Therapy
By: Danielle Bertini, LPC Becoming a stepparent can be an exciting and fulfilling time. For some who have never had kids of their own, it becomes an opportunity to share your life with someone new and help shape their character. In some cases, new family members get along without a problem. However, there are sometimes bumps in the road. Figuring out how to navigate this new role can be challenging. Aside from the day-to-day responsibilities, there can…
Read MoreBy Eve Brownstone, LCPC, Certified Psychodramatist Psychodrama was designed as a group therapy method, in the 1920s, but I find psychodrama techniques very useful with my individual clients. Clients talk about issues but also move into action and try out new behaviors and situations before trying them in “the real world. Psychodrama is also great for taking care of unfinished business with a loved one or helps us learn how to heal from trauma. It helps clients…
Read MoreSteven Losardo, AMFT In October of 2015, my dad passed. Although painful at times, the healing journey has been fruitful for me. Recently, during our family’s’ weekly video call, some emotions were stirring. At the moment, I was unable to connect with them. Later that day, I was driving to Target as sadness began welling up inside. By the time I got to the store, the tears were falling, and it was surprising at first. After processing…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC It’s no secret that the teenage years are difficult, especially in this day and age. Witnessing your teenager go through hardships and not knowing how to help them can cause you to feel helpless and scared. My aim here is to help parents of teenagers struggling with anxiety better understand as well as learn ways to help. So, what is going on with teenagers? During adolescence, massive biological and psychological maturation floods them…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC How many of us have heard, and probably lived by, “work hard, play hard?” For years this had and has been the ideal quote to live by for young, working professionals. However, it seems like nowadays the “play” part of the phrase is nowhere to be found. Modern culture has created the pressure of succeed-or-you’re-nothing. People are increasingly connecting their identity and their internal value to their work ethic and professional achievements. The…
Read MoreBy Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC Change is hard, especially for habits and activities with which we are deeply familiar. Even when we are sure that change would be beneficial, the comfort and safety of familiarity can outweigh any of those perceived positive effects. Sustaining motivation to change is also difficult. For example, if I wanted to start exercising regularly, I may do so for a few weeks and then lose motivation to continue…
Read MoreGrowing up, it’s not uncommon for children to be told to be thankful for what they have and be aware that others are not as fortunate. This is an incredibly important sentiment, but one that is often forgotten as we get older. While you may acknowledge the things you’re thankful for, how frequently do you practice gratitude? To answer this question, it’s necessary to understand what gratitude really means. Robert Emmons in his book, ‘Why Gratitude is…
Read MoreAmanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified There are many emotional reasons why children struggle to fall asleep. They might feel excited, worried, bored, or distracted, which can make it difficult to wind down. Try these tips to help a child to fall asleep: Meet Comfort Needs What does the child need to feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed at night? You can identify these needs by asking the child, or you can experiment by providing these needs and…
Read MoreMany individuals are currently struggling with their mental health related to the unprecedented times we are all living in today. Whether it is related to loneliness, depression, isolation, grief, anxiety, depression, or a combination of all of those things, the current state of our country is certainly affecting everyone’s mental health. As an individual embarking in therapy, finding the right therapist is such an important step in starting to feel better or to better manage the symptoms…
Read MoreI work with many clients who struggle with feeling anxious and depressed. As their clinical therapist, I ask clients what contributing factors are occurring to increase their depression and/or anxiety, and then I help provide possible coping mechanisms to help manage their depression. I recently read an article from The New York Times that touched on this very topic, “How to be happy” by author Tara Parker-Pope. Below are Tara’s key recommendations on how to be happy.…
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