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Are You Setting Up Dreams for the New Year

March 2, 2022

  By Valarie A. Williams-Siler, Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist We are entering a new year and many of us are looking to determine what our next steps will be. Have you found yourself dreaming of starting a business, returning back to school, or perhaps entering marriage or a new relationship? The Webster dictionary defines dreams as “a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal; a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person’s mind during sleep”.…

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Avoiding Relationship Games In a Modern Dating World

March 1, 2022

Jessica Pontis, LCSW It’s a tough scene out there for people who are single.  In a world where connecting with new people has never been more accessible, why is dating so hard?  With the increase of different types of tech and apps out there aimed at helping single people connect, why does it seem like I hear more and more from clients the struggle to find open, honest, and straightforward people looking to find love.   One thing…

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How to Choose the Best Therapist for You

February 28, 2022

Danielle Farmer, LPC Starting therapy for the first time can be intimidating. There are steps you can take before your first session to lessen the feeling of fear and ensure you have a strong connection with your therapist. Having a compatible therapist makes the transition easier and can lead to a more successful outcome. Understanding the Relationship: Let’s start with understanding what makes for a successful therapy experience. A major component of what makes therapy successful is…

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How Do We Talk About What’s Wrong?

February 27, 2022

Steven Topper LCPC Is depression something that occurs in your body or in your mind? Is it on the outside of your skin or on the inside? How about anxiety? Typically, ways of talking about these disorders use a dualistic framework: there is the physical and the mental, and they are separate entities. We think of the problems listed as mental. Problems of the mind. This type of classification makes sense. A broken arm is clearly physical.…

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Coping With the Ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic

February 26, 2022

Zoe Mittman, LSW  It feels like March 2020 all over again. Quarantine. Toilet paper aisles empty at grocery and convenience stores. Difficulty finding Covid tests, canceled vacations and family get-togethers, and remote learning. I for sure did not expect us to be dealing with Covid in 2022, however, it is something that is essentially out of our control. In this blog, I am going to talk about how you can be empowered to capitalize on what is…

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Do I Want to Be a Therapist? How to Get Started

February 25, 2022

Meg Mulroy, LPC  If you clicked on this blog, chances are that being a therapist is a career that might interest you. Maybe you enjoy helping people or have a therapist that inspired you to work in this field. Maybe you’ve heard from family or friends that you’re a great listener and that you could make a career of it. Whatever the case may be, choosing to become a counselor is a wonderful and rewarding career choice. …

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How Can I Manage Anticipatory Anxiety?

February 24, 2022

By: Danielle Bertini, LPC We can all relate to a situation in which you dread something before it happens. Maybe you spend weeks dreading the results of a recent medical appointment, only to find out that the news is mild and manageable. This is exactly what anticipatory anxiety is—the fear and dread you experience before the event. Although it’s not a standalone mental health diagnosis, anticipatory anxiety can be a symptom of other conditions such as panic…

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Which Activities Promote Neuroplasticity?

February 23, 2022

Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified Therapist  Neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to change and adapt over time. Britannica defines neuroplasticity as the “capacity of neurons and neural networks in the brain to change their connections and behavior in response to new information, sensory stimulation, development, damage, or dysfunction.” In short, you can change your brain.  Here’s an example of neuroplasticity. David is a college student who is struggling to pass a math exam. David has always…

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Why Do I Hate Myself?

February 22, 2022

By: Ashlee Stumpf, LPC Do you refute or downplay compliments?  Are you continually hard on yourself and wonder why others would want to spend time with you? Do you take criticism as a personal attack?  Will you often accept your feelings as facts? (i.e., “if I feel this strongly, therefore it must be true”) Do you tend to discount achievements as “luck” or “no big deal” while highlighting your mistakes? Do you regularly engage in negative self-talk?…

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What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

February 21, 2022

Jessica Pontis, LCSW With the sun setting earlier and earlier you may notice the impact that the cold and lack of sunlight may be having.  What you may be experiencing are symptoms associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.  As the name would imply, SAD is a type of depression whose onset is brought upon by the changed of the season.  For most people symptoms of SAD begin the fall and continue through the winter months, though…

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