mental health
Subtle language can change how people see themselves, their memories, and their emotions. Conversations that feel confusing or dismissive often leave a lasting impact, especially when the same patterns repeat over time. Gaslighting phrases often hide in plain sight, woven into everyday dialogue, and they can slowly erode confidence and emotional safety. Many people start noticing these patterns after reading about public figures or high-profile relationships that show manipulative behavior. Those same patterns often appear in personal…
Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC Are there certain experiences that can commonly cause trauma responses in children? Yes, and we have identified the most common of these experiences, which are known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). In 1995 and 1997, CDC-Kaiser-Permanente conducted a massive study to identify the most common experiences that can cause a child to suffer trauma in childhood and later in adulthood. These experiences- called “ACEs” – have helped adults better understand not only the…
Abby Hauer, MC, LAC Self-Compassion and Mindfulness, Part II: How Do I Put It in Practice? More on Mindfulness Mindfulness does not have to be five minutes of silence or a guided meditation. Mindfulness can be incorporated into your life anyway that you see fit! The most important part of being mindful is bringing your awareness to what’s happening in the moment. Not thinking about what you could be doing in five minutes or what you did…
Abby Hauer, MC, LAC I would like to preface this blog by sharing with you that I used to roll my eyes when someone would mention mindfulness – I just did not buy into it. However, Mindfulness has been proven to be effective time and time again through research. But what the heck is it? Before I was able to understand mindfulness, I had to first understand what self-compassion was. Self-Compassion and Mindfulness, Part I: What Does…
Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, MA, NCC The notion that exercising can be relaxing is hard to grasp, but it is accurate. At first, you may have to tolerate it, but then as your physique improves and your mental capacities get the hang of it, it becomes pure bliss. A study established that exercising increases beta-endorphins in your blood. The presence of these neurochemicals causes psychological and physiological changes. One change echoed by many researchers is exercise-induced euphoria, which can…
Steven Losardo, AMFT As we try to adjust to life challenges, it is crucial to maintain both physical and mental health. Today, the drastic increase in remote work requires changing our wellness habits to adapt to our current surroundings. That said, the idea of elevating or even beginning at-home wellness can be easier said than done. Suppose for you this adjustment is not only tricky, but it also seems impossible. Further, you have been here before. A…
Steven Losardo, AMFT You may have seen a lot of anger as of late, but did you know it can be a strength? You probably did not, as only about 13 percent of those who admit to serious trouble controlling anger get help (Barnhill, 2015). Anger is a range of frustration to severe fury. The emotion is also understood as a state of readiness and results from a sense of injustice (Clinton & Langberg, 2011). This feeling…
Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, MA, NCC Before I start telling you the details of what this “perspective” deal is all about, I would like all of you to answer a simple question first: Do you view a half-filled glass of water as being half-full or half-empty? This may have sounded silly to you, but believe me, this can tell us a lot about how someone views the world. I am confident that most of you are familiar with this…
By: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC You want festive, you want fun, you want fa-la-la-la-la. However, when it comes to celebrating the holidays (and doing pretty much everything else in the world), things look a bit different this year. Coping with the holidays and the COVID-19 Pandemic isn’t an easy adjustment for anyone. On top of that, we’ve never done this before, so we have to adapt and learn as we go. To do this, we have…
Matthew Cuddeback LCSW We all come to moments in our lives in which we just don’t know how to address the problem that has arisen. You look at all your options and some seem terrible, some seem good, some seem out of reach. Maybe there are too many and that itself can be overwhelming. It can be helpful to simplify this situation by utilizing the therapeutic principle that states there are four problem solving options to…
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