Political anxiety: How to care for yourself and set effective boundaries by Alexandra Cromer, LPC | Feb 6, 2025 | Anxiety, Mental Health Topics Generally speaking, politics can be a challenging topic to talk about. It often causes disagreements, stress, and tension. During tumultuous times like elections or changes in office, this stress can grow to become political anxiety. In the discussion of politics, anxiety might be provoked when you read the news, check…
Why is it so hard to express my feelings? by Sarah Barness | Oct 14, 2024 | Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics Why is it so hard to express your feelings? If you have ever found yourself unable to put your emotions into words, you’re not alone. Expressing feelings can seem daunting, whether it’s because of fear, discomfort with vulnerability, or not knowing how to articulate complex emotions. Many of us struggle…
DSM-5 bipolar 2: Criteria, symptoms, and treatments by Sarah Barness | Oct 14, 2024 | Bipolar Disorder, Disorders, Mental Health Topics Why is there a bipolar 2 and a bipolar 1? There’s no depression 2 or depression 1. There’s no anxiety 3.0. What makes bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) different? The quick answer is that people with bipolar 2 have enough variation in their symptoms from type 1 bipolar…
Why are men less likely to talk about their feelings? by Sarah Barness | Sep 17, 2024 | Feelings & Emotions, Men's Issues, Mental Health Topics There is a common misconception that men don’t have feelings—or, at least, not to the same degree as women. In reality, we all experience a wide range of feelings. We feel happy, sad, angry, frustrated, heartbroken, scared, betrayed, and the list goes on. However, men are often less likely to…
What to know about dating someone with bipolar disorder: Offering support, empathy, and setting your limits by Kate Hanselman, PMHNP-BC | Sep 13, 2024 | Bipolar Disorder, Mental Health Topics, Relationships Being in a romantic relationship has its ups and downs. But what about dating someone who has a mental health condition like bipolar disorder? As it so happens, dating someone with bipolar disorder I or II may not be so different from dating anyone else. Although it’s true that people…
Understanding play therapy: The benefits of play therapy for children by Theresa Lupcho, LPC | Feb 23, 2024 | Children, Teens, & Adolescents, Mental Health Topics Therapy can help people of all ages become better attuned to their emotions, process events impacting their well-being, and learn helpful coping skills. However, for young people like children and adolescents, specified approaches might be needed to make sure that the therapeutic process is accessible and effective for them. One…
BPD vs. bipolar disorder: What makes them similar, and how are they different? by Kate Hanselman, PMHNP-BC | Feb 16, 2024 | Disorders, Mental Health Topics Despite being different disorders, bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder have so many symptomatic similarities that they can often be mistaken for one another. That being said, the functioning and root causes, and therefore the treatment, of each disorder are quite different, which makes it very important to discern one…
Healing relationships through infidelity counseling by Christine Ridley, LCSW | Sep 22, 2023 | Beginning Therapy, Infidelity, Relationships Navigating the aftermath of infidelity is a complex and emotionally charged journey, one that can take on various stages and challenges. From the initial shock of discovery to the long process of rebuilding trust and healing, each step demands careful consideration and often professional guidance. Whether you’re seeking to understand…
Understanding stress and effective management by Evan Csir, LPC | Sep 2, 2023 | Beginning Therapy, Mental Health Topics, Stress Stress is a daily part of life, for better or for worse. We all face challenges in our daily lives from figuring out how we get to our favorite coffee shop to completing daily tasks and maintaining our home. How we manage our stress levels can impact our relationships, the…
What is emotionally focused therapy? How and why it works by Christine Ridley, LCSW | Aug 17, 2023 | Beginning Therapy, Mental Health Topics One of the hardest parts of therapy can be reckoning with our emotions. Emotions affect all of us, but sometimes focusing on the ones that feel good can cause us to avoid the ones that feel worse. However, though not all emotions feel good at first, it can help to…
A guide to individual therapy by Laura Harris, LCMHC | Aug 15, 2023 | Beginning Therapy, Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics If you’ve already been to individual therapy, you likely know its power. If you’ve never been to therapy, you may need more convincing. You might be wondering: “What is individual counseling? What is the true value of therapy sessions?” However you approach the individual therapy guide below, we hope that…
Schizoid personality disorder: Causes, symptoms, and treatments by Christine Ridley, LCSW | Jun 13, 2023 | Disorders, Mental Health Topics Schizoid personality disorder is a condition that causes a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of emotions in interpersonal settings. Someone with schizoid personality disorder typically will avoid social interaction and others may perceive the person with schizoid personality disorder as odd or cold or…