Total Life Counseling Blog

Total Life Counseling Blog2024-04-09T22:36:06+00:00

5 Coping Skills for Grieving After a Stillbirth | Maternal Mental Health Counselor Tips

For many women, becoming a mother is one of life’s most treasured and fulfilling events. It is life-changing, and every second, from conception to raising children, is integral in the life and the personhood of the mother. Being a mother becomes part of who the woman is, and if that is taken away, the physical and mental effects are [...]

Borderline Personality Disorder & ADHD: How These Conditions Interact

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a Cluster B Personality disorder characterized by instability in relationships, self-image, and emotions. BPD can cause affected people to display emotional, erratic, or dramatic symptoms. BPD is the third most prevalent personality disorder, affecting approximately 1.6% of the global population. People with BPD are more likely to require more intensive mental health care. BPD [...]

The Relationship Between Psychosis and Schizophrenia: Key Facts to Know

Psychosis and schizophrenia are phrases that are closely related but are unique from one another. Both of these conditions can have a substantial impact on an individual's mental health and overall well-being. The underlying causes of each condition and the methods used to treat them are very different, even though they share many symptoms, including delusions and hallucinations. Psychosis [...]

Infertility and Its Effects: What You Need to Know

The impact of infertility is not discussed enough, but it is a prevalent problem. Its effects take a toll on a person physiologically and mentally. One in eight couples have reported to have difficulty conceiving or maintaining pregnancy. There are numerous complex relationships between infertility and mental health. Infertility is defined as the “inability to conceive after 12 months [...]

Overeating: Symptoms, Causes, and Coping Mechanisms for Better Mental Health

     Many people turn to overeating as a coping mechanism when they are dealing with difficult emotions or stress. Eating can provide a temporary distraction from negative feelings, and the act of eating can release feel-good chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine. Additionally, certain foods, such as those high in sugar and fat, can activate reward centers in [...]

Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms and Treatments | Orlando Counselor

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental health condition that affects a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. It is characterized by extreme shifts in mood, ranging from episodes of mania (a state of elevated or irritable mood, increased energy, decreased need for sleep, and impulsive behavior) to episodes of depression (a state of low [...]

Orlando Marriage Therapist | 3 Tips to Rekindle Your Relationship

Nicholas Sparks is no stranger to heart-wrenching passion and the kind of love that only star-crossed lovers share. Teary eyed audiences have come to expect this from his novels and their film adaptions, but do the rose colored glasses come off once the credits end? Dissatisfaction with romantic partners is a common occurrence. We are all guilty of searching [...]

Giselle Bündchen Career: Tom Brady of Sports & Life Lessons

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen have been a couple since 2006 and although they seem like a fairy tale couple, their recent drama proves otherwise. Tom’s first son was born in 2007. However, his first child was not with Giselle, it was with his ex-girlfriend. Tom Brady’s ex-girlfriend, Bridget Moynahan, had a falling out with Tom after two years [...]

Let’s Discuss Phobias Recognizing & Overcoming Common Fears

Dr. William Eaton describes phobias to include fear and avoidance (Eaton et al., 2020) in his study. He explains that most phobias will begin in childhood, though will maintain maximum strength in midlife and late in life. The authors noted that most people do not receive help for their phobias. Furthermore, the risk factors of such phobias have not [...]

Women’s Mental Health | Orlando Counselor

Women's Mental Health is a crucial issue that affects millions of women worldwide. Over 1 in 5 women in the United States in the past year have experienced a mental health condition. Common conditions are anxiety and depression, although conditions like bipolar disorder and depression affect women more than men or affect them in different ways. Mental health conditions [...]

Seasonal Depression and Mindfulness | Orlando Counselor

As we begin each year, it's important to be aware of seasonal depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder, commonly known as SAD, affects many of us during the fall and winter seasons. This is not just the winter blues or holiday stress, but a form of real depression that can leave us feeling hopeless and low on energy. To distinguish holiday [...]

Relationship Issues | Tips on How To Fix It | Orlando Counselor

Relationship Issues | How To Fix It| It's true that every couple experiences relationship issues at some point. No relationship is perfect, and disagreements and conflicts are a natural part of any partnership. What's important is how those issues are handled and resolved. Effective communication, empathy, and a willingness to compromise are all key factors in maintaining a healthy [...]

Orlando PTSD Counselor on Jake Flint’s Death | Trauma and Grief

Orlando PTSD Counselor discussed the sudden loss of country singer Jake Flint, died in his sleep just hours after getting married. He was only 37 years of age and had a sudden death while sleeping. According to his loved ones, he was a friend to all and had an amazing sense of humor. His wife, Brenda Flint, was heartsick [...]

5 stages of grief

Michael Brown writes on Understanding and Responding to Grief through The Gottman Institute. A major topic discussed was how during the COVID-19 Pandemic, many people had to grieve their loved ones without ever getting the chance to say goodbye. Additionally, Brown emphasized the thousands of individuals who sadly and unacceptably lost their lives, in isolation. Such grief leaves many [...]

Grief, Self-Care|

Let’s Talk…Mental Health and Addiction

The recent passing of singer and reality TV star, Aaron Carter, highlights the dire need for mental health and addiction to be at the forefront of the conversation for all of us. No one gets to pick their parents. Your parents didn’t pick their parents and so on. As counselors, we aren’t here to blame anyone. Shame and family [...]

Anxiety, Blog, Grief, Self Harm, Self-Care|

Holiday Depression & Anxiety: Coping Strategies for a Happier Season

As the winter holiday season is coming up, we have to maintain awareness of our mental health. For many of us, the holiday season is filled with joy, fun, and time to gather with family and friends. Although, for some of us, this season is not short of sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, and extreme anxiety. So the question remains, what [...]

What Aaron Carter’s Tragic Death Can Teach Us About Mental Health

If you remember the song “I want candy” or the New Kids on the Block, you remember the pop singer and child star, Aaron Carter. We were sad to find out that he passed this weekend after suffering from addiction and mental health issues. Aaron revealed to fans that he was diagnosed with “multiple personality disorder, schizophrenia, acute anxiety, [...]

Orlando Trauma Counselor Expert | Rape and Sexual Assault

Orlando Sexual Abuse Counselor on how Sexual Assault untreated can effect a victim of abuse. Shame, despair, and powerless are a few of the emotions that victims of rape and sexual assault may experience. These same emotions often interfere with their ability to decide to prosecute their perpetrator. There are also many thoughts such as, “We were drinking. He [...]

How Do I Cope with My Child’s Diagnosis?

Over 3 million babies are born every year in the US. And with the birth of a child, there is not only new life, but new adventures, new possibilities, and new opportunities. As exciting as it may be to have a precious new baby to see grow, develop, and become who they are destined to be. Sometimes we must [...]

Perfectionism: What is it and how can we effectively combat it?

Perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by the need to demonstrate perfection in how we represent ourselves. Perfectionists may not feel satisfied no matter how hard they’ve worked on something because they feel they haven’t met their unrealistically high standards.  Where does perfectionism come from? Perfectionism arises when we set unrealistic expectations for ourselves and believe that we should [...]

Getting Homework Done in Less Time and Fewer Fights

Students with learning disabilities such as ADHD often have trouble with homework and maintaining focus on assignments that require full attention. Some common problems are seen in children with ADHD such as easy distractibility, disorganization, procrastination, inattention, fidgeting, and daydreaming. Every child is different, meaning not every kid with ADHD will act in the same manner. However, there are [...]

Who Cares What They Think: 4 Strategies to Break Free of the Opinions and Expectations of Others

Energy.   It’s currently a popular belief that you get back what you send out into the world.   The implication is that we have a way of interacting with others that ultimately affects the types of challenges, opportunities, relationships, and experiences we encounter in life.  Law of attraction so to speak. But what happens when you feel like you are [...]

ADHD, Adults, Anger, Blog, Depression, Grief, Self Esteem|

Sleep Deprivation in Children | Orlando Counselor

With summer coming to an end, many kids have experienced a change in their sleeping habits. Children get less sleep in the summer due to long nights of staying up late without the responsibility of having school the next morning. Electronic use before bed could affect how much sleep you get because the more time you spend scrolling, you [...]

Orlando Anxiety Counselor says Fidget Rings May Help Anxiety

According to Orlando anxiety counseling experts we all experience anxiety, but it can be especially hard for many people. There are several aspects of life that may induce anxiety. Recently, fidget rings have surfaced and seem to be helping alleviate symptoms of anxiety.  Fidget rings are subtle, discreet, and virtually noiseless. These rings have a spinning or movable part [...]

Adults, Anxiety, Blog, Children, Family, Orlando, Teens|
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