5 Summer Time Tips | Addiction starts in the Summer | Child Teen Family Counselor Expert
Summer is well underway and that means no sleep schedules, no eating schedules and more importantly no screen time schedules and while this may seem like every kids dream, the habits that start in the summer have a risk to become addictions quick. Jim has over 20 years of counseling experience and a vast majority of kids have said [...]
Tips For Parents To Help Their Children Cope With Stress | Orlando Counselor
StressLess With ADHD StressLess With Autistic Spectrum Disorder StressLess With Addictions In The New Millenium (Video Games, Phone, etc..) StressLess With Oppositional Defiant Disorder As the lockdown continues stress levels can naturally rise. This can be most difficult on children. Being younger, their mindsets can be set on socializing, physical activity, and just “not being stuck in the house”. [...]
4 Simple Ways to Form Better Attachments with Your Children | Counselor
Attachment is vital to a child and the caregiver's responsiveness to the child is paramount to securing that attachment. Attachment issues are very prevalent in our society today and can play out in a variety of ways. Things such as the fear of commitment, of being alone, trying to be loved, rebellion, and feeling inferior all play a part [...]
5 Ways to Manage Friendships After Baby | Maternal Mental Health
As Valentine’s Day approaches, everyone is thinking about that special someone or those friends that have never left your side. On this special day we celebrate love and friendship. Friendship is an interesting phenomenon. As human beings, we enjoy and sometimes feel the need to be social and have a group of friends where we can be ourselves. Research [...]
Counselor on Children and Divorce: The Top Ten Mistakes Parents Can Avoid
The process of divorce is not typically a pleasant one for anyone. But for children especially, it can cause a whirlwind of confusion, anxiety, and negative emotions. Parents should take care to proceed with divorce in a way that will cause the least amount of trauma to all children involved. The following 10 mistakes are classic ones that many [...]
Maternal Wellness Matters: 4 Reasons It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
Have you ever struggled with accepting help when needed? How about believing “yes you can accomplish it all” to then find yourself overwhelmed? One of my biggest struggles is accepting help or even asking for help when I need it the most. When I became the mother of my sweet little girl almost 4 years ago, I truly felt [...]
Student Mental Health Issues on the Rise
Student Mental Health Statistics Florida ranks 30th in the nation for dealing with youth mental health 1 in 10 Florida kids suffered a major depressive episode in the last year 2/3rds of those kids said they never got help It’s clear that the pandemic impacted the mental health of teens as well as everyone else as old stressors were [...]
Having a Sleep Schedule Could Greatly Improve Your Rest
Sleep is important. Getting enough sleep isn’t always easy, we might have a hard time falling asleep when we want to or we might not want to go to sleep early at all. Our free time can be sparse and sometimes the time we have before we go to bed feels too precious to lose out on. [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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, [...]