Counseling & Coaching
Click here to schedule online counseling at Thriveworks. Hi, my name is Kayla Barnoski. I’m a Licensed Clinician at the Alexandria, Virginia office with Thriveworks and I’m here today to answer the question that we’ve been getting of, “What are some hobbies and new things you can start doing with…
Loneliness is an unpleasant state we all experience at times; fortunately, an animal companion can help us resolve those lonely feelings. Dogs often prove to be great pets and they come with mental health benefits including stress and anxiety reduction, a boost in self-esteem, and improved social connection. Cats are…
Many people argue about whether cats or dogs are the “better” pet—and a large part of the argument has to do with their intelligence. While the majority seem to claim that cats are more intelligent, recent research says that dogs appear to be smarter due to their number of cortical…
In addition to providing love, support, and companionship, dogs are beneficial to our health and overall wellbeing. When we pet a dog, we form a bond and release the hormone oxytocin, which helps to relieve us of stress and anxiety. Dogs also promote an active lifestyle, which helps us to…
WARNING: Movie spoilers included! Thanos: Sociopath with a Heart “…and then, to gain the Soul Stone, I killed my daughter, my Gamora, who was my everything…” By the time this client told me this about his past, I had already diagnosed him with both Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and Antisocial…
WARNING: TV Show Spoilers Included! Purpose of Therapy: Ms. Jessica Jones entered my office and threw herself down on the couch, arms crossed in her leather jacket, eyes glaring at the floor. When I welcome her to therapy she says “We can skip the bullshit introductions, okay? You’re my 4th…
WARNING: Movie spoilers included! Purpose of the Intake Evaluation Kylo Ren was referred to me by his previous therapist, who had chosen to end sessions after being “Force-choked” by Mr. Ren. The client told me that he sought continued services due to ongoing experiences of rage, disappointment in himself, and…
Relationships aren’t easy—they require time, dedication, and a lot of hard work. They are, however, worth all of the trouble. I mean think about it: you get to do all sorts of fun stuff with one of your favorite people! Believe it or not, people often forget about or undermine…
Growing up, my two brothers and I loved to play all sorts of video games. We’d crowd onto the couch and battle each other in Halo 2 and Call of Duty on the Xbox. We’d spend hours creating our dream houses and families on Sims (with the help of some…
DC Comics are joining forces once again as Justice League hits theaters nationwide this Friday, and this begs the question, why do we seem to prefer our superheroes darker, angrier? DC movies have been notoriously darker than their Marvel counterparts over the years, and while they haven’t been as critically-acclaimed,…
Thanks to his incredibly brave and accurate digital diagnosis of The Incredible Hulk last month, John Snyder, Psy.D. Psychotherapy, has quickly become the Internet’s chief superhero psychologist. Even though he’s currently in hiding from Dr. Bruce Banner at Stark International world headquarters, Dr. John Snyder took a moment to diagnose Wonder…
Heard any good dad jokes lately? Well, these may not technically be dad jokes, but they are hilarious tweets about fatherhood from some of the funniest dads on Twitter. Whether it’s a well-crafted 280 vent about the joys of being a father or merely reporting yet another fantastic moment in…