Why Is Understanding PTSD So Crucial Before Having an Affair?
Steven Losardo, AMFT Trust forms the emotional backbone of long-term relationships. When that trust breaks through infidelity, the impact often reaches far beyond anger or sadness. PTSD after infidelity can surface in ways many people never expect, affecting emotional stability, physical health, and family dynamics. Consider a long-married couple with children and years of shared…
Read More4 Ways to Stay Sober While Social Distancing – Part 1
Ashlee Stumpf, LPC Sobriety is hard in the best of times; add a global pandemic in the mix and it can almost seem as if the world is wanting you to relapse. However, for many with substance use history, COVID-19 is not the most difficult time of their lives. They have and/or continue to battle…
Read More5 Great Film Portrayals of Addiction
Ashlee Stumpf, LPC Being a mental health worker and movie lover can be difficult. This is mostly because Hollywood is typically more preoccupied with telling a story than accurately portraying how addiction can impact those addicted and their relationships. Too often, characters with substance use problems are defined solely by their addiction, ignoring the many…
Read MorePresent Over Perfect, Part II: How Do I Re-Make My Life?
Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC You may have read part one to this blog series, which was titled “Present Over Perfect, Part I: How Is Therapy Similar to Vinegar?” which discussed the similarities between therapy and vinegar, and the many benefits the therapeutic relationship can bring to someone’s life. This blog continues to share some…
Read MorePresent Over Perfect, Part I: How Is Therapy Similar to Vinegar?
Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC Has anyone ever told you that it’s okay to see a therapist? Yes, it is okay to see a therapist. Read that again. In fact, 48% of Americans seek counseling and the stigma around mental health has decreased in recent years. Unfortunately, because of the stigma with mental health, many…
Read MoreTransference, Countertransference, and Vicarious Trauma
Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, MA, NCC “A hurtful act is the transference to others of the degradation which we bear in ourselves” – Simone Weil Put simply, transference is the idea that clients will bring residual feelings or issues from past relationships and transfer or project them onto the counselor in the current therapeutic relationship. Clients interact with…
Read MoreNavigating Romantic Relationships, Part II
Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC Life is all about the connections we make and the relationships we sustain that bring joy and happiness into our lives. One of the most important relationships we will have is the one with the person that we choose to spend the rest of our life with. Choosing a life…
Read MoreNavigating Romantic Relationships, Part I
By: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC My clientele ranges from age eighteen to people in their forties and fifties, so romantic relationships come up in just about every session. The dating world can be confusing, and many clients wonder what to do when they are ready for the next step, but the partner fails to…
Read MoreCan Stress Be Good for Me?
I work with many clients who struggle with stress and anxiety. Many times, clients are looking for ways to better manage their stress. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) there is a difference between stress and anxiety. Both are emotional responses. Stress is typically caused by a trigger and has a short-term affect; whereas…
Read MoreAm I Burned Out From Work Due to Working From Home?
I work with many clients who are truly starting to struggle with their work transition of working from home 100% of the time due to the current global pandemic. Some clients of mine were working remotely prior the pandemic, and they too are struggling due to most of their shared office spaces/coffee shops are currently…
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