01Nov

Care for the Caregiver — The Practical Side

Do you live with someone struggling with a mental illness? Are you a caregiver for an aging parent or seriously ill spouse? Do you have an active relationship with a close friend battling depression? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are caring for someone with special needs and are a “caregiver,” […]

26Oct

Thinking Makes It So

As a therapist I am constantly seeking to help my clients envision a multitude of possibilities when processing troubling life events. As humans we often tend to explain situations in rigid terms of right and wrong, good or bad, or black and white. When something happens to us, we immediately begin to create a story […]

19Oct

Finding a Forever Home

Adoption can be a wonderful gift to all those involved. However, creating a new forever home for a child, may also come with some unexpected stressors. Many people do not consider the negative aspects of adoptions when they are hoping to grow their family. There are 7 core issues of adoptions that all families should […]

13Oct

“Who Are You?”

“I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” -Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland In Alice in Wonderland the caterpillar asks Alice a very important question. As whirling smoke billows from his pipe he says, “Who are you?” Alice says she does not know. Since entering Wonderland she has changed so much, and […]

07Oct

Domestic Violence (DV) — The Personal Side

When I was in high school, one of my friends (let’s call her Laura) dated a guy who often abused her both physically and emotionally. She was tragically affected by domestic violence, but at the time I had no idea. All I knew was that her boyfriend (let’s call him Rob) did not seem very […]

01Oct

Domestic Violence (DV) — The Practical Side

Whether you watch football or just follow the news, you may by now have heard that the NFL has put new policy in place to crack down on players who commit acts of domestic violence. This policy comes on the heels of a domestic violence case involving Ravens running back Ray Rice. Rice has been […]

25Sep

Each One Teach One: Spreading LGBT Equality

Members of the LGBT community are faced with a variety of challenges that can lead them to seek counseling. Although, as a nation, our acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people has steadily grown (especially within the last ten years); discrimination, marginalization and even oppression persist. Additionally, coming out to family, friends, and at […]

19Sep

Battling Binges

We all overeat from time to time. This can include indulging in a decadent dessert when you’re already full, or taking that extra helping at a family gathering. For binge eaters, however, this is a regular event that generally happens in secret and is accompanied with a feeling of disgust and a complete loss of […]

14Sep

Come Play with Me

One of the most important ways for parents to connect with their children is through play.  According to a recent report by the American Academy of Pediatrics, “free and unstructured play” is both “healthy” and “essential” for the cognitive, emotional, and social development of children. Play has been found to reduce stress and anxiety in […]

08Sep

Finding Hope in the Waiting Room of Life — The Personal Side

“Everyone needs something to look forward to.” This is a quote from a man personally known to me.  He said many wise things during his 95 years on the planet, but this is one of my favorites. To me, it echoes the proverb I quoted in the practical blog on this subject—“People die for lack […]