Honoring Disability Pride Month

July is Disability Pride Month. As a Therapist at Council for Relationships, and a lifelong Person with a Disability, I’d like to share with you what I feel pride about, as a Person with a Disability, and why terms matter. Disability does not discriminate, which means that Disability Culture includes all other human cultures. Disability…

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Zoom-In and Zoom-Out: Choices on the COVID Roller Coaster

July 13, 2020

People speak of the “emotional roller coaster” which now seems to mean “the world’s turned upside down.” As a therapist, I validate that nothing seems the same, and many things are not. The list stretches long: medical conditions, food insecurity, financial disasters, serious illness, death, and feelings of loss and grief. How does one cope?…

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Why Become a Sex Therapist? And How?

As the field of mental and relational health evolves to become more specialized, this may be the best of times to become a sex therapist. As people live longer and have a greater interest in and freedom to explore their sexual expression, the role of sex therapists has become increasingly important and sought after by…

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A White Therapist’s Thoughts on Change

Change. What leads to change? As therapists this is a question many of us have considered deeply in our professional development. Students at Council for Relationships write their final paper on their theory of change because we believe that it is so foundational to their growth as therapists. We all know that it is hard…

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What Is Racial Trauma and How to Practice Radical Self-Care

Dr. Charles Muorah has successfully helped clients resolve shame and sexual abuse trauma, cultural, racial, and other kinds of trauma. He uses brain-spotting (BSP) therapy, narrative approach, relational attunements, mindfulness, and empowering language to process with the client coping strategies, adaptation, and resiliency before, during, and after the experience. Recent instances of police brutality and anti-police brutality…

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Clergy Leadership Training: A Timely Opportunity

The Rev. Dr. Dolores E. Littleton (Dee) is a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Pennsylvania. Dr. Littleton is the Director of the Post-Graduate Certificate Program, Clergy Track. Here’s how post graduate family systems training may enhance your…

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Grieving a Loss from COVID-19

Grieving a loss from COVID-19 requires courage and an openness to converse about one’s emotions. The unique ability of the virus to level everyone and create an international community is helpful to the grieving process. COVID-19 can affect anyone, it is spreading at a rapid rate, and there is currently no cure. In dealing with…

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How I Made a Career Pivot to Being a Couple and Family Therapist

This very complicated time has many of us thinking about what matters most in our lives, and how to be intentional about where we put our energy. I’ve recently had conversations with several people, who share a wish to change their career paths in a variety of ways. These discussions brought me back to memories…

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Talking to Children About COVID-19

May 18, 2020

COVID-19 is being discussed everywhere, every day. Whether it’s the political aspects, the statistics, or the warning signs, chances are, if you have had your TV on in the last two months, your child has picked up pieces of information. Some parents may be having direct conversations with children about the pandemic, while others may…

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Featured Therapist for May, Nina Fortuna

May 1, 2020

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Nina Fortuna, LMFT who joined the staff in 2019. Learn more about her in the interview below! Tell us a little about what makes you unique as a therapist and person. As a resident and native of the great…

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Loss, Acceptance and Action During COVID-19

March 31, 2020

As I’ve been talking with patients, family and friends online over the past 2 weeks, I’ve come to realize we are all experiencing loss of some kind, both individually and collectively.  We have a shared experience that as of March 2020, our world has changed.  This looks different for everyone: canceled vacation and travel plans, what a…

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Coping with COVID-19

March 17, 2020

The outbreak of the infectious disease COVID-19 is causing individuals and communities high levels of distress and anxiety. You are not alone if you feel some degree of anxiety as we cannot fully anticipate how the current pandemic will evolve and how it may affect us directly. It is helpful to understand the range of…

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The Suit of Shame: How Did I Put It On?

Your sense of self, personal dignity, and relationship boundaries matter: how to transform social shame and reestablish your worth. One of the most beautiful qualities one has is the ability to communicate. Communication is self-revelation. It is self-leadership. It therefore has to do with the manifestation of your worthiness, ego, dignity, and status. A sense…

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Taking Care of Yourself or a Loved One After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can come with a range of emotions. You might feel surprise, fear, anxiety, and even relief after determining a course of treatment. Friends and family usually try to be supportive, but there is no “one size fits all” way to support someone going through a new health diagnosis. Though breast…

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Featured Therapist for March, Charles Muorah

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our Staff Therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Charles Muorah, PhD, STL, LMFT who joined the staff in 2006. Learn about him in the interview below!  Tell us a little about what makes you unique as a therapist and person. I feel like being a therapist is…

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EMDR eye

Helping Our Brains Heal with EMDR

February 10, 2020

Emma Steiner, MSW, MFT, LCSW, works with individuals and couples at our University City office. Read on to learn about EMDR and Emma’s experience with this form of therapy.  Recently, I joined 14 of my Council colleagues at the first weekend of EMDR training. EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is an information processing…

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The Thief in the Night

January 30, 2020

Chronic pain is the thief in the night; it robs from one’s relationships and it steals one’s strength. Few things are as strongly correlated with the decline in quality of life as chronic pain. It is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It’s positively correlated with an increased risk of divorce,…

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Featured Therapist for January, Matthew Purinton

January 6, 2020

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our Staff Therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Matthew Purinton, MSW, who joined our staff in 2007. Learn about Matthew in the interview below!  Tell us a little about what makes you unique as a therapist and person. I think what makes me unique as a therapist…

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How to Handle Thanksgiving Among Family Members with Different Political Views

November 26, 2019

Amy Jones, MSW, MFT, LSW, works with individuals, couples, and families at our University City and Paoli offices. Read on to learn her approach and tips for dealing with family members with different political views during Thanksgiving. Amy Jones also provided her professional opinion on KYW Newsradio. Click here to listen to the radio segment…

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Maintaining Self-Love While Dealing With a Mental Illness

October 30, 2019

Erica Rand, LCSW, MEd, works with individuals and couples in our Center City and University City offices. Read on to learn her suggestions on maintaining self-love. Depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses can distort how we view ourselves and negatively affect our self-confidence, which in turn can diminish our ability or desire to show ourselves…

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Featured Therapist for October, Erica Rand

October 2, 2019

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our Staff Therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Erica Rand, LCSW, MEd, who joined our staff in 2019. Learn about Erica in the interview below! What do you consider to be the goal of therapy? What do you help your clients work towards? The goal of therapy…

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