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A grayscale photo of a woman with long hair looking over her shoulder appears on a purple background. White text at the top reads: “Exploring Sexuality Through Art and Authenticity.” Curved text across the center says: “Sexuality: Expansive & Exploratory.” In the bottom right corner, text reads: “A new blog by Allen-Michael Lewis, M.S., LMFT, AS.” The Council for Relationships logo appears in the top right. The image promotes a blog exploring sexuality, sexual intimacy, and an expansive and exploratory approach to art, authenticity, and self-understanding.

Sexuality: Expansive & Exploratory Mindset to Sexual Intimacy

October 23, 2025

In his latest reflection, CFR Senior Director of Clinical Programs and Staff Therapist Allen-Michael Lewis examines how sexuality, sexual intimacy, and an expansive and exploratory approach to self-understanding shape the…

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A grayscale image of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge spanning the Delaware River, with soft, misty water reflections and a serene atmosphere. Overlaid text reads: “What kind of therapy do we need in a time like this? Crossing a River in the Dark.” Below, smaller text says: “A New Blog by Michele Southworth, JD, LMFT.” The Council for Relationships logo appears in the lower-left corner. The image symbolizes finding emotional regulation and balance during uncertain times, representing themes of how to regulate your emotions, emotional maturity, and emotional health.

Crossing a River in the Dark

October 22, 2025

What Kind of Therapy Do We Need in a Time Like This? We are living in a time of unprecedented confusion and challenge. Economic and legal uncertainty, political and global…

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A joyful Black woman with natural hair and sunglasses holds a large pride flag above her head in an urban setting, symbolizing freedom and self-expression. Overlaid text reads: “National Coming Out Day 2025: Why Safety & Support Matter. A new blog by CFR Therapist Kristine Seitz, MEd, MSW, LSW.” The colorful design evokes themes of visibility, celebration, and resilience. The image highlights the importance of creating a safe place for people with intersecting identities and affirms that coming out—or choosing privacy—can be a safe choice.

National Coming Out Day: Why Safety & Support Matter

October 10, 2025

Each year, National Coming Out Day offers a powerful opportunity to celebrate LGBTQIA+ identity, affirm individual journeys, and advocate for inclusive care. For those navigating intersecting identities, the decision to…

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A promotional graphic featuring CFR Staff Therapist Cara Blouin, LPC, who provides therapy for perfectionism. Cara is smiling and wearing a black sleeveless top, with blonde hair styled in waves over one side. The text reads: "Featured Philly Therapist" at the top, and "Cara Blouin, LPC – Staff Therapist – Philadelphia & Online" at the bottom. Cara is a relationships therapist who uses a humanistic therapy and person-centered therapy approach. The background is bright teal with the Council for Relationships logo in the lower right corner.

Therapy for Perfectionism: Finding Freedom Beyond Achievement

October 7, 2025

Perfectionism doesn’t always look like color-coded calendars or spotless homes. Sometimes it looks like never asking for help, saying yes to everything, or feeling like rest is a reward you…

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Illustration of an older woman and man holding hands, standing in front of a purple circle on a teal background. Around them are five white thought bubbles that read: “Individual and couples therapy?”, “Navigating life changes?”, “Therapy for empty nesters?”, “Therapist for life transitions?”, and one with question marks (???) indicating confusion or uncertainty. Text at the top reads: “New Beginnings – A CFR Blog.” The Council for Relationships logo appears in the bottom left, and in the bottom right is the author information: “By Dr. Judy Chasin, MFT, Marriage & Family Therapist, Paoli, PA | Online.”

New Beginnings with a Therapist for Life Transitions

September 24, 2025

September traditionally marks the start of the school year. For many people, the changing colors of the leaves and a new crispness in the air bring excitement. They inspire thoughts…

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A professional photo of Judy Chasin, PhD, MFT, featured as a Paoli-based staff therapist at Council for Relationships. She is wearing a black top and standing outdoors in front of green foliage. Text on the image reads: "Featured Paoli Therapist – Judy Chasin, PhD, MFT – Staff Therapist, Paoli, PA & Online." Judy offers professional help to individuals and couples navigating burnout, grief, and symptoms of depression. She supports clients asking themselves questions like "how do you know you need therapy?" and "how to know if someone is depressed?" Judy provides therapy for grief and specializes in helping clients access expert, compassionate care.

You’re Not Lazy—You’re Burned Out: A Therapist for Burnout

September 10, 2025

Many people look like they have everything under control—but inside, they feel drained, unmotivated, or simply not like themselves. If that sounds familiar, you might be dealing with burnout, depression,…

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Promotional graphic for a new blog from Council for Relationships titled “Anticipatory Grief: Definition, Examples, & Healing Strategies.” The center of the image shows a woman sitting on a couch with her arms wrapped around her knees, looking pensive. Text highlights include “A NEW Blog” and “By CFR Staff Therapist Gabrielle Hoang, MFT.” The graphic addresses questions like “what is anticipatory grief?”, explores the “anticipatory grief definition,” offers insights into “preemptive grief,” and provides guidance on “how to cope with anticipatory grief.” The design features purple and teal paint textures on a black background.

Anticipatory Grief: Definition, Examples, & Healing Strategies

August 28, 2025

Grief can appear in many unexpected ways, even before a loss occurs. In this blog, Council for Relationships therapist Gabrielle Hoang, MFT, explores the concept of anticipatory grief. She explains…

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Image of a man and woman standing in front of sheer curtains, with the woman holding a baby. Text on the image reads: “Healthy Co-Parenting. Co-Parenting with Purpose: How to Co-Parent in a Healthy Way. A New Blog by CFR Staff Therapist Meghan Rydzewski, MFT. Council for Relationships.”

Co-Parenting with Purpose: How to Co-Parent in a Healthy Way

August 20, 2025

Co-parenting is a skill that takes patience, communication, and support. In this blog, CFR Staff Therapist Meghan Rydzewski, MFT, explores how to co-parent in a way that centers the child’s…

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A diverse group of people crosses a busy city street in daylight. Text overlay reads: “New Blog on Mental Health & Community – Community Care as Revolutionary Self-Care – by Tessa Kinsey, LMFT.” Council for Relationships logo is in the bottom right corner.

Community Care as Revolutionary Self-Care: Mental Health & Community in Practice

August 7, 2025

Has your therapist ever encouraged you to focus on self-care? Typically, self-care refers to the things we do to maintain our health, like nutrition, exercise, rest, and going to therapy…

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A Black father gently places his arm around his teenage son, who looks down with a serious expression. The image is in black and white with a purple overlay. Text reads: “New Blog from CFR – Parenting Teens: Boundaries with Love. Therapy for teens, family therapy, & more. By CFR Therapist Kelly Davis, Esq., LSW. Read more. www.councilforrelationships.org.” The Council for Relationships logo appears at the top.

Parenting Teens: Boundaries with Love

July 28, 2025

Parenting teens often feels like walking a tightrope between granting freedom and ensuring safety. In this post, discover how clear boundaries, family therapy, and therapy for teens can strengthen your…

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A close-up photo of a clear glass filled with ice water being poured, sitting on a smooth tabletop. Overlaid text reads: “Self-Care. Mindfulness Exercises, Self-Awareness & More.” In the bottom left corner, a soft purple shape contains the text: “A New Blog by Therapist Hannah Reiss, MFT.” The Council for Relationships logo appears below.

Self-Care: Mindfulness Exercises, Self-Awareness & More

July 24, 2025

Self-care is essential to well-being, yet many treat it as optional or indulgent. It doesn’t require expensive workouts, spa treatments, or fancy products. Instead, true self-care nurtures your inner world,…

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A black-and-white photo shows a teenage boy sitting on a carpeted floor next to a sofa, holding his head in frustration, while an older man beside him gestures as he speaks. Overlaid at the top is the text ‘FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE & FAMILY DYNAMICS.’ In the center, large bold text reads ‘FAMILY THERAPY.’ Along the bottom, on the left it says ‘A NEW BLOG’ and on the right ‘BY DAVINA SCOTT, MSW,’ accompanied by the Council for Relationships logo.

Family Therapy: Substance Abuse and Family Dynamics

July 21, 2025

Davina Scott, MSW, draws on clinical experience in family therapy to examine how substance abuse disrupts family dynamics and routines. To illustrate these ideas, we follow a hypothetical family case:…

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A grayscale graphic shows a person in a wheelchair propelling themselves along an urban street beneath a modern building façade and stylized graffiti. Bold purple and white shapes frame the scene. Overlaid text reads “Mental Health & Disability in an Ableist World” in large, glowing letters, and in the lower right corner, “A New Blog by Matthew CP Purinton, LCSW.” The design evokes themes of accessibility, disability justice, and community support, positioning the author as a guide or “crip doula” for readers navigating ableist environments.

Mental Health and Disability in an Ableist World

July 14, 2025

CFR Staff Therapist and advocate Matthew CP Purinton, LCSW, explores the relationship between mental health and disability, the urgency of disability justice, and the often-overlooked role of the crip doula…

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Feeling Stuck in Life? How a Trauma-Informed Therapist Can Help You Heal

July 9, 2025

If you’ve been going through the motions—working, caregiving, showing up for others—but still feel disconnected from yourself, you’re not alone. Many people describe this experience as feeling stuck in life…

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A vintage television displays a glitched screen with the words “LGBTQ Youth Mental Health and the Role of Trusted Adults” in pixelated blue text. Behind the static effect, a child holds a rainbow pride flag outdoors. The Council for Relationships logo appears in white in the bottom right corner.

LGBTQ Youth Mental Health & the Role of Trusted Adults

June 4, 2025

Americans live in a time of growing societal rifts. One significant divide is how society treats and views members of the LGBTQ community. The people most harmed by the backlash…

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Illustration of a woman curled up in water beneath the title “Birth Trauma: A Story of Survival, Vulnerability & Healing,” representing postpartum depression, birth plan trauma, and perinatal mental health recovery.

Birth Trauma: A Story of Survival, Vulnerability & Healing

May 22, 2025

When a friend, Lauren, shared this with me, it captured the profound disorientation and grief that can follow a traumatic birth, especially when a carefully prepared birth plan goes awry….

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Illustration of diverse women standing and raising their arms over large text that reads “Women’s Mental Health Care in 2025.” Council for Relationships logo appears below on a purple background. This alt text is under 300 characters, includes the primary keyword (women’s mental health care), and maintains accessibility best practices. Let me know if you'd like a version tailored for social media or embedded HTML.

Mental Health Care for Women in 2025

May 13, 2025

In 2025, mental health care for women remains a critical public health issue—especially for those whose daily life is shaped by systemic inequality, trauma, or discrimination. At Council for Relationships…

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Purple background graphic with the title 'Mindful Social Media' in large white text, the subtitle 'Using Mindfulness to Evaluate Your Relationship with Social Media' by Hannah Reiss, MFT, and two smartphone screens displaying example social media feeds; Council for Relationships logo appears in the upper right corner.

Using Mindfulness to Evaluate Your Relationship with Social Media

May 6, 2025

Mindfulness is the practice of noticing what is happening within and around you in the present moment. In this blog, we’ll explore how you can apply mindful social media use…

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Photo of Hannah Reiss, MFT, a Philadelphia therapist providing individual therapy Philadelphia and couples therapy Philadelphia, featured by Council for Relationships.

Expert Couples and Individual Therapy in Philadelphia with Hannah Reiss, MFT

May 1, 2025

When you’re looking for a mental health professional, you want someone who offers expert guidance, understands your unique experiences, and helps you achieve meaningful, lasting results. With Hannah Reiss, MFT,…

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Black and white image of a woman in a hat looking up with her arms raised. Text overlay reads: “EMDR Therapy for Sexual Assault and Negative Cognitions. A new blog by Amy Jones, MSW, MFT, LCSW. Council for Relationships.”

EMDR Therapy for Sexual Assault and Negative Cognitions

April 29, 2025

Sexual assault is a deeply traumatic experience that can leave lasting emotional and psychological scars. Survivors often carry invisible wounds that affect their daily lives, relationships, and sense of safety….

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Black-and-white photo of Auschwitz-Birkenau with train tracks leading to the entrance. Overlay text reads: “Holocaust remembrance & intergenerational trauma – a new blog by Bea Hollander-Goldfein.” Council for Relationships logo appears in the corner.

Holocaust Remembrance & the Legacy of Intergenerational Trauma

April 24, 2025

The government of Israel established Yom HaShoah as a day of Holocaust remembrance to honor the six million Jews and five million others who perished in the Holocaust—an event whose…

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