News & Articles

Carving Your Riverbed

Creating boundaries Looking back through an old journal, I read a reflection on the function of boundaries during a time I was feeling the impact of a lack of them in my life. Our boundaries exist in us. Even if we aren’t aware of them, we feel when they are crossed. There’s an emotional cost …

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Grief Counseling Redbank, NJ

Getting Through Grief and Letting Go Letting go of grief is no easy task. Grief is something you might be holding tight to—a reminder of your loved one or a connection to their memory. Loosening your grip and ultimately surrendering your grief can seem like a scary and daunting task but it’s a necessary process …

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Anxiety Therapy Los Gatos: Researchers Reveal How Trauma Changes The Brain

Researchers are learning more about how traumatic events may physically change our brains and how anxiety therapy can help. Neurologists have revealed changes to a brain mechanism used for learning and survival may play a role in how someone responds to a threat following a traumatic experience. Another study found that another mechanism responsible for …

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About Seasonal Depression

Depressed again for no apparent reason? Do you or someone you know consistently feel depressed as we head into fall and winter? Seasonal Depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a type of depression that recurs for some individuals during the same time each year. SAD usually starts during adulthood and is rare for …

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Breathing for Calm

Our breath is a something we always have with us (hopefully), and it can be accessed and utilized in diverse ways to achieve different mental and physiological states. There is a myriad of different breathing techniques available out there to try. Box-breathing, Alternate-Nostril breathing, Sama Vritti and even the “Tummo” method recently popularized by “The …

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Parenting Advice From D. H. Lawrence, Don’t Smother Your Children With Love.

Children Are More Sagacious Than You Think As parents, we are assailed by injunctions to protect our children, to engage with them creatively, athletically and intellectually, to feed them nutritious food and make them floss their teeth. Even when not being given direct advice, we listen out, comparing ourselves with others, wondering what we’re getting …

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What are the ways to reduce the impact of childhood trauma and how do we forgive?

Children who experience trauma tend to have health problems later in life. Dr. Nadine Burke Harris explains why—and how we can help heal those wounds. Patrice Hooke, LMFT offers Couples counseling Costa Mesa Newport Beach Orange county California working with Individuals, Couples, Adults, and Adolescents. Specialties: Depression Grief Loss Relationship Dating Issues Stress/Life Transitions Anxiety …

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Effective Therapy for Distressed Couples

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a short-term (8 – 20 sessions) and structured approach to couples’ therapy developed by Drs. Sue Johnson and Les Greenberg in the 1980’s. It is grounded in research while focusing on negative communication patterns and love as an attachment bond. Attachment Theory in Couples Therapy “Attachment” between people typically provides …

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How To Experience More Wow

Awe might seem an unobtainable luxury to many but, with the right approach, you can enjoy it daily – no mountain required. On a crisp, clear day in January about four years ago, my children and I joined a few thousand Rhode Islanders in a protest march against a recent change in law that restricted …

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Menstrual Cycle and Mood

The menstrual cycle is composed of four different phases, which vary in duration from woman to woman, and may fluctuate in length. The phases are menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal. While the length of a menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman, many experience a cycle that lasts 28 days. During the fluctuations of a …

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Trauma Therapy, how does it work?

A therapeutic approach in treatment planning has focused on the initial healing of individuals who have survived Post-Traumatic injury. A consultation, and comprehensive assessment of the client can direct that individual to an improved and motivated quality of life journey. Though the integration of theory, intervention, insight and to multi-cultural awareness, my goal emphasis has …

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What is a website builder?

Looking for a therapist website builder? Website builders are tools that typically allow the construction of websites without manual code editing. They fall into two categories: online proprietary tools provided by web hosting companies. These are typically intended for users to build their private site. Some companies allow the site owner to install alternative tools …

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Men’s Mental Health

Men’s Mental Health

At A New Day Family Counseling, we understand the challenges men face today to improve their mental health. Men typically engage in fewer health-promoting behaviors, have fewer social supports, possess less effective behavioral responses to stress, and use fewer health care services than women. Men are 4 times more likely than females to die from …

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Understanding Alcoholic Neuropathy - Addiction Counseling Westwood New Jersey

Understanding Alcoholic Neuropathy – Addiction Counseling Westwood New Jersey

Alcoholic neuropathy is one of the most common and least recognizable consequences of heavy alcohol use. People with a long history of alcohol misuse might experience pain, tingling, weakness, numbness, or loss of balance as a result of alcoholic neuropathy. Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholic Neuropathy Signs and symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy can progress gradually, …

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Online Counseling in Texas

Online Counseling in Texas

The Pros of Online Therapy Are you considering Online Counseling in Texas? The internet has opened up new avenues for mental health treatment, but there are some pros and cons you should consider before you decide if e-therapy, also known as teletherapy,1 is right for you. In the face of the social distancing measures required …

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Online therapy in Texas

Online therapy in Texas

online therapy Texas Online counseling is the provision of professional mental health counseling services through the Internet. Services are typically offered via email, real-time chat, and video conferencing. Some clients use online counseling in conjunction with traditional psychotherapy, or nutritional counseling, and a growing number of clients are using online counseling as a replacement for …

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Online Counseling

Depression Treatment Raleigh Do you feel down? Have you lost interest in things you used to enjoy? Are you critical and judgmental towards yourself? We can help you find the Inner Path that can lead you out of your depression. Therapist near me 144 Wind Chime CT. #1 Raleigh NC 27615-6433 Relating in Isolation As …

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Counseling Plainfield Illinois

Family Stress Test

Family Stress Test Stress is a natural and normal “by-product” of every family’s life. In fact, family stress can bring out the best of us: as we stretch to meet the challenges we face, we become better parents, our children blossom and our families grow. But too much stress can spiral our families in the …

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Disorganized Attachment

Disorganized Attachment

Mary Ainsworth’s work on attachment identified three attachment categories (secure, insecure avoidant, and insecure ambivalent/resistant). The development of the disorganized/disoriented classification evolved as a part of Mary Main’s doctoral research in which she noticed that approximately 10% of infants in Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Procedure were difficult to classify.1 Disorganized attachment is an additional attachment category …

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most widely used evidence-based treatment for depression and anxiety. In CBT, the focus is on thoughts, and how they directly affect emotions, and behaviors. If you are having a lot of negative thoughts, you are likely to have a lot of negative feelings. During cognitive behavioral treatment, you and …

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What is Anxiety?

What is Anxiety?

(Wikipedia) Anxiety is an emotion characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil, often accompanied by nervous behavior such as pacing back and forth, somatic complaints, and rumination. It is the subjectively unpleasant feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness and worry, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to …

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Understanding Anxiety

Understanding Anxiety

Anxiety and fear are a normal part of human experience. We all face feelings of fear and anxiety in situations like starting a new job or public speaking, or we may experience fear if we are in a dangerous situation. Anxiety can motivate us to make sure we are prepared for challenges, and fear can …

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Couples Counseling Dallas

The Minds of Plants

At first glance, the Cornish mallow (Lavatera cretica) is little more than an unprepossessing weed. It has pinkish flowers and broad, flat leaves that track sunlight throughout the day. However, it’s what the mallow does at night that has propelled this humble plant into the scientific spotlight. Hours before the dawn, it springs into action, …

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Harm Reduction for Substance Use

Have you seen those recent commercials about quitting smoking that suggest that if “cold turkey” is too hard then you might instead try “slow turkey?” That’s the basic idea behind harm reduction for substance use. Although a majority of treatment programs available today suggest abstinence from all substances, there are other treatment options available. People …

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sex addiction

What is sexual addiction?

Sexual addiction is a condition in which an individual cannot manage their sexual behavior. Persistent sexual thoughts affect their ability to work, maintain relationships, and fulfil their daily activities. Other terms for sexual addiction are sexual dependency, hypersexuality, and compulsive sexual behavior. It is also known as nymphomania in females and satyriasis in men. While …

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What is Hypnosis?

HYPNOSIS APPLICATIONS, EFFECTS, AND MYTHS What exactly is hypnosis? While definitions can vary, the American Psychological Association describes hypnosis as a cooperative interaction in which the participant responds to the suggestions of the hypnotist. Hypnosis has become well-known thanks to popular acts where people are prompted to performs unusual or ridiculous actions, but it has …

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How Ketamine Saved Her Life

On the inside of her right wrist, Becca Belofsky Shuer wears a tattoo of a semicolon. It’s a symbol of solidarity with other people at risk for suicide. She chose it to give her courage to fight her dark thoughts. Shuer longed for death. But, four months later, she began a series of infusions of …

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It’s Time to Fight Smarter

Do you and your partner seem to always be in conflict? Do small disagreements turn into colossal blow-out fights? Or, do you both always seem to be on each other’s last nerve? Whichever way you fight, it’s in the best interest for your relationship if you learn how to fight smarter. Learning how to resolve …

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Look Up From Your Screen

Children learn best when their bodies are engaged in the living world. We must resist the ideology of screen-based learning A rooster crows and awakens my family at the farm where we are staying for a long weekend. The air is crisp, and stars twinkle in the sky as the Sun rises over the hill. …

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The Psychology of Roller Coasters

Perhaps the draw of roller coasters is the enjoyment of the visceral sensation of fear itself, much like watching a horror movie. Roller coasters may seem like a very modern type of entertainment—constantly getting bigger, faster and scarier thanks to advances in technology. But they actually date back to the mid-1800s. Gravity-propelled railways built to …

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Psychology of Choice

Psychology of Choice How psychology explains the everyday decisions that we make, and how we are unaware of the influences that guide the choices we make. Each day, we make countless choices and decisions. We will consider some choices, such as when house-hunting, for weeks or even months. But the majority of decisions we make, …

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On Revisiting PTSD

In an extract from his new book, John Marzillier meets people who have returned to the scene of their trauma. On 27 August 1979, off the west coast of Ireland on a lovely sunny morning, a small boat, Shadow V, was blown to pieces by a 5lb gelignite bomb placed under the deck and activated …

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The Sandwich Generation

Rising Financial Burdens for Middle-Aged Americans With an aging population and a generation of young adults struggling to achieve financial independence, the burdens and responsibilities of middle-aged Americans are increasing. Nearly half (47%) of adults in their 40s and 50s have a parent age 65 or older and are either raising a young child or …

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Alternative Medicine

Tips for finding a balance Do you want more from yourself? Ready to pay more attention to the interconnectedness of your body, mind, and emotions? Do you think that focusing on your health is a priority? If so, exploring alternative medicine may be for you. Alternative medicine is defined as a range of medical therapies …

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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

The Six Core Processes of ACT The Psychological Flexibility Model The general goal of ACT is to increase psychological flexibility – the ability to contact the present moment more fully as a conscious human being, and to change or persist in behavior when doing so serves valued ends. Psychological flexibility is established through six core …

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Fearing Death

How to cope with the inevitable end in a positive way. As people age, go through life changes, or experience illness (either themselves or the illness of loved ones) the topic of death is often brought up. The idea of death is so different for so many people; it’s hard to agree on a universal …

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Hypochondriasis Explained

Hypochondriasis is now more commonly known as Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD). It is an official mental disorder that requires a diagnosis. When someone is diagnosed with hypochondriasis, it means they believe they have incredibly serious illnesses or diseases, when in fact nothing is physically wrong with them. Someone with IAD may believe they have a …

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Ketamine Infusion Therapy Benefits

Depression and anxiety affect millions of people in the United States each year. Even after an official diagnosis and treatment plan, many people don’t find the relief they’re looking for from traditional antidepressants or therapeutic treatments. Unfortunately, that often leads people with depression to seek different ways of self-medicating, which can lead to drinking, drug …

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How to Get Along With Your Partner

There are a number of other skills for couples that help preserve a marriage, a friendship, and even a co-worker’s loyalty. These include: Knowing the right time and place for everything, including arguments. For example, don’t bring up the dirty clothes strewn all over the bedroom floor this morning as soon as your significant other …

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Anxiety Disorders

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the in the United States, affecting 40 million adults, or 18.1% of the population each year. Despite the fact that it’s so common in the U.S and highly treatable, less than 40% of suffers get help for …

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What Are the Causes of ADHD?

The symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often found in children lead many people to believe those particular kids aren’t disciplined, or that they are given too much control at home. Those same symptoms in adulthood can lead others to believe that person is lazy or unmotivated, and even immature. Unfortunately, there are many …

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The Good Ways to Argue

For most people, arguments are a way of settling disputes without anyone getting injured. For some, however, arguing actually includes the getting hurt portion, and the winner is the one who can stay upright longest. It doesn’t have to be that way, nor does anger have to be a “bad” thing. Counting to 10 while …

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How to Argue Effectively

Fighting is a part of almost every relationship. Even couples with the healthiest of relationships argue from time to time, whether it be about something simple and silly, or something more concrete and serious. For the most part, those in relationships get through fights eventually, and move on. But, if you’ve ever felt as though …

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Happiness – Cause or Effect

Is happiness a joyful state of being? How about a pleasurable experience? Or possibly a positive emotion? Merriam Webster says it’s actually all three. Even with multiple definitions, words cannot really capture the idea of happiness. Psychologists refer to emotion as “procedural knowledge”; a skill such as riding a bike. Procedural knowledge cannot be learned …

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Depression in Seniors

Often we sense a sadness among the members of a senior care facility. We might also feel that same sadness around a widow or widower who is living alone. Sadness or an occasional “blue day” is about as normal as those same emotions experienced by a younger person. But when occasional sadness morphs into a …

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Teens & Smartphones, The Downside

It’s not an unfamiliar scene. Teens huddled in groups tenaciously clutching their smart phones while checking social media sites and appearing to be mesmerized by Instagram, Facebook and thousands of other apps. Teens have replaced conversation at family meals with smart phone use; some of them following the lead of their parents. The source of …

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder, more commonly referred to as PTSD, is a disorder that develops in individuals who go through horrifying, dangerous, scary experiences. It is natural for people to feel afraid after traumatic events and this fear triggers many split-second changes that help the body avoid or defend itself against danger. While most people recover …

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The Denial Defense Mechanism

We all use different forms of defense when we need to. Whether we’ve been through a traumatic experience, we’re arguing with someone, or we simply don’t want to deal with something negative, our minds and bodies work to create defense mechanisms to help protect us. Unfortunately, there are instances where these mechanisms can get out …

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Dissociative Disorders – A Better Understanding

Dissociative Disorders – A Better Understanding There are different stereotypes, opinions, and subconscious thoughts that go along with the term ‘Dissociative Disorders.’ Unfortunately, those stereotypes aren’t usually fair, and the assessments people make about these types of disorders can be dangerously false. Because dissociative disorders affect a relatively small number of people (roughly 200,000), we …

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