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Bridgette 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 MoreHannah Hopper, LPC Losing a pet is devastating and heart-wrenching, and some pet owners find it an even more difficult loss than the loss of another person. Your pet is the one you leave in the morning, and come home to in the evening; they are a constant companion. But people who don’t have pets or have never experienced this constant companionship may have trouble empathizing with someone who’s lost a pet, and invalidate just how deep…
Read MoreHannah Hopper, LPC Anxiety can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s a child who’s experiencing the anxiety. It can help to learn more about anxiety and how to manage it, but what if it’s your child who’s experiencing the anxiety and lacking the words to tell you what’s going on? When anxiety surges, it can cause a fight-or-flight response that increases our blood pressure, triggers stress hormones in our body, and ramps up our breathing rate to prepare…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC Becoming a stepparent can be an exciting and fulfilling time. For some who have never had kids of their own, it becomes an opportunity to share your life with someone new and help shape their character. In some cases, new family members get along without a problem. However, there are sometimes bumps in the road. Figuring out how to navigate this new role can be challenging. Aside from the day-to-day responsibilities, there can…
Read MoreSteven Losardo, AMFT In October of 2015, my dad passed. Although painful at times, the healing journey has been fruitful for me. Recently, during our family’s’ weekly video call, some emotions were stirring. At the moment, I was unable to connect with them. Later that day, I was driving to Target as sadness began welling up inside. By the time I got to the store, the tears were falling, and it was surprising at first. After processing…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC It’s no secret that the teenage years are difficult, especially in this day and age. Witnessing your teenager go through hardships and not knowing how to help them can cause you to feel helpless and scared. My aim here is to help parents of teenagers struggling with anxiety better understand as well as learn ways to help. So, what is going on with teenagers? During adolescence, massive biological and psychological maturation floods them…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC How many of us have heard, and probably lived by, “work hard, play hard?” For years this had and has been the ideal quote to live by for young, working professionals. However, it seems like nowadays the “play” part of the phrase is nowhere to be found. Modern culture has created the pressure of succeed-or-you’re-nothing. People are increasingly connecting their identity and their internal value to their work ethic and professional achievements. The…
Read MoreAmanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified There are many emotional reasons why children struggle to fall asleep. They might feel excited, worried, bored, or distracted, which can make it difficult to wind down. Try these tips to help a child to fall asleep: Meet Comfort Needs What does the child need to feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed at night? You can identify these needs by asking the child, or you can experiment by providing these needs and…
Read MoreI’m sure we’ve all been there: mentally sitting on the sidelines, hoping and wishing that a casual friendship that we have with someone we admire or respect will evolve into something more lasting or meaningful. In my work with clients, I often find that this process ends with hope versus something actionable, and an opportunity is lost. We become afraid of initiating, we become afraid that we’re the only one wanting, we’re afraid of rejection and judgment.…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC Trust is one of the most important and fundamental building blocks of any sort of relationship, whether it be with a family member, friend, or a romantic partner. In order to foster emotional intimacy, there needs to be a level of trust within the relationship. Yet it is far easier to break and lose trust than it is to build and rebuild it. This process takes time, patience, and work. But it can…
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