Do I Need a Diagnosis?
Shannon M. Duffy, MFT, LCPC In my professional experience, many individuals and couples have sought out therapy for a diagnosis to give them a label or clarification for what is or has been concerning them. For some, it is necessary to aid in providing the best form of treatment or provide appropriate referral sources for…
Read More5 Steps to Change your Career Destination
I work with many clients who are very dissatisfied in their career. My job as their clinical therapist is to help the client identify some of the reasons they are unhappy in their job. After assessing some of these reasons with my clients, we then work together on how he or she can cope with…
Read MoreCoping Mechanisms for a Bad Day
Laura Cox In the famous words of Dr. Seuss, “when you’re in a slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.” Bad days can happen to all of us. Whether your bad day is brought on by an interpersonal conflict, a disappointing circumstance, or you are just feeling “off,” there…
Read MoreTips to Survive Winter after the Holidays
Kaitlin Broderick, LCPC The holidays can give meaning to the dreary winter months. Even if they cause stress, they might bring comfort as a milestone or something to look forward to. But after the presents have been unwrapped, and the holiday lights go out, the days are still short, the air is still frigid, and…
Read MoreHow to Overcome Discomfort Anxiety
Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC The reason we make the choices we do is because we identify a perceived benefit to making them. The benefit could be achieving a long term goal we are working towards or it could be indulging in instant gratification, but there is always a perceived benefit to our choices, otherwise we…
Read MoreBattling with Body Image
It can be difficult to feel content in your body, particularly when living in our thin-obsessed culture which insists bodies need constant monitoring and modification. Between social media scrolling, comments from others about their bodies, and potentially your own negative self-talk, it seems as if this unhelpful feedback is coming from all angles. Body image…
Read MoreIs Moving Here Good for My Mental Health? Questions to Consider When Looking for Your Next Home
Margaret Reynolds, LCPC, NCC Just like some romantic relationships, it is possible to “fall in love” with a house, apartment or living arrangement that may result in regret and an unhealthy situation later. Whether getting your first apartment by yourself, moving in with a partner or out after a divorce, or getting a bigger place…
Read MoreThe 3 Types of Stress
Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Are you experiencing stress? If so, it’s important to know which type of stress you’re dealing with. The term stress is often used as a catchall phrase for any negative internal response to external stimuli. However, there are different kinds of stress. The APA (American Psychological Association) reports that there are…
Read MoreThe Interrelated Relationship Between Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviors
The interrelated relationship between one’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors creates a loop. Sometimes the thoughts, feelings, behaviors (TFB) loop can be informative and helpful. For example, the thought: I’m a good person who cares about others invokes the feeling: pride (because I’m a good person for caring about others) which informs an aligning behavior: donate…
Read MoreWhat Does “LGBTQ” Mean?
LGBTQ is a commonly used term identifying individuals who are gay, lesbian, transgender, queer, bisexual (and there many other terms out there can be added on). LGBTQ has become more recognizable in our society, and you might also hear the words “queer community” to identify these individuals. In this post, I want to explain to…
Read More