Author Archive: William Coffey, LCSW

17 Apr

Spring: a time to be vigilant about suicide prevention

Many people believe that suicide rates peak during the winter months. Intuitively, this makes sense given the existence of seasonal affective disorder and the tendency to associate depression with winter. Some also believe that the holidays amplify loneliness in people who have lost loved ones. But suicide statistics suggest a different story. The… Read More
2 Jan

What We Can Learn From Bruce Springsteen

William Coffey is a staff therapist at Council for Relationships' Center City and Voorhees, NJ offices.  I first saw Bruce Springsteen, aka The Boss, in October 1974 in the gymnasium of West Chester College, now West Chester University. This was a full year before he… Read More
18 Dec

Supporting Family and Friends in Recovery This Holiday Season

Bill Coffey, MSS, LCSW is a Staff Therapist at our Center City and Voorhees, New Jersey locations. Bill has decades of experience working with individuals, couples, and families in recovery. ‘Tis the season to be full of cheer, happiness and food! For most people, the… Read More
22 Feb

Addiction is a Disease: Prescription Pills, Heroin, and Addressing the Problem

In recent years the media have warned about drug epidemics. In 2003 it was Ecstasy, the hallucinogenic club drug, and then in 2006 methamphetamines became the ‘hot’ drug that everyone was anxious about. These drugs are indeed dangerous and highly addictive, but the number of… Read More
24 Jun

Where Did Summer Vacation Go?

  Summer vacation has been a ritual that Americans undertake every year since the 1950’s. I remember going to the Jersey shore each year with my family. It was a time to load up the car with a variety of clothes, bikes and beach stuff.… Read More
18 Aug

Farewell To Robin Williams

Once again we are faced with another celebrity’s untimely tragic death. Robin Williams’ suicide at the age of 63 last weekend reminds us of the tragic consequences of the double difficulty between depression and substance abuse. Mr. Williams’ long history of addiction is well chronicled;… Read More
22 Apr

Opiate Use on the Rise

Which class of drugs is the fastest growing in terms of use? In recent years that distinction belongs to opiates, or prescription painkillers, as they are known more commonly. The opiates we are familiar with are the narcotic pain killers such as oxycodone/ acetaminophen (Percocet),… Read More
29 Jan

A Dating Guide (For the Married Couple)

This is not a guide to help you find suitable people to date, nor is it a guide to the hottest new spots in town. This is a recommendation for all committed couples to find a way to set aside time every week for each… Read More
13 Dec

Maintaining a Healthy Relationships While Raising Children

Raising children is one of the most rewarding and challenging undertakings a couple takes on. It is certainly not easy to raise children today (I'm not sure if it ever was), and it clearly requires a lot of energy and focus. However, I have recently… Read More
13 Dec

Alcohol Use and Abuse

The latest numbers released by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) indicate that approximately 115 million people regularly ingest alcohol, which is defined as consuming alcohol at least once a month. The vast majority of those 115 million drink alcohol socially, and… Read More