Finding Hope and a Community- Navigating Eating Disorders
By: Jennifer S. Lyons, MA, PLPC I remember the fear and disbelief as our pediatrician fielded questions about my fourteen-year-old daughter’s mood, eating, and exercise habits. It was the summer before her first year of high school, and she earned the role of the prima ballerina in the fall ballet. I thought she was incorporating […]
Creating the New Normal: Navigating the Holiday Season in Separate Houses
By Jennifer Webbe VanLuven, MSW, LCSW, CDM Adults and stress go hand in hand during the holiday season. There is so much to do. Family to be seen, school holiday programs, gifts to be bought and wrapped, and special celebrations such as Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Christmas, and New Year. When parenting from two households, the stress can feel insurmountable. […]
Mental Healthy Holiday
By David Stewart, PLMFT, CPT, HLC I don’t know about you, but my family doesn’t look like a Hallmark movie around the holidays. How great would that be? Maybe a little cheesy and cliché for some, but you have to admit, it would be nice to just have everything work out and come together in […]
Add Grief to Your Holiday Guest List
Katelyn Siebert, MSW, LCSW The past two years, right around October, I have attended funerals for family members of close friends. As we somberly drove away from one of these services, I remember telling my husband that we need to check in on this friend around the holidays. Holidays can be hard in the best of […]
Regaining Our Personal Power
By Hadley McIntyre, MSW, LMSW It is the easiest thing in the world to allow those around us to take power over our decisions, our actions, and our sense of self. We do it all the time. It may look like letting your friend’s criticism cause you to lose confidence in yourself, or maybe by […]
Trauma: Understanding Your Experience and Winning the Adversity Contest
After an EMDR therapy session, a client turned to me and said, “Time to go back out there and pretend to be normal like everyone else.” Without thinking, I replied, “Yep, and then they’ll come here for their own few minutes of safety before going back out to fool you, too.” We both laughed—an easy […]
The Motherload of Perfectionism: Navigating Holiday Pressures as Moms
By: Jamie Caldwell, MSW, LMSW With the holiday season quickly approaching, we often view this time of year as a time of celebration filled with joy, warmth, and family togetherness. Yet for many mothers, it can feel like a whirlwind of pressure to create the “perfect” holiday experience. This quest for perfection can lead to […]
Overwhelmed! Maintaining Balance and Connection in a Busy Family
By Cari McKnight, MSW, LCSW It starts with the best of intentions. Your daughter expresses an interest in playing soccer, so you sign her up at 4 years old. You want to make sure she starts early, so she doesn’t get left behind. Pretty soon, you sign her up for Girl Scouts, a wholesome activity […]
When Life Throws Us a Curveball: Redefining Ourselves through Difficult Life Transitions
By Katelyn Siebert, MSW, LCSW There are times in every person’s life where we are faced with transitioning into a new phase of our journey. For some, these are planned or natural transitions such as school, marriage, children, career advancements, etc. However, there are also many times when we are forced to face unforeseen, unplanned, and often difficult, life changes. These trying […]
Divorce and the Sense of Personal Identity
By Jennifer Van Luven, MSW, LCSW, CM When you think of “trauma” you may imagine Big Trauma experiences: serious accidents, natural disasters, assault, or life-threatening illnesses. These kinds of events obviously and in a very public way transform the foundation of who you are and how you live. Other incidents can feel equally traumatic and […]