Blog for Better Living

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Should I Get Help for My Intrusive Thoughts?

By: Demet Çek, Ph.D. | July 30, 2021

We all experience intrusive thoughts like ‘Did I turn off the stove?’ or `What if I get sick with a serious illness?’ or ‘Would I ever jump off this cliff?’ Sometimes we take action to manage the anxiety that accompanies these thoughts such as double checking that the stove is turned off, seeing a doctor […]

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Anxiety, Personal Improvement, Therapy

“Dear Client, you can tell me anything.”

By: Other | July 23, 2021

Written by Stephanie Salo, Psy.D. “I don’t know if I can talk about this here…” As a psychologist, one of my favorite novels is “Lying On The Couch” by Irvin Yalom, MD. Not only does it have a clever title, it made me aware of how often clients choose NOT to disclose to their therapists. […]

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Personal Improvement, Substance Abuse, Therapy, Trauma

Flex Your Brain on Vacation

By: Natalie Rice-Thorp, Ph.D. | July 16, 2021

When you think of summer, do you think of swimming, hiking, road trips, and beach days? Do you think of doing brain exercises to increase your cognitive flexibility? No? Just me? Consider this: Just as physical activity helps our bodies to maintain flexibility and move more efficiently, brain exercises help maintain flexibility in our thinking. […]

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Personal Improvement, Relationships, Stress

Why Should I Meet with My Therapist Face-to-Face?

By: Michael Toohey, Psy.D. | July 9, 2021

As therapists begin offering psychotherapeutic services in person, why would we discontinue teletherapy? A vital resource during the pandemic yields to in-person psychotherapy services offered again now that vaccination rates have increased in our area and safety mandates have been lifted. Articles and studies over the past year showed teletherapy and in-person therapy as equitable […]

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Anxiety, Depression, Therapy

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The Basics

By: Kamaljit "Sonya" Virdi, Ph.D. | July 2, 2021

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are not new concepts, but you may have been hearing more about them in your office over the last few years. Employers are prioritizing DEI in response to the Me Too movement that exposed gender inequities and the protests that shed light on racial inequities following George Floyd’s death in […]

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Bullying, Racial Justice, Stress

Transitioning Out from Under Pandemic Depression

By: Lisa Card Strong, Ph.D. | June 28, 2021

When is it time to pick up the pieces and make changes? Or, should I sit still and repeat the same pandemic patterns? Having suffered sequestration in worldwide sickness for more than a year, suddenly we’re signaled to move out into our old lives with some forceable changes already in place. Add to that the […]

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Anxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement

Traumatic Grief in the COVID-19 Era

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | May 28, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has already altered the way we live, work, learn, and relate to each other. The many types of losses we’ve experienced during this time include financial insecurity, relocation, separation from family and friends, racial trauma, and losses of intangibles such as a sense of normalcy. The virus has also dramatically changed a […]

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Grief, Trauma

Preparing for Parenthood: Myths vs. Reality

By: Kristen Lipari, Ph.D. | May 25, 2021

Parents-to-be often hear that becoming a parent is “the most wonderful and rewarding experience.” While possibly true, parenthood can also present challenges unlike any you may have experienced previously. If we put parenthood on a pedestal, we may find ourselves subscribing to unrealistic expectations that are impossible to fulfill. Dispelling myths that exist around parenthood […]

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Anxiety, Children, Family, Mindfulness, Parenting

What To Do About Re-Entry Anxiety Post-COVID Vaccination

By: Michael Toohey, Psy.D. | May 7, 2021

Do you rank among the folks who feel anxious meeting people in person again? Are you still skeptical of social groups? Nearly 50% of Americans harbor anxiety while resuming in-person interactions post-pandemic, states a report from the American Psychological Association (APA). Those vaccinated against Covid expressed equal unease at social interactions as those who have not had the vaccinations. […]

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Anxiety, Personal Improvement, Relationships

Dispelling the Myths around PTSD

By: Natalie Rice-Thorp, Ph.D. | April 30, 2021

As a psychologist, I’ve worked with clients having a wide range of traumatic life experiences including PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, particularly the myths about it coming up again and again. Last year brought a host of unique challenges, significant loss, and intensely stressful experiences, not the least of which included a pandemic. You […]

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Therapy, Trauma