Here’s what our team has to say!
HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS?
ANXIETY MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
Through working with clients, I have found that EVERYONE experiences anxiety at some point in their lives. As a practitioner, I don’t believe in labeling, so to me anxiety is not a disorder. It is something we experience at certain times in our lives, especially when under great stress, and sometimes, for reasons unknown. I have had my overly anxious days and weeks. One of the reasons why I am so passionate about the subject is because I have seen how helpful anxiety management strategies can be first hand… read more.
What You’re Getting Wrong About Meditation
There is an interesting paradox happening with the topic of meditation. This is a practice that is supposed to help us feel more grounded, relaxed, and reduce stress, but the reality is that we build up certain expectations about what it’s supposed to look like and then judge ourselves if we don’t meet those expectations. .. read more.
Why teach children about feelings?
Feelings are what make us human! We all have them. We all experience them. There are no “good or bad” feelings, rather “good” or “bad” responses to them.
It is okay to feel angry, but it is not okay to hit people, while we feel upset. And here is where the teaching lies. What do we expect kids to do when they feel mad? What is the “appropriate” response to angry feeling? What self-regulating and calming strategies are we teaching our kids?
So often, we shut our children’s emotions by dismissing their feelings: “stop crying”, “quit doing this”, or “you have no reason to be upset”, which only triggers the kids even more and is not teaching them anything…read more.
How to Use Gratitude to Improve Your Mood
Gratitude seems to be one of those buzzwords floating around these days with increasing popularity. Whether you actively practice expressing gratitude, have tried a few writing prompts in a gratitude journal, or roll your eyes at the coffee mugs or wall hangings with reminders to be thankful when you’re out shopping, the truth is that expressing gratitude has some major benefits…read more.
7 Ways to tap in to your intuition
Most of us have a sense of what intuition is, even if we can’t define it with words. Some may experience it as an inner knowing, while others a bodily wisdom, guidance from Spirit, or creative inspiration. However it may show up, the truth is that everyone has it. But with the hustle and bustle of modern life, it can feel increasingly difficult to find yours. Intuition is an important guiding force in our lives. It can protect us from danger. Point us in exciting new directions. Confirm what you already knew/thought/felt about that person… read more.
How to save the day: effective responding to temper tantrums
Temper tantrums, outbursts and meltdowns are known to be part of the typical child’s development. If your preschooler is throwing a fit about lost toy, clean up or not wanting to leave the park, it is exactly what he/she is expected to do. Early childhood, and especially the first 5 years are all about self-regulation. That’s their job. Learn how to manage big emotions and push the boundaries. And it is our job to teach them how to cope with those strong feelings and hold the boundaries firm when it is important. And this is how you do it… read more.
5 TIPS TO CREATE MORE TIME FOR WHAT YOU REALLY WANT
Time is the only thing in the entire universe that nobody, regardless of wealth, skill, ability, or luck can create more of or manipulate. You can’t buy, steal, or borrow more of it if you don’t have enough. We are theoretically all on equal footing with 24 hours in a day, yet many people complain about not having enough time to be able to really do what they want while others find ways of making it work on their side… read more.
10 Tips for Rejuvenating Yourself
Being “productive” is such a common value nowadays that you may feel pressure to always get things done to the point of not resting or honoring your body when it’s sick. You may be thinking, “I don’t have time to rest!” or “There’s so much to do, I have to work through dinner.” Day in and day out. If you just go-go-go all the time without slowing down and allowing for rest or “being lazy” at times, you could eventually burn out, compromise your immune system, and negatively impact your sleep and mood. The negative effects of stress on health and well-being are commonly known… read more.
What Exactly is Bullying?
As a therapist, a question I often get from parents and administrators is what exactly is bullying? Or does so and so behavior count as bullying? I’m here to help give some insight! Bullying can be defined as unwanted, repeated and aggressive behavior (key word aggressive, bullying must include aggressive behavior) that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. Bullying behaviors include making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone either physically or verbally and excluding someone from a group on purpose… read more.
Breaking the Silence
By Lara Mekhitarian, LMFT
Following the chronicling of the “Me too” movement by Pulitzer Prize winning, Ronan Farrow, the millions of voices of sexual abuse and harassment survivors was harrowing. Sexual abuse. The words alone invoke shame, fear, anger, and disgust. However, for the first time in history, survivors began to speak up and bust through the stigma of shame. What followed was solidarity and a collective voice of men and women around the United States who finally broke free of their shackles of shame and owned their truth… read more.
Lessons from Parenting: What Anger Teaches Us
By Jen Drader, AMFT
Today in our parenting group, one of the parents learned about himself by taking a step back to get to know his anger. This can be really challenging to do because we often have an urge to get rid of our anger or to bulldoze through it. Many of us learn growing up that anger is “not good” and we need to “stop being upset.” So when we get to be adults, we haven’t learned how to decipher what our anger is trying to tell us. We can be left feeling like an angry or even a bad person for not being able to better manage our anger… read more.
10 STEPS TO OVERCOME IMPOSTER SYNDROME
BY LARA MEKHITARIAN, LMFT
We all face self-doubt on some level. However, that self-doubt can really reach a whole new level the more accomplished or successful we become. There is an actual term for those who are unable to internalize their accomplishments. In 1978 psychologists, Suzanne Imes and Pauline Clance, coined the term Imposter Syndrome to define those who continually doubt their own accomplishments and have a constant fear that they will be “found out” or exposed as a fraud. No matter the amount of accolades or accomplishments, those who suffer from Imposter Syndrome are convinced that somehow their success is sheer luck & undeserving. They believe others are more capable and more intelligent than they are and at any moment… read more.
FOUR WAYS TO COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY ABOUT SEX WITH YOUR PARTNER
Whether you’ve been monogamous with the same partner for years, you’re hooking up with a new partner for the first time, or inviting someone new into a pre-existing sexual relationship, communicating about sex is vital. However, understanding the importance of communicating about sex and actually doing it can sometimes be where the challenge lies. The following are just a few ways to help overcome that hurdle… read more.
THE THREE BEST PARENTING TIPS
Parenting might come naturally for some. But, we all know that having babies do not come with a manual (don’t you wish it did!), which leaves parenting skills to be acquired through the trial and error. And while there is nothing wrong with learning as you go, a little support can go a long way. As an Attachment and Reflective Parenting Specialist, time and time again, I’ve been asked what the best tips and suggestion are to help become a more effective parent to a baby… read more.
HOW TO COMBAT STRESS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR
Folks, school is back in session! It’s the time for back to school shopping, picking up textbooks, get a lay of the campus, and did I mention the shopping?? Going back to school means a return to routine, tests, homework, seeing old friends and making new ones, adjusting to a new schedule, transitions, and learning new subjects. It’s tiring just to think about, so let’s review some tips for teens and parents to combat stress at the beginning of the school year… read more.