Blog for Better Living

Helping Teens Cope with Social Anxiety

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | October 21, 2016

Adolescence is a time of uncertainty and change. It is a period of adjustment when children develop autonomy; learn more about themselves and transition into young adulthood. It’s natural for teens feel self-conscious, nervous or shy in font of others during this time. Many teens experience a racing heart, sweaty palms or fluttering stomach during […]

Anxiety, Mindfulness, Stress, Teens

Therapy Changes Welcomes Dr. Jen McWaters

By: Jen McWaters, Psy.D. | October 14, 2016

I am excited to be joining the Therapy Changes family and look forward to contributing to an already thriving multi-specialty practice. I will be providing services at the Point Loma location for teens, children, families and adults. I received my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Azusa Pacific University and completed my pre-doctoral APA internship at […]

The Importance of Physical Health for Psychological Wellbeing

By: Other | October 7, 2016

Written by Kelly Anderson, Ph.D. Numerous research studies have found an association between physical health and mental health. When such studies have found a correlation, or link, between physical and mental health, several themes have emerged consistently: Those with mental health concerns are at a higher risk of developing chronic health issues Poor mental health […]

Tips for the Student Athlete

By: Other | September 9, 2016

Written by Casey Buck, Intern Growing up, athletics have always been an important aspect of my life. Now, as a collegiate athlete, many new realities have set in. When I was younger, balancing my training schedule for track and field along with my academic coursework was manageable; in fact, I even had plenty of extra […]

Anxiety, Personal Improvement

How to Practice Self-Compassion

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | August 12, 2016

Sadly, for many of us, we are all too familiar with emotionally “beating ourselves up”. And, it’s not surprising. We live in a society where we’re taught that being hard on ourselves is the way to success. So, in an effort to get ahead, we criticize ourselves, push ourselves (often times too far) and certainly […]

Sleep Hygiene

By: Other | July 15, 2016

Written by Asal Azizi, Psy.D. A good night’s sleep serves many important functions for our overall health. Physically and psychologically our bodies need to rest and repair overnight, which is essential as one gets older. Specifically, the brain relies on sleep for many cognitive functions such as retaining information and consolidation of memory. Unfortunately, sleep […]

Anxiety, Depression, Sleep/Relaxation

How Does Psychotherapy Work?

By: Other | July 8, 2016

Written by Kelly Anderson, Ph.D. Not surprisingly, the first time I meet someone, I am often asked “how does therapy work?” Most people I meet with both professionally and personally have either gone to therapy themselves or know someone who has. Generally, when I ask a therapy novice what they know about the process, the […]

Anxiety, Depression, Therapy

Cognitive Behavior Therapy 101

By: Other | May 31, 2016

Written by Asal Azizi, Psy.D. As a therapist who provides Cognitive Behavior Therapy, I often meet with new clients who have heard a thing or two about CBT work, but have never experienced it. As a new client, you may be intimidated by the idea of undergoing CBT or believe it is the answer to […]

Ready for College! Are you ready?

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | May 5, 2016

You’ve put so much intensity, energy, and focus into preparing for college by studying for the SAT’s, taking AP classes and visiting schools. Now comes the most important part of the preparation process…making the transition between high school and college. Taking time to create a plan for the Four Core Components of College Readiness will […]

Anxiety, Stress, Teens