In the time of COVID-19 it can seem nearly impossible to imagine what the next few months to a year will bring. This can cause some concern around making plans for the future, short or long term. How do we plan for an unpredictable future? The first thing is to accept what we cannot control. COVID-19 has taught us a lot: how to be flexible, how to surrender, and how to prioritize what truly matters. 

No one likes anxiety. It’s uncomfortable, intrusive, and tends to burst in like an uninvited guest. If only we could just make it go away. Buh-bye worries, don’t let the door hit you on the way out! Yeah, if only.

Yep, that’s right. We need to invest in ourselves – we’re our biggest ally, our biggest success, so why wouldn’t we pick ourselves? Oh, wait, society says that’s selfish… Well, ladies and gents, society is wrong. Picking yourself, investing in yourself, is NOT selfish. 

As a couple’s therapist, a goal that is often defined by my clients is to “improve communication.” There are many reasons that communication can be difficult. Communication can be misinterpreted or communication can break down and become ineffective, repetitive and end without resolution. 

Parent Child Interaction Therapy, or PCIT, works because it’s different. While it draws on a variety of therapies and theories (such as play therapy, behavioral parent training, social learning theory, attachment theory), PCIT is unique. It is unique in that you, the caregiver(s), are the one directly interacting with your child for a majority of the session, not the therapist.  

We all have needs. Having our needs  met leads to security. Needs that are unmet can lead to feelings of insecurity. And we all have needs, as much as we sometimes hate to admit it. If someone has had a need met and now is not having that need met, they tend to do whatever is necessary to get themselves to the comfortable place of having that need met again.  

What is self-compassion? According to author, researcher, and teacher, Kristin Neff, Self- Compassion means being kind and understanding when being confronted with personal failings, as opposed to mercilessly judging and criticizing oneself for various inadequacies. 

In my practice with parents I have always used this silly metaphor of weeds in the garden and equated them to attention-seeking behaviors.  Often these behaviors that drive us the most crazy also seem impossible to get rid of. 

As a society, we are navigating a ‘ronacoaster’ of emotions that feel both confusing and exhausting. While all of our journeys are unique, we have each experienced some form of loss this year. So how do we navigate the grief and anxiety that comes with this loss?

Sometimes parenting our children takes a village and a licensed mental health provider. But how do parents know what type of therapy is needed?  Child therapy is based on the developmental age of a child and the reason for seeking therapy.  I am here to share the difference between PCIT and Play Therapy, the two most common therapies for children and adolescents.  Together with the therapist, parents can decide what therapeutic intervention is best.

Anxiety is a part of life and can often be the thing that pushes us beyond our comfortable limits. Think back to the last test you had to take, presentation you had to make, or difficult conversation you had to have with someone. Concerns about doing well leads to an anxious feeling that can drive us to study more, polish that presentation, or rehearse that tough conversation before we confront someone.  

PCIT or Parent-Child Interaction Therapy is an evidenced-based treatment for young children with behavioral problems and their parents or caregivers. PCIT focuses on promoting positive parent-child relationships and teaching parents effective skills to manage their child’s behavior. 

Many times, we think of connection as the standard: you + me. That’s wrong. Connection is so much more than two people, as connection can be seen physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually (to name a few).

As a therapist, I work to build a therapeutic space for clients to come into. I focus everything from the color of the paint and carpet, to the comfort of the furniture, to even where to place pictures and clocks. Everything in the room has a purpose to help clients feel comfortable and to have the best session possible. However, that becomes more difficult with online therapy.

COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus, has been the toughest battle we’ve ever faced. Its global reach has created unparalleled levels of stress, anxiety, and hardships. At some point Coronavirus will end, and life will go back to “normal.” But what exactly is normal?

My name is Jeri Sullivant, LSCSW and I am the Intern Program Director and Clinical Supervisor at Resolve Counseling and Wellness. Our agency takes great pride in our Internship Program and the students we host at our Northland and Southland locations are among the strongest up-and-coming therapists in the area.

Boundaries keep us safe and our relationships healthy. Boundaries are the limits we set to protect ourselves from being used, manipulated, or disrespected by others. When boundaries are honored we are demonstrating respect for ourselves and others. 

During the past five years, self-care has become more prominent in mainstream America and has become synonymous with developing a good mental health plan.  According to Google, in 2016 the term self-care was searched almost twice as often as it had been in the past.