cognitive therapy
As a clinician, I have encouraged clients with positive psychology tips in their daily lives, often mentioning ideas such as using “self-affirmations” or a “reframing” perspective. A self-affirmation might be an encouraging or praising thought for something they either like about themselves or felt they did well at. A reframing perspective is looking at a stressful situation through a different lens/paradigm. Or I might encourage clients to practice gratitude in their lives — identifying things they are…
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I work with many clients who discuss feeling anxious due to a number of stressors, whether it be related to their professional or personal life. Some clients even discuss feeling worried or anxious related to noticing their children exhibiting symptoms of anxiety as well. I recently read an article from The New York Times that touched on this topic, “How to Help a Child with an Anxiety Disorder” by author Perri Klass, M.D. Dr. Klass discusses several…
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While many women experience mild mood changes or “the blues” during or after the birth of a child, 1 in 5-to-7 women experience more significant symptoms of depression or anxiety. Also, 1-in-10 dads become depressed and anxious during the first year as well. If these feelings are lasting past the two-week mark, they are no longer just “the blues.” The baby blues last no more than 2 days to 2 weeks, often due to the extreme hormone…
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Depression makes us sad and fearful of having emotions, and we do not feel anything but sadness and lack of enjoyment in our daily lives. After having a baby, those feelings can also occur, and it is called Postpartum Depression (PPD.) Just like depression, symptoms might start after a triggering moment, and with PPD, it is after delivering your baby. PPD symptoms include moodiness (mood swings), difficulty connecting with your baby, and not being able to make…
Read MoreWe live in a society where depression is slowly becoming more talked about in general, and an area which has specifically seen improvement is among postpartum mothers. However, rarely does society consider depression among the fathers. A recent New York Post article titled, “Dads are just as likely as moms to become depressed: study,” explored both the reasons behind fathers who experience depression and possible solutions. They stated that in depression screenings done during 9,500 visits to…
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Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Practitioner Have you considered participating in family therapy? There are several reasons you might want to give it a try. Family therapy addresses individual issues within the context of a group—a family. A family is defined not necessarily as a set of biological relatives but rather as a group of people who serve as a long-term support system. Many people have found family therapy to be helpful in addressing a variety of issues,…
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You’ve decided that your child would benefit from participating in therapy. Now you need to choose a therapist. How do you decide? First, identify 3-5 therapists in your area who work with children and are accepting new clients. You can ask your child’s school counselor, teachers, other parents, and people in your community for recommendations. Once you’ve identified your candidates, request a free consultation with each of them. A consultation is an opportunity to ask questions of…
Read MoreMadissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Everyone goes into their first marriage expecting it to be their last, yet in today’s society, the terms “divorce” and “blended family” (or “stepfamily”) are not foreign concepts. A blended family or stepfamily forms when you and your partner merge your lives together with children from one or both of your previous marriages. Knowing there are many difficulties you and your family may face, it can be incredibly intimidating and…
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Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Practitioner “I don’t know what to say.” “I don’t want to make it worse.” Over the past week, I’ve heard from parents, teachers, and other adults asking how to talk to children about the school shooting in Florida. These discussions can be difficult for adults and children, but they’re vital. As adults, we need to know what the children in our lives are thinking and feeling in order to provide them with emotional…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling In this day and age, it is incredibly easy to turn to social media for validation. You may have 6,000 followers on Instagram, 1,000 friends on Facebook, or you may get hundreds of views every day on your blog, but are you happy with your social support system? Do you feel you have friends that lift you up when you are feeling down or family who are there to listen…
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