Are you currently in search of a qualified CBT or DBT therapist in the Philadelphia area to support you on your mental health journey? Would you like to explore the ways in which Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can assist you in overcoming challenges and reaching your goals? Feel free to visit our blog for valuable insights and information on these therapeutic approaches.

You may have come across EMDR therapy and are possibly considering if it can be effectively conducted virtually, allowing you to participate from the convenience of your home. If you are seeking further information on this topic, you can explore our blog for additional insights and details!

Pretending to be okay is something that has become normalized. By saying everything is okay, when it really isn’t, we have this hope that we can maybe convince others (and even ourselves for that matter) that everything really is okay. But pretending we don’t have any problems, difficult emotions or conflicts in reality denies our true feelings and experiences. 

Now, while anxiety and stress are a normal part of growing up and a normal reaction to the stress that teens can experience, the feelings of anxiety for many teens can go well beyond the typical symptoms. When teen’s become overwhelmed and anxious it can begin to negatively affect their friendships, family relationships, participation in school, extracurricular activities, their school work and ultimately interfere with normal daily living. So, what can you actually do for your anxious teen? How can you help a teenager with anxiety in 2023?

Just because you are struggling with your mental health, doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of love, support, or connection. Nor does it mean you have been less value. And that specifically is also what this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month 2023 focuses on! The year’s Mental Health Awareness Month focuses on #MoreThanEnough.

Panic attacks can be intense, overwhelming and downright scary because of the fear and discomfort that one experiences while being in the throes of a panic attack. While panic attacks are extremely scary, there is a simple and effective way to stop them in their tracks: the butterfly hug.

Anxiety–whether social, general, specific, or panic–is extremely frustrating and difficult to manage. Anxiety not only can get in the way of the present moment but can even interfere with one’s daily life. While it is important to know that anxiety is VERY normal for each and every one of us to experience (and even helps us!), we all know that anxiety can easily get out of control.

We have all experienced signs of stress, whether we are juggling work, our relationships, school, finances, kids, or every day tasks our lives are busy and down right demanding at times! So, it’s no wonder we feel…STRESSED!  Stress is something we have all experienced and is a necessary part of our lives (I might add). We do need small amounts of stress to motivate us to complete tasks. And while stress can be helpful, we all know how it can hinder us.

Trauma impacts each of us differently, but, on the whole, we often all experience a shift afterwards. We feel helpless, fearful, sad, and maybe even numb. These post-trauma responses make us feel isolated and withdrawn from the world around us and we often feel so disconnected from our old self. We feel like we have lost integral parts of ourselves forever. But, you don’t have to lose yourself or experience the ripple effects of trauma forever. There are ways to empower yourself after trauma!

You’re in the midst of a transformation–whether you are grieving a dream you had that is no more or you have moved into a new phase of your life, all you know is that you just want to be happy.  You have everything or most of what you want and all of what you need, but you’re just STRUGGLING!  

We all have inner voices—one that judges  and belittles and one that is nurturing and up-lifting. However, for many the second inner voice often sounds like a fantasy. In fact, it feels impossible to even comprehend talking to yourself in a kind way because for most of us…the critic often always wins. Our inner voice can be a destructive force that can impact our overall mental wellbeing. This damaging voice magnifies negativity and often isn't satisfied until we are left feeling defeated and sometimes even paralyzed. So, how can we regain balance within our own system? How can we reset the inner critic and strengthen our inner coach?

Getting back into the swing of things can come as a relief for many after the holidays. Jumping back into their comfortable routine and leaving the holiday stress behind is what actually brings much cheer to many. For others, the financially, emotionally and mentally stressful come down from the most wonderful time of the year can bring on post-holiday blues. 

You get caught up in the idea that you need to create the perfect holiday experience for yourself and for those around you. Each holiday season you set extremely high hopes that this year will *finally* be different. Yet, you often fall short of these expectations that you put on yourself. You often become overly stressed and anxious because of the added pressures of the December month. And while you had good intentions at the start of the month, you have set the stage for your inner critic to take the spotlight because you feel that you have fallen short. 

What if ‘the most wonderful time of year’ brings nothing but holiday anxiety? What if you feel overwhelmed and stressed during this season, rather than joyous like society tells us? And what if you don’t feel or want to be that cheerful this year? Well, I am here to tell you that this is completely natural.

There can be a subtle pressure to experience joy through the holidays which unfolds straight into hope and action for the new year, without much room to acknowledge other important feelings which may have been stirred in the previous weeks, months, and year. Feelings like confusion, anger, frustration, pain, dread, fatigue, and fear are also part of our emotional tapestry. And, turning the page into 2022 has brought with it the added stress and uncertainties of a third year in a global pandemic.

So you’ve decided you want to learn DBT skills - hooray! You’ve just taken a big step. Making the decision to start learning DBT can feel confusing and overwhelming AND exciting at the same time! You may be considering where to begin in this process. Here are a few tips to help you get started…

Trying to relax a stressed or anxious mind can often feel unattainable! It can feel very challenging to quiet the uncontrollable negative and destructive thoughts that show up. These thoughts can impact your mood as well as your physical health, exacerbating depression, anxiety, eating disorder symptoms and trauma symptoms. Here are 5 Grounding Techniques to help reduce stress and anxiety…

Here are some tips for LGBTQ+ Teens to Cope with Anxiety and Stress in 2021…

Are you looking to focus on your mental health in the new year? Here are some tips to get you started…

Does alcoholism or drug addiction run in your family? Are you married to someone or co-parenting with someone who struggles with drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, mental health issues or other things that affect your relationship with them? Are there times where you’re feeling angry and hurt because your loved one calls you drunk or abuses you during a mental health episode? Read here on ways to handle boundaries with family or loved ones with mental health issues.

What is the critical inner voice? How do we form this inner voice that often controls our life? How do we combat this inner critic that lives within us? Well, luckily I have got some answers for you, and you're in the right place.

Today marks one month since the beginning of COVID-19 quarantine lockdown and it’s been longer for some. While some people are feeling gratitude and connection with their loved ones, many are feeling anxiety, depression, trauma symptoms, PTSD symptoms, isolation, grief and loneliness. So, what do we do with the pain? The anxiety? The trauma memories if we’re not supposed to avoid them?

Putting off self- care? Julia Salerno, one of our graduate level therapists, opens up about her journey to accepting her need for self-care..

We are all currently scrambling to grapple with our current way of life. We are not used to the isolation of being alone, as we are social beings. Fortunately, there are numerous online resources that individuals and groups can take advantage of during this time of uncertainty. We did a little research to start your search….

We know it can feel a bit uncertain to see a counselor “in training”, but there can be many benefits that may go unnoticed. We want to provide you the low down on what it actually means to see a graduate level therapist. 

I’ve created a list of 5 simple ways you can create more space in your day utilizing mindfulness to prevent burnout and overwhelm.

Effective communication is based more on how you say things rather than on what you actually say. A conversation can go very well or wind up in a lot of anger and upset, depending on the communication style used. Our means of communication impacts all facets of life. 

Your breath is both a complicated and conveniently simple process that weaves together the communication between your body and mind. Linked to your nervous system, your breath has the capabilities of keeping you alive, soothing your body and mind and increasing energy. Your breath holds a wealth of resources for you. All you have to do is attend to it. Here’s some ways to access its usefulness.