Live Better. Love Better. Work Better.

LPC

Categories

New Year’s Resolutions: Helpful or Harmful to your Mental Health?

March 16, 2022

Natalia DeSouza, LPC For some people, the period between December and January is accompanied by reflections on what areas of their lives could benefit from changes. This is usually followed by the setting of goals meant to improve their quality of life and self-view. Common goals and resolutions for the new year include losing weight, perfecting a skill or a hobby, performing “better” at work, becoming more motivated, quitting smoking/drinking…the list goes on.  Although it is extremely…

Read More

What are Intrusive Thoughts and How Do I Manage Them?

October 12, 2021

Megan Mulroy, LPC  Intrusive thoughts are characterized by unwanted thoughts that pop up, cause distress, and get stuck in your mind. Often times these thoughts can be violent, sexual, disturbing, or something deemed as unacceptable by society. These thoughts can be really scary and produce a lot of anxiety for people who experience them. Everyone experiences intrusive thoughts- it is so normal to have passing thoughts of rear ending the car in front of you or stealing…

Read More

What Is FOMO and How Can I Manage It?

October 10, 2021

By: Danielle Bertini, LPC Have you ever heard of, or even experienced, the word FOMO (fear of missing out)? If you have, it was probably used casually in a day-to-day conversation. “If I don’t go to that dinner, I’m going to have real FOMO.” However, behind the seemingly innocent acronym hides a darker reality. FOMO can cause significant distress, as it can cause people to live their lives through the filters of what other people are doing.…

Read More

What is Self-Compassion and What Is It Not?

October 9, 2021

Meg Mulroy, LPC Self-compassion is defined by treating yourself the way you would treat a friend or a loved one who is having a hard time. For a lot of folks, it is easier to give others compassion than it is to give it to ourselves.  For more reading on how to speak and act more compassionately in your life, I highly recommend reading Amanda Ann Gregory’s, LCPC recent blog about ways in which you can work…

Read More

4 Ways to Stay Sober While Social Distancing – Part 1

December 25, 2020

Ashlee Stumpf, LPC Sobriety is hard in the best of times; add a global pandemic in the mix and it can almost seem as if the world is wanting you to relapse. However, for many with substance use history, COVID-19 is not the most difficult time of their lives. They have and/or continue to battle against a more personal foe. And many people have adapted before to achieve a healthier, sober lifestyle, here are five ways to…

Read More

Present Over Perfect, Part I: How Is Therapy Similar to Vinegar?

December 22, 2020

Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC Has anyone ever told you that it’s okay to see a therapist? Yes, it is okay to see a therapist. Read that again. In fact, 48% of Americans seek counseling and the stigma around mental health has decreased in recent years. Unfortunately, because of the stigma with mental health, many people seem to be ashamed to admit that they do in fact see a therapist.  When our stomachs hurt, when we break…

Read More

Family Enmeshment: Part 2

October 23, 2020

By: Danielle Bertini, LPC In Part one of this blog, I discussed the topic of enmeshment within family systems, including what it is and signs for noticing it is occurring. As discussed, growing up in an enmeshed family might mean that you now have replicated enmeshment and codependency in other relationships in your life. In part two of this blog we will discuss four components of reversing enmeshment and becoming a healthier, more authentic version of yourself. …

Read More

Identifying Your Communication Style

October 7, 2020

Hannah Hopper, LPC   One topic that continues to come up in many of my sessions is communication styles. We are constantly communicating with those around us, and our communication style can either serve as a bridge or be a barrier to creating connections. Going to therapy is an incredibly effective tool for working on communication, and this blog will give a brief introduction on three styles of communication.  Passive Communication Passive communication is characterized by expressing…

Read More

Drying Out: Alcohol’s Effects on the Body

October 4, 2020

Bridgette W. Gotwald, LPC, NCC Alcohol. That’s a word that will quickly grab the attention of many members of our society. It’s hard to believe that we’re already half way through 2020, and the year has quickly gotten away from us. In countless of my clients’ first sessions of the new year, numerous people were thrilled to tell me that they are engaging in dry January. A new year starts, people are inspired and ready for new…

Read More

Coping With a World in Crisis

October 2, 2020

Hannah Hopper, LPC Exhausted, frazzled, overwhelmed, and burnt out. If any of these words describe how you’ve been feeling lately, you’re not alone. Many of my clients have used some variation of these words to describe what they’ve been going through over the past several months, and at times it may feel like there is no end in sight. When our world is in a state of crisis, it’s hard to escape feeling overwhelmed. Below are several…

Read More