result of people trying to make sense of the terrorist attacks in Texas and Ohio. These sad and all too frequent acts of violence are rife with areas worth discussion and understanding, but the area that I feel is crucial for mental health professionals to discuss is that it is patently false and extremely harmful to blame such violent acts on a person’s…

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Micromastery: New Skills for Breaking Your Stagnancy

October 23, 2019

There are times in our lives where we feel like we’ve hit a wall – where something about our life or situation feels stagnant. Feeling “stuck” in a place that feels less than optimal can be frustrating. In these moments we are quicker to respond with irritability, anger, sadness, and pessimism. If you feel like you’re stuck and can recognize it, the next step is to do something about it. Being willing to change stagnancy takes a…

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10 Simple Self-Care Methods

October 21, 2019

Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified Self-care has become a phenomenon. We hear about the importance of self-care everywhere we turn. You might know the self-care methods of your loved ones or of your favorite celebrity. But do you know what self-care practices work best for you? Self-care isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Something that works well for your friend may not be beneficial for you. It’s important to know which self-care practices work the best for you.…

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