psychologist
Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Every person wants to feel loved by their partner, and at the same time, wants their partner to feel loved by them. When this is not the case, one partner may feel unloved or misunderstood. We all express and feel love differently, and understanding those differences can help enhance your relationship. Dr. Gary Chapman discovered five ways to express or receive love in his book, The Five Love Languages: The…
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The term codependency has become an increasingly common part of everyday vernacular for those interested in self-improvement. It is a term that often emerges in therapy as we begin to identify relationship patterns that maintain cycles of hurt, disappointment, and resentment. You may have even heard the term described in relation to you, a relationship in your life, or someone in your sphere. Yet, despite its increasing presence in common parlance, developing an easy-to-understand and accurate description…
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By: Anne Brennan Malec, PsyD, LMFT Couples within a relationship are always communicating, even with nonverbal interactions when one or the other may be engaging in the silent treatment. Communication is the oxygen in a relationship – without it, the relationship dies. A common complaint expressed during relationship or marriage counseling is that couples try to talk but have difficulty because the conversation escalates into forms of frustration and disrespect. There are multiple avenues to resolving this…
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What makes you decide that it is time to start seeing a therapist? There can be many reasons why a person or couple make this personal decision, but it is important to consider some of the motivating factors that can affect that decision as you begin this work. For instance, a previous therapeutic experience with a psychologist or counselor can color your perceptions. It can make starting the therapy process again feel overwhelming. It might leave you…
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We all have beginnings as children, playing, laughing, loving, and interacting with the world as if it were magical. Even though we age, our earlier life experiences are still within us. Those creative, carefree, and childlike parts are still there, and so are any challenging and traumatic experiences we may have experienced in our youth. Both the positive and challenging experiences can affect our mental health into adulthood. As we age, it is common to consciously and/or…
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“Self-care” has become a familiar term in pop culture and is commonly promoted by Millennials through hashtags, personal blogging, and other media outlets. Therapists commonly talk to their clients about the importance of practicing self-care on a daily basis as a way to help with anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns as well as a way to improve overall well-being. However, what may not be talked about as much is what self-care actually is and why…
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By: Anne Brennan Malec, PsyD, LMFT Do you want to have a relationship style that meets the needs of the 21st-century family? This is a style that is mutually beneficial and emotionally rewarding. This is a relationship in which responsibility, accountability, and decision-making are shared. Marriage counseling can help, if your relationship is not where you’d like it to be. In order to achieve this, with or without the help of a counselor, you should try to…
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It probably comes as no surprise that many couples have difficulty keeping their “spark” alive throughout their relationship. As time goes on, the “infatuation stage” wears off anywhere from six months to two years in, and often, desire decreases and stressors increase as a couple has children, more financial stressors, and more professional stressors that may lead them to feel the need for marriage counseling. However, some couples seem to maintain their intimacy and desire over time,…
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By: Alexa Ehrlich If so many people crave a happy partnered relationship, why do so many struggle to maintain the relationship for a lifetime? According to Dr. Anne Brennan Malec in her book Marriage in Modern Life, “When infatuation inevitably diminishes and real life intrudes, your partner must remain a priority, or you will eventually run into trouble.” A relationship will not always be so effortless; this is often a false impression most partners make. Most relationship success…
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By: Margaret Reynolds, LCPC Part 1 (Navigating the Terrain) What follows is a visualization exercise to help you find perspective and develop awareness, appreciation, and authorship for your life’s journey. This will involve painting a mental picture for yourself and then looking at it in three distinct ways to learn and grow from the experience. Doing this will come naturally to some and will be more difficult for others. I recommend that you make notes or sketches…
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