Matthew Cuddeback
Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW There is an issue that we all experience and many of us unfortunately perpetuate. We do this sometimes to cope, sometimes we do it out of necessity and sometimes its done with intent to harm, whatever the case it often starts unintentionally. I am talking about how we can sometimes dehumanize others, to turn them into something less than human, something that feels easier to constructively criticize and sometimes attack. When we do this,…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW Often times we experience something, think something, or identify with something and then take it and incorporate it into our story. The most obvious examples of this are when we were young and we heard a certain kind of music and suddenly decided that was a defining aspect of our character, we listened to Nirvana for the first time and went and cut holes in our jeans, stopped washing our hair, and got super…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW In therapy we often talk about holding space. This can refer to the art of allowing a feeling to just be, without judgement. This can also refer to the space we literally and metaphorically take up in the world and in our own specific lives. Regardless of the specific reason for discussing space in therapy, it is important to understand why it is so important to your mental health. The reason we spend so…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW When working in the field of mental health, we often utilize SMART goals. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Based. The reason we do this (as in many fields) is because we often have a great idea and a great goal and can’t wait to get there. However, it can be incredibly easy to get side-tracked, lose sight, or feel overwhelmed, when we have something big we want to accomplish…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW Winston Churchill said “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” This quote stuck with me long after I heard it, it is incredibly profound for many different reasons. Churchill was saying this, as a rousing orator, to motivate the British people during the second World War. However, I find that it is also incredibly impactful for when we are waging our own internal wars as a guide for how to see our way through…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW When living in a major metropolitan area it is unfortunately a part of our lives that we will have some sort of lengthy commute. This time spent commuting can not only be frustrating, but also easily squandered, it is all too easy to be sitting on the train ruminating about something that annoyed you at work, maybe reading work emails, or just scrolling through things that are unhealthy for you mentally and emotionally, on…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW Mental health has become a major talking point recently as a result of people trying to make sense of the terrorist attacks in Texas and Ohio. These sad and all too frequent acts of violence are rife with areas worth discussion and understanding, but the area that I feel is crucial for mental health professionals to discuss is that it is patently false and extremely harmful to blame such violent acts on a person’s…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW Have you ever experienced a moment that felt as though it came completely out of nowhere, in which you suddenly became anxious, sweaty, shaky? This can happen when you are at home, out with friends, etc. For example, let’s say you are at a crowded bar and all of the sudden you start to get anxious, sweaty, and are having a hard time breathing. In this scenario, let’s say you go to the hospital…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW We’ve all been there, someone has done something hurtful and you have been able to work through your emotions and process what happened and in order to feel as though it can be all wrapped up and everyone can move on, what you need next is an apology. Maybe you hint at the need for an apology, and they don’t pick up on what you are asking for. Maybe you ask for an apology…
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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…
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