How Long Does Therapy Take to Make Me Feel Better?
It depends! It is quite common for people to feel better after attending a few sessions of therapy. This can be attributed to a bit of a placebo effect. You start attending therapy, you become hopeful of things getting better, you have a therapist you like, and you are able to share with them some […]
What Happens in Your First Therapy Session?
It can feel a bit intimidating or scary to start therapy for the first time. You may be wondering, “Will they judge me? Will they be able to help me? Is this a waste of time? Am I going to have to lay on a couch and reveal all my dark secrets?” All of these […]
Are These ADHD or PTSD Symptoms?
It is not uncommon for folks to present to therapy thinking they have Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), when in fact they are actually dealing with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These two diagnoses are very different, however they can have some overlapping symptoms. Common symptoms of ADHD include forgetfulness, difficulty sustaining attention, poor concentration, fidgety […]
The Importance of Mental Exercises – Gratitude Journaling
As we look forward to Thanksgiving, this is a good opportunity for us to look at and acknowledge the things we have to be grateful for. This is especially important right now as we all work through difficult times amidst a pandemic. It can be hard to see the positive things in life and can […]
Couples Therapy Exercises Are Important: Here’s Why
For some people there can be a stigma or misunderstanding around couples therapy or couples therapy exercises. Some may think they are a failure for seeking outside help for their relationship. Others may think that their relationship must be headed for divorce because their partner has suggested couples counseling. The truth is, when someone is […]
Military Counseling Can Help You Overcome Challenges
If you are a service member or a spouse or dependent of a service member you already know many of the challenges that go into keeping a healthy and intact family during military service. Adjusting to deployments, workups, trainings, 24-hour duty shifts, all of this can take a huge toll on the family in different […]
Finding Help with Depression Counseling: Suicide Awareness Month
September is suicide awareness month. Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone, any age, class, or gender. Typically, suicidal thoughts are impacted by mental health issues including depression. If you know someone struggling with depression and are uncertain whether they may be having thoughts of harming themselves, don’t hesitate to ask them. A common myth is that […]
Counseling Exercises Part II: Parenting with Empathy
I wanted to follow up last month’s blog post with one about empathy and its impact on children and their development. In our last blog, we talked about how empathy is the ability to see things from another person’s perspective, to put yourself in their shoes, and went over some couples counseling exercises to practice […]
Counseling Exercises Part I: Where Did the Empathy Go?
Have we become so busy and consumed by our own troubles and worries that we no longer have room or capacity for empathy? One of the very traits that distinguishes us from other creatures is our ability to have empathy. Put simply, empathy is the ability to see things from another person’s perspective, to “put […]
How to Know When to See a Therapist—The 5 W’s of Modern Therapy
A common question people tend to ask is how to know when to see a therapist. People often begin professional therapy when their anxiety becomes overwhelming, depression worsens, or they hit their breaking point and need support. And this makes sense! However, a common misconception is that life has to be unbearable to do therapy. […]