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 » General

TBI: Meaning, Importance, and Hope

August 9, 2023

The Philadelphia Phillies‘ partnership with Team Foster and Warrior Canine Connection to bring a new service pup to the Phillies for training reminds us of the importance of learning about and addressing treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Veterans. TBI was the signature war wound of the Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan (OEF) and Operation…

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Juneteenth at Longwood Gardens

On Friday, June 16, 2023, Longwood Gardens hosted Fashioning Freedom, a event honoring the power of fashion in the struggle for freedom. It promised to be an evening for celebrating African American fashion and its critical relationship to the work of freedom. After spending her day seeing clients and working towards her doctorate, CFR Staff…

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Relationship Responsibility

May 23, 2023

Too often our relationships with our loved ones are unbalanced. Many people feel as if they are being asked to do too much…or perhaps they feel as if they are not carrying equal weight. When it comes to our relationships, we should strive for balance and to identify evidence that things may have gotten lopsided….

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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

COVID-19 remains, for me, a unique experience. When the pandemic struck, it was a sudden, global, isolating, traumatic, and life-changing experience. We went into lockdown mode and the loss was huge. It disproportionately affected people of color. The grief and the recovery work are far from being over. I accepted the pandemic for what it…

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Philadelphia Mayoral Candidate Rebecca Rhynhart on the Mental Health Crisis

May 1, 2023

Philadelphians will go to the ballot box this November to elect their 100th mayor. The city’s next mayor will inherit what President Joe Biden has described as a “mental health crisis.” It is imperative that voters know how the candidates will respond to the crisis upon taking office. As the region’s leader in individual, couples,…

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The Case for Supporting Mental Health Nonprofits

April 28, 2023

Mental health care is essential, and we need all the advocates we can get. Now, you might be thinking, “But I’m not a therapist, a doctor, or even someone who knows a lot about mental health. How can I be an advocate?” Well, fear not, because being a mental health advocate does not require any…

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Philly Mayoral Candidate Helen Gym on the Mental Health Crisis

April 26, 2023

Philadelphians will go to the ballot box this November to elect their 100th mayor. The city’s next mayor will inherit what President Joe Biden has described as a “mental health crisis.” It is imperative that voters know how the candidates will respond to the crisis upon taking office. As the region’s leader in individual, couples,…

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Philly Mayoral Candidate Jimmy DeLeon on the Mental Health Crisis

April 24, 2023

Philadelphians will go to the ballot box this November to elect their 100th mayor. The city’s next mayor will inherit what President Joe Biden has described as a “mental health crisis.” It is imperative that voters know how the candidates will respond to the crisis upon taking office. As the region’s leader in individual, couples,…

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Black and white image of a young women in a dark shirt and light pants with a sad facial expression and hands in her pockets. She is surrounded by pointing fingers.

5 Bully Prevention Tips for Parents and Schools That Work

Schools 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…

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Benefits of Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Groups

While becoming a new mother is rewarding, the journey is riddled with constant change, uncertainty, feelings of doubt, fear, and isolation. New mothers often fear voicing their needs or reaching out for help because they fear burdening those around them. New mothers also wrestle with feelings of guilt and shame for feeling anxious, depressed, overwhelmed,…

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Portrait of Staff Therapist Sarafina Kietzman-Nicklin, MFT

Philadelphia Therapist Accepting New Patients: Sarafina Kietzman-Nicklin

Finding a Philadelphia therapist or Paoli, PA, therapist accepting new patients can be difficult. CFR is proud to have Staff Therapist Sarafina Kietzman-Nicklin, MFT, as a member of our organization. Sarafina sees patients virtually and at CFR’s University City Philadelphia office and Paoli, PA, office. She is currently accepting new patients. Continue reading to learn…

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Women’s Mental Health Disparities 2023

Women’s History Month is a time for us to reflect on the unique experience of women in our history. It is a time to evaluate how that experience has shaped our present reality, and what the implications are for offering programs and services that are both relevant and supportive of women. It is also a…

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Tyre Nichols who was murdered by police officers in Memphis, Tennessee

Council for Relationships’ Statement on the Murder of Tyre Nichols

January 30, 2023

Council for Relationships was devastated to learn of the killing of Tyre Nichols, who was murdered at the hands of police officers earlier this month in Memphis, Tennessee. We grieve the senseless loss of another Black man at the hands of law enforcement and we stand with communities across the nation echoing the message: enough…

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Person in bed with depression

5 Tips to Beat the Winter Blues 2023

January 17, 2023

The winter season is upon us. Frigid temperatures, fewer hours of daylight, and viral illnesses can all contribute to increased isolation, and for many, increased stress and seasonal depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Here are 5 tips to beat the winter blues in 2023. 1.  Connect with friends and family Over the last couple…

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New Year's resolution ideas

2023 New Year’s Resolutions

December 13, 2022

It’s time to start making your 2023 New Year’s resolutions. CFR Staff Therapist Marrisa Kos, MSW, RN, shares her thoughts on the following topics: How to think about New Year’s resolutions How to make and keep your resolutions Ideas for 2023 New Year’s resolutions What to do when you’re struggling with your resolutions. Thinking about…

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Council for Relationships staff therapist Marissa Kos professional headshot

Therapist Near Me: Philadelphia’s Marissa Kos

December 6, 2022

Have you been wondering, “are there therapists near me”?  This month’s featured CFR therapist is Marissa Kos, MSW, RN. Marissa provides therapy at CFR’s Philadelphia’s Center City and University City offices, Bryn Mawr and Wynnewood, PA, offices, and also provides online therapy. Continue reading to learn more about Marissa, her therapeutic approaches, goals, and contact…

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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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Benefits of Mindfulness on Women’s Health

October 17, 2022

Many often do not think about it, but our mood and life experiences play an essential role in our health. Our mood and life stressors can negatively impact our health outcomes and experiences. For example, women who undergo various forms of stress often experience different health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, reproductive illness, and…

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A Q&A About Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy

October 21, 2021

What is Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy? Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an approach to therapy that treats the psyche as a unique system of parts that influence each other and the external world. It was developed by Richard Schwartz, a family therapist who observed patients describing themselves in terms of conflicting “parts,” and then…

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An Ode to CFR’s Post Graduate Certificate Program

There is a part of my life in which I am very fortunate: I have a job that I love and, even beyond that, a job that feels like a calling. I am the Director of Council for Relationships’ Post Graduate Certificate Program in Marriage and Family Therapy. As is relatively obvious from the name of the program, our training prepares master’s-level students for…

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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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