Managing Seasonal Affective Disorder in the Midst of a Pandemic
There are two very different trains of thought that can come when thinking about winter. The first are thoughts of holidays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, time with family, eating delicious foods, participating in traditions, and making joyous and happy memories. The other, less desirable train of thought includes shortened days, less hours of sunlight and…
Read MoreDid You Know That Resentment Is Withholding Peace from Your Life?
Inner peace feels rare during stressful moments, yet it can grow when we address unresolved resentment. Lingering anger blocks emotional balance and affects how we show up in relationships. Many people struggle with this burden as it creates ongoing tension and disrupts daily life. How to let go of resentment becomes a crucial question when…
Read MoreHow to Disconnect When Working from Home
As technology developed and social media made its way to the mainstream, time spent on our phones and computers began to steadily increase. There was more to look at and scroll through and there was more information to be gathered both intellectually and socially from these platforms. As dating applications came on the scene time…
Read MoreHow Can My Partner and I Increase Intimacy in Our Relationship?
Danielle Bertini, LPC There are many different aspects in relationships that are important. And one of those aspects is intimacy. Intimacy is the sense of another person fully knowing you and loving you because of who you are. This requires a large amount of honesty and vulnerability. Intimacy can be fostered both in and out…
Read MoreHow Can I Stop Intrusive Thoughts?
Danielle Bertini, LPC Intrusive thoughts are something that we all experience from time to time. You may be thinking, “What are intrusive thoughts anyway?” These are unwanted thoughts or images that pop into your head for no reason and can cause you to become somewhat obsessed or distressed. These thoughts can be no different from…
Read MoreHow A Good Book Improves Your Mental Health
Ashlee Stumpf, LPC It’s unlikely you will go to a doctor’s office and come out with a prescription of J.R.R. Tolkien, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t help. Storytelling is an art form as old as time. We grow up on stories to learn morals, culture, history, and the human experience. Sometimes they may take…
Read MoreConcrete Ways to Cultivate Happiness: Part 2
Hello again! As previously discussed in part 1 of this blog post, each of our definitions of happiness are different, valid, and important to pursue. We frequently hear people say, “I’ll be happy when…”. But what if we could be happy now? How do we find happiness in our daily lives in order to create…
Read MoreConcrete Ways to Cultivate Happiness: Part 1
It’s important to begin by asking yourself what happiness means to you. Each of our definitions of happiness will likely be different, however, it’s important to have an image in mind of how you view happiness. Many individuals believe that money is essential to happiness, and maybe it is! However, investing most or all of…
Read MoreCognitive Distortions, Part II: What Can I Do About Them?
Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC Here we are still talking about that negative thought loop and thinking errors that we refer to as cognitive distortions. Remember my last blog post that included examples of ten common cognitive distortions? I left off discussing magnifying or minimizing, and here’s part two and the continued list of cognitive…
Read MoreCognitive Distortions, Part I: What Are They and How Do I Identify Them?
Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC Next time you are experiencing negative thinking, take a moment to check your thoughts, notice, and make some observations. More often than not, you will find that your brain is full of negativity. There is a huge correlation between what we think and feel, and when are struggling or feeling…
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