Our Blog

This is the only time of year I pause to reflect on my diagnosis 3 years ago – Invasive Ductal Carcinoma – or breast cancer.  …

Continue reading “2020 Reflection of a Breast Cancer Survivor”

I overheard a teacher say to my daughter on virtual school, “Kids, have your moms upload that later.” Moms. Not parents. Not dads or caretakers. …

Continue reading “Add This To Your Resume”

A few years ago I treated a client with Complex PTSD. She had suffered for the majority of her childhood from physical, psychological, and emotional …

Continue reading “Working with Emotional Support Animals”

I consider myself to be an eternally active learner and a self-improvement/personal growth enthusiast. It’s important to be open to constant learning about yourself, others, …

Continue reading “10 Practical Ways to Stay Motivated on Your Self-Improvement Journey”

When you hear “self-improvement,” what comes to mind?  Self-improvement can mean so many different things for each of us.  One thing all definitions should have in common is “the …

Continue reading “Don’t Leave “Self” Out of Self-Improvement”

To me, September has always marked the beginning of a new year, even more so than January. Maybe it’s because it signals the end of …

Continue reading “Rosh Hashana 2020”

By Remy Gordon, LCSW What does self-improvement mean to you? By definition, self-improvement is “the improvement of one’s knowledge, status, or character by one’s own efforts”. …

Continue reading “Self-Improvement and Homelessness”

Many of us have anxiety levels that are higher than usual on any given day in 2020. Things aren’t where we’d want them to be. …

Continue reading “You Need To Calm Down. You’re Being Too Loud”

I have to admit, I love memes and get a lot of enjoyment from them. Pro-therapy memes? Even better! (By the way, I love that …

Continue reading “Self-Improvement and Mental Health”

2020 – the year of Clarity and Vision…but really? On January 1, 2020, I declared my word of the year: Purpose. Everything I was doing …

Continue reading “Clarity Vision ??”

How many of us struggle to be perfect parents?  There are so many levels of fear and uncertainty when it comes to raising little humans.  …

Continue reading “Parenting Style From My House to Yours”

It seems that every time we turn on the TV or listen to the news, all we hear is negative activities going on in the …

Continue reading “Teaching Respect to Children”

Erika Fernandez De Castro A little over a year ago, I attended a training on the topic of Infant Mental Health. Prior to the training, …

Continue reading “Infant Mental Health – It Starts on Day 1”

As the world begins to move into this “new normal” post-COVID 19 quarantine world – I cannot help but wonder what our lives and realities …

Continue reading “Don’t Worry Be Happy”

The world is a very uncertain place right now. There is less predictability about basic life issues such as employment, education, food, and shelter. It is a …

Continue reading “Creating Certainty in Uncertain Times”

I’m a guy’s guy. A Modern Man’s – Man. Rough around the edges, not afraid to get dirty, a fan of grit, and hard work. …

Continue reading “Modern Man’s – Man”

Congratulations! You made it to the end of May, AKA Mental Health Awareness Month. By now I’m sure you’ve been inundated with plenty of words …

Continue reading “A Review on Mental Health Awareness”

Can you believe it? It’s finally May. We have all been through a lot with the recent COVID-19 situation. One of the topics in the …

Continue reading “I’m Fine, It’s Fine, This is Fine…But Do You Know a Good Therapist?”

Yes, we’re in the middle of a pandemic. Yes, we’re now teachers in addition to parents. Yes, we’re in confined quarters. Yes, we’re unemployed. Yes, …

Continue reading “Dreaming During the Time of Covid”

I woke up this morning feeling much better than I did yesterday. I felt a new sense of relief and control. These feelings elude me …

Continue reading “How to Prevent Anxiety in the Time of Corona”

I just started with a new therapist. I’m not in crisis. I’m high functioning and successful (depending on who you ask). But I like to …

Continue reading “Prevention Mental Health for a Better Future”

Life and Wellness Coach es, living mindfully is about being present with others Yes, living mindfully is about self care Yes, living mindfully is about …

Continue reading “Living mindfully is”

You’re being too hard on yourself. So many of us do it. We think it keeps us focused on self improvement. But it ends up …

Continue reading “You’re being too hard on yourself”

Licensed Mental Health Counselor & Doctor in Psychology Depression is a real illness. The REALITY is that many people will not talk about nor share …

Continue reading “Depression – Changing the Stigma”

As much as we want to equate men and women, the reality is we are different. Not only physically but mentally and socially. With those …

Continue reading “Understanding a Man’s Process”

Ten years ago, while on a men’s journey, I came across a quote by Joseph Campbell “follow your bliss”. Wow! I thought to myself. How …

Continue reading “The Call to Adventure and Following your Bliss”

Certified EMDR Therapist Suicide is the third leading cause of death among persons aged 10-14 and the second among persons aged 15-34 years. A precedent …

Continue reading “Major Depression in Adolescence: Suicide Prevention”

Before I became a therapist I heard the term PTSD used and I connected it to the military or war veterans. Also, I didn’t really …

Continue reading “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder — What Is It?”

The definition of peace is freedom from disturbance, quiet and tranquility. Can you think of the last time you had peace? Mindfulness is a practice …

Continue reading “Peace Within No Matter What Throughout”

Today we’re getting so many messages from all avenues of the media reporting on mindful living and that we should “learn to love ourselves.” Sounds …

Continue reading “Loving Yourself Leads to a Balanced, Happy Life”

You’ve had mindful moments. You’ve already practiced mindfulness. You just don’t realize it. And you don’t realize it because you were just BEING, and not …

Continue reading “Slow Down, Tune in, Go with the Flow”

  Love is a catch-all word that people use and we seem to think it means the same to you as it does to me. …

Continue reading “Your Love is Different”

  It’s that time of the month when “love is in the air” and everyone seems to be talking about romance. Stress levels seem to …

Continue reading “Love Yourself First”

Over the years, I have been given the incredible opportunity to work and study one of life’s most elusive and complex topics: Love. Through my …

Continue reading “Love: The Solution to Most of Your Problems”

Licensed Mental Health Counselor & Doctor in Psychology As we near the end of February, we celebrate love; the love of self and others. Love …

Continue reading “6 Keys to Loving Yourself and Others”

Life and Health Coach On September 25, 2017 at 8:00 A.M., while in my car, on my way to my 13 year old niece’s Junior …

Continue reading “When Life Throws You Lemons…”

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Constant open communication with your children/adolescents is important throughout the year. However, sometimes with so many family activities during the Holiday …

Continue reading “Holiday Talks”

I remember as a child the excitement of the beginning of the holiday season. The arrival of the Christmas tree was an important event. As …

Continue reading “Family Traditions”

Contrary to the popular societal belief that defines intimacy as a sense of physical and emotional closeness and connection with another human being, I have …

Continue reading “Healing through Intimacy”

  “Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers, Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs, That just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he …

Continue reading “Thankful for Having, and for Not Having”

  Although there may be times in our lives we feel overwhelmed and surrounded by negativity or bad luck, it can sometimes become difficult to …

Continue reading “Be Happy, Be Grateful”

The concept of appreciation and thankfulness is as much an exercise as it is a feeling. Being able to recognize and express what we are …

Continue reading “Gratitude”

As a Health Coach, I’m always asked if I have any self-care tips I can share. However, before sharing anything, I always like to try …

Continue reading “Breathwork: Connecting to the Mind, Body, and Spirit”

  As I sit here in my living room with my husband, balcony furniture, bottles of water, canned beans, nuts and fruit, waiting for Irma …

Continue reading “With devastation – Comes lessons learned”

When we think ‘Back to School’ we often relate it to children shopping for school supplies and all dressed up in their school uniforms for …

Continue reading “When Back to School Week Isn’t That Cute”

The wind is blowing my hat towards my cheek, and I can hear my children laughing with their daddy. It is an absolutely breathtaking day …

Continue reading “Sometimes I Want to Give up on Parenting”

Attention ALL PARENTS: These stats are scary!  “Bullying” is a problem that affects millions of students and children of all races worldwide. 1 out of 4 …

Continue reading “Stomp Out Bullying”

Many parents ask me: “Am I a good parent?”; “Am I doing it right?” The answer is: “You’re doing the best you can with what …

Continue reading “Parenting: Meeting the Challenge”

  As parents, we often forget that kids are kids and they will learn from their mistakes. The question is, how do we make sure …

Continue reading “Kids – Are They Learning From Their Mistakes?”

Teen stress is an important issue. The teen years are marked with rapid changes and most teens face stress from puberty, self image, relationships, responsibilities …

Continue reading “Teen Stress”

You hear a lot about the challenges that your child with ADHD faces but what you don’t hear discussed as often is the positive side …

Continue reading “The Positive Side of ADHD”

In Zen tradition, we start a mindfulness practice with a “beginners mind.” That is, a childlike innocence towards allowing new experience without expectation or judgment. …

Continue reading “Mindfulness – a Step at a Time”

  According to the CDC 2016 Breastfeeding Report Card, the rate of American women who are breastfeeding has increased. It also indicates that the number …

Continue reading “A Mother and Her Baby”

  February is designated as the month of love. When I think of love, I automatically think of all the people that I love and …

Continue reading “Too much or Too little Self-Esteem: The Balancing Act”

  Valentine’s Day is a remembrance of the love and value we feel for our significant others. As we raise awestruck eyebrows in wonder of …

Continue reading “Love Yourself This Valentine’s Day”

(Note: We thought we would close the month with an extra blog which we feel sums up what it takes to be successful in meeting …

Continue reading “Create Solutions, Not Resolutions”

I am a feminist, in the social movement sense of the word. Additionally, I use elements of the feminist theoretical style in my psychotherapy practice. …

Continue reading “Women’s Rights are Human Rights”

September 11, 2001: 2,996 people killed and over 6,000 injured June 12, 2016: 49 people killed at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, FL  There are many …

Continue reading “The Power of Connection”

What if the “new you” is simply the same you, but more concentrated, more refined? Don’t add. Subtract. (And I don’t mean just pounds – …

Continue reading “Cut It Out”

Symptoms are an essential and continued part of our life. At times, we may experience worry, apprehension, sadness, stress, irritability, and so on. However, we …

Continue reading “Understanding Our Symptoms as a Guide to Personal Growth”

  Self-esteem is the result of being proud of yourself for your actions, and also for the person you are. People with a healthy self-esteem …

Continue reading “How to Build Healthy Self-Esteem”

When someone you love is going through addiction, it is normal to feel powerless, frustrated and concerned. Addiction is a disease that leads the individual …

Continue reading “Family & Addiction”

As the year ends and resolutions start up with the New Year, many singles find themselves hopeful that perhaps this will be the year in …

Continue reading “Singles Relationship Resolution – Food For Thought”

Communication is key. I find that whether I am working with couples in therapy, consulting on workplace disputes, or helping physicians convey complicated information – …

Continue reading “The Relationship Equation”