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Relationship Checkup
As we flip our calendars to February, the focus on love and romantic relationships intensifies. For some this may feel fun and exciting, but it is not uncommon to feel a mix of emotions about our intimate relationships. There aren’t many Valentine’s Day cards that capture feelings like frustration, anxiety, disappointment, longing, and stuck. Navigating…
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Now More Than Ever, We Need to Empty Our Emotional Jugs
The past two years of the pandemic have flooded many of us with more feelings than we have capacity for, which has led to a lot of feelings spilling out. We have all experienced the spillage of those emotions. Maybe our fuses feel shorter, or we are crying more, or maybe we are drinking more…
Read MoreHow to Talk to Loved Ones with Differing Political Opinions
As 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 MoreHelping Couples Thrive During COVID-19: How Affection and Desire Eases Fear
The pandemic is creating unique challenges for couples, even those with happy relationships. What does it mean to thrive during difficult and fearful times? With so much uncertainty as we watch and hear about the numbers of people whose lives are at stake, and many others who have been lost to COVID-19, fear is expressed…
Read MoreThe Suit of Shame: How did I put it on?
Your sense of self, personal dignity, and relationship boundaries matter: how to transform social shame and reestablish your worth. One of the most beautiful qualities one has is the ability to communicate. Communication is self-revelation. It is self-leadership. It therefore has to do with the manifestation of your worthiness, ego, dignity, and status. A sense…
Read MoreWhat Is Sex Therapy?
This blog was originally posted at YourTango and is reposted here with permissions. Here’s how to tell if sex therapy is right for you. How many people have you known who confided in you that they went to a sex therapist or were considering sex therapy for intimacy problems in their marriage? For many people,…
Read MoreIt’s time to talk about mental health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month Many people hesitate to talk about their mental health struggles openly. Because of the stigma attached to mental health, they may fear judgment or discrimination if they speak up. When people have to suffer in private, the isolation causes another layer of pain. But times are changing, and more…
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Responding to Insult with Wisdom
Click here to watch a short video synopsis of the following post. Does a week go by when we don’t experience some sort of insult, snide comment, or disapproving glare from family members, friends, or coworkers? The question is: how do we stand up tall and with integrity in the face of such abuse? A preeminent…
Read MoreWhat is the Intersystem Approach to Therapy?
Dr. Rita DeMaria is a staff therapist, office director, and director of Healthy Relationships and Wellness Programs at Council for Relationships. The Intersystem Approach is an integrative and dialectical meta-framework, which explores how individuals, couples, family systems and communities are functioning in their relationships with self and others. These four domains constitute a comprehensive approach…
Read MoreDr. Rita DeMaria, September’s Featured Therapist
Every month, Council for Relationships highlights one of our Staff Therapists on the Expert Voices blog. Rita DeMaria, PhD, LMFT, CST was named this month’s featured Staff Therapist. Learn more about Dr. DeMaria in the quick introduction below. How did you become a therapist? My interest in helping people with personal problems began when I was…
Read MoreThe Power of Connection and Community
Caitlin Rice, MSS, LCSW has years of experience supporting families coping with stress and chronic illness and working with parents of children with special needs. She has facilitated groups for individuals in these trying situations and has seen their immense healing power. Read on to learn more about the power of connection and community. In today’s world,…
Read MoreHow to help your daughter find her voice
“Strong Voice, Full Heart” is a mother-daughter empowerment workshop organized through Council for Relationships’ Community Partnership Initiative (CPI). Dr. Sara Corse, Director of CPI, reflects on how mothers can empower their daughters to find their voice and embrace their power. Empowerment. It is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling your life…
Read MoreSeeking: Balance in Relationships
Deb D’Arcangelo is CEO of Council for Relationships which provides therapy on a sliding fee scale and trains current and future therapists. This Women’s History Month, we at Council for Relationships applaud the success of former Philadelphia activist Tarana Burke and her launching of the #MeToo movement, which has put a spotlight on the…
Read MoreHow to Move on After Being “Ghosted”
Ben King, MFT is a Couple and Family therapist with a focus in Sex Therapy. He specializes in working with couples experiencing difficulties with communication, emotional/physical intimacy, and sexual difficulties. Mr. King also works with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, relationship problems, and sexual difficulties including erectile dysfunction. Asking for a Friend… Is it weird to think a…
Read MoreEnhancing Relationships through Therapy
Every month, Council for Relationships highlights one of our staff therapists on the blog. February’s Featured Therapist Nicki Nathan, MFT, has a background in psychiatry and is a graduate of our Post Graduate Certificate Training Program. As humans, we crave and need connection. Much of the current research focuses on the association between our close relationships and…
Read MoreShould You and Your Partner be Scheduling Sex?
Former Staff Therapist Ben King, MFT specializes in helping couples experiencing difficulties with communication, emotional/physical intimacy, and sexual difficulties. This blog was originally posted on his website and is re-published here with his permission. Many couples will have less sex later in their relationship compared to the beginning. You may have less time, not feel the same desire,…
Read MoreFour First Date Tips from a Couples Therapist
Staff Therapist Briana Bogue, MFT works with young adults, couples, and families who are experiencing distress due to grief and loss, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, conflict, and communication problems. As an adolescent, I frequently got nervous to put myself out there. Socially, I was scared of vulnerability. My mom, trying to be helpful, would say things like, “just…
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…
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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 MoreA Couples Therapist Explains Why Cuffing Season Could Be Good for You
Oh the weather outside is frightful… But “Cuffing” is so delightful! What is Cuffing Season? “Cuffing” refers to getting into a committed relationship. “Cuffing Season” is the phenomenon of getting into a serious, committed, sexual relationship for the fall and winter months. According to popular belief, these relationships are often considered temporary, and may dissolve by…
Read MoreWhen to See a Couples Therapist
This blog post was originally published on Counsel Philadelphia and is shared here with the author’s permission. Your relationship may seem like its been in trouble for a while. It may be that you are not communicating anymore or there is a lack of sex or affection. Even when it is clear that your relationship…
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