Simple Ways to Develop Assertive Communication

Simple Ways to Develop Assertive Communication

Jessica Pontis, LCSW Everyone wants to have a voice, but sometimes we struggle to connect with our strength and speak our truth.  We all wish to be assertive when it comes to standing up for ourselves and what we believe in, though struggle to find the words or are concerned about the perception of others. …

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The Importance of a Best Friend

Megan Mulroy, LPC, NCC When I was 20 years old, I was lucky enough to be given a random roommate named Alli who became my best friend. Alli and I have been through thick and thin, and I don’t know what I would do without her. Friendships are so important to our mental health and…

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The Case For Mindfulness In All Our Busy Lives

Case For Mindfulness

Steven Topper LCPC Over the past few years, we’ve seen a boom in the proliferation of mindfulness. Commodified to apps, businesses have attempted to harness the power of mindfulness to increase productivity. Within that proliferation has been a watering down of the tenets of mindfulness- which is frequently the case when ideas move into the…

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Strategies For Measuring Growth More Usefully

Steven Topper LCPC Take a moment to reflect on the last few weeks. What has been a struggle? Where has pain showed up in your days and nights? What has gone well? What do you wish could have been different? How do you wish you could have been different? See if some of these reflections…

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Body Image: How to Talk About It With Your Kids

How to Talk About It With Your Kids

I remember one of the first times I was introduced to the concept of “fat”. I was a third grader (about 8 years old) when a friend made the comment, “my mom told me if your arms or thighs jiggle, it means your fat.” As a child I remember feeling so concerned that because my…

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What Can I Learn from Reading and Observing Body Language? Part II

By: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC If you read my last blog post, which was part one of this two-part blog series, you learned many things that you would be able to observe from the body language of others. It discussed studying the eyes, facial movements, and proximity of body positioning. Part two includes information…

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Will My Relationship Last?

By Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC This is the million-dollar question to which I am going to respond with the unsatisfying answer: “It Depends.” Of course, there is no way to accurately predict the future, especially when it comes to relationships which are inherently messy and complicated. However, there are common reasons…

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What is the Key to Healthy Communication?

What is the Key to Healthy Communication

By Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC Healthy communication is essential to relationship satisfaction and sustainability. While many of us know that listening is important, we may not have a firm grasp on what healthy listening looks like. In my professional experience working with couples, I believe that the most important communication skill…

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What Is Self-Compassion, Anyway?

Written by Kara Thompson, Licensed Social Worker Self-esteem, self-care, self-talk… If you’ve spent any time reading the hottest self-help book or participated in any sort of individual therapy, I’m sure you’re familiar with these terms. As we spend time turned inwards towards the “self,” it’s also important that we bring our awareness to another: self-compassion.…

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What is Re-Entry Trauma and How is it Impacting Us?

What is Re Entry Trauma and How is it Impacting Us

If you asked someone a year ago if they wanted to return to “normal,” it’s likely the answer would be “yes” before you were even able to finish the question. Maybe you would’ve been met with, “Is that even a question?! Of course, I want to go back to normal!”. If you asked that same…

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