What Is Substance Use Disorder and How Is It Treated?
Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, NCC, LPC Substance abuse is not just about using illicit drugs and drinking alcohol excessively. It is the dependence on any substance that alters mood. That is why reliance on substances like marijuana and prescription medication is also part of this disorder. Most known substances that lead to abuse have psychoactive elements which…
Read MoreWhat Is So Impactful About Receiving and Accepting Compliments?
The nature of compliments and people’s responses to them is interesting and potentially counter intuitive. As humans we crave validation from others and human connection. We want people to like us! Interpersonal connections and social interactions are vital to our well-being. However, despite the desire for external validation from others, whether in our personal lives…
Read MoreWhat is Sleep Hygiene and How Can It Improve Sleep?
Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, NCC, LPC Are you one of the many individuals who struggles to get adequate sleep? The hullabaloo of the modern-day lifestyle along with robotic and mechanical work routine has deprived many people of their ability to sleep soundly. They feel anxious, stressed out, and even depressed. As result, they become insomniac as their…
Read MoreWhat Is Mental Health Awareness Month?
Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, LPC, NCC The importance of mental health awareness cannot be emphasized enough. We are lucky to live in a time where people are more eagerly promoting the significance of mental and emotional wellbeing. One such gesture is the observance of mental health awareness month in the month of May. Why Mental Health Awareness…
Read MoreWhat is Alcohol Tolerance?
By Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC The first time John drank alcohol he felt the effects after 2 drinks. The 300th time John drank it took 12 drinks to achieve similar effects. After many years of heavy drinking John has built up a tolerance to alcohol. According to the National Institute on…
Read MoreWhat Does Verbal Abuse Sound Like?
Hannah Hopper, LPC Most of us would like to think that if we were in a relationship that was abusive, we’d be able to notice it and get out. But verbal abuse is a bit more subtle, and some people experience regular verbal abuse without even knowing it. So what is verbal abuse? It’s a…
Read MoreUnderstanding Anger and How to Manage It
Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, NCC, LPC Do you view people who get easily angered to be obnoxious and unreasonable? Well, in that case, you may want to continue reading. While we may dislike how people react to various situations when they are triggered, it is important to remember that anger is often a secondary emotion. What does…
Read MoreWhat Are the Stages of Development
Matthew Cuddeback LCSW The Stages of Development is a fascinating psychological theory created by Erik Erickson that states we go through a specific set of stages at different ages in our lives. We have to navigate the challenges of these stages to come out with a healthy understanding of ourselves. There are many theories…
Read MoreGaslighting: Is it you who is gaslighting others? Perhaps…
Steven Losardo, MFT You may have heard of gaslighting before- the term originated from a 1938 theater production called Gaslight. Wilkinson (2017), highlights the play is based on a young woman whose husband repeatedly tells her she’s forgetful, acting unusual, and he even tells her she’s imagining things. She begins to doubt herself over time…
Read MoreWhat Is Alcoholics Anonymous and Is It Right for Me?
By Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC Addiction is a disease with no cure, but there are numerous treatment options available that you may not be familiar with. In my practice working with clients who are struggling with substance abuse, I oftentimes receive questions about Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)*, which I will summarize in…
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