June 1, 2024, is the deadline to apply for CFR’s Fall 2024 Postgraduate Certificate Program cohort in Marriage & Family Therapy, Sex Therapy, and Clergy track. Apply here.

One for the Yearbooks: A Time to Process the End of Another School Year in a Pandemic

We have arrived at the end of another school year in a pandemic. Many of the meaningful traditions we look forward to this time each year may once again not be possible. As many schools move to re-create significant events like graduations and proms in order to follow safety guidelines, they may look and feel…

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Ending the Stigma Surrounding Bipolar Disorder

May 20, 2021

How does social stigma surrounding bipolar disorder impact those coping with the illness? As a therapist, I have seen varying responses when people are diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Some individuals react with shock, worry, or fear, and others with relief and even hope. Some people may wonder if who they are has somehow changed. They…

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“My Name is Tiger”: Navigating the Road to Recovery After Acute Injury

Tiger Woods’ road to recovery is just beginning. For many people who have experienced devastating injuries, the stabilization and mitigation of acute injuries is just the beginning. A car accident like the one that Tiger Woods experienced can have long-standing ramifications, some of which could even be lifelong. Although it’s not possible to speculate on…

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Featured Therapist for April, April Piercy

April 1, 2021

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…

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I Have No Excuse to Feel This Bad!

How many times over the past year have you heard (or uttered to yourself) something along the lines of “I know other people have it so much worse than me, so I really have no excuse to feel this bad?” Or maybe you’ve thought, “I’ve been so lucky, but I still can’t deal with this. What would I do…

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Featured Therapist for March, Carla Krash

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Carla Krash, LSW, MSS, MFA. Learn more about her in the below interview! What makes you unique as a therapist and as a person? I have been an artist/designer my entire life, exploring creative ways to use a variety of materials in the objects I create. A…

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Help for Young Adults with Autism and Their Families

February 18, 2021

Having been around autistic young people since my youngest son was born with the disorder nearly 20 years ago, I recently began conducting small social groups for young men with autism. Our goals are simple: to provide a safe space for young adults with social emotional deficits to gather weekly with each other, practice listening…

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Featured Therapist for February, Margot Stein

February 4, 2021

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Margot Stein, MFT. Learn more about her in the below interview! What makes you unique as a therapist and person; what drew you to counseling as a career?  I came to Council for Relationships’ Post Graduate Certificate Program in Marriage and…

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What is Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry?

January 21, 2021

In addition to my training in General Adult Psychiatry, I am also board certified in Consultation-Liaison (C-L) Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and practice on the medical-surgical wards at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital. When I tell friends, family, or clients that I am specialty trained in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, it…

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Featured Therapist for January, Eric Devon

January 7, 2021

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Eric Devon, MD. Learn more about him in the below interview! What do you consider to be the goal of therapy? What do you help your clients work towards? I believe that the highest goal of therapy is to understand oneself…

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5 Ways to Say Goodbye to 2020

December 24, 2020

When Twitter recently asked folks to describe 2020 in one word, the responses flooded in. Here are some of the words that stood out to me: Restless. Pain. Sourdough. Masks. Ouch. Skip. Tired. Damaged. Delete. While I was scrolling through the responses, I could feel the collective sigh over the pain folks have experienced this…

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Featured Therapist for December, Jamie Rose

December 17, 2020

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Jamie Rose, MAC, MFT. Learn more about her in the below interview! What makes you unique as a therapist and as a person? I’m not sure it makes me unique, but whenever I’m asked a question like this, I literally cringe!…

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Shifting Perspectives: Confusion as The New Norm Part II – Being Open to Experience and Self-Regulation

Ann Masten, a renowned professor and researcher on resilience, has written volumes on this topic. She documented Post-Traumatic Growth and the reality that some people actually improve their functioning after traumatic and challenging experiences. There is something about engaging in responding to adversity that seems to mobilize some individuals, and they come away feeling stronger…

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Shifting Perspectives: Confusion as The New Norm Part I – Tragic Optimism, Post-Traumatic Growth, and Grief

In conversations with clients, friends, and colleagues, and in the materials I have read from numerous mental health sources, the word “surreal” is often used to describe the feeling of this time when we are living through the COVID-19 pandemic. At times, it feels as if we are living someone else’s life – in someone…

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Experiencing the Holidays: COVID-19 Edition

November 19, 2020

Is it just me or do other people also feel a bit of tension during the holiday season? The food and festivities are great, but at different times between November 1st and January 2nd there are some stressful, not-so-fun times. Between work, family, and friends we are pulled in many directions and most of us…

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Featured Therapist for November, Ayo Akindumila

November 12, 2020

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Ayo Akindumila, LMFT. Learn more about her in the below interview! What makes you unique as a therapist and as a person? You can think of me as “the therapist next door” or “the therapist from the block,” or really any…

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Honoring Our Veterans in 2020

November 5, 2020

Veterans Day is observed annually on November 11th. It is a day set aside to honor all those who have served our country in any of its wars. Unlike Memorial Day, which is a time to remember those who gave their lives for our country, Veterans Day is, “a celebration to honor America’s veterans for…

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Honoring Visibility During Disability History Month & Disability Employment Awareness Month

October 30, 2020

October is Disability History Month, but it is now more widely celebrated as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). This month marks a celebration of the contributions of Disabled People throughout history. This year marks not only the 75th observance of NDEAM, but also the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However,…

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How to Talk to Loved Ones with Differing Political Opinions

October 22, 2020

As the 2020 presidential election draws near, and during a time when the world seems more divided than ever, families may experience an uptick in challenging and stressful conversations. Often, when families gather together, politics become a topic many shy away from. This, in part, may result from the uncomfortable emotional toll these conversations can…

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Featured Therapist for October, Asia McNeil

October 1, 2020

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Asia McNeil, MFT. Learn more about her in the below interview! What would your clients say about you? Many of my clients would say that I am a bubbly, kind, and supportive person who values the joining process. I make…

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The Transition Back to School

September 10, 2020

September brings with it the realization that we are still living within the confines of COVID-19 restrictions. As families transition into this new school year, it’s a reminder of how challenging this “new normal” can be for children and parents. It’s a parent’s role to help children manage their stress; This can be especially difficult…

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