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The Great Resignation, the Great “Rethink,” and What Happens Next
The last couple of years have been, from a mental health point of view, pretty much of a perfect storm: extremes of polarization and breakdown in our political process and even our understanding of reality, an increasing societal reckoning with racism and misogyny, an increasingly urgent climate crisis, and now, nearly two years of social…
Read MoreWhy Become a Sex Therapist? And How?
As the field of mental and relational health evolves to become more specialized, this may be the best of times to become a sex therapist. As people live longer and have a greater interest in and freedom to explore their sexual expression, the role of sex therapists has become increasingly important and sought after by…
Read MoreHow I Made a Career Pivot to Being a Couple and Family Therapist
This very complicated time has many of us thinking about what matters most in our lives, and how to be intentional about where we put our energy. I’ve recently had conversations with several people, who share a wish to change their career paths in a variety of ways. These discussions brought me back to memories…
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 MoreWhat They Don’t Tell You About Growing Up
Lisa Handler, PhD, MFT joined Council for Relationships in 2018 after completing the Post-Graduate Certificate Program in Marriage and Family Therapy. Read on for her reflections on what they don’t tell you about growing up. What they don’t understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you’re eleven, you’re also ten, and…
Read MoreMichelle and Barack: The Perfect Imperfect Love Story
Dr. Michele Marsh is a licensed psychologist and certified sex therapist at Council for Relationships’ Center City Office. Dr. Marsh is also the Director of the Sex Therapy Track in the Master’s in Family Therapy Program in partnership with Thomas Jefferson University. Pictures of President Obama and Michelle Obama glow with energy and broad smiles,…
Read MoreNovember Featured Therapist, Lisa Handler
Lisa Handler, PhD, MFT joined Council for Relationships in 2018 after completing the Post-Graduate Certificate Program. Learn more about Lisa’s background and approach in the intro below. Tell us a little about what makes you unique as a therapist and person. I grew up in Southern Illinois, and though technically a Midwesterner, I come from coastal…
Read MoreEnoughness: How will you know when you are enough?
Sarah Epstein, MFT is a staff therapist at Council for Relationships Center City. This blog was originally posted on her website and is republished here with her permission. Pick a metric. Academic success, thinness, dating prowess, job prestige, marriageability, fertility, athleticism… the list goes on and on. As we move through life, the goalposts indicating…
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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…
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Meet August’s Featured Staff Therapist, Elyse Stein Batoff
Every month, Council for Relationships highlights one of our Staff Therapists on the Expert Voices blog. Elyse Stein Batoff, MA, LMFT was named this month’s featured Staff Therapist. Learn more about Elyse in the quick introduction below. If you are interested in therapy with Elyse, request an appointment today. What is the goal of therapy? I believe the…
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 MorePlanning a Wedding? Here’s Why You Should Go to Premarital Counseling
Wanda Sevey, MDiv, LMFT helps individuals, couples, and families with communication and relationship skill building. She is trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy and highly skilled at coping with stress, anxiety, and depression. You just announced your marriage engagement. Congratulations! As you prepare for your wedding, be sure to place premarital counseling near the top of your to-do…
Read MoreSix Reasons You Should Go to Therapy This Year
Staff Therapist Ryan McMillian, DMin, MFT specializes in moving individuals and couples out of “stuck points.” Read on for his advice on how to have your best year yet. The New Year is here, so it’s time for the annual review. Any goals left incomplete from last year, habits you wanted to develop or relationships…
Read MoreThe Lifelong Benefits of Military Family Life for Adult Children
At Council for Relationships, our Staff Therapists come from diverse backgrounds that have shaped their clinical practices. Staff Therapist Rita DeMaria, PhD, LMFT, CST spent her young life abroad in Japan, Ethiopia, and Turkey as her family moved around to accommodate her father’s military career. Read in her own words how this experience shaped her…
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Like Great Wine, Sex Can Get Better with Age: Strategies for Satisfying Sex Throughout Your Entire Life
Staff Therapist Dr. Alishia Kalos is a licensed psychologist with specialized experience in addressing sexual and relational concerns such as intimacy, communication, desire, arousal, satisfaction, pain, relationship contract negotiation, unusual sexual interests, and sexual behavior challenges. Alishia sees clients at our Center City and Paoli locations. Sexual health and intimacy are core elements of…
Read MoreAn Empty Seat at the Table: Grief at the Holidays
Dr. Michele Marsh is a licensed psychologist and certified sex therapist at our Center City location. Dr. Marsh’s specialty areas include trauma, sexuality throughout the life cycle, sexual abuse, affairs, depression and anxiety, parenting issues, and loss and grief. Sparkling lights, candles in the windows, eight nights of lights and song, wreaths everywhere, and…
Read MoreNovember is National Adoption Month
November marks the annual celebration of adoption. This is something to be celebrated, but it’s also important to remember that adoption, especially for the adoptees, comes with an element of loss. Even in the best-case scenarios, adoptees will need support and guidance throughout their lives with processing their feelings, and how being adopted has impacted…
Read MoreWhen is it Time to See a Therapist?
Tracey Tanenbaum is a Marriage and Family Therapist and Staff Therapist at Council for Relationships. She also serves as the Community Partnership Initiative Clinical Specialist. When is it time to start seeing a therapist? The answer to that question will vary for each individual. In this blog post, I explore a few common reasons clients book…
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Positive Child-Parent Bonds Lead to More Positive Caregiving for Aging Survivors
Last week we observed Holocaust Remembrance Day. This year marks the 70th Anniversary of the liberation by the Allied Armies of the Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps. To mark this day we are sharing observations made by the Transcending Trauma Project (TTP) team from the interview statements of survivors explaining how the experience of the…
Read MoreHow I get through my January Malaise
I sent my second college age daughter back to school last Sunday and I’m feeling SAD; you? Every year around this time, after the holiday fun and festivities, the extra boost of love and warmth from being surrounded by friends and family has ended, I feel down. I know it is a pretty common feeling,…
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