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Processing 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,…
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Mental Health and The First Responder – Part 2
Try to imagine having a job where you know there is a distinct possibility you could be killed while doing your job. Imagine that your job description requires you to transport the dead bodies of community members to the medical examiner’s office. Imagine arriving on the scene of a drive-by shooting where a child has…
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An Open Letter to Naomi Osaka
Dear Naomi, It’s with a heavy heart that I write you this letter because I feel the weight of the emotional pain you must be experiencing. Not only are you carrying the weight of the depression you sometimes feel, but there are also certain people/organizations that are wanting you to carry the weight of their…
Read MoreI 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…
Read MoreShifting 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…
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 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,…
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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Featured Therapist for September, Brittany Kurdewan
Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our Staff Therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist, Brittany Kurdewan, LMFT, joined our staff in 2019. Learn about Brittany in the interview below! Why did you decide to become a therapist? I have always been interested in a career that helps people. I took a psychology course in…
Read MoreUnderstanding Post-Partum Depression
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…
Read MoreSpring: 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 Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health…
Read MoreWoman-Founded in 1932
March is Women’s History Month and Council for Relationships (CFR) is celebrating 90 years of Marriage & Family Therapy, the legacy of Dr. Emily Mudd, and honoring all the women (trans and cis and nonbinary folks) who show up as clients, practitioners, donors, students, board members, and administrators to make our work possible. Every year, thousands of…
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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 exploded nationally when he released Born to Run and was…
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My Message to Women: You do not have to suffer in silence
Elyse Stein Batoff, Psychologist, LMFT has years of experience working in the area of Women’s Psychological Health Services. She has offered the emotional support that has been needed by many women as they go through physical changes and issues ranging from infertility, pregnancy, postpartum depression, sexual concerns, and menopause. Collaboration with physicians such as OB/GYN’s…
Read MoreHope and Healing After Loss by Suicide
Staff Therapist Sarah Bauer, MS, MFT specializes in helping clients who are experiencing domestic violence, trauma, grief and loss, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Sarah uses a systemic approach to help people reach their goals and reconnect with the people in their lives. In this blog post, Sarah offers hope and healing for people whose lives…
Read MoreHow Stigma Impacts People Experiencing Depression
Staff Therapist Ryan McMillian, MDiv, MFT is a dynamic speaker and a compassionate Marriage and Family Therapist. He specializes in helping clients identify strengths to cope with past traumas, guiding clients through transitions and personal losses including, and assisting clients experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Ryan is trained in Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT). The day begins…
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 MoreWhy I joined a group of clinicians devoted to Women’s Psychological Health Services
Staff Therapist Laurel Roe, MS CHR, MFT is one of over 20 clinicians in the Women’s Psychological Health Services program at Council for Relationships. Read on to find out more about the services offered and why CFR staff members are honored to be a part of this new initiative. As a clinician, I know that every…
Read MoreCollege Students Are Feeling More Anxious and Depressed – How Can We Do Better?
When I was a sophomore in college, two of my peers committed suicide in the same school year. These were students who shared mutual friends, joined in for pick-up basketball games in the gym, and attended the same parties and events on campus. For me, this marked a moment in life when suicide was close…
Read MoreNeed a vacation? Take a social media break!
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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Eagles’ Brandon Brooks Teaches Us that an Athlete’s Mental Health is Just as Important as Physical Fitness
Staff Therapist George James, Psy.D., LMFT has worked extensively with professional athletes, adult men and young adult men on various issues including defining manhood, career and work-life balance. He also specializes in helping couples improve the quality of their relationship, reconcile conflicts and overcome intense situations such as affairs, lack of communication, parenting struggles and much more. PHILLY.COM: JESSICA GRIFFIN /…
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