Why EMDR Should Be A Part of Your Wellness Plan
By Linda K. Laffey, MFT The beginning of a new year is a popular time to gauge the quality of your life. Many people become more transparent than usual, creating a list of areas in which they want to see a change as well as a game plan to make it happen. Such a...
Taming the Holiday Feast: 6 Ways to Eat Safely & Sanely During the Holidays
Does your history with food create anxiety during the holidays? Many people feel the same way. Whether your struggle is medical, emotional, or psychological, you’ll navigate the season best with some key strategies for healthy, well-ordered meals and snacks. The goal...
Best Tips for Managing High-Functioning Anxiety
By Linda K. Laffey, MFT High-functioning anxiety can cause different symptoms in different people. In fact, some people with high-functioning anxiety might not even fully realize that they’re dealing with this issue. Though “high-functioning anxiety” isn’t a diagnosis...
Trauma Stigma
Stigmas surround numerous aspects of life. From lifestyles to diets, from personal characteristics to mental health conditions, these nefarious blots are everywhere. That said, trauma seems peppered with more stigmas than many other mental health conditions. A chief...
The Decision to Divorce: Can Counseling Lead to More Clarity?
Perhaps you’ve felt for a while that your marriage is in trouble. Each day, your unhappiness becomes more apparent. Yet, while you see the pain in each other’s eyes, it seems neither of you can bring yourself to initiating a discussion about the obvious question: Are...
The Healing Power of Food: Reduce Depression Symptoms by Improving Your Diet
Depression is a condition that takes time to overcome and will often fluctuate in severity. The idea that mental health is the only thing that influences depression is a common misconception. It is true that both physical and mental factors can lessen or worsen your...
Is Fasting Fast-tracking You Toward an Eating Disorder? How to Tell
It may seem odd to believe that fasting can lead to an eating disorder. However, that’s precisely what’s happening to hundreds of people, especially those jumping on the intermittent fasting (IF) bandwagon. Not only has this particular trend impacted plenty of...
Performance Anxiety During the Holidays: What to Do?
‘Tis the season for good food, snow, family gatherings, and… performance anxiety?Yes, performance anxiety is very real, even during the holiday season. It actually could be even worse for some people during this time. There’s a certain expectation that everyone is...
Dealing with Loneliness
Dealing with Loneliness: 5 Actionable Steps By Linda K. Laffey, MFT If you’re feeling lonely, you’re in good company. Medical doctors and therapists alike are concerned about the growing pervasiveness of loneliness in modern society. It’s often recognized as a public...
How to Say “No”, Mean It, and Make Sure Others Believe You
Feeling unable to say “no” when you know you should is no way to live. People-pleasing is exhausting. Your life doesn’t feel like your own if you’re too afraid to decline projects, invitations, or even other people’s responsibilities for fear of disappointing them or...
Phobias: How EMDR Can Ease Irrational Fear
Is your life limited by the irrational fear that characterizes an unrelenting phobia? If so, you know that fright and avoidance can make life difficult every day. Recovery and relief are not out of reach for you. Despite how you feel right now, the root of your fear...
Loss on Any Level: Why It’s Important to Grieve What Matters to You
Most commonly, we associate grief with death. This is understandable, of course. It is a topic worthy of far more attention and patience. However, it can be counterproductive to limit our perception of grief and mourning. “Loss” is in the eye of the beholder and thus,...
How Emotional Affairs Harm Your Marriage
Consequences of the Digital Age? How Emotional Affairs Harm Your Marriage Can your partner cheat on you while sitting beside you on the couch? This may sound like click-bait, but it has become a genuine relationship concern. Left to our own devices (literally), we...
Tips for Effectively Responding to Criticism and Judgmental Remarks
It’s never easy to hear criticism from someone. Even if they have good intentions, it’s still difficult to accept. When that criticism comes from a place of judgment, though, it’s even harder. People respond to criticism differently. Some internalize it, and others...
5 Ways to Handle Anger More Appropriately
By Linda K. Laffey, MFT Are you struggling for Self-Control? In a vacuum, anger is not automatically a bad thing. In daily life, however, it can be a nightmare. Context matters, and so does control. Without a solid amount of self-control, anger might negatively...
Science & Mental Health: Is Anxiety a Genetic Disorder?
By Linda K. Laffey, MFT We know more about anxiety today than ever before. Researchers have diligently striven to make progress in many scientific and psychological fields alike. Yet, there’s still so much to learn. For example, scientific studies have helped...
How to Avoid Common Habits That Can Strain and Drain You
By Linda K. Laffey, MFT Have you recently felt exhausted, drained, or tired, even after a good night’s rest? Barring a medical issue, there’s probably a valid reason why you seem so zest-less. Most people blame their fatigue on work, family responsibilities, or...
Is “Autumn Anxiety” Real? Why You Feel Anxious When Summer Ends
By Linda K. Laffey, MFT Summertime is often a chance to refresh and experience some much-needed relaxation. Toward the end of the summer, however, many people face intense anxiety that spikes as the days grow shorter. Granted, it’s not the lack of sunlight that...
5 Ways to Maximize the Lessons Learned in Couples Counseling
Watching professional athletes compete in the Olympics is exhilarating. The same goes for runners crossing the finish line at a prestigious marathon. People who accomplish amazing feats truly are wonders to behold! Yet, not a lot of people get to see what happens...
Is Your Career Climb Stalling? How EMDR Can Help
How are things at work? Are you feeling bored? Do you seem stuck on the bottom rung of the advancement ladder? Perhaps you sense the problem is something internal. Do you ever ask yourself: • Am I sabotaging my own goals? • Have I avoided challenges due to a fear of...
