grief counseling
I remember one of the first times I was introduced to the concept of “fat”. I was a third grader (about 8 years old) when a friend made the comment, “my mom told me if your arms or thighs jiggle, it means your fat.” As a child I remember feeling so concerned that because my thighs gave the slightest jiggle, I must have been fat. I grew up in the diet culture of the 90’s and early…
Read MoreBy: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC If you read my last blog post, which was part one of this two-part blog series, you learned many things that you would be able to observe from the body language of others. It discussed studying the eyes, facial movements, and proximity of body positioning. Part two includes information about mirroring, head movements, feet and hand signals, and more! Is the other person mirroring you? Mirroring of body language or behavior…
Read MoreBy Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC This is the million-dollar question to which I am going to respond with the unsatisfying answer: “It Depends.” Of course, there is no way to accurately predict the future, especially when it comes to relationships which are inherently messy and complicated. However, there are common reasons why relationships end. In this post, I will share four of them. Overdependence on one partner for emotional well-being…
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By Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC Healthy communication is essential to relationship satisfaction and sustainability. While many of us know that listening is important, we may not have a firm grasp on what healthy listening looks like. In my professional experience working with couples, I believe that the most important communication skill is Reflective Listening (“RL”). In this post I will define RL, explain why it is important, describe what it can help you…
Read MoreWritten by Kara Thompson, Licensed Social Worker Self-esteem, self-care, self-talk… If you’ve spent any time reading the hottest self-help book or participated in any sort of individual therapy, I’m sure you’re familiar with these terms. As we spend time turned inwards towards the “self,” it’s also important that we bring our awareness to another: self-compassion. As defined by Dr. Kristin Neff and Dr. Christopher Germer, “self-compassion involves treating yourself the way you would treat a friend who…
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If you asked someone a year ago if they wanted to return to “normal,” it’s likely the answer would be “yes” before you were even able to finish the question. Maybe you would’ve been met with, “Is that even a question?! Of course, I want to go back to normal!”. If you asked that same person the same question today, you may be met with a different response. Human beings are incredibly adaptable and resilient and after…
Read MoreHow Do I Know if It’s Impacting Me and How Can I Combat It? As society continues to reflect upon aspects of itself that are unhealthy, unproductive, and shared experiences, new terminology continues to be created. Recently, a new term has been created to name the feeling that no matter how hard we work or how many things we achieve it’s never enough. This term is internalized capitalism. “Internalized capitalism is this idea that our self-worth is…
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By: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC If you are out with friends, or at the office, the body language of the people around you holds a wealth of information and can speak volumes. In fact, body language constitutes for “more than 60% of what we communicate, so learning to read the nonverbal cues people send is a valuable skill.” Words can easily be fabricated, or people can come up with lies or excuses, but body language has…
Read MoreJessica Pontis, LCSW I can think of few things better than a great night’s sleep. I know that when I have a good night’s sleep I feel ready for just about anything the next day. Sleeping is just as important to our health as a good diet, community, and exercise, but many of us struggle to find rest during the night. We may toss and turn or ruminate on the events of the past repeatedly. If you…
Read MoreBy Eve Brownstone, LCPC During a family BBQ recently… I want to pause for a moment and say how grateful I am to be able to attend a BBQ with my family. A year without hugging loved ones is hard. Zoom helped but Arghhhh not the same. I mentioned to my cousin at the family BBQ, the way I got through the lockdown and isolation was painting. I was surrounded by friends. My paintings became my companions.…
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