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Category » Grief and Loss
Closing the Gap: Perinatal Mental Health Services in North Philadelphia
Perinatal mental health services play a crucial role in supporting expecting and new mothers, offering hope and essential care in communities facing significant challenges. This blog explores the transformative impact of these services, detailing the journey of embedding a Council for Relationships (CFR) Therapist within the Stephen Klein Wellness Center in North Philadelphia and the…
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Seed of Change: Pathways to Personal and Spiritual Growth
Embarking on a transformation journey begins with the “Seed of Change.” This blog explores how embracing shifts in our lives, inspired by faith and Jesus’ teachings, can lead to profound personal and spiritual growth, guiding us through darkness into the light of new beginnings. The Seed of Change: Understanding Personal Growth When I was a…
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Identity Shift in Motherhood: Navigating New Challenges & Rediscovering Yourself
Embarking 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…
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How To Let Go of Guilt
People feeling guilty about various situations frequently come to my small office. This includes a teenager dealing with their parent’s divorce and a client regretting not expressing themselves in their friendships. After sharing their stories, clients ask me one or both of the following questions (both of which relate to how to let go of…
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Grieving During the Holidays: A Therapist’s Reflections
Grieving during the holidays, or for that matter, at any time of the year, is challenging to your mental health. When you feel pressured to act like you are not grieving around family and “friends,” it can harm your emotional well-being. Grieving, after all, is a nonlinear process…and it takes no breaks for family parties…
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How to Talk to Someone Who is Suicidal
I recently attended the New Jersey Suicide Prevention Conference. This topic is never easy to discuss or listen to, but it is crucial. New Jersey has lower suicide rates compared to other states, but suicide rates are increasing across the country. The biggest takeaway from the conference is that the best way to prevent suicide…
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Am I a Unicorn? A Therapist & Child of Holocaust Survivors On the Israel-Hamas War
On October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out a coordinated terrorist attack on innocent Israeli citizens and even took hostages. In response, Israel declared war on Hamas, and The Israel Defense Force vowed to “destroy Hamas.” Like everyone else, CFR Clinicians were horrified by Hamas’s brutality and have been processing the recent events like most people….
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Disenfranchised Grief: How the Passing of My Cat Made Me a Better Therapist
We all grieve at some point in our lives. Some of us have had too many opportunities to grieve while others may have experienced grief once or twice. The sources of our grief are as varied as the personalities of humans and how we grieve varies just as much. Sometimes, however, we experience disenfranchised grief when…
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Therapy That Can Teach You Forgiveness
We all know that the ability to forgive someone is a valued human trait. But dang is it hard to do. If you’re a human, then you’ve experienced a situation where you’ve been wronged by someone else (and vice versa). Most people want to be known as “forgiving,” but there are few manuals on how…
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Racial Justice Through Tragic Optimism
The time between the conclusion of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Heritage Month) and the celebration of Juneteenth is a great opportunity to reflect on the complexities of racial justice. CFR Staff Psychiatrist Dr. Maura Dunfey shares how her experience raising biracial children, having a grandfather who fought the Japanese in World…
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Lent and Mental Health
Lent is a springtime season in the Christian Church that begins a 40-day discipline of prayer, fasting, and contemplation. Lent also forces us to grapple with our own mortality. This can be triggering for many, but, with meditation and reflection, Lent can be a wonderful season for our mental health. Read on to learn more…
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It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year – Unless, of Course, It’s Not
The holiday season often injects pressure into our world. Sometimes the holiday season forces family time on us when we may not want or be ready for those interactions. Other times, the holiday season necessitates increased financial strain. What often feels hard throughout the holidays is the lack of space to talk about how difficult…
Read More“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…
Read More5 Ways to Say Goodbye to 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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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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Grieving a Loss from COVID-19
Grieving a loss from COVID-19 requires courage and an openness to converse about one’s emotions. The unique ability of the virus to level everyone and create an international community is helpful to the grieving process. COVID-19 can affect anyone, it is spreading at a rapid rate, and there is currently no cure. In dealing with…
Read MoreLoss, Acceptance and Action During COVID-19
As I’ve been talking with patients, family and friends online over the past 2 weeks, I’ve come to realize we are all experiencing loss of some kind, both individually and collectively. We have a shared experience that as of March 2020, our world has changed. This looks different for everyone: canceled vacation and travel plans, what a…
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 MoreSaying Goodbye to Game of Thrones: Dealing with Disappointment and Endings
Michele Southworth, JD, LMFT is a senior staff therapist at Council for Relationships University City. Image Credit: Macall B. Polay/HBO Sunday night, after eight seasons and 73 episodes, we said our goodbyes to the surviving Stark siblings and other survivors of the Battle of Kings Landing, along with what remained of the armies of the…
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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…
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