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.
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…
Read MoreIn 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…
Read MoreApril 17, 2024 | CFR Staff Therapist Meghan Rydzewski, MFT, was featured in The Wildest. Meghan spoke with journalist Maggie Langer for Maggie’s article, “So, You and Your Partner Want to Live Together—But Your Pets Don’t.” We encourage you to read and share the article. To request an appointment with Meghan Rydzewski, visit her biography….
Read MorePregnancy is often portrayed as a time of joy and anticipation, but for many, it’s a period marked by complex emotions. Ambivalence during pregnancy, a state of having mixed feelings about the impending arrival of one’s baby, is a common yet seldom discussed phenomenon. This silence fosters a sense of isolation, shame, and fear, leading…
Read MoreEmbarking on the journey of motherhood introduces a profound “identity shift in motherhood” that many are unprepared for. This transformative phase brings various challenges, from the loss of personal identity to the struggle to find joy amidst the chaos of parenting. This blog delves into the heart of these experiences, offering insights and practical advice…
Read MoreThis blog discusses the overlapping of different types of relationships, particularly in queerplatonic bonds. It also explores the complexities of human connections. Queerplatonic relationships go beyond labels and involve people who identify as asexual, aromantic, or sexual and romantic feelings. They show deep emotional intimacy. Queerplatonic partners display characteristics commonly linked to romantic partnerships, yet…
Read MoreAsk any AI chatbot about how to manage stress during the holidays, and you’re bound to find out that there is a lot of stress management advice out there. Council for Relationships is here to clear a path through the clutter. We asked Matthew McCrickard, the Associate Director of CFR’s Postgraduate Certificate Program, for his top…
Read MoreParenting during the holiday season is not easy. Stress, guilt, and fear can arise from various sources during this time. But do not fret, parents! Guilt-free holidays are within your grasp. Lia Pezzato is a therapist who specializes in helping marriages and families. She has a plan to help you manage guilt and stress during…
Read MoreHallmark is popular during the holidays for its stories of love, tradition, and family. It also provides us with plenty of valuable mental health lessons. Hallmark’s holiday films teach us to be ourselves, be courageous, and find help during tough times. However, certain lessons should remain confined to fictional towns like Candy Cane Town or…
Read MoreMany of us struggle with regulating (or managing) emotions. Looking inward and taking stock of our emotional regulation skills is critical to maintaining healthy adult relationships. Often, the source of conflict and struggle in relationships can be traced back to poor regulation of emotions by those in the relationship. Improving your relationships, though, takes more…
Read MoreCaring for an aging parent can feel daunting, frustrating, isolating, and sad. But it does not have to be this way. Read on to the learn more about the following tips to help keep you from losing yourself as you care for your parent. Tip #1: Take it slow. Caring for an elderly parent is…
Read MoreSchools should be a safe place for everyone to come, as they are, and learn skills for their future. Bullying makes schools unsafe. Ending bullying is not solely the responsibility of parents or schools, but it does require both to work together to help create good humans and future leaders. Read on for 5 bully…
Read MoreFrom over-the-top pregnancy reveals to momfluencers with hundreds of thousands of followers, social media might lead new parents to believe pregnancy is relatively easy. It is not. Pregnancy is complicated. The pregnancy reality for new parents is often more complicated than social media wants you to believe. At best, pregnancy is a joyful time for…
Read MoreCouncil for Relationships is known for couples and family therapy since 1932. But who discovered and developed Family Therapy? Virgina Satir is considered the Mother of Family Therapy. Her findings and therapeutic process remain highly influential for therapists. Read on the learn more about Virginia Satir and the five things she would tell you about…
Read MoreFor 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…
Read MoreIn previous generations, the phrase “I don’t see color” was a mark of being progressive. Parents would use the phrase to explain why the differences of another person were not important when cultivating relationships. By telling children the color of a person does not matter, it also allows for parents and caregivers to avoid having…
Read MoreThe 2020-2021 school year has officially ended at schools across the country, and we are heading into another season of mixed thoughts and emotions. Just as has been the case in the past year of the COVID pandemic, that will mean different things to different people and families. While we are eager to put the…
Read MoreWe 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…
Read MoreHaving 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…
Read MoreAs 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…
Read MoreSeptember 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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