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Purple graphic with soft cloud accents. On the right, a lanyard name badge displays the text “IDENTITY RESOLUTIONS” at the top and “FOR COMPLEX IDENTITIES” at the bottom, with a blurred face image and a barcode beneath it. On the left side, the Council for Relationships logo appears above a headshot of Staff Therapist Sarah Bowman. Text reads: “A NEW BLOG BY STAFF THERAPIST SARAH BOWMAN, M.PHIL.ED.”

Identity Resolutions for Complex Identities

February 18, 2026

Identity tends to shift as life changes. Stress, new relationships, and major transitions often bring old questions back to the surface. Questions about identity can be daunting for everyone, especially…

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The image shows a circular photo of a family sitting together on a couch: a Black man, a woman with curly hair, and a young transracially adopted girl holding a pink stuffed animal. Above the photo, a black diagonal banner reads, “A NEW BLOG BY STAFF THERAPIST SARAH BOWMAN, M.PHIL.ED.” Below the photo, the large headline text says, “Culturally Responsive Therapist: Identity & Adoption,” and a small black box contains the Council for Relationships logo. The design features a purple background. The image promotes a new blog about working with a culturally responsive therapist who provides therapy for adoptees, therapy for transracial adoptees, and support from a therapist for adoption-related concerns, as well as guidance from a therapist who specializes in Black mental health.

Culturally Responsive Therapist: Identity & Adoption

December 11, 2025

As a culturally responsive therapist, Sarah Bowman, M.Phil.Ed., brings a rare blend of lived experience and clinical skill to her work with clients seeking therapy for adoptees (and more specifically,…

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Illustration promoting a CFR blog on cultural stress and racial stress for mixed race people. The image shows a distressed person holding their head, with blurred duplicate outlines behind them to represent identity stress. The background is dark blue with abstract shapes and clouds. At the top, the text reads “Cultural & Racial Stress” and “Strategies for Mixed Race People.” A white text bubble on the right says, “New blog by Sarah Bowman, M.Phil.Ed.” The design conveys themes of identity development and the emotional impact of navigating multiple cultures.

Cultural Stress & Racial Stress: Strategies for Mixed Race People

November 21, 2025

Council for Relationships Staff Therapist Sarah Bowman, M.Phil.Ed., explores how cultural stress, racial stress, and identity stress affect mixed race people navigating identity development in a world that often asks them…

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A somber image of a woman looking down with her arms crossed, expressing deep sadness. The text on the image reads: “Council for Relationships. Pregnancy & Infant Loss. A new blog by Amy Jones, MSW, MFT, LCSW & Betsy Roy.” The image represents the emotional weight of pregnancy and infant loss and the grieving process that follows such traumatic loss.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness

October 29, 2025

Each October, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month offers space to reflect on the grieving process and honor families who have experienced traumatic loss. This piece explores the emotional realities…

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Smiling young person with short hair stands against a white brick wall. Text reads: "Transgender Mental Health – Gender Affirming Care. A new blog by Sarah Bowman & Charlotte Fitterman. Council for Relationships."

Supporting Transgender Mental Health Through Gender Affirming Care

April 17, 2025
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Visibility empowers transgender and nonbinary people. Honoring trans lives means recognizing their resilience and lived experiences, while also advocating for essential support like gender affirming care and transgender mental health…

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Illustrated blog graphic with the title “Middle East & Mental Health.” Subtitle reads “Mental Health Stigma and Cultural Competence in Middle Eastern Communities.” The background is purple with turquoise clouds, stars, and a crescent moon. A skyline of Middle Eastern-style architecture and palm trees appears at the bottom. Text box reads “A New Blog by Sophie Barkhordari.” Council for Relationships logo is in the bottom left corner.

Mental Health Stigma & Cultural Competence in the Middle East

April 15, 2025

Mental health remains a difficult topic in many Middle Eastern communities, where values such as strength, privacy, and honor often discourage open emotional expression. As a result, mental health stigma…

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Two people stand close together, one hugging the other from behind in a comforting embrace. The text on the image reads: “Minority Stress & LGBTQ+ Mental Health – A New Blog by Kathy O’Hearn.” The background is purple, with white and teal text, and the Council for Relationships logo appears at the bottom.

Minority Stress & LGBTQ+ Mental Health: What to Know

April 2, 2025

At Council for Relationships, we believe representation, visibility, and affirmation are essential to LGBTQ+ mental health. In this blog, Clinical Intern Kathy O’Hearn—a master’s student at Thomas Jefferson University and…

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A black-and-white image of a handgun lying on the ground near an evidence marker labeled '1,' with additional markers in the background. The image is overlaid with Council for Relationships' branding and the blog title: 'Trauma Responses & Community Violence – Why the Brain Reacts the Way It Does. A new blog by Davina Scott.'

Trauma Responses & Community Violence: Why the Brain Reacts the Way It Does

March 3, 2025

Davina Scott, a Clinical Intern at Council for Relationships and a student at the University of Pennsylvania, explores the profound effects of community violence on mental health. In this blog,…

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A title graphic for the blog "Purity Culture and Sexual Shame: A Closer Look" by Julianna Strati. The background features a sepia-toned image of the exterior of a brick church with a cross on the rooftop, set against a partly cloudy sky. The blog title is in white text, with "A Closer Look" highlighted in bright teal. The logo for "Council for Relationships" is placed in the bottom right corner of the image. The overall tone of the image is solemn and reflective, aligning with the subject of the blog.

Purity Culture and Sexual Shame: A Closer Look

September 5, 2024

Purity culture and sexual shame have shaped the lives of many people raised in Christian communities in the United States. These beliefs became popular in the 1990s. They often suggest…

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PTSD Awareness Day 2024 image with a person sitting outdoors, looking thoughtful. Text reads 'Emerging Conceptualizations of Trauma' by Andy Phạm, MFT, Council for Relationships.

PTSD Awareness & Emerging Ideas on Trauma

June 26, 2024

As we mark the 15th Annual PTSD Awareness Day, it’s essential to reflect on the evolving understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its impact on diverse communities. In this…

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This is a collage of black and white images with a central color image, laid out to create a promotional graphic for an article or a discussion topic. The central color image shows two people, with a focus on their hands gently resting on one another, showcasing rings, implying a significant relationship. Surrounding this image are various black and white photos depicting different forms of affection or companionship: two people laughing together, a person resting their head on another's shoulder, two individuals sitting by a body of water, an elderly couple smiling at the camera, and a person cuddling with a dog. Overlaid on the collage is a block of text that reads "QUEERPLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS & QUESTIONING ROMANTIC HIERARCHY BY ANDY PHAM & CASEY HERGER" with the logo "COUNCIL FOR RELATIONSHIPS" at the bottom. The composition suggests a focus on the depth and variety of relationships beyond traditional romantic frameworks.

Queerplatonic Relationships & Questioning Romantic Hierarchy 

February 15, 2024
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This 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…

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A graphic with a turquoise background and a green border features an illustration of a green brain with dark blue lines representing neural pathways. The title in bold purple text reads, "Neurodivergent: Meaning & Comorbidities," and below it, in smaller text, it says, "By Talia Higgins." At the bottom, the Council for Relationships logo appears in purple.

Neurodivergent: Navigating the Mental Health Issues

August 7, 2023

What it means to be neurodivergent is often misunderstood. The term describes individuals whose brain processes, learns, or behaves differently from what is typical. This term covers many conditions, including…

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Mental Health Provider Appreciation Day 2023

May 12, 2023

I find myself in an appreciative mood today. Sure, it is Friday (if it is not Friday at the time you are reading this, it will soon be Friday, so…

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AI & Mental Health Therapy

April 25, 2023

Buzz about the potential uses of artificial intelligence (AI) in the mental health space has exploded since the launch of Open AI’s ChatGPT-3 last fall. Today, ChatGPT has more than…

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