marriage and family therapist
Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, MA, NCC Since the start of the pandemic, many of us have found ourselves in the same cart as the roller coaster of emotions barrels rapidly and relentlessly through the air and back down to earth, over and over again, feeling an overwhelming sense of powerlessness to stop or even slow its course. Whether fueled by fears for our health and safety, exhaustion from a lack of routine, or sadness over loss of connection, lowered…
Read MoreWhile the connection between nature and mental health may not be entirely shocking, just how strong the connection is, and how much of an impact nature has on emotional well-being can be enlightening to many individuals. While this concept may seem simple, there’s actually more to this process of connection than simply standing outside and staring at a tree. Today’s fast paced world where many things are easily accessible to us leaves few things to be awed…
Read MoreJessica Pontis, LCSW Humans are innately social creatures, we depend on one another for interaction, support, and community. We live in intricate social structures that we must navigate day in and day out. Our relationships with one another, while rewarding, can also be complex. As a result of these complexities, we can feel hurt by the words or actions of others, sometimes ever our own. Others may make us feel disappointed, unheard, unvalidated. All these things can…
Read MoreHannah Hopper, LPC, NCC One of the most common things I’ve heard from my clients during the pandemic is that it’s been extremely difficult to manage anger and overwhelming emotions. What I keep hearing is that anger is coming up in more unexpected places; it’s harder than ever before to manage anger with co-workers, in relationships, and with family members. Many of us have a shorter fuse these days, and that’s why I’m covering anger management strategies…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC With the upcoming presidential election right around the corner as well as the holiday season, I have found that many people are anxious with not knowing how to potentially discuss politics with their families. Although not every family structure talks about politics, some families enjoy talking about politics the same way some families talk about their favorite sports teams: with a one-sided passion that they expect everyone else to share. However, talking about…
Read MoreAmanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified If you need to decrease your screen time, try these additional methods. Decrease Triggers A trigger is anything that causes you to want to engage in screen time. Triggers can be a time of the day, an activity, an emotion, a visual cue, or anything else. You may not have a thought or desire to check your phone until your phone lights up with a new notification, and then you have…
Read MoreAmanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified Phones, TVs, and computers are a large part of your life, and that’s unlikely to change. Yet, spending too much time on these devices can have a negative impact on your mental health. They may cause anxiety, loneliness, fatigue, insomnia, and stress. Screen time is defined as any activity that involves a screen, such as watching TV/movies, playing video games, searching the internet/scrolling, or connecting with social media. Do you need…
Read MoreMatthew Cuddeback LCSW If there is one thing 2020 has taught us, it is that we need to do more work on how to navigate differences in opinions and especially differences in values. As we get older, we often see our perspectives or opinions have evolved and may not match up with our families of origin. This is of course nothing new, but in 2020 it does feel more potent. Let’s talk about the ways in which…
Read MoreMatthew Cuddeback LCSW The reactions and effects of current global affairs have ebbed and flowed for most of 2020. We have all had our ups and downs of some variety, and with a highly contentious political season in full swing and various other highly challenging social issues continuing to have serious effects it is easy to lose sight of the fact that the weather is changing and in a few months time it will be snowing. This…
Read MoreDo You Need Help?
Not what you were looking for?