Blog for Better Living

How Can I Tell if My Therapy is Working?

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | September 10, 2021

When I meet with clients for the first time, I ask whether they have had therapy before. If they answer ‘yes,’ I ask what was helpful or not helpful in that experience. I often hear people say they felt like they just vented to their therapist and didn’t get anywhere during their sessions. Surprisingly, many […]

Read More

Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Relationships, Therapy, Trauma

The Effects of Childhood Trauma

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | August 27, 2021

When we think of childhood, we typically associate feelings of security, love, optimism, and joy. Feeling protected and cared for during our childhood not only allows us to develop a secure sense of self but also healthy relationships later in life. Unfortunately, not everyone grows up feeling this way. Even if you had a generally […]

Read More

Anxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement, Relationships, Substance Abuse, Trauma

Are My Problems Big Enough for Therapy?

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | August 13, 2021

Some clients say they’re ‘just being silly’ when they talk about their problems during therapy. This tells me my clients regard their concerns as unimportant, not valid, or that they do not deserve care and attention. If this is something you’ve heard yourself say, or something others have said to you, you do not stand […]

Read More

Anxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement, Relationships, Therapy

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 […]

Read More

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. […]

Read More

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. […]

Read More

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 […]

Read More

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 […]

Read More

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 […]

Read More

Anxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement