Codependency is a term that describes an unhealthy or unbalanced relationship where one person’s needs are met while the others aren’t. Codependent people are said to “enable” the bad behavior of a loved one by supporting them, no matter if it negatively affects their own well-being.As an example, a parent may have a hard time setting healthy boundaries by telling...[ read more ]

Ideally, childhood is a time of wonder, play, and discovery as facilitated by parents who provide children with sufficient safety and security to explore the world and grow to reach their full potential. Unfortunately, some children have one or more parents who struggle to provide their children with a consistent experience of feeling safe, secure, and unconditionally loved. In some...[ read more ]

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a pattern of unwanted thoughts or fears (obsessions) that cause an individual to perform repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These thought patterns and behaviors negatively impact a person’s daily activities and quality of life in significant ways. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that has been found to be an effective treatment...[ read more ]

There has been substantial growth in the popularity of mindfulness across recent decades. As a result, more folks are aware of the benefits of practicing present-focused awareness. Applications of mindfulness are plentiful to include when eating. Perhaps you are already aware of mindful eating and understand it as having something to do with eating more slowly or chewing your food...[ read more ]

Mental health significantly impacts quality of life and so it makes sense we would prioritize working to improve our relationship with our mind and body. Such efforts could include working to eat healthier foods, exercising more consistently, or obtaining quality sleep each night. In addition to the above, a sometimes overlooked factor contributing to our well-being is a sense of...[ read more ]

Over the course of our evolution men have rigidly occupied a specific role in human development. While gender roles are now more flexible, historically speaking men can perhaps be conceptualized as having been primarily tasked with fighting wars and building the physical infrastructure of society. And, if you think about it, it can be challenging to feel or process one's...[ read more ]

As April was Counseling Awareness Month, I thought it could be helpful to take several moments to speak to mental health (some basic statistics and common contributing factors) and the benefits of participating in treatment to address mental health concerns. Mental health means our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Our mental health impacts how we feel and think as well...[ read more ]

When we are young, life transitions are perhaps more likely to be viewed as exciting or empowering. We go from crawling to walking and then from walking to running. We start with training wheels but soon no longer need them. As we mature, we graduate into higher grades and become more independent. As adults, life transitions are perhaps more likely...[ read more ]

We live in a society that values the appearance of perfection. While there is opportunity to obtain apparent perfection - perhaps architects can draw a perfectly straight line, mathematicians can solve an equation with a perfect calculation, or a chocolate cake can be perfectly moist, humans can never achieve a state of actual perfection because we are a perpetual work...[ read more ]

As families continue to shelter in place together, it can be challenging to navigate the stress and stay in shape. Exercising as a family is one way families can, at once, cope more adaptively with pandemic-related stressors and maintain physical health. What follows are ideas for families to exercise together without the resource of a public/private gym. Make Fitness A...[ read more ]