Self-Care

Embracing Body Neutrality 

By Jennifer Pitman, LCSW It’s that time of year again! Come January 1st we begin to think about the ways we need to change so we can be our best selves. How many of us have made resolutions and how many of us have already broken them? Let’s be honest, very often these resolutions are…
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Five Moves to Try When You’re Feeling Frazzled

by Danielle Taylor, PsyD The holidays can be a wonderful and stressful time for many people. All of the merriment, especially for those creating the magic can take a toll on the mind and body! Thanks to the work of many mental health professionals such as Deb Dana, Peter Levine, and Bessel van der Kolk,…
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Understanding & Coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder

by Allison Dickens, LPC As the days grow shorter and the chill of late fall sets in, it is not uncommon for individuals to experience a change in their mood.  This change, which we call Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), affects many of us living in the northeast as our winters can be long and cold. …
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Finding the Right Academic Fit for Your Student

By Danielle Taylor, PsyD In NJ, students spend 180 days in school per year. A typical school day is 6-7 hours which means that students spend over 1,000 hours in school each year! This is why it is so important to ensure that you find an academic environment that is the right fit for your…
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Back to School Tips To Prepare For A Successful School Year

by Liza Ibrahim, LPC Summer is still in full swing with a few weeks left to enjoy the sun, family vacations, and the outdoors, but starting off a new school year can be stressful for both the student and parents. It can bring a mixture of emotions including anticipation, excitement, and worry. Every family can…
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Navigating Gender & Identity with your Kids

by Allison Dickens, LPC Happy Pride Month!  I hope all reading this have a joyful month full of celebration and self-exploration. As we come to the close of this important month, it’s important to remember that the conversation about gender and identity continues throughout the year.  As a parent, it is common to feel confused…
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SPACE Treatment: Helping your Child Overcome Anxious Emotions

By Allison Dickens, LPC Parenting, at the best of times, is hard work.  Parenting a child who struggles with anxious emotions can feel confusing, scary, and frustrating for all involved.  Further, as parents it is easy to feel that you are failing your anxious child by not responding appropriately to their emotional distress.  Traditionally, therapy…
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Talking to our Kids & Teens about Drugs & Alcohol

by Allison Dickens, LPC As the weather warms up, days get longer, and your kids start spending later nights with friends, it is natural to begin to wonder what they are doing and whether they are making good choices.  As a parent, the thought of your child, no matter how old they are, learning about…
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Understanding Neurodiversity and Neurodivergence: ADHD, Autism & Learning Differences

by Danielle Taylor, PsyD In the 1990’s, Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist, created the term neurodiversity to capture the notion that all brains are different, these differences make the human species more versatile and flexible, and these differences should be celebrated rather than labeled as deficits. Having people with different operating systems that guide how…
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10 Green Flags in a Healthy Relationship: Signs of Emotional Safety & Compatibility

by Jennifer Pitman, LCSW In today’s world of “red flags” and dating advice on social media, many people are asking: what actually makes a relationship healthy? While it’s important to recognize warning signs, it’s just as important to identify the green flags, the positive signs of emotional safety, respect, and connection in a relationship. As…
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Toxic Positivity: What It Is & What to Say Instead

by Danielle Taylor, PsyD We’ve all had our loved ones share their stressful experiences with us. For many of us those moments can feel uncomfortable and challenging because we want to help them feel better. Maybe we aren’t sure what to say or to do so we might throw something rote out there like-”focus on…
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