Order / Chaos

What is EMDR and How it Can Benefit You.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach that focuses on past negative experiences (memories) that are emotionally charged and driven. EMDR utilizes the learning capabilities of the brain to help process past experiences and integrate them into the present. These past negative experiences often influence our present thoughts, feelings, emotions, and …

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Understanding Social Anxiety

What is Social Anxiety Disorder? Social Anxiety Disorder (also known as Social Phobia) is an Anxiety Disorder described as an overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in normal social situations. Social anxiety disorder affects approximately 15 million American adults and is the second most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder following specific phobia. The average age of onset …

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Trouble Controlling Uncomfortable Thoughts or Emotions?

As human beings, we all get to experience emotional discomfort such as anxiety, anger, depression, helplessness or guilt. Emotional discomfort is something that is to a large degree outside of our control as human beings.  Life will bring all of us painful feelings and thoughts from time to time.  And, when it does, we often …

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Coping With Grief

Coping with loss is inevitable at some point in our lives. Grief can be confusing, overwhelming, and exhausting with no time line or exact formula to tell you what to do. It is challenging because of the different variables involved in the grief event. Grief is not limited to the death of a loved one …

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Order / Chaos

Understanding ADHD and Some Tips to Help

What is ADHD? Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects about three to five percent of American children and adults. ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood, and the condition can continue into the adult years. Many individuals with ADHD are undiagnosed until adulthood. The common characteristics of ADHD are impulsivity, inattention, and/or …

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Men and Depression

In men, depression can be a serious yet treatable condition. According to statistics, around six million men suffer from depression each year. Included in these sobering statistics is the fact that men suffering from depression are four times more likely to commit suicide than women. This is what makes it so important for any man …

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The Art of Forgiveness

For many people, forgiving someone for a transgression is not an easy thing to do. Contrary to popular belief, forgiveness is not about condoning or excusing the other person’s behavior or forgetting the wrongdoing. It is a shift in our thinking whereby the wrongdoing does not loom as large, we’re less focused on retaliation and …

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The Practice of Mindful Acceptance

When we experience emotional pain, such as a “broken heart” after the death of a loved one or loss of a relationship, it is natural and even necessary to feel such pain in order to heal and go on with our lives. It is part of the mourning process. At Collaborative Counseling and Psychiatry, I …

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Navigating Around Holiday Stress

Holiday stress seems to be something we all get affected by mainly because we try to do too much. Being proactive will help keep stressors low. Below are some tips to help you cope through the Holiday season: Mindset is key…Try to have an Attitude of Gratitude. Perhaps, keep an ongoing gratitude journal or list. …

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What Parents Can do to Address Toxic or Unhealthy Peer Groups

The tween and teen years are filled with risky and worrisome behaviors.  Some of the most significant health risks in life are started during adolescence and in the presence of peers. These include: cigarette smoking drug use alcohol use exposure to sexually transmitted diseases involvement with the legal system academic decline, including dropping out When …

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Easy Mindfulness

We’re all busy, and many of us don’t have time (or are unwilling to make time) to formally practice mindfulness skills. However, we can practice informally throughout the day. Here are a couple of ways of practicing mindfulness:  1) Mindfulness in the Morning Pick an activity that is part of your daily morning routine, such …

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