How do I know therapy is working? by Kate Hanselman, PMHNP-BC | Apr 9, 2025 | Ask a Therapist, Beginning Therapy, Mental Health Topics Congratulations on starting therapy! Making this choice is a big step. You invest time, energy, and sometimes money into your well-being, and just like if you had a physical illness, you want to know if the treatment is making a difference. I completely understand. It’s important to remember that therapy…
What causes OCD to get worse? by Christine Ridley, LCSW | Jun 20, 2023 | Mental Health Topics, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a common mental health disorder that occurs when obsessive thoughts reoccur in an unwanted or intrusive way, and is followed by a compulsive behavior to relieve the unwanted thoughts. While many people with OCD are able to manage their symptoms and live normal lives, OCD…
What is avoidant personality disorder? Symptoms, causes, and treatment by Alexandra Cromer, LPC | Jun 12, 2023 | Disorders, Mental Health Topics Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a high sensitivity to perceived judgment from others and extreme discomfort with social contact and relationships. This distress is so great that a person will likely avoid any situation that may require a lot of socializing or closeness to others…
Psychotherapy vs. therapy: What’s the difference? by Laura Harris, LCMHC | Apr 3, 2023 | Beginning Therapy, Mental Health Topics Therapy is an important resource that helps people from all walks of life. With all of the terms and types of therapy out there, it can be hard to discern which one might be best for you. Luckily, we’re here to help take some of the mystery out of things…
Adult ADHD treatment: Medication, therapy options, lifestyle adjustments, and dietary changes by Jason Crosby | Nov 17, 2022 | ADHD, Beginning Therapy, Medication, Mental Health Topics People of all ages can have ADHD, but specific treatment options apply to each age group. For adults, the medications, therapies, and lifestyle adjustments will be different than for adolescents or children. Like other mental health conditions, treatment options will be adapted to fit the needs of the individual. Some…
Selective mutism: A miniature manual by Taylor Bennett | Oct 14, 2022 | Anxiety, Children, Teens, & Adolescents, Disorders, Mental Health Topics Many children are shy by nature. They might hug their parents’ legs and bury their faces when introduced to someone new or run off at a record pace to avoid the interaction altogether. This is not uncommon — but some children fail to speak in select (or all) social situations. If…
Phobias: Common types, symptoms, treatment, and more by Taylor Bennett | Sep 29, 2022 | Anxiety, Mental Health Topics Do you freak out in tiny spaces? Are you deathly afraid of heights? Do you refuse to meet your friend’s pet snake? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you have something in common with much of the population. As it turns out, many of us share fears…
Diversity and representation in counseling: Improving access to mental health care with a diverse clinical team by Taylor Bennett | May 6, 2022 | Beginning Therapy, Mental Health Topics, Race & Identity Think back to a time when you were “online shopping” for a new health care provider — be it a counselor, a primary care doctor, or a specialist. What did you look for? Who did you gravitate toward? Who did you trust? You likely perused their education, years of experience,…
Grieving the loss of a pet: Self-care essentials and when to seek counseling by Taylor Bennett | Apr 5, 2022 | Grief & Loss, Mental Health Topics, Self-Care In January of last year, my boyfriend and I jumped on the bandwagon and adopted a pandemic puppy. We named her Summer (thought it fitting for a golden retriever) and quickly fell in love. She’s like our child — we’ve watched her grow into the stick-loving, ball-chasing, somersaulting, silly, loving,…
What Is a Psychiatrist and What Do They Do? by Taylor Hiers, MA, LPC | Jun 28, 2021 | Mental Health Topics, Psychiatry The field of psychiatry is more than 175 years old yet still faces challenges in serving society. That’s not surprising, since mental health issues can be difficult to discuss. It can be intimidating for someone to lay bare their fears and anxieties to someone else, even if it’s a professional…
How to stop feeling like a zombie by Heidi Faust, LCSW | Oct 14, 2020 | Ask a Therapist, Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics I’ve recently started counseling with Thriveworks, but I am at a complete loss on how to turn my life around. Every day, I feel like a zombie who is not actually living life but going through the barely functioning motions of life (I am currently diagnosed with chronic anxiety, depression,…
Am I going to get fired? Working through this fear and other work anxieties by Taylor Bennett | Jun 1, 2020 | Anxiety, Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics, Work & Careers It’s in our nature to worry, to think about all that could go wrong. Sometimes, though, we obsess over these possibilities—especially during times of uncertainty like COVID-19. Many (if not most) of us feel like our jobs are at stake. We feel as if we could get fired or let go at…