Have you ever wondered what the different initials or credentials after a therapist’s name actually stand for? Mental health therapists come in various specialties, and each has its own set of acronyms. Here are some of the common acronyms used to denote different types of mental health therapists: Psychiatrist (MD or DO): Acronym: Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) Description: A medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses. They can prescribe medication and provide therapy. Psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy ..read more

How Do I Find the Right Type of Therapist for Me? Taking care of our mental health is just as important as maintaining our physical health. Whether you're facing specific challenges or seeking personal growth, a mental health therapist can provide valuable support and guidance. However, finding the right therapist can be a daunting task. In this blog post, we'll walk you through the process of finding a mental health therapist who best suits your needs and preferences. What am I Looking for? Begin by reflecting on your current mental health concerns and goals. Are you struggling with anxiety ..read more

Are you trying to start a more routine program of practicing deep relaxation?  Conquering Obstacles to a Daily Program of Deep Relaxation You may encounter difficulties as you start  any new routine, but we all know that sticking to it is the key to making it work. You may start out with great enthusiasm, setting aside time each day to practice. However, after a week or so, you may find yourself “forgetting” to practice. We live in a fast-paced world that rewards us for speed, efficiency, and productivity. It is difficult to stop everything and simply relax for twenty or thirty minut ..read more

I get muscle tension when I’m anxious or stressed, what do I do?   People with anxiety difficulties are often so tense throughout the day that they don’t even recognize what being relaxed feels like. Through practice you can learn to distinguish between the feelings of a tensed muscle and a completely relaxed muscle. Then, you can begin to “cue” this relaxed state at the first sign of the muscle tension that accompanies your feelings of anxiety. By tensing and releasing, you learn what relaxation feels like and how to recognize when you are starting to get tense during the day. Do you fe ..read more

How do you unwind? Do you read a good book? Do you plop down in front of the TV and binge watch a series? Do you take a bubble bath? Of course, these are all great forms of relaxation, but in order for relaxation to really impact anxiety, you need to engage in deep meaningful relaxation daily on a regular basis. This type of relaxation can cause true physiological changes to your body. Here are just a few examples: Decreased heart rate A relaxed breathing rate Lower blood pressure A reduction in muscle tension Decreased metabolic rate The calming of thoughts If you can engage i ..read more

Merriam-Webster defines mindfulness as the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis. Mindfulness is a practice that originates from Eastern religious and secular traditions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, but also has roots in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It has been practiced for thousands of years in many different cultures. Even though, mindfulness may originate from religious traditions, it in no way means that you have to be religious or practice that religion to use mindfu ..read more

We all have a to-do list. It’s either rolling around in our head all the time or we have a bunch of random pieces of paper all over the house/work with many lists on them. Does this sound familiar?     The list in your head probably plays over and over again all day long and you review it before going to sleep at night. Chances are this makes it harder to fall asleep or have a good night’s sleep. There’s also a good chance that you forget somethings sometimes because of it just being in your head along with all of the other knowledge you need to have. This probably used to work bett ..read more

Why do we need to cope? Why can’t we just make it go away? I recently talked about stress and how everyone is faced with it at different times. We don’t always need to use coping skills when we are stressed or busy though. Sometimes we need to buckle down and complete the task we are working on, then we will feel better. It’s the times when the stress, anxiety, worry, and thoughts continue even after a task is done or a situation has passed. Coping skills are one way of helping ourselves manage stress and challenges. As discussed over here, stress won’t always just go away. Adding in coping sk ..read more

Throughout our lives, we all experience stress. Whether it’s a project at work or getting all the Christmas presents bought in time for the party. Stress is common. Especially as our society gets busier and more fast-paced. But there’s also this thing called anxiety that you hear about and maybe even suspect that you might be facing. The truth is that stress and anxiety are similar, and their symptoms often overlap. When we feel stressed, we can experience: ·        Racing thoughts ·        Rapid heartbeat ·    ..read more

    Millions of people deal with anxiety throughout their lives. Whether it’s a result of phobias, depressions, or post-traumatic stress, anxiety can take a toll on our mind and health. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 31.1% of adults in America experience an anxiety disorder in their life. You are not alone, even when it feels like you are. There’s a good chance that this is not the first place or time that you have been looking for ways to deal with your anxiety. In fact, most people have tried many solutions on their own before going to therapy. Whi ..read more