You’ve been feeling intrigued and are considering the option of trying out EMDR therapy in Philadelphia but you find yourself uncertain about what EMDR therapy truly involves. If you want to dig deeper and gain a better understanding of the 8 Phases of EMDR, check out this blog to learn more.

In this blog, we give you a complete guide for prepping for EMDR therapy newcomers and those planning for EMDR intensives.

If you find yourself wondering what kind of attachment style your parents have *blessed* you with, if you're curious about what these attachment styles actually look like and how you can cope and support yourself, then worry not, because I am here to guide you through all of these important aspects.

Many people who have been through trauma have trouble sleeping. Our bodies stay tense and alert, making it hard to relax and feel connected to ourselves. This constant state of "being on guard" continues to affect us even after the danger is gone. So, what can you do when you're scared to fall asleep? How can you start to improve your relationship with sleep and have peaceful nights? Well, it's not easy because trauma-related sleep problems can feel overwhelming. But there are effective strategies to address and improve your sleep quality.

Fall is a beautiful season full of vibrant colors and a sense of change in the air. However, many individuals find themselves facing a unique set of challenges when it comes to managing their fall and body image. The shift in weather, wardrobe transitions, and cultural emphasis on holiday festivities can all impact how we perceive ourselves and our bodies. However, It is important to remember that we have the power to navigate these challenges and foster a positive relationship with our bodies during this time.

While families have traditionally been seen as sources of support and nurturance, they can also pass down deep-rooted wounds from generation to generation. Known as intergenerational trauma, this phenomenon casts a long shadow over family dynamics and shapes how individuals perceive and engage with the world.

You’ve talked about your feelings, got to understand your emotions, learned about the deepest parts of yourself and faced difficult traumas . You truly understand yourself, but you still feel stuck in your stress, irritability and anxiety. Sometimes, it even feels like they get in the way of your ability to be successful. Maybe you don’t feel as fulfilled as you did with your career. You want to make a change, but feel overwhelmed by the possibility of choosing a different career path, so you force yourself to stay. 

Does this sound like you? If so, working with a life coach may be for you!

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. 

Studies show that mindful activities scattered throughout one’s day can have an even deeper impact on healing and self-growth than a regular sitting meditation practice. This is because, once a mindful approach is embedded into our regular activities, it is more likely to become our go-to approach to life. We can take meditation off the cushion, so to speak, and into our daily lives. We can start to incorporate mindfulness into our days by learning ways to reach stillness other than traditional meditation. Here are some other ways to achieve a mindful state in your day to day life…

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.

Trauma itself is highly personal. What one person views as trauma, another might not (and vice versa) or you might have had a similar experience as someone else, but each of you were affected differently. What we know for certain is that while trauma affects all of us differently, experiencing something that is stressful, frightening, or distressing leaves us all with a deep long-lasting wound. So, what can you do to cope with trauma? You might be wondering. 

Whether you’re coping with a past trauma, trying to navigate your life after a traumatic experience, or living with the ripple effects of trauma symptoms, choosing to begin the journey of working with a trauma therapist in Philadelphia can not only make a BIG difference in your mental health but in your overall quality of life. 

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!

Now you may have engaged in talk therapy before (or maybe not!) and while it may have been helpful, it never felt like you got to the root of your trauma or problem. It felt like you just talked and talked and (surprise!) talked about your trauma narrative. And while it felt somewhat helpful in the moment, you never felt free from the traumatic memories or sensations because challenging the thoughts or beliefs you had about the trauma just wasn’t enough. Sounding familiar at all? This is where EMDR is different.

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!  

Are you thinking about starting therapy but feel hesitant in moving forward? Maybe you are worried about the timing or aren’t sure how to find a therapist. Maybe you’re worried about what other people would think or say. Perhaps you just aren’t sure if therapy is right for you or if therapy will be beneficial. All you know is that you are tired of convincing yourself that you ‘don’t really need’ therapy or that you don’t ‘have it bad enough’.  You feel that you have finally reached a space of curiosity with therapy and what the therapeutic experience has to offer.

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. 

Finding an effective path for you requires one to take space to understand the options that are available to you. Learning about the different types of addiction treatment is the first step in understanding what is going to work best for you!

Oftentimes, challenging or traumatic moments that we have gone through will overwhelm our system which inhibits our brain’s ability to properly process that memory. Ultimately, there is a disconnect between what we actually experienced in that moment and what our brain stored which causes a ‘trauma’ wound. The brain becomes wounded and that wound, has not had the space it needs to heal.

By the end of Thanksgiving Day, you don’t feel like the confident adult you know you are, feel anxious, overwhelmed, annoyed and drained. You feel your old wounds reopened and you want to retreat inside of yourself because the comments you feel like you already dealt with, still hurt you. You are still bothered by the family drama that you find yourself dragged into, even though you thought you set that boundary. You're angry and even upset because you thought that this year would finally be different.

Domestic Violence is an epidemic that spreads violence throughout communities and family units across the nation. Any individual can be subject to an abusive relationship, regardless of nationality, race, gender, sexuality, socio-economic status, age, or religion. The violence that an individual experiences within a relationship typically coexists with controlling behaviors and emotionally abusive patterns which exposes a pattern of dominance and control.

Keeping a relationship (or relationships if you are polyamorous) healthy and thriving takes a lot of intentional work and commitment. Even the most loving and committed relationships require occasional tune-ups or support. Finding a couples therapist that is right for you and your partner/s is important to ensure the effort you are putting in is creating the relationship you desire. Here are some tips to consider when you are searching for a couples therapist to best fit your relationship/s…

The month of May is Mental Health Awareness month. This month not only allows us to educate and raise awareness surrounding mental health and treatment options, but it focuses on reducing the stigma associated with mental illness. There are so many misconceptions and stigmas surrounding mental health issues and that is a major reason why many who suffer from mental health issues suffer in silence.

A DBT skills group will help you be more mindful, increase your ability to handle distressing situations, allow you to gain a deeper understanding into your emotions, while learning to regulate your emotions more effectively and give you the space to build better interpersonal skills to serve yourself and your relationships with others. By joining a DBT skills group, you will not only learn these life changing skills but you will find and be connected to your most authentic Self. Find out more here…

Is your child experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression or PTSD? Are you noticing challenging behaviors in your child and you are not sure what to do? Does your child shut down when you ask them what’s wrong? Child therapy can be a helpful space for kids to explore their feelings safely and process their needs, learning how to better communicate with you and how you can foster a secure parent-child attachment. Here is more of what to expect when you bring your child in for therapy.

Are you tired of all the chit chat and want to find a way to go deeper into your healing journey? Do you have trouble connecting with your body or are you painfully aware of your body and the space you take up in this world? Does it feel like talking just doesn’t always cut it for you? Are you stuck in your current therapy process and need some help getting deeper into your process?

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…

Learn what talk therapy is all about and if it’s right for you…

Are you thinking about potentially joining a DBT group in the greater Philadelphia area? Are you curious about what happens during these DBT groups? Maybe your talk therapist or psychiatrist suggested you check out a DBT group to help you along your journey to recovery. Whatever the case may be, I wanted to take the time to explain what exactly Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is and what actually happens during a group!