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Present Over Perfect, Part II: How Do I Re-Make My Life?

December 23, 2020

Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC You may have read part one to this blog series, which was titled “Present Over Perfect, Part I: How Is Therapy Similar to Vinegar?” which discussed the similarities between therapy and vinegar, and the many benefits the therapeutic relationship can bring to someone’s life. This blog continues to share some of Shauna Niequist’s ideas and concepts from her book, Present Over Perfect that are worth living by.  Stillness As we rush through…

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Can Stress Be Good for Me?

December 18, 2020

I work with many clients who struggle with stress and anxiety. Many times, clients are looking for ways to better manage their stress. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) there is a difference between stress and anxiety. Both are emotional responses. Stress is typically caused by a trigger and has a short-term affect; whereas anxiety is persistent worry that doesn’t go away even with the lack of stressor. Either way, stress and anxiety are both challenging…

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Am I Burned Out From Work Due to Working From Home?

December 17, 2020
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I work with many clients who are truly starting to struggle with their work transition of working from home 100% of the time due to the current global pandemic. Some clients of mine were working remotely prior the pandemic, and they too are struggling due to most of their shared office spaces/coffee shops are currently closed. One of my jobs as their clinician is to help the client understand some warning signs that they could be burning…

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How Can I Connect With My Coworkers While Working from Home?

December 13, 2020

I work with many clients who are struggling with connecting with others due to many interactions have become virtual since March, especially with coworkers. With this lack of social connection, I have definitely seen an increase in depression in my clients as many times loneliness and depression can go hand in hand. One of my jobs as my clients’ clinician is to better help them find creative ways to connect with others, especially while in this pandemic.…

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Managing Seasonal Affective Disorder in the Midst of a Pandemic

December 11, 2020

There are two very different trains of thought that can come when thinking about winter. The first are thoughts of holidays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, time with family, eating delicious foods, participating in traditions, and making joyous and happy memories. The other, less desirable train of thought includes shortened days, less hours of sunlight and more darkness, cold weather, less opportunities to go outside or painful memories of past holidays that didn’t go the way you had…

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How to Disconnect When Working from Home

December 9, 2020

As technology developed and social media made its way to the mainstream, time spent on our phones and computers began to steadily increase. There was more to look at and scroll through and there was more information to be gathered both intellectually and socially from these platforms. As dating applications came on the scene time spent swiping on our phones increased as well. We’ve seen an overwhelming increase the past few years in the amount of time…

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How A Good Book Improves Your Mental Health

December 6, 2020

Ashlee Stumpf, LPC It’s unlikely you will go to a doctor’s office and come out with a prescription of J.R.R. Tolkien, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t help. Storytelling is an art form as old as time. We grow up on stories to learn morals, culture, history, and the human experience. Sometimes they may take place in a fantastical world or have characters living lives extraordinarily different to our own, however that doesn’t mean we can gain…

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Concrete Ways to Cultivate Happiness: Part 2

December 5, 2020

Hello again! As previously discussed in part 1 of this blog post, each of our definitions of happiness are different, valid, and important to pursue. We frequently hear people say, “I’ll be happy when…”. But what if we could be happy now? How do we find happiness in our daily lives in order to create a more positive environment for ourselves and those around us? Well, we began discussing ways to cultivate happiness in the previous post…

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Concrete Ways to Cultivate Happiness: Part 1

December 4, 2020

It’s important to begin by asking yourself what happiness means to you. Each of our definitions of happiness will likely be different, however, it’s important to have an image in mind of how you view happiness. Many individuals believe that money is essential to happiness, and maybe it is! However, investing most or all of our time, energy, and resources into making money, with the belief that it will lead to happiness, actually leads to the exact…

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6 Reasons To Go To Therapy

November 30, 2020

Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, MA, NCC Despite what is often depicted in TV shows and movies, therapy involves much more than just laying on a couch and talking about your feelings. Widespread stigmatization of counseling can lead to misconceptions about what exactly therapy is and how it can be helpful. The fact of the matter is, therapy can be an incredibly powerful tool in helping to work through past trauma, better regulate and manage emotions, navigate grief and transition,…

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