Category » Therapists

Notes from the 2023 Drexel MCH Symposium

On June 1, 2023, Drexel University held the 2023 Drexel Maternal and Child Health Symposium: Gun Violence: Impacts & Solutions from an MCH Perspective. The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) conference, “highlight[ed] the work of communities and programs seeking to reduce the impact of gun violence on maternal and child health populations, including women, children,…

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Black Joy

While the events that led to the ultimate creation of the national holiday known as Juneteenth may be over 160 years in the past, there is no time like the present to embrace Black joy. But what is Black joy and why is Juneteenth a time for us to embrace it? And what does it…

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How to Support LGBTQ+ Youth in 2023

Americans live in a time of growing societal rifts. One such yawning divide is on how we treat and view members of the LGBTQ+ community. The people who are most harmed by the backlash against the queer and transgender community are, predictably, children. Already disproportionally impacted by discriminatory practices and laws, LGBTQ+ youth are enduring…

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CFR Staff Therapist Kathy Klein Featured in Philadelphia Magazine

June 13, 2023

June 3, 2023 | CFR’s Staff Therapist Kathy Klein, MSEd, MSW, LSW was featured in the recent Philadelphia Magazine article titled, “Thank You for Sharing: How a New Crop of Social Media Sleuthing Groups Aims to Combat the Liars, Cheaters, and Abusers of the Dating World” by Shaunice Ajiwe. Give it a read. Kathy sees clients…

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Racial Justice Through Tragic Optimism 

June 12, 2023

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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CFR Director of Clinical Internships Allen-Michael Lewis Joined The Business-y Podcast

June 5, 2023

June 1, 2023 | CFR’s Director of Clinical Internships and Staff Therapist Allen-Michael Lewis, LMFT, AS, was a guest on The Business-y Podcast with Tatiana Ryann. Allen-Michael sees clients in person and online. To set up an appointment, you can reach him at alewis@councilforrelationships.org or (215) 382-6680 ext. 4206. Attention members of the media: To…

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Supporting the Mental Health of Veterans’ Families

Memorial Day this year is Monday, May 29, 2023. Unlike Veterans Day in November when we honor all who have served, Memorial Day honors all who have died for our country, particularly in battle or from wounds they suffered in battle. So many are impacted by the loss of a loved one who served the United States….

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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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Using Spirituality to Improve Mental Health

Spirituality can complement and improve your mental health. As American writer and journalist Elizabeth Gilbert has said, “God dwells within you; as you. God dwells within me; as me.” You can use spiritualty to help address your mental health concerns. But how? Read on to learn more about using spirituality to improve mental health. Spirituality…

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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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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 you are getting there!), and the weather is unseasonably warm today. But what makes me bask in this appreciative disposition is the fact that today,…

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Co-Parenting Tips for Setting Hurt & Anger Aside

May 10, 2023

Nearly half of all American children will see their parents get divorced and 16% of American children will live in a household with a step-parent, step-sibling, or half-sibling. With 50% of children having divorced parents, co-parenting is more commonplace than ever in the United States. Co-parenting is defined as sharing the duties of raising a…

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Chimère Holmes

Philadelphia Therapist Accepting New Clients: Chimère G. Holmes

Finding a Philadelphia therapist accepting new clients can be difficult. CFR is proud to have Staff Therapist Chimère G. Holmes, MA, MSEd, LPC as a member of our organization. Chimère sees patients virtually and is currently accepting new clients. Continue reading to learn more about Chimère, her therapeutic approaches, goals, and training. Chimère’s journey to…

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Understanding Trauma: Poland & the Holocaust

Holocaust Remembrance Day, colloquially called Yom HaShoah in Israel, is an annual day of reflection and commemoration marking the date of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Bea Hollander-Goldfein, PhD, LMFT, is a Co-Director of CFR’s Transcending Trauma Project and a Staff Therapist. Here, Dr. Hollander-Goldfein, the child of a Holocaust survivor, shares her story of visiting…

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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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Christian crucifix wrapped in a purple cloth,

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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New Parents, Social Media & Pregnancy: What You Need to Know

From over-the-top pregnancy reveals to momfluencers with hundreds of thousands of followers, social media might lead new parents to believe pregnancy is relatively easy. It is not. Pregnancy is complicated. The pregnancy reality for new parents is often more complicated than social media wants you to believe. At best, pregnancy is a joyful time for…

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Five Things Virginia Satir Would Tell You About the Therapeutic Process

Council for Relationships is known for couples and family therapy since 1932. But who discovered and developed Family Therapy? Virgina Satir is considered the Mother of Family Therapy. Her findings and therapeutic process remain highly influential for therapists. Read on the learn more about Virginia Satir and the five things she would tell you about…

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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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A girl wearing a mask for Purim.

Purim and Mental Health: What the Holiday Can Teach Us about Ourselves

March 6, 2023

What can the Jewish holiday of Purim teach us about our own mental health? For one, it reminds us of the importance to unmask our true selves. Read on to learn more about Purim and mental health. A Jewish Masquerade Ball Purim is like a Jewish masquerade ball. Commemorating the Persian Jewish Queen Esther and…

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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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