It’s essential to remember that the true spirit of this time of year isn’t just about giving or achieving perfection, but about reconnecting with ourselves and the people we care about. For many of us, this season can bring both joy and stress in equal measure, but by cultivating awareness of our mind-body connection, we can begin to navigate these challenges with greater ease and resilience. Whether it’s through grounding techniques, mindful breathing, or even a little dance, small practices can make a big difference in how we experience the holidays. Just like Susan, we all have the power to reset, find clarity, and reduce the overwhelming stress that sometimes accompanies this season. I hope this blog is a reminder to prioritize the things needed to survive such a hectic season. 

Mental hygiene involves the routines and habits that help maintain and improve mental health and emotional well-being. This includes managing stress, keeping a balanced lifestyle, practicing self-care, and getting professional help when needed. However, it can be tough to stick to these practices, especially for someone struggling with depression. In a relationship, the person dealing with depression has to think about not just their well-being but also how their symptoms are affecting their partner and the relationship as a whole.

Many times, clients seek couples counseling to establish a more effective way of communicating with their partners, as well as build a better intimate relationship. I have worked alongside couples that would like to build intimacy, but aren’t quite sure what that entails. For many of them, intimacy consists of sex, despite this, a lot of individuals face difficulties establishing intimacy in and out of the bedroom. This post describes the different avenues of developing intimacy with others.

Pregnancy is a beautiful experience for everyone involved as it's a reminder that individuals are capable of so much. Sadly, in a culture that does not center its beauty and fails to address navigating negative emotions, this experience can be very difficult for some. This post gives parent(s) some idea of when it would be a good time to seek out therapy and the benefits that it can bring.

Physical intimacy is a normal part of life and comes naturally to some. However, what do you do when it doesn’t? The neurodiverse community often struggles with physical intimacy. It is common for neurodivergent folks to feel a sense of alienation and dread associated with connecting to others, so it is no surprise that there are often obstacles with an act as vulnerable and intimate as sex

June is here, heralding the summer pleasures of grilling, beach trips, and the long, languid days leading up to the summer solstice. And yet with all this summertime fun at our fingertips, this month marks two and a quarter years of living in a dramatically different world.

For many of us, January is a month of fresh starts and new beginnings; a time to wipe the slate clean and move forward as the best possible version of ourselves. Having a flooding contract with your partner can be a great way to bring that same clean-slate spirit into your communication!

The holiday season is upon us; with it booze and lots of it. Drinking around the holidays is not only socially acceptable but also in many cases, it is expected. For this reason, people are more likely to drink beyond their limits and those committed to moderation or sobriety tend to struggle more than any other time of the year.

With what has felt like eternity to some, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way that our society functions day-to-day. For generations, everything we did was primarily face-to-face, whether that was in school, with friends, or at work. After the initial stay-at-home order, we learned that a majority of these settings (i.e. work, school, etc.) could be transitioned to an online version, for the time being. This shift led to us needing to change our routines.

Many myths about female sexuality show up in therapy with our clients. Research has now disproved outdated ideas about female sexuality once and for all so why do these myths prevail? To clear up some common misunderstandings, here are some of the most common myths to reflect on.

In preparation for LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, as we celebrate gender and sexual diversity, I’ve been reflecting on love and how the word “love” is versatile. The expression of love comes in a wide variety of ways.

One year ago, our everyday lives changed drastically, what seemed like overnight. Our daily routines and relationships needed adjusting. This year has been a year full of confusion, loss, and constant changes. Some changes were obvious, like our work schedules and the amount of time we spent at home. However, other changes weren’t so obvious at the beginning, specifically how couples have had to adjust their relationship dynamics. Many couples had to create a new normal.

As human beings, we are hardwired for connection-it is one of the driving forces in our lives. The urge to "belong” and experience closeness and intimacy is something we all crave and seek. So why do so many of us struggle to connect and maintain healthy relationships?

Uncertainty is a given in life but rarely have we collectively faced uncertainty in such a way. As the COVID-19 outbreak has shown, life can change very quickly and unpredictably. 2020 has been a mixture or grief and hope wrapped up into one. Nine months into the pandemic many of us are still left with questions. When will I be able to hug my family again? Will I or a loved one get sick? If we do get sick will we be okay?

As humans, we are innately social and sexual beings. However, even though sexuality plays a significant role in our lives – by allowing procreation, bonding and the experience of pleasure – sex and sexual issues are rarely discussed; they are kept taboo in therapy, and especially in social relationships.

Your love story begins. You meet your soul mate and you can’t even remember what life felt like before you met. Everything revolves around your partner. You dream about each other, you talk to and about each other, and can’t take your hands off each other. There is no shortage of passion and sex feels spontaneous and exciting. There is never a dull moment, and life just feels complete.

Have you ever found yourself reconnecting with a friend or loved one at the end of a day, and after 15 minutes of conversation you realized that you have not heard a word they said because you were lost in your thoughts planning for the next day or worrying about your upcoming week? How about that wasted week spent neglecting your responsibilities, getting irritated at your social support, worrying, ruminating, obsessing over the dream job you applied for and feeling inadequate, only to learn that you are not only qualified but the only candidate with a job offer?

Imagine you are on a dream tropical vacation that you have been planning for months to escape all your chores and daily stressors. It is winter, cold and snowy in your hometown, and you look forward to lounging on the beach in the warmth of the sun and playing in the turquoise seawater. Once you arrive to your resort town, it starts pouring rain, and the deep blue calm water turns into a sea of grey waves pounding the beach you were supposed to lay on. The weekly forecast is not going to change and you are stuck for a week in a setting that is far from what you have envisioned.

If you won the lottery would you stop working? This question might stimulate dreams of paying off lifelong credit card debts or student loans with just one click, instead of making monthly payments, taking a trip around the world instead of spending your day stuck in a cubicle. Waking to the sounds of the ocean’s waves instead of an alarm clock greeting you every morning. Breaking in your new sports car instead of sharing a crowded bus with fellow commuters.