The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2014) defines a traumatic event as “an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional or spiritual […]

“A mother should know exactly what her child needs.” “A husband should be able to provide for his family.” “I should not be acting like this.”  “I should be able to just get over it.”  Frequently in sessions, and for those not even in therapy, “should” statements are a common occurrence. More often than not, […]

Wise mind is a term taken from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). DBT is a therapy modality that is skills-based and focuses on multiple areas of functioning, including emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Mindfulness is at the center of DBT; specifically, mindfulness is the practice of focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while […]

With the emergence of social-distancing guidelines due to COVID-19, telehealth and online therapy platforms have gained popularity in the recent months. Just like there are different types of theories that help different clients, a preference for either online or face to face therapy depends on the needs of the client. Each method has its benefits […]

In the midst of the global pandemic that is COVID-19, millions of Americans are now facing the unique set of challenges presented by social distancing. While this effort to “flatten the curve” is for the public good, navigating this new normal can be difficult. From dealing with childcare issues, job changes (and/or losses), decreased contact […]

The definition of procrastination is “the action of delaying or postponing something.” Some individuals thrive on procrastination; they thrive on the adrenaline that this pressure creates, and they believe that they work better under constant pressure. However, it can also have serious health consequences for individuals, as stress (i.e., high cortisol levels associated with stress) […]

There are many ways for people to quit smoking. Today, we are going to talk about effective therapy techniques that can be used to help you quit smoking. The first type of therapy is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The goal of CBT is to challenge the cognitive distortions and behaviors that the client currently has […]

I get asked this question many times by my clients, and my response is always the same. I do not give you advice because if I do, then you would be living my life and not yours. That is my answer, plain and simple. Other therapists may have a different reason for not wanting to […]

June is Pride month! Below are some ways that you can be an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, this month and every month! Recognize (and then Challenge) Biases and Assumptions From a young age, we are all surrounded by hetero-normative messages within society; we assume that people identify with the sex they were assigned at […]