By: Zana Van Der Smissen Illinois Hello and welcome back to another blog on how to use DBT skills in everyday life. The first part of this series was created to focus on the module of interpersonal skills within the therapy of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Today, there will be a focus on another module, distress…

By: Danielle Bertini, LCPC Illinois Many people struggle with emotions, especially when those emotions are uncomfortable, difficult, and painful. This can be things like anxiety, fear, sadness, anger, resentment, guilt, shame, and grief or loss. As you could imagine, people (maybe even yourself included) deal with these complex emotions by two extremes: either avoiding them…

Part I By: Bridgette W. Gottwad, LPC, NCC Illinois You may have read or listened to my previous blog post about social comparison and how it affects you. When we think about both upward and downward social comparison, I discussed in the previous blog that “many psychologists consider social comparison something that happens to us”…

There’s a closeness some families experience that can become patterns that feel suffocating. Adults or near adults who feel pressure to check in with parents or relatives before making decisions may be moving through enmeshed relationships. This pattern often develops slowly and affects how you view your emotions. Many people in enmeshed relationships feel intense…

Written by Victoria Delgadillo, LAC Arizona The Association for Play Therapy defines play therapy as “the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development” (Why Play Therapy?, n.d.). …

Written by Victoria Delgadillo, LAC Arizona Children’s mental health is an essential part of development, well-being, and overall health. It can be affected by their environment, experiences, and social interactions. Ensuring that they are experiencing good mental health can be a confusing and overwhelming process. Children’s understanding of emotions and socializing can be very different…

Written by Victoria Delgadillo, LAC Arizona Having good communication with your child is a crucial part of having a positive relationship. Kids want to feel heard by their loved ones! But helping your child gain the courage to talk to you about what is going on can be complicated, especially if you feel like you…

July 1, 2022 Plascilla Foster, LPC, NCC Illinois After identifying topics that interest you, it is time to practice. After practicing with suggestions identified in Part I of this article (own your own, with family), it can be helpful to make a conversation starter plan. According to Gingerich et al. (2018), there are ways to…

July 1, 2022 Plascilla Foster, LPC, NCC Illinois Let us say you examined your current relationships (friends, romantic, family, and work relationships) and you decided to make some changes. You decided that you want to build positive social supports and eliminate relationships that are toxic and do not add substance in your life. According to…

Andromeda Peters, LICSW Washington, DC Life transitions occur for us in many ways. Some examples include starting a new job, graduating from or starting school, ending relationships, grief, starting new relationships, parenthood, aging, moving, even starting therapy, and more! These experiences are often filled with stress, uncertainty, anxiety, fear-based response, and even trauma responses for…