Holocaust Memorial Day
Submitted by Bea Hollander-Goldfein Ph.D. LMFT – Director, Transcending Trauma Project and Nancy Isserman – Co-Director. Transcending Trauma Project Holocaust Memorial Day will be commemorated this year on April 21. It was established by the State of Israel in 1951 to commemorate the more than 6 million Jewish lives that were destroyed by the Nazi…
Read MoreHow Would You Help a Friend, Family Member, or Loved One Who is Struggling?
We will be sharing stories over the next few weeks that resemble actual mental health struggles that people face every day. Your co-worker confides in you about issues he’s been dealing with at work. He is feeling substantial pressure, which is causing him a crippling amount of stress. He’s been having panic attacks and…
Read MoreImpact Spotlight: Operation Home and Healing
Council for Relationships’ Operation Home and Healing provides counseling and services for veterans, active service members, and their families. CFR’s specially trained therapists help veterans and their families to heal and become better partners, parents, and family members. CFR has been involved in training and counseling veterans since post-WWII. At that time, the Navy became…
Read MoreImpact Spotlight: Community Partnerships Initiative
The Community Partnerships Initiative (CPI) aims to provide counseling services to underserved communities in the Greater Philadelphia Area. CPI increases access and eliminates barriers underserved communities face by offering free on-site counseling services in convenient locations throughout the community. Through CPI, Council for Relationships has been able to offer mental health services where the need…
Read MoreDonor Spotlight: Patti Owens
Patti Owens is a gracious donor, Chair of Council for Relationships Board , and an active proponent for the importance of maintaining healthy relationships. Read on to learn more about Patricia’s experience with CFR and why she supports our mission. What makes you so passionate about CFR? I strongly believe in the positive power of…
Read MoreSeptember 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day
Today we are reminded that we all have a role to play in suicide prevention. #BeThe1To make a difference; stepping forward and reaching out can help save lives. If you think someone might be considering suicide, there are 5 steps that you can take: 1. Ask – If you think someone might be considering suicide, take…
Read MoreOur Message this Mother’s Day
In honor of Mother’s day, we’re reflecting on the women who do the hardest job in the world. With the announcement of the birth of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s first baby this week, Prince Harry said: “It’s been the most amazing experience that I could ever possibly imagine. How any woman does what they…
Read MoreIt’s time to talk about mental health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month Many people hesitate to talk about their mental health struggles openly. Because of the stigma attached to mental health, they may fear judgment or discrimination if they speak up. When people have to suffer in private, the isolation causes another layer of pain. But times are changing, and more…
Read MoreWorkshop Review: Therapeutic Posture: Maximizing Treatment Success within the Attachment Based Alliance
Last month, Council for Relationships’ Professional Development Program offered a workshop to help behavioral health professionals enhance the therapeutic alliance, specifically the therapeutic bond. Attachment theory provides one of the most potent theoretical frameworks for the formation of an effective, real, attuned working alliance. Over several decades, the presenter and Council for Relationships staff therapist,…
Read MoreWoman-founded in 1932
March 8th is International Women’s Day! Today we are honoring all the women (and trans and nonbinary folks) who show up as clients, practitioners, donors, students, board members, and administrators to make our work possible. Every year, thousands of women come to Council for Relationships for behavioral health care services, and hundreds of them are…
Read MoreWhat We Learned at CFR’s On the Table Philly Conversation: “Relating in a Divided World”
What do a white male UCC pastor, a black female sex educator, and a white female cultural consultant have in common? Though this sounds like the beginning of a tasteless joke, it is actually the setup for Council For Relationships’ On The Table Philly event last night, Relating in a Divided World. On The Table…
Read MoreEverything you need to know about CFR’s Online Therapy
Who is a good candidate? At Council for Relationships, we believe that everyone can benefit from therapy at some point in their lives. Every year, our therapists help thousands of clients live their best lives by helping them improve their important relationships. Our Online Therapy services are intended for clients who cannot see our…
Read MoreYou are not alone. Help is available.
Depression and anxiety can be invisible or have very few outside symptoms, and those who are depressed or anxious often do not speak up or seek help. Check in with your friends. Check in with your family. Encourage anyone who is struggling to talk with a professional. CFR’s list of resources can be found here,…
Read MoreCo-Parenting After Divorce: How to Set Aside Differences and Support Your Kids
This blog was originally published on Counsel Philadelphia and is re-posted here with the author’s permission. Adam Goodman is a former Staff Therapist at Council for Relationships and a licensed attorney experienced in divorce mediation and co-parenting. Co-parenting is hard, especially if уоu have a contentious rеlаtіоnѕhір with уоur ex-partner. Yоu may bе соnсеrnеd аbоut your…
Read MoreSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): How to Keep the Winter Blues Away
Adam Goodman is a former Staff Therapist at Council for Relationships and a licensed attorney. Every year as Thanksgiving passes and Christmas creeps up, many people start to notice a change in how they feel. This change almost always coincides with the beginning of colder weather and shorter days. For many, this change is due…
Read MoreHow CFR Therapy Changed a Life and Inspired a Powerful Art Series
If you live or work in Philadelphia, then you probably recognize the work of area artist Amberella. Her hearts can be found all over the city, with short yet powerful messages like “BE BRAVE” and “YOU CAN.” Amberella began her series Power Hearts after coming out of an abusive relationship and starting to see a therapist at…
Read MoreWhen to See a Couples Therapist
This blog post was originally published on Counsel Philadelphia and is shared here with the author’s permission. Your relationship may seem like its been in trouble for a while. It may be that you are not communicating anymore or there is a lack of sex or affection. Even when it is clear that your relationship…
Read MoreIntroducing November’s Featured Therapist: Adam Goodman, JD, MFT
Every month, Council for Relationships highlights one of our staff therapists on the blog. November’s Featured Therapist Adam Goodman is a therapist and a licensed attorney. In addition to depression and anxiety, his expertise includes helping professionals in high-pressure careers, career counseling and couples counseling. Check out our brief interview below to learn more about Adam! Tell…
Read MoreProcessing Emotions and Connecting with Community After a Mass Shooting
I personally have never experienced trauma related to gun violence. But, the emotion I feel each time this happens is hopelessness. Our society has adopted a certain performance mechanism to these acts of terror—we awaken with shock and horror, but quickly bury these emotions. Instead, we choose to debate Second Amendment rights, question forensic profiling,…
Read MoreWhat an Eclipse and Therapy Have in Common
A commentator said of Monday’s eclipse, “Everyone was just a person with something in common at that moment.” At Council for Relationships, we know that the need for therapy is something that everyone has in common – either at certain points in life or on an ongoing basis. CFR therapists see more than 5,000 people…
Read MoreOvercoming Emotional Distance from Your Lover
By Sammi Nguyen When your relationship settles into a long-term routine, you might find that a queasy feeling of distance has grown up between you and your lover when you weren’t looking, or that trivial disagreement over washing the dishes escalates in no time flat to fights with shouting and tears. The easiest thing in…
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