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Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Dogs (And Other Pets)

October 11, 2020

As of about three weeks ago I officially joined the group of individuals who adopted a puppy during quarantine. For some time, I’ve been playing with the idea of whether getting a puppy was a good or bad idea based on my lifestyle. Switching to working from home gave me the final push to take the plunge and get a dog. This is easily one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Dog’s truly are human’s best…

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Simple Stress Guide, Part 2

October 10, 2020

If you read my last blog post titled, Simple Stress Guide Part 1, referencing The New York Times article, “How to Be Better at Stress” by author Tara Parker-Pope, you may be wondering about the additional tips about how to better manage stress.  Below are the remaining key points from Tara’s article touching about tips and tricks on how to manage stress better.  Body Movement. As mentioned in the first part of this blog post, moving your…

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Simple Stress Guide, Part 1

October 9, 2020

I work with many clients who are under a great deal amount of stress which leads them to either feel anxious and/or depressed. My job as their clinical therapist is to better understand why the client is stressed and then to provide coping strategies to better manage their stress. I recently read an article from The New York Times, that touched on this very topic, “How to Be Better at Stress” by author Tara Parker-Pope. Below are…

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How to Find Joy When Life Gets Tough

October 8, 2020

It is no secret that life is a little strange right now. The world as we know it has been turned upside down and people are running into hardships they may not have encountered otherwise. In an uncertain environment, how do we find joy in our daily lives? It’s helpful to understand what the definition of joy actually is. Joy is a strong, long-term state “… that results in feelings of inner peace and contentment.” Those who…

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Identifying Your Communication Style

October 7, 2020

Hannah Hopper, LPC   One topic that continues to come up in many of my sessions is communication styles. We are constantly communicating with those around us, and our communication style can either serve as a bridge or be a barrier to creating connections. Going to therapy is an incredibly effective tool for working on communication, and this blog will give a brief introduction on three styles of communication.  Passive Communication Passive communication is characterized by expressing…

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Getting Over a Breakup

October 6, 2020

Kaitlin Broderick LCPC Relationship breakups are something that almost everyone experiences at one point or other during their life. They can leave us feeling devastated and confused. More often than not, our romantic relationships are the area in our lives where we have devoted the most time and energy into, and when this is suddenly taken away it can leave us feeling lost and uncertain. These are some common similarities that many people experience after a breakup…

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Family Enmeshment: Part 1

October 5, 2020

By: Danielle Bertini Being close with your family is not an inherently negative thing. For me, coming from a large Italian family meant that I was constantly around family, sharing stories, food, and details about my life. So, what does it mean to be too close? Enmeshment within family systems describes a lack of boundaries in which roles and expectations are confused, parents are overly reliant on their children for support, and children are not allowed to…

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Why Is Negative Thinking Detrimental and How Do I Combat It?

October 5, 2020

By: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC The downward spiral of negative thinking can be incredibly powerful. We’ve all been there and descended into a damaging thought pattern we don’t want to be in. Many of my clients struggle with this and once they go down the rabbit hole of negative thought patterns, they aren’t sure how to get themselves out. Naturally, this leads to an undesirable mood and feelings of being stuck.  Often, it can be helpful…

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Drying Out: Alcohol’s Effects on the Body

October 4, 2020

Bridgette W. Gotwald, LPC, NCC Alcohol. That’s a word that will quickly grab the attention of many members of our society. It’s hard to believe that we’re already half way through 2020, and the year has quickly gotten away from us. In countless of my clients’ first sessions of the new year, numerous people were thrilled to tell me that they are engaging in dry January. A new year starts, people are inspired and ready for new…

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Dieting and Binge Eating

October 3, 2020

Kaitlin Broderick LCPC We live in a society where diets are extremely common. The majority of people-especially but not limited to women-have been on a diet at one point or another during their lifetime. As many people know from experience the restricting of calories that often goes along with dieting often eventually leads to binge eating. This can lead to a vicious cycle of restricting and then overeating which can result in feelings of disgust or shame.…

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