counselor
I work with many clients who are parents to younger children. Now that the summer is coming to an end, many parents are feeling the back to school chaos of balancing their morning with getting themselves to work and their children to school. My job as their clinical therapist is to provide a sense of sympathy and validation that balancing the chaos of their children and their job can be incredibly overwhelming. I then also attempt to…
Shannon M. Duffy, MFT, LCPC As a therapist I want to provide a safe place for every individual to feel they can be open and honest as they begin therapy and throughout the process. I am fond of the phrase, “these are four non-judgmental walls” within my office to provide my client’s reassurance. However, many individuals choose to withhold the truth or alter the severity of their concerns within therapy. This is common practice and many times…
I work with many clients who struggle with procrastination. My job as their clinical therapist is to help them understand possible reasons why they are procrastinating things in their life, whether it is in their professional or personal life. Once we figure out why they are procrastinating things, I then help provide possible coping skills to help them with their procrastination tendencies. I recently read an article from FastCompany that touched on this very topic, “Procrastination is…
Relationships and the experiences that we have within them shape who we are as a person. Romantic relationships in particular can be very fulfilling yet complicated at the same time. A satisfying partnership requires a delicate balance of communication, selflessness, knowing how to pick and choose your battles, and knowing when you need to put yourself first. There is no single way or method to achieve a happy and healthy relationship, but there are certain guidelines that…
Tim Herrera of The New York Times recently wrote about the benefits of letting go of your grudges. His findings are summarized below. Chances are, if you were asked right now if you are holding any grudges, you could identify at least one, even if it seems small and petty. It’s also likely that you find it hard to let go of your grudges – essentially, what this would take is forgiveness. Forgiveness can get a bad…
Estelle Eramus at The New York Times recently wrote about a new approach to bullying; her findings are summarized below. If you are a parent, chances are you’ve worried about the possibility of your kid being bullied or bullying someone else, if you haven’t already experienced it with your child. It’s likely that there was less conversation about bullying when you were younger, but nowadays you frequently hear reports of bullying and theories about how to stop…
When it comes to our jobs, we are going to experience a wide range of situations and emotions as long as we are in the work force. You may have a job or career that you love, or you may have a job that you are feeling unfulfilled by. And of course, there’s a wide range of situations and experiences in between. If you are in the work force, you may even experience a point in time…
Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW Have you been in conflict with someone and it escalated to the point at which you noticed they were no longer able to take in what you were saying? They seemed to check out of the argument? Maybe they avoided engaging any further, they huffed, folded their arms, maybe they walked away? Maybe you have been this person. What happened is that this person became so overwhelmed or flooded by emotion that they were…
Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Anger can feel intense and automatic. In heated moments, reactions may seem to happen instantly and without choice. With intentional effort and guided counseling, anger management skills can reduce the intensity, frequency, and duration of those responses. At Symmetry Counseling, we help clients understand the roots of their anger and develop healthier ways to respond. Anger itself is not harmful, as it often signals frustration, hurt, or unmet expectations. The challenge arises when…
Steven Topper, LCPC For many of us, we know what we want: family, success, esteem, love — this list could go on forever. Many of us also find that when we get these things, they aren’t quite what we expected. Finally got that promotion and it’s not as glamorous as you thought? Get married and your partner still has all their issues you already know about (the audacity!)? It can be incredibly deflating to work so hard…