Anxiety Help: There are some great anxiety products on the market, but we believe nothing can replace positive coping mechanisms and lifestyle choices!

Anxiety Help: Products Vs. Lifestyle

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If you type “anxiety” into the Amazon search bar, you are met with seven pages of search results. From stress balls, aromatherapy mists, and gummy “calm” vitamins to audio books, teas, and weighted blankets, there are no shortages of possible anxiety relief solutions. In a culture where therapy is still stigmatized and access to healthcare isn’t easy, we are choosing to buy our way out with products rather than sit down and truly reflect. While we believe there are some great anxiety products on the market, nothing can replace positive coping mechanisms and lifestyle choices. Let’s dive into a few of the most popular results, and also discuss how pairing those products with lifestyle choices can truly help you cope with anxiety.

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The Gottman Method is a treatment that includes an assessment of the couple’s relationship and moves through a framework to strengthen the relationship.

Treatment 101: The Gottman Method

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The Gottman Method. Relationships are difficult. We all have our own experiences in life that have shaped us into who we are. We have our own opinions and worldviews. And they don’t always coincide with the way others feel. And that is especially true with romantic partners. Just because you love someone doesn’t mean the relationship is safe and good to go. The greatest relationships have been through struggle. The members of those relationships continue to choose to fight for those relationships every single day. These relationships take a lot of effort, time, communication, and compromise. And we have to remember that a relationship isn’t failing because two people are having a hard time connecting. It just means two humans are having difficulty understanding one another – which is a totally normal thing!

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“Am I Stressed Out?” 

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Stress has always been a part of the human experience. Our ancestors stressed about hunting and gathering enough food. They stressed about weather phenomena, empires collapsing, and wars. Today, we are faced with stress in almost every part of our physical and now, digital, lives. We are actually faced with so many different stressors, that sometimes, we don’t even realize we’re stressed out! Think about that. Some of us are already so chronically stressed that we don’t know what being calm even feels like. So before you add another worry to your plate, take a second to reflect. And ask yourself this question, “Am I stressed out?”  Read more

How often does work leave you drained, exhausted, and completely burnt out? Is there a correlation between job stress and mental illness?

Job Stress and Mental Illness

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From the time we could talk, people have been asking us what we want to be when we grow up. Many of us dreamed big, wanting to be astronauts, Olympians, firefighters, or the president. This question engrained in us the importance of our one-day career. Not only do they provide a source of income, but they also help us fulfill our personal goals, build networks, and serve the community. One thing the adults forgot to warn us about though, is that all jobs are a major source of emotional stress. Is there a correlation between job stress and mental illness?

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According to the Law of Attraction, we are constantly sending out signals into the universe. What are you attracting?

How to Use the Law of Attraction

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The concept of attracting specific things into our lives has many names. Manifestation. The Secret. The Law of Attraction. The theory states that regardless of your age, nationality, or religious belief, we are all susceptible to the laws which govern the Universe. It is through the specific Law of Attraction in which we utilize the power of the mind to translate our thoughts in reality. If you think about it, all of our thoughts turn into things in some way or another. If your thoughts tend to focus on the negative, your reality shifts to that perspective. But if you focus on positive thoughts, you will always find a way to achieve them.  Read more

gratitude practice

It’s Time to Develop a Gratitude Practice

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It seems as though more and more people are getting involved in gratitude practices. But what is gratitude exactly? The dictionary definition is “the quality of being thankful”. And “readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Yet how many of us practice gratitude on a daily basis? Expressing gratitude is more than courtesy, manners, or being polite. It’s about showing your heartfelt appreciation. And did you know, people who regularly practice gratitude by taking the time to notice and reflect upon the things they’re thankful for experience a number of benefits? Benefits that include more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness, and even have stronger immune systems.

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self-care routine

Self-Care: It’s More than Face Masks and Bubble Baths

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Self-care. It’s everywhere. Self-care is a popular blog topic and Pinterest pin. It has hashtags and YouTube videos dedicated to it. Many push it in the direction of pampering. A sheet mask here. A bath bomb here. For some of us, it’s a girls night. We stay in and eat ice cream and do a DIY face mask. For others of us, it’s reading our favorite book while swinging in a hammock. Perhaps with a glass of wine. And as much as I’m here for all of these things, self-care goes way beyond face masks and bubble baths. There is another side to self-care, one that’s not often discussed in this self-care conversation. It’s working on yourself.

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coping with reproductive issues

Coping with Reproductive Issues

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Maybe you have always known you wanted to be a parent. Perhaps the maternal/paternal feelings didn’t come until later in your life. There are those who have actively sought out parenthood. Or maybe the transition came without warning. However the journey unfolds, parenthood is an exciting time. Many claim that the day of their child’s birth is the best day of their lives. But unfortunately, things don’t always go according to plan. There are chances of miscarriages, infertility, and loss of child. With those tragic experiences come feelings of sadness, anger, grief, guilt, and shame. How do people get through these horrible tragedies? In today’s post, we want to talk about coping with reproductive issues. And share our own stories of our therapists helping patients through this distressing time.

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Relationship Counseling

Family and Relationship Counseling with Kristen Biancaniello

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Hello!

…and pleasure to meet you! My name is Kristen Biancaniello, MSEd, NCC, CMHP. I want to congratulate you for your openness towards relationship counseling. And for taking this first step in making a change in your life. I received my Masters from Duquense University in 2010 in relationship counseling, with a focus on marriage and family therapy. That same year I became a Nationally Certified Counselor. I am currently waiting on pins and needles to hear from the great state of Pennsylvania as to when I can add Licensed Professional Counselor to the end of my name.

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couples therapy

Couples therapy with Amber Chapman

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Hello, my name is Amber Chapman, MA, LPC, CAADC, and I have been a practicing therapist for over 17 years.  Couples therapy in the form of Couples and marriage counseling is a high priority for me as I believe we all deserve to have healthy, trustworthy, loving relationships that increase our individual strengths.  All relationships have challenges that arise, however we sometimes are without the coping skills necessary to meet those challenges in a healthy manner.  It can be an even more daunting task to develop these coping skills within the community with diverse needs such as the LBGT community.  Though it is typical for LBGT couples to seek therapy for the exact same reasons as a heterosexual couple, it is important to find a therapist who is LBGT specialized to create an appropriately trustworthy therapeutic relationship.

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