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Spring Cleaning: 3 Simple Steps to Decluttering

February 6, 2019

Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Most of use have too much stuff, and probably do not use even a fraction of it. Our material possessions may bring us comfort and joy, and may even serve practical purposes that can help us be more productive with our time and effort. That said, most of it is probably just clutter. We generally do not truly need any of these things, and in many cases, may not even really want them…

How to Find Meaning Out of Shame

February 1, 2019

I work with many clients who struggle with their self-esteem related to shame they feel either related to their professional or personal life, or perhaps even both. My job as their clinical therapist is to help clients understand the reasons where their low self-esteem is stemming from. After doing that, I help provide the clients tools on how to cope with this shame they are experiencing. Through experiencing the feeling of shame, it is heavily connected with…

The Importance of Setting Goals for Yourself

February 1, 2019

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Goals are the fuel that help us believe in ourselves, sustain our ambition, motivate us to succeed, and hold us accountable. Without them you may find yourself going through life without having a sense of purpose. For example, you may feel stagnant in your career, bored in your relationship, or feel like there is nothing to look forward to on a day-to-day basis. Over time this can have negative effects…

Tips for Following Through

January 29, 2019

Shannon M. Duffy, MFT, LCPC As we start to create goals or generate ideas, we typically feel motivated to complete the task right away. However, we can easily get distracted by our daily lives and put off getting what we need or want to accomplish. In addition to lack of motivation to accomplish tasks, we can also avoid following through as we lack the desire to take the action to complete them. Here are a few ways…

What are the Physiological Effects of Deep Breathing Exercises and Why is it Helpful?

January 24, 2019

I work with many clients who are experiencing anxiety whether it is due to professional stressors or personal stressors. Part of my job as a clinical therapist is not only to assess reasons why clients are experiencing their symptoms of anxiety, but also to work with them on possible coping strategies to reduce their symptoms. I have read numerous research articles that explain the connections between our mind and body, especially when it comes to anxiety. For…

Moving Forward After Your Mental Health Diagnosis

January 20, 2019

When first seeing a therapist or psychiatrist, a diagnosis is usually determined. It can cause a lot of uncertainty and the possibility of not knowing what the diagnosis means or what to do with what has been told to you. When this occurs, it tends to change our lives and the lives of the people we use as supports. Being able to not allow the mental health diagnosis drive our life, but instead for us to think…

Keeping Your Resolutions

January 19, 2019

In my previous blog post, How to Stick to New Years Resolutions, I talked about ways to set up resolutions for the year by being specific, setting measurable, achievable, and relevant goals, and time limits for yourself. Since we are a few weeks into the new year, I wanted to do a checkup to see how your resolutions were going for you. Have you been able to maintain your resolutions, or as I like to call them…

What Do I Do if My Child Has an Anxiety Disorder?

January 17, 2019

I work with many clients who discuss feeling anxious due to a number of stressors, whether it be related to their professional or personal life. Some clients even discuss feeling worried or anxious related to noticing their children exhibiting symptoms of anxiety as well. I recently read an article from The New York Times that touched on this topic, “How to Help a Child with an Anxiety Disorder” by author Perri Klass, M.D. Dr. Klass discusses several…

4 Steps to Relapse Prevention Planning

January 16, 2019

Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Once we have begun to make positive changes in our lives and found stability in mood and behavior, it is important to develop a plan for sustaining these changes. Regardless of what we are working on in therapy and/or in recovery, I recommend that everyone develop a relapse prevention plan. This will provide a structured approach to increase our chances of countering any triggers or urges that could lead us to a symptom…

Managing Early Recovery

January 15, 2019

Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Congratulations on making the significant change of quitting using your drug of choice. Right now, I hope you are feeling a great sense of accomplishment, as well as renewed energy from living better with improved eating and sleeping habits. Making this initial change might be the hardest part of your recovery, but this will not be the only challenge you face. At some point, your newfound sober energy may turn into emotional fatigue,…