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The Importance of Homeostasis & Self-Love
Mental health conditions do not discriminate based on race, gender, ethnicity, hue, or identity. All humans can be subjected to experiencing mental health challenges. The objective is to determine how to manage these conditions to avoid losing control of your life and mental state. African Americans are a vulnerable population because of past and present…
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Featured Therapist for April, April Piercy
Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is April Piercy, PhD, MFT. Learn more about her in the below interview! What makes you unique as a therapist? I meet the client where they are. Making the decision to seek therapy can be scary for some and as therapists we…
Read MoreHelping Couples Thrive During COVID-19: How Affection and Desire Eases Fear
The pandemic is creating unique challenges for couples, even those with happy relationships. What does it mean to thrive during difficult and fearful times? With so much uncertainty as we watch and hear about the numbers of people whose lives are at stake, and many others who have been lost to COVID-19, fear is expressed…
Read MoreChallenging Faith: Turning Towards Your Higher Power Through Uncertain Times
Faith, spirituality, and religion play a significant role in how people progress through life and how they deal with hardship or uncertainty. I have worked with many clients from different spiritual and religious backgrounds, and faith looks different for each individual. Some people are clear on where their faith lies, while other people may be…
Read MoreWhen Your Loved One is a First Responder
As the daughter of an emergency room nurse, I write this with an empathic heart to all families and individuals dealing with the current COVID-19 epidemic. It’s especially stressful for those who have family members who are first responders; medical personnel, police officers, rescuers, military officials, and other related professionals. Let’s not forget individuals still…
Read MoreWhy Start Therapy Now?
A recent poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 45% of adults in the United States say the pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health. As a therapist, public mental health concerns influence my professional work and my personal life. I’ve heard many friends and family members express their struggles, and then state that…
Read MoreCo-Parenting 101: Raising Kids, Together and Apart
So, you have recently decided to separate. Perhaps you have been divorced for years or maybe you were never married. In any case, raising a child with someone you aren’t partnered with or living with anymore changes the situation. There is no single exhaustive list of how-to’s about co-parenting, and every parent, child, and family…
Read MoreHolocaust 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 MoreCouples Cohabitating During Quarantine
Written by Briana Bogue, LMFT & Dylan Volpintesta, M.Ed. Briana and Dylan are adhering to the “stay at home” order while managing the different dynamics of their relationship. Read their advice on how to live harmoniously with your spouse during the quarantine. Whether you’ve just started dating or you’ve been married for decades, COVID-19…
Read MoreWorking from Home During COVID-19
While working from home is a luxury not everyone has, those who can work from home may have trouble transitioning to this modality. Here are some quick tips for staying sane and being productive while you work from your home office or coffee table during social distancing. 1. Create boundaries around your work hours. This…
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 MoreWays to Limit and Control Overthinking
Do you consider yourself an over-thinker? While logical thinking and decision-making are necessary to progress through life, a fine balance between thoughts and action is required to prevent the excess analysis that keeps us mentally or physically stuck, also referred to as “analysis paralysis.” Overthinking prevents us from taking action. It creates anxiety around the future…
Read MoreThe World Mourns
On Sunday afternoon Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna along with seven others were killed in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles. They were on their way to Gianna’s basketball game for a team that Kobe coached. The basketball world lost a legend, one of the greatest to ever play in the NBA. Interestingly,…
Read MoreHow to Become an LGBTQ Competent Therapist
Being LGBTQ competent is more than just understanding the mechanics of sex or the use of pronouns. Often, potential clients contact me and tell me that they have had extreme difficulty finding a therapist who is LGBTQ competent. In the interest of developing inclusive therapists, here are some initial actions to becoming LGBTQ competent. Of…
Read MoreMental Health Issues Experienced By College Students
Every year, over two million high school graduates embark on their journey to become college students. Armed with their newfound freedom, students are exposed to the stressors associated with higher education: rigorous coursework, new relationships, autonomy, financial pressures, balancing family responsibilities, etc. This stage in life is typically perceived as being exhilarating and carefree but,…
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To All the Ones We’ve Loved Before
Anneliese Sorrentino, MSS, MFT, works with individuals and couples at our University City office. Read how Anneliese’s holiday traditions inspire constructive moments of reflection. It’s late December, just a few days past the longest night of the year. For people around the world, this is a time of collective anticipation and preparation, tinged variously with…
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…
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Featured Therapist for December, Anneliese Sorrentino
Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our Staff Therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Anneliese Sorrentino, MSS, MFT, who joined our staff in 2018. Learn about Anneliese in the interview below! Tell us a little about what makes you unique as a therapist and person; anything about you including hobbies and interests that…
Read MoreThe Economy’s Psychological Impact on Millennials
William Coffey, LCSW, is a Staff Therapist at our Center City and Voorhees, NJ offices. At the conclusion of World War II, the U.S. economy took off like a rocket. After the Greatest Generation defeated Nazi Germany, they came home, found new jobs, bought homes, and gave birth to the largest generation of children the…
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Maintaining Recovery During the Holidays: Tips to Prevent a Relapse
For many people the holiday season is a joyous and festive time of year. Family gatherings, parties, and other seasonal activities call for us to eat, drink, and be merry. However, for people in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction, the holidays aren’t always so jolly. Being surrounded by drinking, partying, and the usual hustle…
Read MoreHow Do Caregivers Talk to a Child About an Absent Parent?
Christine Wamble, MFT, works with individuals, couples, and families in our University City office. Read on to learn her advice to caretakers on how to talk with a child about an absent parent. Ideally, a caretaker’s response should be emotionally regulated and delivered in a developmentally appropriate way. Single-parent families exist for a multitude of…
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