June 1, 2024, is the deadline to apply for CFR’s Fall 2024 Postgraduate Certificate Program cohort in Marriage & Family Therapy, Sex Therapy, and Clergy track. Apply here.

Category » Therapists

How to Talk to Loved Ones with Differing Political Opinions

October 22, 2020

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…

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Featured Therapist for October, Asia McNeil

October 1, 2020

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Asia McNeil, MFT. Learn more about her in the below interview! What would your clients say about you? Many of my clients would say that I am a bubbly, kind, and supportive person who values the joining process. I make…

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The Transition Back to School

September 10, 2020

September brings with it the realization that we are still living within the confines of COVID-19 restrictions. As families transition into this new school year, it’s a reminder of how challenging this “new normal” can be for children and parents. It’s a parent’s role to help children manage their stress; This can be especially difficult…

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Featured Therapist for September, Abby Bronstein

September 3, 2020

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Abby Bronstein, LSW, MFT. Learn more about her in the below interview! What makes you unique as a therapist and as a person? I have lived in Philadelphia for almost 20 years, in several neighborhoods. During that time, I’ve seen…

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The Family – And Now the Nation – That Howls Together

August 27, 2020

On April 23, while watching the PBS News Hour’s coverage of – what else – our nation’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, I received a delightful surprise at the close of the program. The scene moved to Missoula, Montana, where they filmed local residents on their front porches, all howling in unison. Some families even…

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How Do Couples Navigate Their Safety When One Partner Returns to Work?

August 13, 2020

As we move into the fifth month of dealing with COVID-19, some are still not feeling ready to venture out. Alternatively, others have had it with the restrictions, and since they are feeling healthy, they are more than ready to head out to work, shop, or go to the beach. How do couples respect one…

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Staff Therapist Ayo Akindumila Featured on Instagram Live: Mental Health, Quarantine, and Racial Justice

August 4, 2020

August 4, 2020 | Staff Therapist Ayo Akindumila, LMFT participated in an Instagram Live with former CFR marketing intern and current social media influencer, Christe Konopitski (@classicallychriste), to discuss mental health, quarantine, and racial justice. Watch the full Instagram Live Recommended start time: 05:30. Please excuse any technical difficulties. Ayo Akindumila, LMFT is a Staff Therapist…

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Honoring Disability Pride Month

July is Disability Pride Month. As a Therapist at Council for Relationships, and a lifelong Person with a Disability, I’d like to share with you what I feel pride about, as a Person with a Disability, and why terms matter. Disability does not discriminate, which means that Disability Culture includes all other human cultures. Disability…

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Zoom-In and Zoom-Out: Choices on the COVID Roller Coaster

July 13, 2020

People speak of the “emotional roller coaster” which now seems to mean “the world’s turned upside down.” As a therapist, I validate that nothing seems the same, and many things are not. The list stretches long: medical conditions, food insecurity, financial disasters, serious illness, death, and feelings of loss and grief. How does one cope?…

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A White Therapist’s Thoughts on Change

Change. What leads to change? As therapists this is a question many of us have considered deeply in our professional development. Students at Council for Relationships write their final paper on their theory of change because we believe that it is so foundational to their growth as therapists. We all know that it is hard…

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What Is Racial Trauma and How to Practice Radical Self-Care

Dr. Charles Muorah has successfully helped clients resolve shame and sexual abuse trauma, cultural, racial, and other kinds of trauma. He uses brain-spotting (BSP) therapy, narrative approach, relational attunements, mindfulness, and empowering language to process with the client coping strategies, adaptation, and resiliency before, during, and after the experience. Recent instances of police brutality and anti-police brutality…

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Clergy Leadership Training: A Timely Opportunity

The Rev. Dr. Dolores E. Littleton (Dee) is a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Pennsylvania. Dr. Littleton is the Director of the Post-Graduate Certificate Program, Clergy Track. Here’s how post graduate family systems training may enhance your…

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Staff Therapist Dr. Alishia Kalos Featured on TELEMUNDO 62 (En Español): Salud Emocional Durante la Pandemia

May 27, 2020

May 27, 2020 | Dr. Alishia Kalos, psicóloca clínica, explica en TELEMUNDO 62 los efectos de la crisis de salud a nivel emocional. Watch the full interview on TELEMUNDO 62 Alishia Kalos, Psy.D. is a Staff Therapist at our Paoli, PA and Center City Offices. She currently sees clients via online therapy. To set up an appointment, you can reach…

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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…

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How 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…

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Talking to Children About COVID-19

May 18, 2020

COVID-19 is being discussed everywhere, every day. Whether it’s the political aspects, the statistics, or the warning signs, chances are, if you have had your TV on in the last two months, your child has picked up pieces of information. Some parents may be having direct conversations with children about the pandemic, while others may…

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Staff Therapist Dr. Sara Corse Featured on KYW NewsRadio: Mother’s Day May Be More Difficult Than Usual for Some This Year, Experts Say

May 10, 2020

May 10, 2020 | For many people, this Mother’s Day can be a difficult one, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic. Licensed marriage and family therapist Dr. Jeanne Mayo said moms who don’t live with their children might have a hard time with Mother’s Day this year. “With COVID-19, you have mothers and their children who are…

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Featured Therapist for May, Nina Fortuna

May 1, 2020

Every month, Council for Relationships features one of our staff therapists. This month’s Featured Therapist is Nina Fortuna, LMFT who joined the staff in 2019. Learn more about her in the interview below! Tell us a little about what makes you unique as a therapist and person. As a resident and native of the great…

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Staff Therapist Kristine Seitz Featured on NorthJersey.com: Sex in the Age of Coronavirus

April 4, 2020

April 4, 2020 | This is not a good time to be having an affair. Nor, for that matter, is it an ideal time to find a lover. Heck, it isn’t even a good time to greet your partner with a kiss. The coronavirus pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives: How and where we work,…

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Loss, Acceptance and Action During COVID-19

March 31, 2020

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…

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Coping with COVID-19

March 17, 2020

The outbreak of the infectious disease COVID-19 is causing individuals and communities high levels of distress and anxiety. You are not alone if you feel some degree of anxiety as we cannot fully anticipate how the current pandemic will evolve and how it may affect us directly. It is helpful to understand the range of…

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