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A New Approach for Managing your Child’s Anxiety

June 28, 2019

Parenting is one of the most complex journeys that an individual can experience in their lifetime. As people begin their parenting journey, they likely have ideas and hopes for what their children will be like and how they will fit into the world. If you are a parent, you can maybe remember a time when you envisioned a certain parenthood experience that you thought you wanted, for yourself and for your child(ren). If you’ve had some experience…

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Keeping Calm While Parenting

May 12, 2019

As a parent, do you ever feel like you get overwhelmed?  Or do you feel like you forget the “simplicity” of life before you had a child?  Or do you wish that you could get back the quiet and calm times you had prior to being a parent?  If you can relate to any of these questions, then here are a few ideas to bring you back some peace of mind. 1.Take a breath. Pause and intentionally…

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Six Survival Tips for New Mothers

May 8, 2019

As a clinician, I have encouraged clients with positive psychology tips in their daily lives, often mentioning ideas such as using “self-affirmations” or a “reframing” perspective. A self-affirmation might be an encouraging or praising thought for something they either like about themselves or felt they did well at. A reframing perspective is looking at a stressful situation through a different lens/paradigm. Or I might encourage clients to practice gratitude in their lives — identifying things they are…

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What Do I Do if My Child Has an Anxiety Disorder?

January 17, 2019

I work with many clients who discuss feeling anxious due to a number of stressors, whether it be related to their professional or personal life. Some clients even discuss feeling worried or anxious related to noticing their children exhibiting symptoms of anxiety as well. I recently read an article from The New York Times that touched on this topic, “How to Help a Child with an Anxiety Disorder” by author Perri Klass, M.D. Dr. Klass discusses several…

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Baby Blues or Postpartum Depression?

December 14, 2018

While many women experience mild mood changes or “the blues” during or after the birth of a child, 1 in 5-to-7 women experience more significant symptoms of depression or anxiety. Also, 1-in-10 dads become depressed and anxious during the first year as well. If these feelings are lasting past the two-week mark, they are no longer just “the blues.” The baby blues last no more than 2 days to 2 weeks, often due to the extreme hormone…

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How to Handle Postpartum Depression: You’re Not Alone

November 25, 2018

Depression makes us sad and fearful of having emotions, and we do not feel anything but sadness and lack of enjoyment in our daily lives. After having a baby, those feelings can also occur, and it is called Postpartum Depression (PPD.) Just like depression, symptoms might start after a triggering moment, and with PPD, it is after delivering your baby. PPD symptoms include moodiness (mood swings), difficulty connecting with your baby, and not being able to make…

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New Dads with Depression: How Can We Help?

September 9, 2018

We live in a society where depression is slowly becoming more talked about in general, and an area which has specifically seen improvement is among postpartum mothers. However, rarely does society consider depression among the fathers. A recent New York Post article titled, “Dads are just as likely as moms to become depressed: study,” explored both the reasons behind fathers who experience depression and possible solutions. They stated that in depression screenings done during 9,500 visits to…

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8 Benefits of Family Therapy

June 23, 2018

Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Practitioner Have you considered participating in family therapy? There are several reasons you might want to give it a try. Family therapy addresses individual issues within the context of a group—a family. A family is defined not necessarily as a set of biological relatives but rather as a group of people who serve as a long-term support system. Many people have found family therapy to be helpful in addressing a variety of issues,…

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7 Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Child’s Therapist

June 20, 2018

You’ve decided that your child would benefit from participating in therapy. Now you need to choose a therapist. How do you decide? First, identify 3-5 therapists in your area who work with children and are accepting new clients. You can ask your child’s school counselor, teachers, other parents, and people in your community for recommendations. Once you’ve identified your candidates, request a free consultation with each of them. A consultation is an opportunity to ask questions of…

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Blending Your Family

April 17, 2018

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Everyone goes into their first marriage expecting it to be their last, yet in today’s society, the terms “divorce” and “blended family” (or “stepfamily”) are not foreign concepts. A blended family or stepfamily forms when you and your partner merge your lives together with children from one or both of your previous marriages. Knowing there are many difficulties you and your family may face, it can be incredibly intimidating and…

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