By: Allison Petro, LMHC If you have ever experienced clinical depression, you know how scary it can be. I’m not referring to feeling blue for a day or two. I’m talking about true clinical depression. If you're still unsure and want to know how to start treating depression, here are the criteria taken from the American Psychiatric Association: The individual
by Mike Martinez, RMHCI First off, I want to let you know that anger is a normal human emotion which can range from slight irritation to strong rage. Keyword here is “normal.” It can become a problem when we don’t express it appropriately (aggressiveness) or don’t express it at all (resentment). Control & Expectation We want to control things. Who
By: Allison Petro, LMHC There's a reason why they're called "Ice Queens". Women aren't the only ones in need of dating advice due to having an emotionally detached partner. Men may also fall into the hole of getting together with women who are not available, emotionally. Dating emotionally unavailable women can be exhausting and may even leave you feeling like
By: Amanda Wiegert, LMHC, NCC Set healthy boundaries and realistic expectations. Are you noticing that most of your relationships are one-sided or emotionally destructive? Do you find yourself getting involved with the same types of unhealthy relationships over and over again? If you answered "yes" to both questions above, then you may have characteristics of a codependent relationship. What is
By: Allison Petro, LMHC How many times have you said after a first date, "I’m in love! I've found the perfect man! He’s good looking, respectful, funny…" and the list goes on. But, after dating for some time, you are crying about the same man and your new relationship. He never listens, ignores your feelings, and only seems to want
By: Amanda Wiegert, LMHC, NCC You desperately want to leave, but what's stopping you? Most of us have experienced an emotionally abusive relationship at some point in our lives. Sometimes, it is obvious to see that the relationship is toxic. Other times, toxic love sneaks up on us and, before we even realize it, we are already sucked in. Toxic
By: Amanda Wiegert, LMHC Often times I hear people say things like, “My wedding day was one of the happiest days of my life.” We don’t marry someone with the expectation that the marriage is going to end in lies, betrayal, and infidelity. Nor do we ever imagine having to google "how to recover from an affair." However, the harsh
By: Allison Petro, LMHC Do you constantly wind up dating women who aren't just a little chilly, but rarely show up for you when you need them? If so, then you might be stuck in a pattern of forming toxic relationships with emotionally unavailable women. And the best dating advice for dealing with someone who's emotionally unavailable? Find someone else
By: Amanda Wiegert, LMHC, NCC In our world today, almost all of us can say that we know someone who is struggling with or has struggled in the past with an addiction. We see it on the news, on social media, and in our own communities. Recently, we learned that singer/songwriter Demi Lovato relapsed after battling with substance abuse and
By Janie Lacy, LMHC If your heart and gut tells you, “This is not how relationships should be” or “This doesn’t feel safe and loving”, you have a sign from your body and higher self that you are not in a loving and healthy relationship. It’s important to trust these warnings from your gut and/or your heart — much more than
