There are so many new terms that have popped up recently regarding differences in the way that individuals experience the world around them.  These differences can show up in the way that people think, feel and act; they can originate from medical conditions, learning disabilities, mental health concerns, developmental disorders, and various other reasons.

Most people with SAD experience symptoms of depression during the fall and winter, but it can also appear in the spring and summer. SAD is associated with symptoms of depression such as feeling down, sleeping a lot, restlessness, changes in appetite, feeling low energy or sluggish, and more.

Let’s face it– for anyone, life has many unpleasant and painful emotional experiences. For most, the instinct in the face of uncomfortable emotions is to make them stop, avoid them at all costs. This may work to relieve distress in the moment, but unfelt and unacknowledged emotions stay stuck and fester. They won’t leave you alone until they are truly felt. As the refrain goes, the only way out is through. No matter how unpleasant, we have to feel our feelings.

As the summer heat is still present, it’s hard to think about the approaching fall, but it is time to start considering the return to school for many families. This is a time that can be charged with many large emotions like anxiousness, worry, stress, excitement, happiness or dread. It is important to allow your child to feel valid for having any and all of these reactions.  

So often couples come to therapy to work on communication and building intimacy in their relationship. Couples struggle with how to do this, when to find the time, and where to get started. Here are three activities that can be used at your leisure:

If the idea of seeking couples therapy makes you uneasy, embarrassed, anxious, uncomfortable, or hesitant, you are not alone. There are many misconceptions about couples therapy that can prevent people from seeking help.