counseling services

Jessica Pontis, LCSW No relationship is perfect, whether it’s with your mom, sibling, partner, or best friend. Every once in a while, you’re probably going to have a disagreement or may feel like they haven’t listened to you, or don’t understand where you’re coming from. When this happens, we may or may not develop feelings of resentment. If you’ve ever been with that feeling for somebody, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Resentment is that feeling…

Kyle Lawell, Licensed Professional Counselor When I was in the second grade, I vividly remember my teacher telling me to avoid using the word, “thing” in my writing. She told me that there were so many words I could learn and use in place of “thing” and that this word didn’t tell the audience what I was thinking, feeling, or doing. Instead of saying, “can you pick up that thing over there,” I was encouraged to say,…

Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, MA, NCC, LPC Complicated grief is a term used for grief that is more intense, lasts longer, and affects an individual more than typical grief. It may disrupt someone’s routine activities as they are preoccupied with feelings of loneliness, anger, and longing for their departed loved one. Losing a loved one is, unfortunately, one of the most common, yet distressing experiences, and is typically followed by a period of grief, sorrow, guilt, or anger. These…

Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified  EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an 8-phase therapy that uses bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements, pulsars, and sounds) to process distressing memories and reprocess negative core beliefs. EMDR was originally created to treat trauma, but over time it’s been found to be helpful in treating complicated grief, substance abuse, anxiety/phobias, chronic pain, dissociation, stress, and personality disorders. EMDR has gained popularity among therapists and clients. Yet, there is…

By Eric Dean JD MBA MA MA LPC CADC Being agreeable is generally considered a positive trait. However, it can get to a point when agreeableness becomes people-pleasing and starts to have negative consequences on our lives. This post will define “people-pleasing” and identify common signs of this behavior.    According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a people-pleaser is defined as: “A person who has an emotional need to please others often at the expense of his or her own…

Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified  Psychological testing can be a beneficial resource to support your mental health. But do you need to participate in testing? In order to determine this, you need to know what psychological testing is (and what it isn’t).  Psychological testing isn’t a one-hour assessment, intake, or clinical interview that is conducted by a medical doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist/counselor. These assessments usually consist of an interview or brief assessment tools that can provide…

Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified  Are you participating in individual therapy and are considering inviting a family member, friend, or romantic partner to your therapy session(s)? Are you wondering whether this is a good idea? I’ve discussed this decision with many of my clients. At times, my clients will determine that it’s a good idea, and other times they discover that it’s not.  Consider these points if you are thinking of inviting a loved one to…

By Karin Luk, LGSW Teaching children can be tricky. You know there are so many things you want your child to know like the importance of listening or being patient with others but HOW to teach these skills is a struggle. Play is an important part of every child’s development and it happens to be an effective, natural way to teach important life skills. Through play a child gets the chance to develop problem-solving skills, practice communication,…