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. 

If you’re a couple making it happily through this quarantine together, hats off! If you’re a couple in conflict, gloves off may be more like it. All of this time at home can cause friction and shine a bright light on chronic issues. No fun, right? Yesterday’s small problems can start looking like big ones. It’s hard to be so confined for so long, and nobody wants to end up as relationship roadkill.

The next key ingredient to creating a healthy balance in our lives is through identifying the Relational Nutrients we need from others. Once we can identify our own needs, we are more effective at helping others. We can give in ways that we can’t otherwise.

We are feeling trapped! Big cats pace when they are feeling stressed, we, as humans have lost our freedom of choice and movement and we are feeling stressed and trapped. What do animals do when they feel they are trapped? FIGHT for survival! How do you, as a person, feeling trapped in your home show your stress?

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is an evidence-based practice shown to be effective for children, teens, and adults.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy focuses on the present and the future. It helps children realize they have control over their behaviors.

If learning to love yourself is the journey, then feeling self-love is the destination. Self-love is the epitome of self-care, and we deserve to love ourselves as much as we love others.  

Happiness does not just happen. Matter of fact, it takes work to be happy. There are certain things that can temporarily boost our happiness, but that happiness soon fades.

One of the most surprising findings relationship researcher John Gottman found, was that long-lasting intimacy and trust was not based on the depth and breadth of conversations couples had. Instead it was the couple’s willingness to respond to each other’s bids for connection. It didn’t matter the topic or context, it was the availability and intentionality to respond to a partner’s bid, no matter how trivial, that kept the spark and closeness.

To be able to connect our inner experience with our body’s physical sensations, label what the blend of this is, and respond effectively is one of the most powerful skills any individual can learn, I believe. On the other hand, it may be one of the rarest and hardest skills that many of us have never learned. This is called emotional identification and expression.