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By: Danielle Bertini, LPC In a previous blog post, I discussed the topic of trauma bonding, including what it is, how it’s formed, and signs to be aware of. In this blog, we will explore ways to break these unhealthy bonds. But first, let’s have a refresher of what trauma bonding is. Trauma bonding develops out of a repeated cycle of abuse, devaluation, and positive reinforcement (Raypole, 2020). This trauma of abuse can create powerful feelings that…
Read MoreBy: Zana Van Der Smissen (TW: Eating Disorders. This article does contain content that might be triggering for some. If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable, please step away from the article and take time for yourself or reach out for help at Symmetry Counseling) The holidays are a time of year for cold weather, Christmas music and of course, food. Food is the main event for most families whether or not it is preparing as a family,…
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Jessica Pontis, LCSW Have you ever been in distressed and not know what to do with your emotions? Maybe you wanted to scream, cry, throw a temper tantrum, lash out at someone else? We’ve all had moments where we might not have known how to process our feelings, which might have resulted in behavior that was somewhat childlike. It’s not uncommon for people to revert to a childlike state when stressed, sad, or angry, but it…
Read MoreJessica Pontis, LCSW Have you ever looked in a mirror and not particularly enjoyed the person staring back at you? Have you ever judged your body, skin, or face? Perhaps there are stretchmarks in places you feel there shouldn’t be, or felt self-conscious about some gained weight during quarantine? You are not alone in these thoughts. It’s unfortunate how we have been conditioned to feel we should constantly be at war with our bodies. Constantly feeling as…
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Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified Ghosting is when you abruptly end all communication or contact with a person (with whom you’ve had a relationship) without warning. Ghosting can occur in any type of relationship, but this blog will focus on romantic relationships which include casual dating, commitment, and every other category of romance. Ghosting is tempting. It’s a way to end a relationship without any conflict or effort. It’s a way to avoid being exposed to…
Read MoreMegan Mulroy, LPC Having a solid morning routine can help kick start your day and set you up for success in the workplace as well as in your personal life. When you are rushing to get out of the house that frantic energy can often follow you around all day and can trigger a bad mood. When we are rushed, we are more prone to make mistakes, be short with people, and miss deadlines. As a certified…
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By Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC Odds are that you have taken hundreds of formal exams during your life – school exams, licensing exams, standardized exams, to name a few. But no matter how many exams you have under your belt, you still feel stressed and nervous in the days or weeks leading up to the exam date. With respect to exam performance, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Research has demonstrated that…
Read MoreBy Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC We talk about emotions quite a bit in therapy – and for good reason! Expressing and analyzing our emotions in a safe environment has many powerful benefits. However, while many of us can list specific emotions – anger, sadness, happiness – we may not be able to define “emotion.” I have noticed that for many clients, defining “emotion” has helped them precisely identify and more deeply reflect on…
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Written by Kara Thompson, Licensed Social Worker In Part I of this series, we explored the true intention of self-care. We may have begun to recognize the ways in which we may have mislabeled the activities we enjoyed as self-care despite considering their long-term effects on our well-being. Remember, self-care is about prioritizing our self in the now to better honor our overall wellness in the future. Now that we have some background on self-care, let’s dive…
Read MoreWritten by Kara Thompson, Licensed Social Worker Let’s imagine: You woke up at 6 am, hoping to be ready to take on the day but instead feeling a sense of dread. Those 4 glasses of wine the night before sounded great at the time, but we are paying for it this morning. It had been a long day and we thought, “Hey, we deserve it!” But now we’re just tired, groggy, and technically have some time to…
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