cognitive therapy
Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified The Lost Child Aliases: “The Quiet One” “The Shy One,” “The Independent” The “lost child” is the family member who retreats from family dysfunction due to feeling overwhelmed. They can spend a lot of time alone, pursue singular interests, and/or struggle to establish or maintain relationships with others. The lost child is rarely seen as a stressor in the family (unless they develop a compulsive coping mechanism; see #6, below). For…
Read MoreAmanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified The Scapegoat Aliases: “The Problem,” “The Bad One,” “The Crazy One” The scapegoat is the person in the family who is obviously struggling. They might express unhealthy behaviors, such as participation in illegal activities or acting out in the classroom or at home. Family members might label them as “unstable” or a “rebel.” The scapegoat often receives extra attention within the family because they are seen as the one with the…
Read MoreAmanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified Regardless of if your family is biological or chosen, you have a role in your family. Your role may be healthy, unhealthy, or perhaps a combination of both. There are many factors that contribute to which role(s) you adopt and which one(s) you do not. It’s important to assess and change any dysfunctional roles in order to support your emotional health and improve your family relationships. Ask yourself, do I embody…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC In Part one of this blog, I discussed the topic of enmeshment within family systems, including what it is and signs for noticing it is occurring. As discussed, growing up in an enmeshed family might mean that you now have replicated enmeshment and codependency in other relationships in your life. In part two of this blog we will discuss four components of reversing enmeshment and becoming a healthier, more authentic version of yourself. …
Read MoreHannah Hopper Over the past several decades, psychological research has focused on the benefits of having high self-esteem. There are countless books, podcasts, and articles that promise to give tips for increasing your self-esteem, so much so that high self-esteem seems like the most important thing when it comes to good mental health. But psychology professor and researcher Kristen Neff says that boosting your ego won’t necessarily make you feel better in the long run. The problem…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC In Part one of this blog, I discussed the topic of enmeshment within family systems, including what it is and signs for noticing it is occurring. As discussed, growing up in an enmeshed family might mean that you now have replicated enmeshment and codependency in other relationships in your life. In part two of this blog we will discuss four components of reversing enmeshment and becoming a healthier, more authentic version of yourself. …
Read MoreBy Hannah Hopper The National Alliance on Mental Health highlights that many children struggle with depression in their teenage years, but it’s often undetected by parents. Teenage depression can look different than adults struggling with depression, and this blog gives several ways that you can help your child cope. 1) Pay attention to the warning signs Teens go through a lot of different stages, and this can make it harder to pinpoint if your child is feeling…
Read MoreAs 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…
Read MoreBy: 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…
Read MoreBridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC Often people think their anxiety comes out of nowhere, but what if it was trying to get your attention and tell you something? Typically, underneath any undesirable feeling that we experience, there is something beneath the surface that’s been left unaddressed. Most of our fears and worries revolve around what we can’t control and unfortunately, sometimes it ends up controlling us. Anxiety sets in, we are able to regulate less and less,…
Read MoreDo You Need Help?
Not what you were looking for?