The apps and websites are endless: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tinder, Grindr. It’s all called social media, but what happens when it no longer feels social? How about when it starts to feel overwhelming, anxiety provoking or even hostile? Throw in an additional near-endless source of news to our phones and computers, and for more than a few of us, the situation can begin affecting one’s mental health.
Read MoreNearly all of us are well aware of how to avoid acquiring HIV: consistent condom use; reducing our number of sexual partners; abstinence and not sharing hypodermic needles. But did you know there is a pill available that can dramatically decrease your chances of acquiring HIV to almost zero? The pill is called Truvada and the treatment is called PrEP.
Read MoreHow do you see yourself, your physical self? Are you happy with what you see when you look in the mirror? Do you think others see what you see or do you frequently feel that others are overestimating what they see when they look at you? For some these questions may seem somewhat silly, but for others they are emotionally loaded and may even induce a feeling a dread.
Read MoreA wiser person than I once said that the only constant in life is change. Oh, the irony!
The process of change is all around us – seasons change, fashions change, our bodies and our moods change. We’ve written books, songs and poems about it and even taken photographs and films to record the process. Yet, for a great many people, even the prospect of change is wrought with dread and anxiety.
Read MoreSome verbs are easily defined or pictured in the mind. For example: to speak, to walk or to paint all seem fairly straightforward. However, what comes to mind when you think of “to forgive?”
Read MoreRecently, a client new to therapy mentioned in session that she was disappointed about not having any time to do things to care for herself. Up to this point she hadn’t spoken much about self-care, though she had reported having a few hobbies that she had enjoyed in the past. “Why can’t I have time for me? There are things I like to do for myself.” It is true that her life has been quite hectic recently. Between a career, childrearing duties and problems in her relationship, she feels that she has little if any time to focus on herself.
Read MoreFor many of us, what we know about depression is learned from stereotyped images on television and in the movies. These usually are of an individual who won’t leave their home, can’t get out of bed, can’t eat, has been in pajamas for days with messy hair (and unshaven face, if male,) and cries at the slightest provocation. While some forms of depression do present this way in some individuals, the truth is that symptoms of depressive are far more varied.
Read MoreAccording to the National Institute for Mental Health, each year about 6.7% of U.S adults experience major depressive disorder. Many of those affected will seek psychotherapy for treatment of their symptoms. Over the last half-century, psychotherapy has become a culturally accepted form of treatment for depression and numerous other mental illnesses.
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