Ask A Therapist: Will My Therapist Have To Tell My Parents When I Cut Myself?
Ask a Therapist, Ask Julie, Depression, Family, Parenting, Relationships, Teens Dr. Julie Hanks, PhD, LCSW Ask a Therapist, Ask Julie, Depression, Family, Parenting, Relationships, Teens Dr. Julie Hanks, PhD, LCSW

Ask A Therapist: Will My Therapist Have To Tell My Parents When I Cut Myself?

Many teenagers wonder what therapists are required to tell parents. The fact that your parents are taking you to therapy to get help tells me that they are concerned about you, that they care about you, and that they acknowledge that you are in pain and need professional help.

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What Parents Need to Know When Taking Your Child to Play Therapy
Play Therapy, Mental Health, Emotional Health Dr. Julie Hanks, PhD, LCSW Play Therapy, Mental Health, Emotional Health Dr. Julie Hanks, PhD, LCSW

What Parents Need to Know When Taking Your Child to Play Therapy

Deciding to take yourself to therapy can be a vulnerable and scary step for anyone and is filled with lots of unknowns. Bringing your child to therapy can feel just as vulnerable and scary for both you and your child. Here are some things you can expect when you decide to bring your child to therapy for the first time.

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Signs That You May Still be Suffering From Post-pandemic Social Anxiety
Mental Health, Emotional Wellness, Anxiety Lyna Tevenaz Jones, ACMHC Mental Health, Emotional Wellness, Anxiety Lyna Tevenaz Jones, ACMHC

Signs That You May Still be Suffering From Post-pandemic Social Anxiety

In my clinical observations with clients, it has come to my attention that a significant number are presenting symptoms indicative of social anxiety, a condition that emerged during the pandemic and has persisted beyond its conclusion, failing to revert to pre-COVID levels of adaptability. Despite the return to normalcy, there remains a notable absence of comprehensive guidance and psychological awareness concerning the enduring psychological repercussions of the pandemic, resulting in a substantial portion of the population being susceptible to the effects of social anxiety.

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Five Do’s and Don’ts of Separation Anxiety
Adolescents, Anxiety, Attachment, Children, Mental Health, Parenting, Play Therapy Dr. Julie Hanks, PhD, LCSW Adolescents, Anxiety, Attachment, Children, Mental Health, Parenting, Play Therapy Dr. Julie Hanks, PhD, LCSW

Five Do’s and Don’ts of Separation Anxiety

If you have a child who is struggling with separation anxiety you’ve probably been searching for separation anxiety tips to help ease their struggle. Here are five do’s and don’ts for helping your child with separation anxiety.

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Compassion & Accountability Belong Hand in Hand
Mental Health, Emotional Wellness Samantha Roundy, CSW Mental Health, Emotional Wellness Samantha Roundy, CSW

Compassion & Accountability Belong Hand in Hand

A common narrative I hear from clients is that to improve, learn, or experience self-growth, we must be critical and brutally honest with ourselves. We are often taught that if we fail, we need to be tougher on ourselves, and that tough love and criticism are what push us to improve and grow. As a therapist, all I have seen these ideas do is cause harm, and I think it is time we talk about it.

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Technology Has Changed You!!!

Technology Has Changed You!!!

According to a recent study conducted by the market research group Nielsen, American adults average 11 hours per day reading, listening, surfing, posting, or interacting with media. Find solutions and ideas for counteracting the negative effects of excessive social media us on families.

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Tips & Ideas to Help Your Child Navigate Difficult Times

Tips & Ideas to Help Your Child Navigate Difficult Times

Stressful times can be challenging to navigate, and children do not always have the words to express their feelings. Children are perceptive, and they feel the effects of change. Here are some ways to help your child navigate difficult times.

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The Power of EMDR Therapy
Mental Health, Emotional Health Jamie Kelly, CSW Mental Health, Emotional Health Jamie Kelly, CSW

The Power of EMDR Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (or EMDR) therapy is a structured approach to psychotherapy that aims to alleviate distress associated with traumatic memories. It was developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s and has since gained widespread recognition as an evidence-based treatment for trauma-related conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and more.

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I Just Want to Fix It: How to Help your Stressed Out Partner

I Just Want to Fix It: How to Help your Stressed Out Partner

Every person experiences hardships and stress from various sources, such as friendships, employment, health issues, or parenting. These stressors can create feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, sadness, confusion, and helplessness, and create physical health issues including breathing issues, inability to sleep, muscle tension, headaches, and so on. When people are struggling, it is perfectly natural to turn to our significant other to find relief and support. However, there are times when reaching out leads to pain or annoyance.

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The Importance of Physical Intimacy in Your Marriage
Relationships, Intimacy Carole Kamradt, LCSW Relationships, Intimacy Carole Kamradt, LCSW

The Importance of Physical Intimacy in Your Marriage

One of the most notable changes couples see after living together for awhile, and especially after having children, is the lack of physical intimacy between them. Physical intimacy and sexual intimacy are used interchangeably, but in actuality these two intimacies are very different. Knowing what physical intimacy is and how it impacts other areas of your relationship is important if a couple wants to build a healthy, lasting and loving connection with one another.

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Embracing Radical Acceptance: A Path to Inner Peace
Mental Health, Emotional Health Rachel Rose, LMFT Mental Health, Emotional Health Rachel Rose, LMFT

Embracing Radical Acceptance: A Path to Inner Peace

Radical acceptance is both a concept and skill that involves acknowledging and embracing reality as it is, even when the reality is difficult or painful. Radical acceptance is a concept utilized in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as a distress tolerance skill. Understanding and implementing this skill does not mean that we approve of the blunt reality - we may hate it! What it means is that we are willing to lean in to the blunt reality in order to allow ourselves to more quickly and resiliently move on to focus our internal and external resources towards more values-consistent behaviors.

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