A few years ago, I was on the standby list trying to catch a flight home from Las Vegas to Chicago. My chances didn’t look good, so I decided to go through San Francisco, hoping for a few more options. It was a LONG day. I’d missed several flights, but finally my name was called […]
If I’d have asked you in December what you were going to be doing in April, what are the odds you’d have said “making masks, washing off my groceries and Googling DIY haircuts”? And yet, here we are. While some are faring better than others, regardless of our circumstances, COVID-19 has impacted all of us […]
The Bottom Line Very simply, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, is about learning to live a balanced life. More technically, it is an evidence-based therapy designed to help people manage intense emotions, impulsive behaviors and difficult relationships. It was originally developed to help individuals who were suicidal or self-injured, but since then we have learned […]
As the weather changes and the days get a little darker, a lot of people seem to notice a dip in their mood. Sometimes it can be a fine line between having a down mood and being clinically depressed. Here are some important distinctions: Types of symptoms – A down mood is generally a temporary […]
As parents we want to make all the right decisions for our children. We find the best schools, the most knowledgeable doctors, we try to feed them the healthiest foods, and we can’t forget to outfit them with the “coolest” clothes. But how do we know it’s the right time to take them to counseling? […]
Counseling isn’t free, and there are good reasons for this (read more about that here). But how will you pay for it? You typically have one of two options. Pay out of pocket (called self-pay). Use your health insurance benefits. If you are one of the approximately 300 million Americans who has health insurance coverage, […]
You finally decided you need a counselor. You’ve done your research and found someone that seems like a good fit. The next step is to make an appointment and dive in, right? Not exactly. There’s one more step that is easy to skip, but if you take the time to do it now, I promise […]
A few years into my career, I was chatting with an acquaintance about another acquaintance that had gone through a horrible tragedy. Knowing that I was a therapist, she said, “You need to help her.” Then, “And you shouldn’t make it about the money.” She went on to say how a lot of counselors are […]
“I can’t do it any more. I’m done. No matter how much I do for him, there’s always more. Always a need, a request, or a crisis. I’m exhausted.” Joe is a loving father and caring husband. He works long hours and provides for his family. He is in therapy to get help in his […]
“I have never told anyone this before…” “I’ve always wondered if it was my fault.” “I didn’t think it was a big deal.” “I wasn’t sure anyone would believe me.” “I was ashamed…” “I was embarrassed…” “I can’t imagine anyone finding out about this…” It may or may not surprise you to know how often […]