In the realm of parenting, few voices resonate as deeply as that of Dr. Brené Brown. Renowned for her research on vulnerability, courage, empathy, and shame, Brown’s insights provide powerful guidance for navigating the challenges of raising children. One of her significant contributions to this conversation is her parenting manifesto. It outlines principles to help parents cultivate strong, resilient, and emotionally healthy children. In this blog, we will explore the key tenets of Brené Brown's Parenting Manifesto and how they can be applied to your parenting journey. The post A Guide to Rai ..read more

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy for couples to fall into routines that leave little room for intimacy and connection. While busy schedules and responsibilities can make it difficult to carve out time for each other, making a deliberate effort to go on dates can provide significant therapeutic benefits for your relationship. In this blog, we'll explore why dating your partner is essential for maintaining a healthy and happy relationship and discuss the positive impact it can have on emotional well-being. The post Nine Reasons Couples Should Go on a Date appeared first on GROW ..read more

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and Snapchat allow us to connect with friends, share moments, and access a wealth of information. However, while social media offers many benefits, its impact on mental health is a topic of growing concern. As awareness of mental health issues increases, it's essential to explore both the positive and negative effects of social media on our psychological well-being and to develop strategies for healthier engagement with these platforms. The post Social Media and M ..read more

The highly anticipated sequel to Pixar’s beloved film "Inside Out" hit the screens with "Inside Out 2," delving deeper into the complexities of emotions and mental health. The first film introduced audiences to the personified emotions of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. In "Inside Out 2," the narrative expands, bringing new characters and themes while deepening our understanding of emotional well-being. In this blog, we will explore the mental health themes presented in "Inside Out 2," the importance of emotional expression, and how the film resonates with audiences of all ages. The po ..read more

As the summer winds down, many parents find themselves on the emotional rollercoaster of sending their child off to college. This transition can be bittersweet—full of pride for your child's achievements but also marked by a profound sense of loss. It’s important to recognize that the grieving process when a child leaves for college is completely normal, and navigating these feelings can lead to personal growth and deeper family connections. The post The Parental Transition: Coping with Your Child’s College Move appeared first on GROW Counseling ..read more

If you are in a committed relationship, you are occasionally going to complain about your partner. Valid complaints help us grow and become better partners. We have to learn to complain in healthy ways. But how do you complain without it resulting in a fight? The key is to soften how the complaint is voiced. In Dr. John Gottman’s research, he found that the first three minutes of a discussion almost always determines how it will end. Therefore, it’s really important to bring up topics in a gentle manner. Things usually go off track when a complaint is heard as criticism. A complaint becom ..read more

Consider how you treat yourself after you experience failure. Do you engage in self-criticism, shaming thoughts, or take inventory of your shortcomings or bad luck? Now ask yourself how you would treat a good friend who experienced a similar failure. I’ve noticed, we will say things to ourselves that we would never say to our worst enemy. The reason is most people are compassionate by nature. Most wouldn’t dream of intentionally hurting a fellow human being, yet they will do so to themselves. The result of this self-deprecating behavior is lowered self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness, and de ..read more

Personal identity is a tricky thing. We are always growing, always changing individuals. Just as soon as you think you’ve got yourself all figured out, a new situation or life stage begins and you have to get to know yourself all over again. Our identities are often difficult to pin down. On any given day, we might describe ourselves completely differently based on situation, mood, or even whether or not we’ve eaten recently. Popular culture also often tells us that based on the fact that you’re a single mom, or work in finance, or come from a certain part of the country, that you’re supposed ..read more

Ever heard the saying, ‘Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black’? It’s a pithy description of the defense mechanism Sigmund Freud referred to as projection. Projection is the tendency to overlook an undesirable trait in ourselves while attributing it to the people around us. It’s like denial supplemented with a dose of misdirection. Denial can blind us to many things, especially the less desirable aspects of our own personality. Unfortunately, denying those traits doesn’t eliminate the feelings they generate. If we’ve convinced ourselves that we aren’t jealous or spiteful, then how do we e ..read more

We live in a world where it has never been easier to compare our lives to others. We are probably not even aware of how much time and energy we spend on comparing our lives to others. Social media allows us to stay up to date on what is going on with our friends and family at all times. While social media can be a great tool for helping us stay in touch, it can also be dangerous in terms of leading to discontentment. What we have to remind ourselves is that what we see on social media is only the highlight reel of someone’s life. We tend not to post about our hurts and insecurities. So when we ..read more