Beginning Therapy

As you may know, there are gender disparities in mental health. Why? Because men and women have biological, environmental, and societal differences, all of which play important roles in our health and wellbeing. And one common theme is that women are more likely to seek mental health help than men….

Asking for help isn’t easy—but it is necessary, especially when your health and wellbeing is at risk. When it comes to women, common problems include mental illnesses like depression and anxiety, low self-esteem, problems in the workplace, guilt and self-blame, and relationship issues. Fortunately, counseling can help women to address…

The focus of counseling often varies; however, commonly discussed issues among older adults include the loss of loved ones, health issues, and identity crises. Many of these individuals have lost a spouse, are facing severe physical or mental health issues, or are missing fulfillment and enjoyment in life. Older adults…

It’s difficult for many people to admit they need help and then to actually seek out that help—it’s sometimes even more difficult for men. That said, it’s important that men (as well as women) ask for and seek professional mental health help when they need it, as counseling can help…

Here’s an undeniable truth a lot of us don’t like to talk about: we all have problems. We suffer from emotional turmoil—post-breakup, mid-job change, as a consequence of depression… you get the idea. And often, to cope with these unfavorable circumstances and difficult feelings, we need to reach outside of…

You might be wondering, “What are the advantages of online counseling?” This is a valid question. To answer, I’m going to begin with a question of my own: Did you know that only a limited number of people who are recommended by a physician to seek mental health services actually…

You’ve probably come across an online mental health forum before. It’s a site for talking about all things mental health, from depression to breakups, stress, anxiety, family issues, and so on. But now there’s this new thing (which isn’t really a new thing) everyone’s talking about: online counseling. And you’re…

Online counseling—or maybe you know it as teletherapy, e-counseling, or cyber-counseling—challenges the traditional therapy model, being that sessions are held online via video, phone call, or chat widget. That being said, it isn’t a completely new idea… but it’s certainly picked up speed and increased in popularity. The concept of online…

Humor can help the therapeutic process in more ways than one: first, it can help to solidify that bond between therapist and client. A therapist can also demonstrate humor as a healthy coping mechanism for handling the stresses of life to their client. Additionally, humor can help a client feel…

Humor can improve the client-therapist relationship and overall success in therapy. A study from The American Journal of Psychotherapy surveyed 110 clients and their therapists about the use of humor in therapy. It found that clients who reported more humor in their therapy sessions also reported greater pleasure in therapy….

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…