Caring for the Caregiver

One in five of Americans provides unpaid care to a child or adult with health problems or special needs. We care for our parents, spouses, kids, grandparents, other relatives, friends and neighbors.  The number of unpaid caregivers—including child caregivers—has risen over the past five years. Surveys show that the people we care for have increasingly complicated needs. More of us …

Diagnosing and Treating Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme emotional highs (mania) and lows (depression). Manic episodes are “up” times, marked by high energy, little sleep and exuberant self-confidence and euphoria. Depressive episodes are marked by low energy, trouble concentrating, anxiety and often hopelessness. We may not understand how much havoc bipolar disorder causes in the lives of affected individuals, who struggle to …

Personal Growth Through Self-Reflection

Self-reflection has been part of spiritual practices for thousands of years. More recently, therapy and programs like Alcoholic Anonymous have incorporated it to help change undesirable behaviors. As a means of examining our lives, self-reflection offers a great opportunity for transformation. It can lead to insights and new perspectives in how we see ourselves and others, which opens a door …

Busting Common Myths Surrounding PTSD

5 Common Myths that Surround PTSD It’s been called shell shock, battle fatigue, war strain, soldier’s heart and, now, post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD has been called different things over the years, mostly centered around soldiers and their experiences. Although PTSD treatment has been a reality since the 1980s, there’s quite a bit of public misunderstanding. PTSD is a mental health …

Surrounding Yourself with Positivity

The Importance of a Positive Support System It sounds easy to surround ourselves with positive people and to live a more positive lifestyle. But, sometimes things out of our control can have us feeling trapped by negative influences. It can be daunting to step back from long-term relationships that may have taken a negative turn since we first entered them …

Would Therapy Help Me?

How Therapy Actually Works and How it Can Help Seeking therapy is an individual choice, with patients choosing to come for many different reasons. Sometimes, they need help to deal with long-standing psychological issues or dealing with changes in anxiety disorders or depression. Other times, it’s to ask for help dealing with a divorce or other stressful transition. Working with …