helpful books depression anxiety

Helpful Books: Life After Therapy

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Helpful Books. This month, we’ve been covering the topic of “Life After Therapy.” What can you do to ensure you use effective coping skills? How do you stay positive when life suddenly throws a new obstacle at you? Will you revert back to negative coping habits? Or will you remember your tool kit in your time of need? We know, this is a lot to wonder. And for some of you, may strike up a bit of anxiety. Whether you are recently (or not so recently) out of therapy or you know the end of your sessions is approaching, start thinking about the positive ways you can cope.

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parenting shame

Parenting Shame: Why Did I Have Kids Again?

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Have you ever felt parenting shame? Picture this. You’re sitting in the middle of the living room. On a floor with toys strewn about and yesterday’s Gold Fish Crackers crushed into the carpet. Your oldest is crying because your middle child won’t stop licking him. The baby just finished eating after crying since 2am. And then proceeds to vomit all over you. But that’s ok because you haven’t showered in 3 days anyhow.

You can’t remember the last time you saw your best friend. Adult conversation has become more than a perk. But it’s an ongoing, deep-rooted need that you can’t seem to find time for. Tears well up in your eyes. And the parenting shame fills your chest as you question every decision that lead to this moment.  “Why did I ever decide to have kids?!”

And then the oldest scoops the youngest up and tries to teach her his favorite game as your heart melts and a freight train of guilt slams into your gut.

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Counseling for Kids

Counseling for Kids: Social Anxiety

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The term “social anxiety” appears everywhere in today’s world. Many automatically associate the words with those that consider themselves introverts. Some refuse to even take the phrase seriously. But social anxiety isn’t simply the fear of interacting with other people. It’s actually characterized as an intense fear of social situations in which that person may be judged and criticized by others. Social anxiety disorders can truly disrupt a person’s life, especially that of a child. Continue reading as we discuss social anxiety counseling for kids.

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other postpartum symptoms

Other Postpartum Symptoms

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For the last two weeks, we’ve been discussing the postpartum disorders that arise once your baby is born. As much as we’d like to say that these issues don’t happen, these cases are becoming more and more prominent. Fortunately, women are becoming braver and braver in sharing their stories and reaching out for help. Two weeks ago we discussed the most common of those postpartum disorders, postpartum depression. Last week, we shifted gears into learning more about postpartum anxiety. This week, we want to take a deep dive into some of the other postpartum symptoms – those of which relate to postpartum PTSD, postpartum OCD, and postpartum psychosis.

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anxious mother

The Anxious Mother

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Motherhood is an indescribable experience. You aren’t able to understand it until you become a mother. And while it has its incredible ups, motherhood also has its downs. New mothers especially are in for a whirlwind, as there are many mental illnesses that thrive once a baby is born. Last week we opened up dialogue about postpartum depression. And in keeping theme, this week we are diving into the topic of postpartum anxiety. It is not uncommon to become an anxious mother. So keep reading to learn more about this common experience.

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Postpartum Counseling

Postpartum Counseling: Depression

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You recently welcomed a bundle of joy into your home, and the first few days were magical. However, now that the newborn pixie dust is starting to settle, you’re feeling off. You’ve heard stories of all the woes that come after the baby. And you start to wonder if the same is going to happen to you. What does postpartum depression feel like? What are the symptoms? How do you know if you really have it, or if you’re just exaggerating with your spike in hormones? And if you do, what are your postpartum counseling options?

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Postpartum Depression

Postpartum Depression: Treatment Options?

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Postpartum Depression: The Baby Blues

The baby blues include mood swings and feelings of anxiety and sadness that typically emerge 3-5 days after giving birth and dissipate on their own within a few weeks. 70% of new moms experience this temporary change in mood. The baby blues differ from postpartum depression in the length of time in which the symptoms peak as well as the severity of the symptoms.

“There’s societal pressure to feel happy and blissful, so women don’t talk about [the baby blues]. There’s enormous guilt and shame.” – Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody

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temper tantrums

Temper Tantrums

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Temper Tantrums: What They Are, What They Mean and How to Manage Them

Temper Tantrums. You’ve been there. A toddler is lying on his back in the middle of the store. He’s screaming at the top of his little lungs and pounding his fists when he didn’t get the Snickers bar in the candy aisle. You’ve heard that child screeching and crying hysterically a few rows back on the plane. Which isn’t great, as you’re already struggling to mentally prepare yourself for Thanksgiving with the in-laws. You’ve seen it.  You’ve heard it. And maybe even pitied the humiliated parent who was desperately trying to calm their child mid-meltdown. You might even have been that parent. How confident did you feel in your ability to handle that situation?

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opiates in pregnancy

Opiates in pregnancy – what are the effects?

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Is your baby being affected by Opiates in your pregnancy?

Opiates in pregnancy – with the current overprescribing of opiates in the Pittsburgh area and the United States in general, it is becoming more of an issue for moms to be.  Clearly, if you are using or addicted to opiates either in legally or illegally, you need to act to avoid hurting your baby.

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single mothers

Single mothers – what can you do to get support for yourself?

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Single mothers

“Being a single parent is twice the work, twice the stress and twice the tears; but also twice the hugs, twice the love and twice the pride.” -Unknown

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