Blog

  By: Michele Qunitin, LCSW COVID-19 has changed all of our lives. Social distancing and staying home have become our new norm for now, and with that said, options are available to us virtually to still speak to a qualified therapist. You’ve heard about online counseling (sometimes called ​teletherapy​) and you’re curious if it might work for you. Here are...[ read more ]

Like many of you, I’ve suddenly found myself working from home.  Stress levels are high as we contend with our new normal.  The safety of seeing clients in my medical office building is abruptly and unexpectedly filled with uncertainly.  Suddenly doorknobs, hands extended in greeting, elevator call buttons, even the air around us are met with suspicion.  Standing near someone who...[ read more ]

By Jessica Koblenz, PsyD In recent months we have been introduced to COVID-19, a virus, which has thousands of people across the globe, exposed with symptoms and many others fearing exposure and risk. There are widespread recommendations for social distancing, with thousands in quarantine and considerably more being advised to work from home. For many industries, this reflects a drastic change...[ read more ]

The American Red Cross is closely monitoring the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and following the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We know this is a stressful time and people want to know what they can do right now to protect themselves and their families. That’s why the Red Cross is highlighting some everyday steps...[ read more ]

  Our anxiety increases when we are confronted with threats to our health. The coronavirus constitutes such a threat. In this article, I present steps to help you cope with the increased anxiety stemming from the coronavirus. 1. Understand Your Odds We often experience spikes in anxiety when we believe that a threat is imminent and unavoidable. Considering the extensive...[ read more ]

  Vacations are great. They help us relax, de-stress, engage in pleasurable activities and enjoy each other.   Studies show that vacations are generally good for your health and wellbeing. Going on vacation with your significant other can indeed help you get to know each other better, make new joint memories, and try new things together – all beneficial for...[ read more ]

Written by Amy Van Veen From the thrill of wedding anticipation to settling into the roles of husband and wife, it can be easy to forget that marriage is about far more than just two people. What if the marriage wasn’t seen as an end in and of itself? What if it was seen as a means of drawing closer to...[ read more ]

A mental health crisis can display in a variety of ways. There is no one indicator that a person is experiencing a mental health emergency, but here some signs to look for. The person may be: Unable to complete daily tasks like getting dressed, brushing teeth, bathing, etc. Verbally saying, writing or insinuating that they’d like to kill themselves and/or...[ read more ]

  Contrary to the myth that only “crazy people” seek help from a therapist, many individuals and families have discovered the value of working with a mental health professional for various personal and social issues that are causing them severe distress. The following is a list of some of the most common reasons individuals seek help from a therapist or...[ read more ]

How Trauma Affects The Brain There are many reasons that trauma hurts us. One thing you may not know is that trauma physically changes our brains. When you experience a traumatic event, your mind changes. Areas of your brain that once worked in a particular way change based on hyperarousal due to trauma. For example, the amygdala gets over-activated after...[ read more ]

  It has been generally accepted that both listening to and creating music can have various positive effects on mood and mental health. Incorporating music into your everyday life can help to: elevate your mood and motivation aid relaxation increase the efficiency of your brain processing. Ways to use music for mental health So, we have learned that music is...[ read more ]

  Aromatherapy is a holistic treatment method that has been used for emotional and physical ailments since ancient times.  Essential oils derived from plants are either inhaled or absorbed through the skin to promote mental well-being and ease physical discomfort.  Today, this method is not always recognized as a valid form of treatment in the medical community, but this is...[ read more ]

  Depression may look different from person to person, but at its core, the illness often causes people to feel lonely, inadequate and misunderstood. One of the most prevalent symptoms of depression is a feeling of isolation. At times, people with depression may isolate because they don’t want to inflict their pain on the people they love; other times, it’s...[ read more ]

Don’t romanticize your spouse’s life If you’ve never traveled for work, it might seem like a pretty sweet gig: All expenses paid in upscale restaurants; clean, cozy hotel rooms; no carpools, sibling rivalry or dishes to deal with. But for the most part, work travel is, well, work. There’s almost never time to explore and enjoy the city like you...[ read more ]

Art therapy integrates psycho-therapeutic techniques with the creative process to improve mental health and well-being. The American Art Therapy Association characterizes art therapy as an approach to mental health that utilizes the process of creating art to improve mental, physical, and emotional wellness. The goal of art therapy is to utilize the creative process to help people explore self-expression and,...[ read more ]

Everyone who has ever held a job has, at some point, felt the pressure of work-related stress. Any job can have stressful elements, even if you love what you do. In the short-term, you may experience pressure to meet a deadline or to fulfill a challenging obligation. But when work stress becomes chronic, it can be overwhelming — and harmful...[ read more ]

  1. Create your own marriage or relationship rules. People don’t always know how to start this process, but they really like this idea! They find it to be eye-opening, beneficial and helps create a conversation about their relationship. 2. Before you get into any discussion, determine the emotional mood you are in and then communicate that to the other...[ read more ]

Pushing Through The Hard Times…. Every married couple experiences their share of pain, disconnection, betrayal, and extraordinary stress. Some discover that if they will push through together and not make enemies of each other in the process, the beauty they experience on the other side far surpasses anything they could have imagined for themselves. If you’re in a tough season,...[ read more ]

  Financial Intimacy  101 Money is not a four-letter word.  Then why do some couples fight about it or even refuse to discuss it all together? You may have heard the statistic that money is the #1 cause of divorce, but that's only partly true.  Whether you have it or not isn't the root of the problem, it is typically...[ read more ]

Therapists are often asked by couples how to best prepare for couples counseling. It’s a typical question, but the answer will vary depending on the couple. Good couples therapy offers a variety of skills for each individual to be the best version of themselves so that they can help the relationship be the best version of itself. Couples therapy will...[ read more ]

  Hidden Intimacy    Technology shoulders a lot of the blame when it comes to losing the intimate connections in our relationships, and for good reason.  What if we turned the tables? What if we could open the doors to the best intimate connection we have ever had with our partner? What if we could capture true, authentic intimacy through...a...[ read more ]

    Emotional Intimacy seems  simple and straight forward, but can be  surprisingly elusive.  Emotional intimacy can vary greatly from couple to couple, person to person and from one time to another. Emotional intimacy is the perception of closeness.  Emotionally intimate couples have a shared expectation of understanding, affirmation and sharing of personal feelings and bonding. Emotional intimacy can set...[ read more ]

Crisis Intimacy.   Two words that almost don't seem like they belong in the same thought, but surprisingly crisis can bring us more intimacy than ever before.  Crisis happens to some degree at some point in all of our lives.  It is up to us to harness this time as a tool to strengthen our intimacy or to let it fall...[ read more ]

  Creative intimacy is a relaxing, passive way to bring couples together. Sharing activities that bring us joy, stimulate the mind and spirit and help keep stress under control have immeasurable benefits for couples.     Some immediate health benefits of being creative are: Boosts mood Boosts brain function Increases immune health and defense   Creative intimacy doesn’t have to be...[ read more ]

  Yes, sometimes we disagree, even argue.  We have more conflict with those we are closest to because we share so much of ourselves and our lives with those we love most. Conflict is inevitable, but it doesn’t always have to bring distance in a relationship. When used as a tool to explore our differences, conflict can work to bring...[ read more ]

  Today’s topic is abundant and far reaching.  Communication leads to deeper intimacy.  Intimacy leads to better communication.  Communication IS intimacy and intimacy IS communication. People connect through talking and keeping the communication channels open brings an abundance of intimacy into our relationships.  Be it with friends, family, or your partner. Some things to consider when sharpening your communication skills:...[ read more ]

  Join us as we start our fall series “Bringing Basics Back”.  This series will have a new Tuesday Tip every week with simple ways to open the door to intimacy  every day.  Aesthetic Intimacy   For our first step in “Bringing Basics Back” we take a look at aesthetic intimacy.  Sharing experiences of beauty can relax and calm the...[ read more ]

Have you noticed a real lack of connection in any of your relationships? This lack of connection can be family, friends, or a loved one. Although you may feel this lack of connection one thing is for sure, you are not alone. For most of us our problems or lack of connection with other people comes from a lack of...[ read more ]

Forgiveness Intimacy “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”—Mahatma Gandhi All couples eventually experience times of conflict, hurt, and letting each other down. Sometimes the offense is as minor as forgetting a date or failing to run an errand. For some couples, the offense might involve a major betrayal such as infidelity, addiction, or abuse....[ read more ]

What Is Conflict Intimacy? Conflict Intimacy is focused on facing and understanding the differences couples may have, and being able to respect those differences. Conflict resolution is a skill that couples must learn in order to maintain conflict intimacy. All couples eventually experience times of conflict, hurt, and letting each other down. Sometimes the offense is as minor as forgetting a...[ read more ]

Spiritual intimacy is often misunderstood by majority of couples. In relationships couples often have different  religious views and fail to realize that they still can connect spiritually. Spiritual intimacy is not about having identical views on religion, it about connecting to the spirit of your mate. This connection spiritually will overcome the challenges of being in a relationship that couples...[ read more ]

Contrary to some beliefs senior citizens have the same issues that younger couples face in relationships. Honestly, some issues are only experienced by seniors. In most cases issues cannot be resolved on their own. It can be difficult to be objective without feeling the sting of accusations that often cause couples to be defensive with each other. A practical solution...[ read more ]