Matthew Cuddeback
Matthew Cuddeback LCSW *Please be sure to read Let’s Talk About Dissociating Part 1 to get a good start to understanding this difficult experience. What causes dissociation and what should we do about it? Well, dissociation is almost always a result of trauma. So, when we think about disconnecting mentally like this, we should be thinking about how something very painful happened and our brain is unsure how to address it and, further, if it should be…
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Matthew Cuddeback LCSW Dissociation is often discussed in whispers and considered an area many therapists and clients are nervous to approach. So, let’s be not afraid, let’s discuss it because it can be helpful to have some understanding of the context for the mental health issues that you may be struggling with as they often inform how they are approached in therapy. Dissociation is often a scary and isolating experience and one that can unfortunately carry stigma.…
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Matthew Cuddeback LCSW Frequently when we see a co-worker, friend, or family member working so hard at making something seemingly perfect, we often look at them with admiration and envy. However, it is important to recognize that perfectionism is often deeply rooted in a lot of unhealthy ways of thinking and problematic coping mechanisms. Let’s discuss how to be more mindful of when we are engaging in these problematic patterns and how to unpack them and build…
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Matthew Cuddeback LCSW First and foremost, we all have our own substance we use and sometimes misuse. For many it’s caffeine, alcohol, or food. For many others its prescription meds, marijuana, or opiates. For others still it might not be a substance, it might be a behavior such as going to the gym, or risky sexual behaviors. It is good, when discussing this issue, to recognize that we all have our own base level struggles here. So,…
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Matthew Cuddeback LCSW One of the most common difficulties that clients bring up is just a general low mood, maybe you call it being in a funk, maybe sadness, maybe depression. Whatever you want to call it, people often report just not feeling very happy for an extended period and of course are looking for an answer for how to feel better. First it is okay to feel sad and not feel great all the time, it…
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Matthew Cuddeback LCSW There is a complex area that often arises requiring therapists to carefully consider how to proceed while advocating for our clients, respecting their wishes, and protecting their therapeutic experience, that is professional collaboration. Whether it is collaborating with another therapist you may be meeting with, a former provider, or collaborating with a current provider who is prescribing medication it is something that should be given a lot of thought. Let’s talk about what to…
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Matthew Cuddeback LCSW Something that comes up with more clients than not is how they manage feedback. This is something many of us struggle with for varied reasons. However, being able to accept and give feedback can be an incredibly powerful skill to learn. Below we will discuss key issues inherent in giving and receiving feedback as well as key reasons for why and how it can be incredibly useful. We all have received feedback and we…
Read MoreMatthew Cuddeback LCSW The Stages of Development is a fascinating psychological theory created by Erik Erickson that states we go through a specific set of stages at different ages in our lives. We have to navigate the challenges of these stages to come out with a healthy understanding of ourselves. There are many theories that utilize this theory, and it has had a large impact on the field of psychology. However, perhaps more interesting is how…
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Matthew Cuddeback LCSW It can often feel that the field of mental health is a bit of a mystery. While there are certainly many areas that are incredibly complex and confusing, often times this mystery simply comes from unfamiliarity, fear, and a general lack of conversation. For this reason, it is helpful to have the hard conversations, and to discuss things that aren’t always easy to discuss, one of the most difficult is the complexities of…
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Matthew Cuddeback LCSW One of the topics I discuss in couples therapy the most, is a simple concept but not at all easy to navigate. This is the idea that perspective and experience shape our interactions with others and particularly our partners, and that while we may feel things have happened a certain way, our partner may have experienced it differently. Navigating this is a powerful tool when figuring out how best to communicate with our…
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