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Understanding Trauma

April 8, 2021

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Trauma as glasses I’ve needed glasses since the sixth grade. I remember feeling so awkward about them that I ignored that everyone and everything was blurry. I couldn’t read the board, I had to squint when I walked, and I was tripping all the time. It wasn’t until my mom started noticing my grades dropping, […]

Congratulations, Alex Vis!

December 10, 2020

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Alex Vis has received his State of FL Licensed Mental Health Counselor accreditation! This means he not only completed the requirements of his Masters in Counseling graduation work to apply for licensure, but have since then acquired the 1500+ hours of face to face counseling experience while being under qualified supervision, completed required post-graduate courses […]

Help for Addiction

October 19, 2020

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Many people have a misconception of alcoholics. They picture the homeless man stumbling down the street, holding a paper bag surrounding a bottle among other stereotypical ideas. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Alcoholism is no respecter of persons. The business person, the stay at home mom, the CEO, the teacher grading papers […]

Hopelessness in Marriage

September 15, 2020

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Many clients I see in my practice deal with hopelessness at some point in their marriage. Some may experience this difficult emotion more than others. So what are some ways to address feeling hopeless in your marriage? 1. Look for the root of your hopelessness. Take stock of your marriage. When did the […]

Let’s Take a Break

September 1, 2020

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If you’re reading this, you probably want some sort of parenting advice. Pinnacle Counseling Institute often counsels on parenting, and it’s always a good idea to refocus and strengthen our parenting tool boxes as we figure many kiddos are going back to school (either virtually or in-person). However, before we need another teaching lesson, skill, […]

Presence in Parenting

August 21, 2020

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These days, my role as a mother consumes much of my thought life as well as my day-to-day activities. My fiery, tender, and wild-haired little girl is one week away from turning three. I’m currently pregnant with my second baby. While my due date is still a couple of weeks out, my obstetrician thinks he […]

Why Doesn’t My Teen Want to Talk Anymore?

August 18, 2020

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When I speak with parents of teens, one of their sources of sadness is that their teen doesn’t want to talk or hang out with them anymore. All of a sudden, the kid who wanted to recount every detail of his play-date, describe his musings of the world, and regale you with drama from school, […]

The Response to Racial Injustice

June 6, 2020

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Our counselors, staff, and board members have very heavy hearts regarding the death of George Floyd and the racial injustices in our nation. Words don’t seem enough in the face of such injustice. Pinnacle stands against the racism that still exists in our country and community. We promise to listen to, understand, and learn from our BIPOC clients, friends, […]

Coupling During Covid-19

May 1, 2020

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I am a licensed mental health counselor who has worked with couples for years. We focus on relationship dynamics, communication, intimacy, and patterns of behavior regularly. Often couples discover much about themselves, their stories, and how their entire lives play a part in their marriage. Coupling during Covid-19 is Simply Physics During this […]

Boost Your Sleep and Mental Health

April 24, 2020

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Guest writer, Cheryl Conklin from Wellness Central (www.wellnesscentral.info), offers some practical, budget-friendly tips on sleep. Our focus all of April has been on anxiety and depression, while also providing lots of COVID-19 content, and sleep can dramatically impact both of these maladies. Sleep is intimately connected with mental health. For instance, the lack of […]

Twelve Steps

April 10, 2020

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I am an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous, choosing to sacrifice my anonymity for the good of others. I am not ashamed of being an alcoholic due to my desperation opening up a way of life I could not have imagined possible through the twelve steps. I used to numb my feelings with alcohol. […]

Eating Disorder in a Global Pandemic

April 6, 2020

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Eating Disorder and Stress Over the past few weeks, my husband and I have often imagined how we might have experienced this pandemic in different seasons of life. We’ve envisioned how our middle school selves would have coped, high school selves, college selves, etc. We’ve thought about how COVID19 is creating nuanced and specific […]

Children’s Books for Managing Anxiety

April 6, 2020

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My anxiety is rising, and I’m sure yours is too. Wednesday night was the last time, for the immediate future, that I had dear friends over for dinner. My heart is heavy, wondering about my job and even heavier thinking about those who no longer have jobs and how they are going to make it […]

Coronavirus and the “New Normal”

March 30, 2020

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We are in the midst of a “new normal.” This “new normal” is different for all of us. I have spoken with clients who enjoy a slower pace and some who are struggling with isolation. Right now when we have more time on our hands it may be a good practice to check in […]

COVID-19: Five Ways to Cope With Anxiety and Uncertainty

March 26, 2020

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*Cathy Gibson, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, who leads a team of nine gifted professional counselors at Pinnacle Counseling Institute, shares practical ways to cope with the uncertainty and anxiety due to COVID-19. Anxiety is a common part of dealing with unexpected and uncertain situations. It motivates us to listen to the news, follow advice […]

TeleHealth: What Is It and How Does It Work?

March 24, 2020

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TeleHealth has become a hot topic right now due to the influx of those needing medical care, the burden our medical system is already experiencing, and the social distancing recommendations. What do I do if I have a D0ct0r’s appointment, am feeling ill, or have an upcoming counseling session? How TeleHealth Fits TeleHealth is […]

3 Activities To Help Kids Identify and Express Their Feelings

March 23, 2020

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Feelings and emotions during transition and uncertainty can be very difficult for children. With the Coronavirus on the news, at the forefront of our minds, and affecting some of our most basic routines, our kids know what’s up and maybe particularly anxious and uncertain just like you and me. Often kids express these emotions of […]

A Message From Cathy Gibson, CEO/President, at Pinnacle Counseling Institute

March 13, 2020

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To our Clients, Colleagues and the surrounding Community Pinnacle Counseling Institute wants to assure our clients that we are staying informed and being proactive to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at our offices and among our team. We are making sure to sanitize doorknobs and areas that you contact. There is also hand sanitizer […]

Self-Awareness as Path to Healing

March 9, 2020

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We are taking time in our blogs to reflect on self awareness. Self awareness is the most important part of your path toward healing. We cannot heal something we are not aware of! We cannot address emotions or behaviors we are not conscious of. One of the strategies I offer my clients is learning how […]

How Relationships Work – Communication (Pt2)

March 6, 2020

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We are in the second part of a 2 part series on Relationships with a focus on communication. Part one of the series is here. We left off talking about the Red posture many of us end up in, often without even knowing why. This stance makes it difficult to communicate with the other person. Instead, […]

Waiting Expectantly

February 13, 2020

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We pulled over to the side of the road to get a closer look. Before I could even roll down the window, Sarah jumped out to experience it more personally. We were at least five days into one of the more incredible weeks of my life. Our plan was Sedona, The Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, […]

How Relationships Work – Communication (Pt1)

February 7, 2020

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I work with many couples and individuals in relationships. I get asked some of the same questions, often about relationships and how to improve them. Similar patterns of relating in relationships emerge, especially in how people communicate. Here are some of my observations about how relationships work, with a focus on communication. WHO AM […]

Why Forgiveness is Worth Spreading?

January 31, 2020

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In January, we focused on “Transformation and Change” across all of our social media platforms and in our blogs. As we close out the month and move into February, we wanted to post a different kind of blog that hits on January’s focus and sets up February’s attention, which is Relationships. Below is a TEDx […]

Changes at Pinnacle…2 New Fully Licensed Therapists

January 16, 2020

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We are focusing on “CHANGE & TRANSFORMATION” this month across all of our Pinnacle Counseling Institute Social Media and Website platforms and there has been a great change for us and our team that we wanted to share: Maggie Jobson & Jeremy Jobson have both received their State of FL Licensed Mental Health Counselors […]

Dear Fellow Sufferer

January 14, 2020

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So many people with depression struggle to find words to paint a picture for how it feels. I humbly submit my interpretation of what it’s like to feel depressed. At this time of year when resolutions fade into the background, the New Year-New You promises seem to lose their luster, and depression may settle […]

The Waiting

December 24, 2019

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I awoke this morning with all of the duties of the day on my mind. The baking, cooking, wrapping. Excitement was there as was the feeling of wanting to fully enter the joy of this day. In a moment I pondered the meaning of Christmas Eve. The Eve of The Coming. The Coming of a […]

Intuitive Eating: The Holidays Edition

December 19, 2019

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Advent season is my favorite. Every year I cajole my husband into getting a Christmas tree as early as possible. Preferably before Thanksgiving. There’s nothing more magical than waking up to a quiet house, a rich cup of coffee, and a glowing tree. Each December I know these mornings are numbered and I do my […]

Intuitive Eating (series 11 of 12): Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition

November 15, 2019

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**NOTE: Everything discussed in this blog series is derived from Intuitive Eating and the Intuitive Eating Workbook. As you read these posts, I strongly encourage you to purchase and read both. This series will not be as thorough and informative as the principle books. Each month we will focus on one at a time. Allow […]

Parenting Ourselves and Our Children: Connecting To Tame Big Emotions

November 13, 2019

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As I share a story of connecting to tame big emotions, please note: This post is largely based on Dr. Dan Siegel and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson’s book The Whole-Brained Child. If you are looking for a more in-depth discussion of this topic or other parenting issues, please read The Whole Brained Child and No […]

True to yourself?

October 23, 2019

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“This above all: to thine own self be true. And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.” -Polonius (from Shakespeare’s Hamlet) Counseling, in many ways, is a path toward being true to thy own self. How? If I know my story, my wounds, my […]

Layers of an Onion: Personal Growth

October 18, 2019

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You have probably heard the analogy of our personal growth and healing being like the layers of an onion. When we encounter and engage the struggles of life, it is like peeling an onion, back layer by layer. This can be frustrating or discouraging. Because if you are like me, I would love for the […]

Intuitive Eating (series 10 of 12): Exercise-Feel the Difference

October 7, 2019

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NOTE: everything discussed in this blog series is derived from Intuitive Eating and the Intuitive Eating Workbook. As you read these posts, I strongly encourage you to purchase and read both as this series will not be as thorough and informative as the books. Each month we will focus on one principle at a time. […]

Hope Deferred

October 5, 2019

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“Well, the results are back. Sarah, your ovaries are those of a woman 10 years your junior. You are a spring chicken! Alex, your sperm counts, are well within the normal range with average motility.” Tears. Whoa. Okay. I guess all these years of running unpronounceable medications through my body have not […]

New Role, Same Passions

September 24, 2019

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Pinnacle Counseling Institute, Inc, is excited to announce the promotion of Jeremy M. Jobson to Vice President of Marketing, Development and Communication after leaving his role as a Pastor for Northland Church for over 12 years. Jeremy brings to Pinnacle Counseling Institute’s mission a breadth of experience in marketing, development and communications from his career […]

Reacting and Responding

September 23, 2019

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“…I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 Walls I had a penchant for putting my fists through walls. Overwhelmed by emotions so intense and jumbled I would go into overdrive, see red and hit something really hard. As a teenager I really had no clue on how to […]

Intuitive Eating (series 9 of 12)

September 13, 2019

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NOTE: everything discussed in this blog series is derived from Intuitive Eating and the Intuitive Eating Workbook. As you read these posts, I strongly encourage you to purchase and read both as this series will not be as thorough and informative as the books. Each month we will focus on one principle at a time. […]

Of Hurricanes and Such

September 3, 2019

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Here in Florida we have been awaiting a hurricane. Hurricane Dorian to be exact. The waiting has been the most difficult part. Today is the day. The day we will face wind and rain. Not a hurricane thankfully, for it’s path has led away from us. Leading up to today many may have wrestled with […]

One Day written by Landmark

August 25, 2019

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Verse The people, the moments, The words that I spoke with Were taken as tokens of time The checkmarks in boxes, these things are dealt with I just needed a right frame of mind Chorus Where do we fall? When does it end? When did my sins become friends? Chorus Every once in […]

Intuitive Eating (series 8 of 12)

August 2, 2019

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NOTE: everything discussed in this blog series is derived from Intuitive Eating and the Intuitive Eating Workbook. As you read these posts, I strongly encourage you to purchase and read both as this series will not be as thorough and informative as the books. Each month we will focus on one principle at a time. […]

Intuitive Eating Series (7 of 12)

July 25, 2019

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NOTE: everything discussed in this blog series is derived from Intuitive Eating and the Intuitive Eating Workbook. As you read these posts, I strongly encourage you to purchase and read both as this series will not be as thorough and informative as the books. Each month we will focus on one principle at a time. […]

From Protest to Praise

June 17, 2019

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How do you praise when you’re in pain? How do you deal with disappointed desire? How do we find God when you’ve been longing for something that never seems to come through? The Psalms teach us to “pour out our hearts before Him” (Psalm 62:8). They are a collection of prayers that give utterance to […]

Intuitive Eating Series (6 of 12)

June 10, 2019

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NOTE: everything discussed in this blog series is derived from Intuitive Eating and the Intuitive Eating Workbook. As you read these posts, I strongly encourage you to purchase and read both as this series will not be as thorough and informative as the books. Each month we will focus on one principle at a time. […]

Parenting Ourselves and Our Children: Behind the Behavior

May 17, 2019

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This post is largely based on Dr. Dan Siegel and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson’s book No Drama Discipline. If you are looking for a more in-depth discussion of of behind the behavior or other parenting issues, please read No Drama Discipline and The Whole Brained Child. You can also find Dr. Siegel’s and Dr. Bryson’s […]

Intuitive Eating Series (5 of 12)

May 8, 2019

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NOTE: everything discussed in this blog series is derived from Intuitive Eating and the intuitive eating workbook. As you read these posts, I strongly encourage you to purchase and read both as this series will not be as thorough and informative as the books. Each month we will focus on one principle at a time. […]

A Way Toward Healing

April 21, 2019

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Our team works closely together, ever desiring to sharpen and challenge ourselves as therapists. One of the ways we do this is by sharing and listening to Podcasts. Adam Young’s Podcast, The Place We Find Ourselves, is one we all particularly enjoy. In one of the episodes Adam talks about the path to healing and […]

Intuitive Eating Series (4 of 12)

April 11, 2019

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Take NOTE: everything discussed in this blog series is derived from Intuitive Eating and the Intuitive Eating Workbook. As you read these posts, I strongly encourage you to purchase and read both as this series will not be as thorough and informative as the books. Each month we will focus on one principle at a […]

Courage!

March 25, 2019

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I love what this quote from Mary Anne Radmacher about courage. It is a reminder to me that courage has to do with showing up. Can I wake up tomorrow and face the situation that hasn’t changed? Could I live with the pain that does not have a quick fix, or face disappointment? Can […]

This is Madness

March 12, 2019

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Not long ago I became certified in Anger Resolution Therapy. Several conversations with fellow “Peacemakers” led to an increased curiosity about my own relationship and history with anger. I was fairly disrupted to find I am more familiar than I had would have admitted. The more I leaned into my story, the more I understood […]

Intuitive Eating Series (3 of 12)

March 9, 2019

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NOTE: everything discussed in this blog series is derived from Intuitive Eatingand the intuitive eating workbook. As you read these posts, I strongly encourage you to purchase and read both as this series will not be as thorough and informative as the books. Each month we will focus on one principle at a time. Allow […]

Need

March 1, 2019

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Need. How does that word strike you? Do you recoil from it? Lean into it? Maybe it brings you relief, an exhale… Maybe it brings a tightening, tension in your body. On Sunday I was overwhelmed with a sense of my need. Need for help, need to be known, need for support, need for […]

Intuitive Eating Series (2 of 12)

January 30, 2019

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NOTE: everything discussed in this blog series is derived from Intuitive Eating and The Intuitive Eating Workbook. As you read these posts, I strongly encourage you to purchase and read both as this series will not be as thorough and informative as the books. Each month we will focus on one principle at a time. […]

Intuitive Eating: Diet Culture in the New Year (1 of 12)

January 13, 2019

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Intuitive eating wasn’t the start of my journey. Intuitive Eating didn’t start right away. In fact, I started dieting in the eighth grade. By the end of my ninth grade year I was clinically diagnosable for anorexia. In those days I could have made a career out of avoiding food. I was an expert […]

My Clenched Fist

January 5, 2019

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I’ve heard it said that each life lived is like a plot of land granted to a gardener. I’ll buy into that for a moment. We are assigned a task to produce a fruit unique from all others, then provided with constraints of an uncertain amount of time, unpredictable seasons of weather, with one piece […]

Mary’s Song of Trust

December 24, 2018

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Mary is a paradigm of faithfulness. She is a remarkable woman because her trust is in a remarkable God. The God who is the lover of the lowly. The One who notices the unnoticeable. The One who draws near to revive broken and humble hearts. Sermon by Benjamin Kandt https://www.buzzsprout.com/67377/878027-songs-of-the-messiah-mary-s-song-of-trust-advent

Partnering Towards Improving Mental Health

November 12, 2018

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The Vision One of the most attractive parts of Pinnacle Counseling Institute is the vision of our founder and CEO, Cathy Gibson. She believes that the people most in need of mental health counseling, often times can not afford it. This directly correlates to another reality of counseling: the best therapists quickly learn the […]

Unexpected Lessons

October 31, 2018

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I love yard work. Being outside, feeling the sunshine, getting into the dirt…so healing to me. Tuesdays I work in the yard and this week I found myself lost in thought as I weeded our beds. As I let my mind ponder, I began to see how weeding is much like counseling. Weeding is […]

Mental Health Awareness Week – Cure Stigma

October 11, 2018

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Mental Health Awareness Week – Cure Stigma This week is Mental Health Awareness Week. If you or someone you know is struggling, this week is for you. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health), a great resource for those experiencing mental health struggles as well as for those who know and love people who […]

What Our Bodies Hold

September 23, 2018

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Several years ago I went through a season of having daily stomach pain. I went to a Gastroenterologist but test results showed I was as healthy as could be. I tried noticing every food I put in my body to see if there was a food “culprit” for the pain but nothing I eliminated made […]

Always. There.

September 13, 2018

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Always. There. I recently flew to Portland, Oregon. What a beautiful place. So utterly different from Florida. Christmas Trees everywhere! Wineries dotting along the drive to the Coast. Humongous rocks jutting out of the Pacific. There is just something majestic about the West. What does my trip have to do with mental illness […]

Authenticity

August 12, 2018

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Life is pretty tough sometimes. There are so many variables that we can’t control, and sometimes it feels like we screw up the ones we can. People know about the addiction, the job losses, the diagnosis, the anger. They don’t know about the internal world. They haven’t heard about the fear, the hurt, the greed, […]

Growth

July 23, 2018

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It is happening again. Those words in anger and frustration that tumble out of my mouth before I realize it, leaving those around me with jaws dropped . I immediately feel shame. I recognize I am in shame because of how my body responds; tight stomach, chest tight, wanting to run, lowered head, […]

The Power of Story

June 24, 2018

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Have you ever found yourself captivated by a good story? I recently began watching the TV series Lost (years behind I know… better late than never right?). Immediately, I sensed, “this is going to be a good story.” It peaked my interest. Made me curious. Wondering and imagining how each person’s unique presence on […]

The Power of Transition

June 1, 2018

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About a year ago our counseling practice moved offices. Nothing major, just a few doors down from where our office used to be. I got to decorate my new office; paint the walls white, fill the room with plants, and pick out trendy new furniture. It was an upgrade for sure. I should have felt […]

Consciousness

May 9, 2018

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I exist as I am, that is enough. If no other in the world be aware I sit content, And if each and all be aware I sit content. One world is aware, and by far the largest to me, and that is myself. -Walt Whitman, from Leaves of Grass Consciousness-the state of being awake […]

Why Counseling?

May 3, 2018

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Life. No one escapes without some kind of pain. Some seem to skirt by unscathed but this is only the appearance of things. You are not alone. In my own life there was a time where life was just too much. I didn’t know how to keep going with the way things were. It […]

When Mental Illness Barges In

May 3, 2018

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I remember when mental illness invaded our happy home. It was like an unwanted, obnoxious guest moved in, uninvited and unannounced. That was in 2004, when our last child was entering his senior year in high school. Over the years, it’s been a tumultuous journey with some very low lows, but also significant times of […]