Mental Health Topics

Teenagers are at an increased risk for experiencing mental health issues, as their brains continue to develop and change throughout this delicate time in life. This means it’s incredibly important for their loved ones to keep a watchful eye on them and understand red flags that might signify a serious…

They say that friends are the family you choose. You don’t have to spend any ounce of your time with them, but you want to: You enjoy each other’s company; you support each other through the triumphs and the losses; you really get each other. Or at least that’s what…

There’s a collection of symptoms so common to betrayal it’s become known as Post Betrayal Syndrome. When it comes to gaslighting, it often goes hand in hand with betrayal because the gaslighter is intentionally weakening the self-esteem and resolve of their victim so that they maintain a sense of control,…

Gaslighting: As Emotional Abuse Emotional abuse sabotages someone’s feelings. It leaves the victim confused, unhappy, fearful, and incapable of ending the problem unless they can escape or outsmart the emotional abuser. Gaslighting sabotages the victim’s self-confidence. It leaves them fearful and unable to correct the lies being told to and…

Gaslighting is a form of manipulation and emotional abuse whereby the perpetrator leads one to question their reality, their logic, their intuition—everything they know to be true. This manipulative behavior is observed among friends, family, colleagues… and, of course, romantic couples. So, what does gaslighting look like in a relationship?…

A Comprehensive Look at Gaslighting For a complete and extensive understanding of gaslighting—a dangerous and frightening form of manipulation—pull up a seat and get ready for a lesson from Licensed Clinical Social Worker Sheri Heller. She explains exactly what gaslighting is and how these manipulators pull it off: “Gaslighting is…

Gaslighting is a form of manipulation that makes the victim(s) question their reality. It is employed by master manipulators (who are often abusers or narcissists) to gain more power over the victim. This is often seen in close relationships, such as those between partners, friends, even brother and sister—but gaslighting…

Our favorite television shows just aren’t complete without a beloved couple: there was Corey and Topanga from Boy Meets World; Chandler and Monica from Friends; and, of course, we can’t go without mentioning Jim and Pam from The Office. We often place these couples on a pedestal. We look up…

I know—what the heck is “gaslighting”? It may sound funny but it’s actually a really scary form of manipulation, which got its name from a popular 1940’s film titled Gas Light. In this movie, a husband methodically manipulates his wife into thinking she’s crazy, hence referring to this form of…

Getting to the Root of the Problem Whether or not we like to admit it, most of us blow our problems out of proportion. Instead of recognizing them as fleeting moments, mishaps, or complications, we let them define and control us. And we quickly enter a negative tailspin. Matt Smith,…

A working alliance in therapy, otherwise known as the therapeutic relationship, is simply the relationship that exists between the client and his or her therapist. In this alliance, both parties have the same goal: for the client to make improvements and benefit from great change throughout the therapeutic process. It’s…

A key to finding success in therapy is building a positive relationship with your therapist and feeling comfortable enough to open up to them. Counselors use different techniques to help their clients feel more comfortable in therapy, and in turn, make for a successful therapy journey. First, it helps to…