child psychologist
Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Once we have begun to make positive changes in our lives and found stability in mood and behavior, it is important to develop a plan for sustaining these changes. Regardless of what we are working on in therapy and/or in recovery, I recommend that everyone develop a relapse prevention plan. This will provide a structured approach to increase our chances of countering any triggers or urges that could lead us to a symptom…
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Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Congratulations on making the significant change of quitting using your drug of choice. Right now, I hope you are feeling a great sense of accomplishment, as well as renewed energy from living better with improved eating and sleeping habits. Making this initial change might be the hardest part of your recovery, but this will not be the only challenge you face. At some point, your newfound sober energy may turn into emotional fatigue,…
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When we learn that someone is facing an illness or needing extra care, our thoughts immediately go to them – as they should. We wonder how they’re feeling. We ask them what we can do for them. We check in on them more frequently. We know they probably need extra support, and it’s right to offer it to them. What may not be as obvious is that the people who are primarily responsible for taking care of…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Battling depression can feel like a helpless, lonely, and never-ending journey to happiness. Between the frequent tears, fatigue, and lack of motivation, it can feel nearly impossible to live your life in a meaningful way. Those who struggle with depression find it easy to get stuck in a dark place where it “isn’t worth it” to do things, you are hard on yourself, and feel hopeless. Rather than focusing on…
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Steven Losardo In a recent Pew Center research article on marriage and love in America, Geiger and Livingston (2018) combine online survey data from 1990 to 2017 highlighting several multifaceted factors on the way to the altar. Factors such as cohabitation, which is up 29% since 2007, and marriage to someone in a different religious group, which is up 39%, are becoming prevalent. Additionally, now more than ever technology is playing an essential role in the process.…
Read MoreHolidays are not always the happiest of times for everyone. If loved ones have passed during the year, the holidays are always a part of the “firsts” which is of course hard to handle. If you have to work and are unable to get to your family or friends is also difficult. When feeling down and having to attend multiple functions can be overwhelming and can lead to toxic relationships. In this post, I will identify 5…
Read MoreMental health has a very bad stigma that we need to break. There is nothing wrong with mental health or having to see a therapist or taking medications. Why do we feel like we cannot talk about what is honestly happening in our lives? Being honest with ourselves and with others about mental health can help break the stigma that we live in. Talk openly about mental health. Be honest and open with friends, co-workers, family, people…
Read MoreAs a therapist, I often see in session the struggles my clients have with patience. I have experienced couples being frustrated with one another about their conflict cycles continuing, or annoyed with their partner for not doing household chores when asked. I have also heard individuals get frustrated with the traffic that made them late to the sessions, or express frustration with the therapy process as a whole because things are not changing as quickly as they…
Read MoreFor many of us, the transition from the workplace to home can be stressful and bring less relief than we’d like. For workers who feel unable to turn off a stream of negative thoughts, feelings, and memories from the workday, home may feel less relaxing than it should. Feeling as if you have no control over the stress of work spilling into your evening at home is a sign that you need stronger boundaries in place to…
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I work with many clients who are stressed out for a variety of reasons, whether it is related to school, work, friends, family, or their romantic relationship. Some clients even discuss that due to feeling highly stressed, they have a tendency to become angry quickly and lose their patience with a coworker, friend, partner, or perhaps even themselves. We live in a society where people move fast all of the time. I often encourage clients to practice…
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