What do I do about a friend who takes advantage of my generosity? by Valerie Proctor Greene, LICSW | Oct 10, 2023 | Ask a Therapist, Mental Health Topics, Relationships Q: I have a friend who always borrows money but never pays me back. He tells me I’m wrong and am being selfish, but I am tired of lending. A: Hi there, I am sorry to hear you are having a difficult time with this friend. The first word that…
Is it a panic attack or chemical dependency? by Valerie Proctor Greene, LICSW | Oct 10, 2023 | Alcohol & Drugs, Anxiety, Ask a Therapist, Mental Health Topics Q: Someone who lives with me has their gf over. The guy and his gf go off with someone I don’t know. Each time they come back, she starts flailing around and making weird noises and asking invisible people to help her. She claims it’s just a panic attack. So…
How do I cope with a death when it was a down-low friendship? by Valerie Proctor Greene, LICSW | Aug 2, 2023 | Ask a Therapist, Grief & Loss, Mental Health Topics Q: How do I cope with death with a down-low friend relationship? A: First, I want to offer sincere condolences for your loss. You have layers of challenges to unpack and process. It is very important for you to have emotional support at this time. While the grief process is…
What should I do if my coping skills aren’t working? by Emily Simonian, M.A., LMFT | Jan 6, 2023 | Ask a Therapist, Coping Skills, Mental Health Topics Q: If your week has already been immensely tumultuous added with an accumulation of a triggering session for the day, what are other ways to deescalate failed attempts of coping skills that were previously working? A: Thank you so much for reaching out! Sorry to hear you’re having a rough…
How can creatives deal with anxiety? by Emily Simonian, M.A., LMFT | Oct 24, 2022 | Anxiety, Ask a Therapist, Mental Health Topics Q: Hi, I have a question related to creativity and anxiety. I’m an artist with an active and vivid imagination, and at times it works great for me. However, it can easily get out of hand with exaggerated and intense emotions related to life circumstances and people. Often times the…
How to cope with PMDD-related relationship issues by Emily Simonian, M.A., LMFT | Oct 24, 2022 | Ask a Therapist, Mental Health Topics, Postpartum & Pregnancy Q: I am diagnosed with PMDD. It is a very debilitating hormonal-based mood disorder that causes me The family member I love with truly is amazing and he really is my rock… but recently he’s been saying things like “your stress is stressing me out and I can’t be happy.”…
How can I cope with my spouse who has an alcohol abuse problem? by Emily Simonian, M.A., LMFT | Sep 29, 2022 | Alcohol & Drugs, Ask a Therapist, Relationships Q: How can I cope with my spouse who has an alcohol abuse problem? It is hard seeing it every day and not knowing if he will ever seek help. A: Hi there, We’re so sorry to hear that you’re struggling — we know it’s so difficult to cope with…
How can I reassure my fiancé I’m in this for the long run? by Emily Simonian, M.A., LMFT | Aug 5, 2022 | Ask a Therapist, Mental Health Topics, Relationships Q: My fiancé and I are going to have a couples counseling session on the 9th of august but he has abandonment issues with me, due to our past of me leaving when things got to be difficult and I’d shut down. How can I reassure him with action that…
How do I deal with two big losses — my relationship and my job? by Emily Simonian, M.A., LMFT | Aug 3, 2022 | Ask a Therapist, Grief & Loss, Mental Health Topics Q: My ex girlfriend and I were kind of dating and then she met someone else that she started having feelings for. She told me this morning that she wants to pursue things with him. I am feeling very sad, desperate and don’t know what to do. I also just…
Is it possible to fix relationships with my young children? by Emily Simonian, M.A., LMFT | Aug 1, 2022 | Ask a Therapist, Children, Teens, & Adolescents, Mental Health Topics, Parenting Q: Is it possible to recover or fix relationships with my young children? I hear often that the first 5 years are critical to a child’s development. I fear that I have messed those years up with my children. I have struggled with anxiety and have often found myself snapping…
I’m experiencing a lot of anxiety — how can I manage it effectively? by Emily Simonian, M.A., LMFT | Jul 20, 2022 | Anxiety, Ask a Therapist, Mental Health Topics Q: I’m experiencing a lot of anxiety and I want to manage it effectively. It’s weighing very heavy on me. A: Hi there, Thank you for reaching out! We’re so sorry to hear that you’re struggling with anxiety. While experiencing anxiety is common, we know how hard it can be…
How can I better deal with conflict or issues with my wife that make me uncomfortable? by Emily Simonian, M.A., LMFT | Jun 28, 2022 | Ask a Therapist, Mental Health Topics, Relationships Q: I’m looking for more information specifically strategies for dealing with avoidance with my wife when dealing with conflict, disagreements, or issues that make me uncomfortable. When in those moments I have a tendency to freeze up and we are expecting a child, our due date was Friday the 24th….