mental health
Children often form their first deep bonds with the pets they grow up alongside. These relationships aren’t only about fun and companionship. Research shows that the benefits of family dogs for child development stretch into emotional growth, resilience, empathy, and responsibility. A family dog can be more than a friend. It can act as a teacher, a comforter, and a steady presence during both joyful and challenging times. How Family Dogs Shape Child Development The family dog…
By: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC Your attachment style was developed with your primary caregiver when you were an infant. Before understanding attachment, we must know how to recognize it and how it affects relationships and connections amidst our lives. What is Attachment? Attachment, also known as attachment bonds, is the “emotional connection you formed as an infant with your primary caregiver – probably your mother.” Typically, the quality of bonding you experienced during this first relationship…
Hannah Hopper, LPC Self-harm is something that happens often, and yet, like many other mental health challenges, there’s a lot of stigma around it. If you’ve never struggled with it before, it might be hard to understand why someone would engage in self-harm. But even though it’s hard to talk about self-harm, we can begin to break down the stigma by understanding why some people engage in it. So why do people self-harm? To feel present People…
Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, LPC, NCC Do you hear people use the terms Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder interchangeably? Well, though they are somewhat similar, both mental health conditions are distinct in their own way. It is quite normal to feel overwhelmed from time to time, whether about home life, job stress, relationships, and kids; However, when these worries turn to ruminating thoughts that are difficult to turn off and even impact daily functioning, it can certainly be…
Steven Losardo, AMFT You may be feeling a lot of apprehension about returning to work after months of working at home or unemployment while knowing we are still in the pandemic. You may be experiencing anxiety about what comes next for you. Feeling this way is common; anxiety has increased for many people during this time. One research study on Google trends discovered that more people have been searching for “worry” and “anxiety” as well as techniques…
By Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC Anger is an emotion that is both universal and misunderstood. Like any emotion, anger is not good or bad in and of itself. The amount, timing, and purpose of anger factor into whether it will be constructive. This post will review some of the pros and cons of anger: Pros Anger Can Be A Strong Indication of the Perception of Unfairness Our emotions are signals that provide valuable…
Matthew Cuddeback LCSW When I am working with people on changing a behavior that has been identified as unhealthy or problematic, we often focus on two areas that help with this change, 1. Addressing the underlying issues that led to this behavior, and 2. Specific skills needed to manage this behavior change. When we get to this second one, I often discuss with client’s the power of the sticky note as a tool to help with changing…
Steven Losardo, AMFT Negotiation of salaries is a tricky endeavor for anyone, but it can be a more complicated process for certain personality types. This dilemma is why understanding your personality characteristics can come in handy when it comes to essential decision-making processes such as asking for a raise. Agreeableness as a personality trait. According to the five-factor model of personality, agreeableness refers to one of five personality traits that we possess in varying degrees. The other…
Jessica Pontis, LCSW On March 11, 2020, Covid-19 was officially declared to be a pandemic and all at once the world seemed to stand still. Countries locked down, wedding plans changed, families forced to grieve the loss of loved ones. We’ve lost jobs, connection, and precious time. Up until very recently so much of the conversation around Covid-19 has been about how I can make it through lockdown, how can I stay safe, when will I be…
Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, LPC, NCC There are few things that affect the human soul as grief does. It cuts deep and has the potential to bring even the strongest person’s life to a standstill. We all have persons whom we love deeply, and whether it is by death, divorce or any other permanent end to a relationship, grieving these losses can take a significant emotional and physical toll. It is indeed one of the greatest fears we as…
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