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Is it Possible to Grow from Difficult Experiences?

November 10, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to sweep our country, another crisis continues to grow. Many individuals are either continuing to battle mental health struggles or fighting this battle for the first time. Rates of anxiety and depression have increased tremendously from the current circumstances. Whether we’ve lost a loved one, have been isolated from friends and family, or are experiencing the economic impacts of this pandemic, we’ve all been impacted in some capacity. People have begun looking for answers…

How Do I Stay Productive and Motivated?

November 8, 2020

Kaitlin Broderick LCPC We have all had days where we wake up and feel energized, motivated, and productive. On the other hand, we also all have days where we wake up tired and feeling like we don’t want to do anything at all. Sometimes it is ok and may be necessary to take a day off and relax. However, if you’re consistently struggling with staying productive and filled with regret at the end of the day because…

Toxic Positivity: It’s Okay to Not be Okay

October 25, 2020

Toxic positivity is not a phrase many of us are used to hearing. Isn’t positivity, well, positive? Some of the time yes, and some of the time no. To better understand, it’s important to know the definition of toxic positivity. “Toxic positivity is the idea that we should focus only on positive emotions and the positive aspects of life. It’s the belief that if we ignore difficult emotions and the parts of our life that aren’t working…

Are you a People Pleaser?

October 22, 2020

Kaitlin Broderick LCPC Constantly saying “yes” can leave you drained and stretched thin. Plans stack up, obligations grow, and personal time slowly disappears. Learning how to stop being a people pleaser begins with noticing these patterns and understanding why they happen. Guilt often shows up when thinking about disappointing someone. Anxiety may surface when turning down a request. Cultural messages about staying busy and being agreeable can add pressure. Agreeing to overtime, attending events you do not…

How We Talk to Ourselves Matters

October 20, 2020

By: Emily Brennan, MA, LAC, NCC You have probably heard the phrase, “It’s nice to be nice.” An accurate statement, indeed. What about being nice to ourselves? It may sound cheesy, but how “nice” we are to ourselves and our ‘self-talk’ in general is more important than we think. Self-talk is our inner dialogue and it can sound harsh and critical or tender and loving. For many of us, it is much easier to be self- critical…

Why Do We Meditate?

October 17, 2020

As we have had the past few months to reflect back on 2020, it has really opened by eyes into what habits and routines I have been engaging in. These habits can both be identified as positive and negative but focusing on the positive habits is very important.  One habit that I have really stuck on to is meditation.  Gaining an understanding of why meditation is helpful and important is key to also engaging in meditation.  I…

The Anatomy of Gratitude

October 14, 2020

By: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC “Today is a wonderful day…I haven’t seen this one before” – Maya Angelou  Recently, I listened to an insightful podcast titled “The Anatomy of Gratitude” with David Steindl-Rast, a ninety-three-year-old Benedictine monk and teacher on the subject of gratitude. He makes useful distinctions about experiences that are “life-giving” and “resilience-making.” He shares interesting perspectives on the ideas of gratefulness, joy and anxiety. If you haven’t listened to it yet, I highly…

The SWOT Analysis

October 12, 2020

By Eric Dean JD MBA MA MA LPC CADC To create plans for how we are going to achieve our goals, we need to know our starting point. SWOT Analysis, which stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, is a tool used by organizations and people to evaluate their current positions. SWOT analysis can help elucidate information that would otherwise be hard to uncover and provide a baseline assessment for evaluating progress. Here are a small sample…

How to Find Joy When Life Gets Tough

October 8, 2020

It is no secret that life is a little strange right now. The world as we know it has been turned upside down and people are running into hardships they may not have encountered otherwise. In an uncertain environment, how do we find joy in our daily lives? It’s helpful to understand what the definition of joy actually is. Joy is a strong, long-term state “… that results in feelings of inner peace and contentment.” Those who…

Drying Out: Alcohol’s Effects on the Body

October 4, 2020

Bridgette W. Gotwald, LPC, NCC Alcohol. That’s a word that will quickly grab the attention of many members of our society. It’s hard to believe that we’re already half way through 2020, and the year has quickly gotten away from us. In countless of my clients’ first sessions of the new year, numerous people were thrilled to tell me that they are engaging in dry January. A new year starts, people are inspired and ready for new…