Vianna Schappach, LCSW discusses pet-related grief, what makes it unique, and how to cope with a loss. Losing a pet is an incredibly emotional and vulnerable time. For many of us, our companion animals provide a sense of comfort, love, and connection. We value their unique personalities and the incredible joy they bring to our hearts. Grieving this relationship and their role in our lives is a huge task, something that society often disregards. In reality, pet grief is a valid and real experience, something that deserves immense care and attention.  Validating Yourself Although the loss ..read more

Tiffany Bentley, LCSW provides information about how grief shows up during the holidays and how to best cope with the rollercoaster of emotions. Holiday Grief The holidays come with traditions and preconceived ideas of how we are supposed to celebrate, behave, and socialize. Holiday traditions can bring up the pain of loss, even years after a loss, and in turn, bring up mixed emotions from sadness to anger. The most important thing you can do while grieving during the holidays is to give yourself permission to feel however you feel, acknowledge and accept your feelings and be gentle with your ..read more

Tiffany Bentley, LCSW explains what EMDR is, how it works, and how to know if it’s the right fit for you. What is EMDR? Have you heard about Prince Harry’s telehealth EMDR therapy session? If you haven’t seen it, the video can be found on YouTube. If you have heard of it, you might have asked yourself, “What is EMDR and what does it stand for?” Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), is a type of therapy founded by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the 1980’s. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (aka both sides of the brain) to help clients reprocess memories that may be categorized as trauma ..read more

Yesenia Arroyo, LCSW on managing personality differences in relationships. There are an unlimited combination of characteristics that make up all the unique individuals in the world. These characteristics are what make people who they are. Finding a person whose personality aligns with yours seems harder than one would hope. When partners have different personalities, the expectation that one person is going to change their personality to align more closely with their partner’s for unlimited harmony becomes a challenge. The expectation that your shy partner will be more outgoing because you ta ..read more

Tiffany Smith, LCSW on whether group therapy is right for you & how to have a great experience in a group. The first thing to mention is that group therapy is not for everyone. Group therapy can be very beneficial to those who are in the right space for this type of therapeutic intervention, even more helpful than individual therapy. However, there are things to be aware of in ourselves when choosing to join a group. In group therapy you are a part of a system, several individuals existing together in therapeutic time and space. This group of people who you are working with are looking to ..read more

Yesenia Arroyo, LCSW on navigating the stressors Covid-19 presented on romantic relationships If anyone pondered the outcomes of their friends and families’ relationships during the mandated shutdown in 2020, they might infer from social media that half the couples they know either increased their family size or broke up. It seemed there were a lot of pregnancy and engagement announcements this past year and a half, but also a lot of couples who struggled or separated. Though maybe different from what was shared on Instagram, evidence shows that during the pandemic, not only did the birth rate ..read more