We’re continuing our deep dive on each therapist’s specialty and why they chose to dedicate their career to working with a specific issue. This week, Jaimi Douthit, LPC-Associate, explores her chosen niche of working with self-care and burnout, as well as the concept of intentionality in guiding our own lives and self-worth. Jaimi is a truly amazing example of a therapist who doesn’t simply teach you a skill and let you go out in the world to see if it works, but while going into the depths of the skill, she sits with you mindfully to understand and guide your intentions. Check out her post to learn how something as simple as making your bed can become a huge part of your self-care routine.
Read MoreOver the next few weeks, our therapists are going to dive deep into their specialities and why they have chosen specific niches or areas to work in. Therapy is a big field with many potential areas to work in. I believe that therapists provide the highest quality of care when they choose to work narrowly, only with clients who they can truly help, and by becoming deeply immersed in developing skills. This week Jennifer Anderson, LMFT-Associate, LPC-Associate is sharing about her love of couples therapy, why she enjoys working with couples, and some of the avenues she has explored with her clients. Check it out and make sure to visit her bio page as well.
Read MoreIf you’re expecting your partner to know what you need, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Even we don’t always understand our own thoughts and needs, so how can we expect another person to know what we want at all times. As humans in relationships, we have to put aside the old belief that if our partner really knew us, they’d be able to read out minds. We either need to learn how to ask for our needs to be met with clarity, or stop complaining. We want you to have a great and connected relationship, so we want to help you learn how to discuss your unmet needs with your partner, so that you both end up feeling connected and getting something amazing out of the relationship. Win-win!
Read MoreWhat should you do if you’re scared to go to therapy? You should go anyway! It’s extremely scary to sit with a stranger and tell them all your deepest darkest secrets and then wonder if they can actually help you or if they’re just going to sit in judgment. Even if you currently go to therapy, it may be hard to show up for certain sessions. Going to therapy requires discomfort to change those parts of your life that aren’t working for you. Check out this post for some helpful ideas about what to do if you feel scared to go to therapy.
Read MoreOne of the trickiest parts of coming to see a couples therapist is sitting with the idea that sometimes the therapist will take sides, and it may not always be in your favor. But honestly, that’s what you need-someone who will tell you the truth lovingly and in a way that helps your relationship get better. Having a therapist who is neutral all the time is nice, but also makes it hard to make real progress. Read our latest blog post to learn more about why couples therapists take sides at times, and the benefits you’ll receive as a client.
Read MoreThis is a question many new callers ask us on the phone when they are first in their search for a therapist. There' are so many kinds of therapy and it can be confusing to know what will work best in your situation. While we are always happy to discuss this (and all your) question in more detail, there are some overarching ideas to think about. Couples or individual therapy, what do you really need?
Read MoreWe’ve explored some reasons why sex is so difficult and the barriers that make engaging harder, and now we’re talking about how to make improvements in your sex life. It can help to understand the factors that make sex physiologically or psychologically more difficult (brakes) and things that really get your engine revving (accelerators). The key is for both partners to understand their own and each other’s turn ons and offs to change the context and set yourselves up for success to create an amazingly satisfying sex life.
Read MoreThis week we are continuing our series on effective communication by discussing how to change the four horsemen, those behaviors that are strong predictors of divorce. If we know the behaviors to avoid, we have to do active work to change what we’ve been doing for years. We can’t expect those behaviors to just go away because we now understand how damaging they are; we have to intentionally change them. This blog post explores how to deal with each horseman and ways to go about enhancing your communication skills with your partner.
Read MoreAs we continue on with our Therapy Basics blog series, we are finally able to explore what makes good therapy. Good therapy is hard to find, even if you’ve followed the advice we’ve given in the first several parts of our series. You may find the best specialist in the world, who fits within your ideal budget and can see you after work….and when you get there it’s still not quite right. That doesn’t mean the person is a bad therapist, but fit is essential to this work being successful for you. On the other side of things, there’s A LOT of really bad therapy out there. I know, from personal experience, the shared experiences of my clients, and stories from friends and family that not all therapy is created equal. Here is our therapist Jennifer Anderson’s take on the signs of good therapy.
Read MoreWe’re continuing on with out Therapy Basics series this week by explaining what you can expect from therapy. Most people don’t know anything about therapy or the process other than what they’ve seen in movies and TV, and let’s face it-those are usually horrible depictions of what real therapy is like. Sky Yeater, our Counseling Intern, does an excellent job at laying out exactly what to expect from start to finish. Every therapist is different in their style, but generally this process remains the same across modalities and treatment models. Check it out!
Read MoreYou’ve been thinking about going to therapy for a while, but you don’t know where to start, what questions to ask, or even what you’re looking for. Do you look through website, asks friends, blind call offices, or drive around town until you see a therapy office with a sign? And after you find said therapist…then what? There’s a lot that goes into the therapy process, and my decade of experience has lead me to understand the intricacies of figuring out how to start therapy and find the right therapist. For this reason, my team and I are starting a blog series to help break everything down into easily digestible (and informational) pieces that are thoughtful and will save you time and frustration. This week we’re starting with 7 things you need to consider before going to therapy. Doing this groundwork is essential, and you’ll be able to start this process with ease and clarity. Read on to learn more.
Read MoreLast but not least, owner of the Center for Couples Counseling Erika Labuzan-Lopez is sharing her love of being a therapist. It’s so rare therapists get the opportunity to share parts of themselves with their clients and the world, but the process and reasons for becoming a therapist are so intimate and ingrained in who we are. Trust me, you want a therapist who loves being a therapist, because this work can be draining and exhausting. Without that love, the day to day work of therapy can take a toll. But for me, my soul is fed because I truly LOVE being a therapist. Read this post to get to know more about my why’s.
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