If you find yourself wondering what kind of attachment style your parents have *blessed* you with, if you're curious about what these attachment styles actually look like and how you can cope and support yourself, then worry not, because I am here to guide you through all of these important aspects.

Many people who have been through trauma have trouble sleeping. Our bodies stay tense and alert, making it hard to relax and feel connected to ourselves. This constant state of "being on guard" continues to affect us even after the danger is gone. So, what can you do when you're scared to fall asleep? How can you start to improve your relationship with sleep and have peaceful nights? Well, it's not easy because trauma-related sleep problems can feel overwhelming. But there are effective strategies to address and improve your sleep quality.

Fall is a beautiful season full of vibrant colors and a sense of change in the air. However, many individuals find themselves facing a unique set of challenges when it comes to managing their fall and body image. The shift in weather, wardrobe transitions, and cultural emphasis on holiday festivities can all impact how we perceive ourselves and our bodies. However, It is important to remember that we have the power to navigate these challenges and foster a positive relationship with our bodies during this time.

As we approach the start of a new school year, it is not uncommon for children to experience a surge of anxiety. The transition from the relaxed days of summer to the structured routine of school can be overwhelming and stressful. As parents, it is crucial for us to provide the support and guidance our children need to navigate these emotions.

Autumn has arrived in Philadelphia, transforming the city into a colorful and cool landscape. Parks like Fairmount Park and Rittenhouse Square have become picturesque with their vibrant foliage. And people are enjoying leisurely strolls and picnics in Rittenhouse Square. The air is filled with the tempting aromas of fall treats like warm apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes, and freshly baked apple pies. However, despite the picturesque scenes and cool breezes, you find yourself feeling stressed, uneasy, and anxiety You aren’t sure why but every year around this time you’ve always felt the same. It’s led you to wonder why autumn makes you feel anxious.

Starting college can be an exciting and challenging time for many students. Adjusting to a new environment, managing academic responsibilities, and building new relationships can all contribute to increased stress levels. Unfortunately, this transition can also trigger or exacerbate disordered eating behaviors. To support college freshmen in maintaining a healthy relationship with food and their bodies, here are some valuable tips to consider. Click here to learn more!

We have been taught from a young age that thin equals better and healthier. This leads us to criticize, judge, and even hate our bodies if they don't fit the "ideal" mold. However, we have the power to break free from body shame and cultivate a compassionate relationship with our bodies.

Depression and anxiety are widespread mental health conditions that affect millions of individuals daily, severely impacting their ability to lead fulfilling lives. While therapy and medication are commonly sought after for tackling these challenges, incorporating nutrition counseling into the treatment plan can significantly enhance overall well-being and aid in the recovery process.

While families have traditionally been seen as sources of support and nurturance, they can also pass down deep-rooted wounds from generation to generation. Known as intergenerational trauma, this phenomenon casts a long shadow over family dynamics and shapes how individuals perceive and engage with the world.

In a world where the fight for equality continues, it is crucial that we extend our understanding and support to all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. So, to my gay brothers, this is for you—I see you.

It's no surprise that supporting yourself nutritionally can help with your mental health.  But when you do a quick google for nutrition support and mental health, a lot can pop up, which can make you feel confused and overwhelmed. Plus, when you’re in the throes of a difficult mental health flare and your capacity is limited, the idea of implementing any kind of thoughtful nutrition support plan feels impossible! So, what do you do? How can you support yourself nutritionally? 

When it comes to personal growth and development, there are many modalities to choose from. One approach that has gained popularity in recent years is working with a nervous system coach to reset your nervous system after trauma. But what exactly does nervous system regulation do, and how does it differ from traditional psychotherapy in Philadelphia?

You’ve talked about your feelings, got to understand your emotions, learned about the deepest parts of yourself and faced difficult traumas . You truly understand yourself, but you still feel stuck in your stress, irritability and anxiety. Sometimes, it even feels like they get in the way of your ability to be successful. Maybe you don’t feel as fulfilled as you did with your career. You want to make a change, but feel overwhelmed by the possibility of choosing a different career path, so you force yourself to stay. 

Does this sound like you? If so, working with a life coach may be for you!

Pretending to be okay is something that has become normalized. By saying everything is okay, when it really isn’t, we have this hope that we can maybe convince others (and even ourselves for that matter) that everything really is okay. But pretending we don’t have any problems, difficult emotions or conflicts in reality denies our true feelings and experiences. 

Now, while anxiety and stress are a normal part of growing up and a normal reaction to the stress that teens can experience, the feelings of anxiety for many teens can go well beyond the typical symptoms. When teen’s become overwhelmed and anxious it can begin to negatively affect their friendships, family relationships, participation in school, extracurricular activities, their school work and ultimately interfere with normal daily living. So, what can you actually do for your anxious teen? How can you help a teenager with anxiety in 2023?

Studies show that mindful activities scattered throughout one’s day can have an even deeper impact on healing and self-growth than a regular sitting meditation practice. This is because, once a mindful approach is embedded into our regular activities, it is more likely to become our go-to approach to life. We can take meditation off the cushion, so to speak, and into our daily lives. We can start to incorporate mindfulness into our days by learning ways to reach stillness other than traditional meditation. Here are some other ways to achieve a mindful state in your day to day life…

Trauma itself is highly personal. What one person views as trauma, another might not (and vice versa) or you might have had a similar experience as someone else, but each of you were affected differently. What we know for certain is that while trauma affects all of us differently, experiencing something that is stressful, frightening, or distressing leaves us all with a deep long-lasting wound. So, what can you do to cope with trauma? You might be wondering. 

Whether you’re coping with a past trauma, trying to navigate your life after a traumatic experience, or living with the ripple effects of trauma symptoms, choosing to begin the journey of working with a trauma therapist in Philadelphia can not only make a BIG difference in your mental health but in your overall quality of life. 

Panic attacks can be intense, overwhelming and downright scary because of the fear and discomfort that one experiences while being in the throes of a panic attack. While panic attacks are extremely scary, there is a simple and effective way to stop them in their tracks: the butterfly hug.

When it comes to therapy, no therapist is one size fits all and this is especially true for individuals part of the LGBTQ community. Finding an LGBTQ affirming-therapist in Philadelphia that not only accepts your gender identity or expression, but truly understands the unique set of struggles and challenges you face is hard. So, you might be wondering, Okay, how do I find an LGBTQ friendly therapist? Are there queer therapists in Philadelphia that I can trust? Luckily, for you, we are going to talk about tips and tricks of what you should be looking for when searching for an LGBTQ therapist near you and how an LGBTQ friendly therapist can help you!

Anxiety–whether social, general, specific, or panic–is extremely frustrating and difficult to manage. Anxiety not only can get in the way of the present moment but can even interfere with one’s daily life. While it is important to know that anxiety is VERY normal for each and every one of us to experience (and even helps us!), we all know that anxiety can easily get out of control.

You know it’s time to see a therapist for your anxiety, depression, trauma, and/or eating disorder but private pay fees are hard to swing. You’ve reached out to a couple practices and they mentioned the idea of working with a graduate level counseling intern because they can provide low cost therapy in and around Philadelphia, PA. You aren’t sure about it, so you’ve been holding off.

Despite what society, the world, your family, or even you, yourself, has been told about eating disorders there are unfortunately so many misconceptions. You can be intensely restricting and obsessively over exercising and still think you are too big to have an eating disorder. You could also be restricting or binging and still show up in a body that is considered ‘normal’ or ‘overweight.’ You can be purging daily and your labs could still come up normal. 

You feel captive in your own body and don’t know how to become free, but you are beginning noticing that parts of you are ready to change. You are becoming more open to the idea of eating disorder recovery because a part of you is exhausted from all the work you have been doing. However, you are struggling to know what direction you should move in or what ED recovery could look like. 

While DBT has been proven to be highly effective in treating a range of mental health conditions, you don’t have to have a mental illness to benefit from these skills. In fact, learning these skills and incorporating them into your life can help all of us! Here are 3 DBT skills to help you get started. 

You want to be happy with yourself and let go of the shame, guilt, and hatred you have for body but are afraid of what recovery could look like. It is understandable that you are both curious and anxious about ED treatment because the ED voice is talking back to you, convincing you, that you shouldn’t. I am here to provide some insight and debunk myths that your ED voice may be telling you about eating disorder therapy.

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Are you thinking about starting therapy but feel hesitant in moving forward? Maybe you are worried about the timing or aren’t sure how to find a therapist. Maybe you’re worried about what other people would think or say. Perhaps you just aren’t sure if therapy is right for you or if therapy will be beneficial. All you know is that you are tired of convincing yourself that you ‘don’t really need’ therapy or that you don’t ‘have it bad enough’.  You feel that you have finally reached a space of curiosity with therapy and what the therapeutic experience has to offer.

We all have inner voices—one that judges  and belittles and one that is nurturing and up-lifting. However, for many the second inner voice often sounds like a fantasy. In fact, it feels impossible to even comprehend talking to yourself in a kind way because for most of us…the critic often always wins. Our inner voice can be a destructive force that can impact our overall mental wellbeing. This damaging voice magnifies negativity and often isn't satisfied until we are left feeling defeated and sometimes even paralyzed. So, how can we regain balance within our own system? How can we reset the inner critic and strengthen our inner coach?

We go into the New Year with the best of intentions, to make these goals actually happen. We feel excited, hopefully and even enthusiastic about the idea of working toward something new. But, for many of us, we often give up on our New Year’s resolutions or simply forget about them all together by the end of the month and revert back to our old habits. This can often make us feel shameful and guilty for not reaching the expectation that we had set out of ourselves.  So, this New Year, instead of putting pressure on ourselves to make an excessive list of all of the New Year’s resolutions you feel that you have to complete, what if you threw that all out the window? What if you didn’t set resolutions?