July 31, 2024, is the deadline to apply for CFR’s Fall 2024 Postgraduate Certificate Program cohort in Marriage & Family Therapy and Clergy track. Apply here.

Category » Anxiety

Children's Mental Health" infographic by Council for Relationships. The design features the title "CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH" in bold, purple letters, with the subtitle "WHY EARLY INTERVENTION MATTERS" in black at the bottom. At the top, the Council for Relationships logo is prominently displayed. Below the title, there is a black-and-white image of three young children sitting together, with two teal star shapes flanking the image. The infographic is credited to Meghan Rydzewski, MFT, noted in a text box just above the subtitle. The background is white, creating a clean and professional look.

Children’s Mental Health: Why Early Intervention Matters

May 29, 2024

Understanding children’s mental health is crucial for early intervention. This blog highlights the importance of child therapy, signs of mental health issues, and how to support a child. Promoting mental health awareness for children and informed parenting and child mental health can make a significant difference in their well-being. Why Early Intervention Matters Mental health…

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Collage image titled 'Dealing with Painful Emotions' featuring tips and insights by Sonja Spangler, LSW, Council for Relationships. Includes various black-and-white photos depicting emotional expressions.

Dealing with Painful Emotions: Insights & Tips

May 28, 2024

In “Dealing with Painful Emotions,” CFR Staff Therapist Sonja Spangler, LSW, explores the inevitability of emotional pain and offers practical strategies for managing it. Through mindfulness, cognitive reframes, and self-awareness, you can learn to navigate your feelings with compassion, transforming suffering into opportunities for growth and healing. New Perspectives on Painful Emotions The Buddhists say,…

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Cover of a publication featuring a time prioritization strategy. The image background shows a tangle of electrical wires and poles in grayscale. Overlaying this is the title 'ONE TWO THREE TIME' in bold, purple block letters. Below the title, in smaller white text, it reads 'A TIME PRIORIZATION STRATEGY FOR ADULTS.' The author's name, 'BY KENT MATTHIES, MFT, MDiv,' is also displayed in white. At the bottom of the image, the 'Council for Relationships' logo is visible, indicating the publisher or associated organization.

One Two Three Time: A Time Prioritization Strategy for Adults

April 22, 2024

In the hustle of modern life, understanding and managing personal time is critical to enhancing well-being. In fact, a recent survey found that when rating on a scale of 1-10, where 10 signifies a great deal of stress, a quarter of all Americans reported their average stress level as between 8 and 10. The concept…

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An infographic featuring Kent Matthies, a Marriage & Family Therapist and Minister. The background is a vibrant purple with the text "mindfulness" in bold, turquoise letters. Below, there is a black and white image of Matthies in profile, manipulating a pendulum with a pair of scissors, symbolizing precision and balance. Text above him reads "TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WITH MINDFULNESS-BASED THERAPY SERVICES: A JOURNEY FROM MINISTER TO MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST." The Council for Relationships logo is placed at the bottom right.

Transform Your Life with Mindfulness-Based Therapy Services

April 10, 2024

Embarking on the path to healing and self-discovery requires courage, understanding, and guidance. Mindfulness-based therapy services offer a unique approach, combining traditional therapeutic practices with mindfulness techniques to support individuals, couples, and families in finding a way to meet life’s challenges. In this blog, we delve into the story of Kent Matthies, a seasoned Unitarian…

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Self-Help Tips for Depression and Anxiety

December 6, 2023

The holiday season can make you feel depressed and anxious. Everyone experiences symptoms of depression and anxiety during their life. But you can thrive this holiday season with the following 11 self-help tips for depression and anxiety. 11 Self-Help Tips for Depression and Anxiety The holidays can make you feel lonely, sad, uneasy, and worried…

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Are you building the life you want as 2023 transitions into 2024?

This is a time of year perfect for reflection and optimism. As we begin the period of time when we hand off one year to the next, take a moment to consider your own mental health. How are you doing? Are you taking care of you? In this blog, CFR Staff Therapist L. Stewart Barbera…

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Neurodivergent: Meaning & Comorbidities

August 7, 2023

What it means to be neurodivergent is often misunderstood. The term is an umbrella for many more contemporarily familiar disorders, such as autism. You will learn more about the following in this article: The meaning of neurodivergent Depression and being neurodivergent Anxiety and neurodivergent people The intersection between trauma and neurodivergence Neurodivergent Meaning In the 1990s, autistic…

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A girl wearing a mask for Purim.

Purim and Mental Health: What the Holiday Can Teach Us about Ourselves

March 6, 2023

What can the Jewish holiday of Purim teach us about our own mental health? For one, it reminds us of the importance to unmask our true selves. Read on to learn more about Purim and mental health. A Jewish Masquerade Ball Purim is like a Jewish masquerade ball. Commemorating the Persian Jewish Queen Esther and…

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Going “Home” for the Holidays

November 14, 2022

For some of us, including me, the phrase “going home for the holidays” invites anxiety, dread, and avoidance. Every year I struggle to decide what to do for Thanksgiving. The “holiday” has a lot of difficult subjects wrapped up in it. This is especially true for many queer and trans people, Indigenous Americans, and sometimes…

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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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Understanding Post-Partum Depression

July 30, 2019

Dr. Jane Summers is the Medical Director at Council for Relationships, and founding Director of Women’s Psychological Health Services. Having specialized in women’s behavioral health throughout her career, Dr. Summers’ approach prioritizes understanding the unique issues that effect the emotional health of women such as reproductive health and hormonal changes over the lifespan and challenges…

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Need a vacation? Take a social media break!

April 17, 2018

Laurel Roe, MS CHR, MFT has a background in education and particularly enjoys working with families with members who have special needs, parenting issues, childhood developmental concerns, and anxiety in children, teens, and adults.  Taking a break from social media can provide many of the same health benefits as a traditional vacation. Whether we like…

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How to Recognize Anxiety in Children

February 13, 2018

Sarah Bauer, MS, MFT is a couple and family therapist, specializing in domestic violence, trauma, grief and loss, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Many children and adults experience anxiety at one time or another. Adults may attribute such feelings of nervousness (“butterflies”), worry, or sleep issues. Children, however, having not yet developed the skills to state…

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