Even the happiest and chillest of families has their fair amount of stress around the holidays. I haven’t worked with a client yet that didn’t have a range of emotions about the upcoming gatherings, events, and family dynamics that rise to the surface during the holiday season. There’s typically a variety of personalities, planning styles, rigid versus flexible ways of operating, and then there’s crazy Aunt Sally. But there’s always a way to reframe and plan ahead to make the most out of your holiday gatherings and find joy in your wild family interactions. Check out our latest blog to learn more.
Read MoreDoes your family have set traditions, or do you change it up every year? Are you energized by thinking about the holiday gatherings you have on your calendar, or does it feel draining to decide what dish everyone is bringing to the potluck? Everyone does the holidays differently, and I enjoy sitting with clients learning how people approach it, but also reflecting back how they feel and present when discussing the upcoming events of the season. Our therapist Sky Yeater shares how she has worked with her partner to navigate family difference, traditions, and the introduction of chosen family-which may take priority if that’s what brings you joy. Read the full blog to learn more about navigating traditions while experimenting with different ways to do things around the holidays, and with the people you actually want to be with.
Read MorePreparing for the holidays can often feel like an endless to-do list, going through the motions of what your family or others expect you to do, and stressing yourself out trying to find the perfect ugly sweater for each day of the week for your kids. Taking care of yourself is more important during the holiday season than any other time of the year, and the good news is you don’t have to do anything extra! Goodness knows you have enough on your plate. Read our latest blog to learn how you can integrate intentional self care into your daily activities, and how to use these skills to help yourself feel cared for and energized during this holiday season.
Read MoreMost therapists choose a specialty based on a combination of personal experience and professional interest. In this week’s blog, I am sharing my story about postpartum anxiety, how you can recognize it in yourself or a loved one, and sharing why you should get help sooner than I did. About 10% of new moms suffer from postpartum anxiety, which is different than postpartum depression or postpartum psychosis, and it can be scary. Intrusive thoughts are often a new experience for people, and they don’t know how to recognize or talk about them. They can be distressing, but hiding it won’t help. I hope to encourage you to get the help you deserve by sharing my story, because you’re worth it.
Read MoreDo you feel pressured to have a perfect holiday? What’s it like to see those picture perfect food spreads and manicured lawn decor on your social media feed starting in November? Oftentimes we get wrapped up in the details, worrying what other’s will think, and making everything perfect that we lose sight of what we could actually enjoy out of the holidays. If making the perfect buffet brings you joy, by all means do that! But if any of the activities you’re engaging in is distracting from your pleasure this holiday season, check out this blog for some ideas on how to kick perfectionism to the curb and reengage in what’s important to you.
Read MoreWe’re continuing on our series where each therapist on the team shares about their niche and why they’ve chosen to specialize in specific areas of therapy. Therapy is vast, and research shows that generalizing in a variety of arenas is not the most effective way to engage as a therapist. Being able to hone in your skills around specific areas helps both the therapist and client, but more important than any skill set is the relationship the client has with the therapist. For these reasons, we find it imperative to share our stories and passions so that people can learn from us, engage with us, and discover how we’ve come to specialize and become experts in certain methods. This week Sky Yeater shares about her journey to working with couples, understanding a variety of relationship styles and configurations, and her love of working through an attachment based lens.
Read MoreOur series on specialization continues, but with a bit of a twist. Brynna, our amazing counseling intern, is at the point in her journey as a therapist where she gets the opportunity to explore working with a variety of clients, and this is what therapists need to do to figure out what they’re really good at and their areas of interest for future clinical work and trainings. Brynna has developed excellent skills so far in working with couples, especially using at attachment theory lens. In today’s blog, she shares her knowledge about attachment styles, how they impact your relationship, and how to figure out which style you fit in. Understanding attachment is a powerful tool in couples therapy, and can be a game changer in relationship therapy.
Read MoreWe’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 MoreThis week’s blog is exploring a concept near and dear to our newest therapist Sky’s heart-relational perfectionism. If you are conflict avoidant or notice that you have a negative reaction to the idea of conflict, especially in the form of judgement, you’ll want to learn more about this concept. Is conflict the enemy of relationships? Many researchers would argue no, conflict is good for relationships. With my 10 years of experience in couples therapy, I have to say I agree. Conflict serves many valuable functions in relationships, including enhancing connection and growth. Learn from Sky’s personal experience and how she integrates this concept into couples therapy.
Read MoreWhat do you think the number one problem couples are facing that results in seeking therapy? Communication. By far, couples are looking for help with their communication. But what does that really mean? In therapy, one of the first things the therapist will dissect and help you understand is the dance of communication you both use, especially in times of conflict. This week’s blog covers 3 different demon dialogues-based on the model of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy by Sue Johnson. Understanding these behavioral patterns is essential to discovering new ways of interacting, resolving conflict, and creating meaningful connection. Which pattern does your relationship fall into?
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!
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