When we think about depression one image that often comes to mind is a tired, exhausted body, struggling to get out of bed. Or a slow-moving person dragging an heavy tiredness that overshadows every experience, every interaction, much like Eeyore’s rainy cloud (the donkey from Winnie the Pooh). For people with depression, feeling tired is a constant and familiar presence....[ read more ]
“Did you know the heart has a dungeon? Bring light! Bring light!” -- Mary Oliver (Red Bird: Poems 2009) Hi, y’all. You may notice a different tone from me in this post. First and foremost because social justice counseling is a topic near and dear to my heart as anything can be. Secondly, it feels important to contain (okay… manage)...[ read more ]
College can be a very exciting and awaited time in young people's lives. For many, it is their first time away from home, away from their parent's watching eyes, and sharing their living space with other students. Oh, what a time to be alive! So, why are college students more vulnerable to depression? As one said, with great power comes...[ read more ]
Throughout my career, I've gravitated to working with various Queer communities. Not surprising given my original clinical training at the LGBGTQIA+ Cultural Center, or a certain beloved Midwestern university. One of the recurring challenges I've seen LGBTQIA+ people face while searching for a therapist is finding providers who are both affirming and knowledgeable. Unfortunately the former doesn't always imply the latter. I've...[ read more ]
Have you been thinking about starting therapy but keep putting it off? Maybe you have a friend that started seeing a therapist and got you thinking about it. Or maybe it is just something that has been on your mind for some time, but you keep brushing it off as not urgent. Our therapists in Baltimore know that the thought...[ read more ]
A recurring theme I hear a lot in therapy, both from clinicians and from clients, is the idea of a good therapist and good therapy. This can be particularly important when you are considering starting therapy. Now, to be clear, I do think that some approaches are simply better for certain clients' mental health concerns. For instance, I operate from a...[ read more ]
We all experience anxiety. About work, going on a date, moving to a new place, or taking a test. It’s quite common to feel worried, nervous, or uneasy when dealing with difficult challenges in our lives. So, it can be helpful to understand what causes anxiety and how we can better cope with it. This might surprise you, but there’s...[ read more ]
There’s a folksy adage I grew up with, in the rural Midwest, perhaps you did too in your neck of the woods, of “If it ain't broke, don’t fix it.” Like a lot of folksy sayings from back home, there are certainly times that it’s good advice: home or car improvement projects you aren’t qualified for, cutting your own hair...[ read more ]
If you get injured or suddenly feel a stabbing chest pain the first thought that comes to your mind is to get medical help. Unfortunately, we still can’t say the same for mental health problems, especially for men. While mental illness affects both men and women, the prevalence in men is often lower than in women. Men are also less...[ read more ]
Many LGBTQ+ folks (lovingly referred to as queer from here on) expressed to me throughout the pandemic that certain dating apps, you probably know which ones I mean, have become a ubiquitous part of life. During surges in the pandemic, socializing and dating through apps became ostensibly safer than physically entering other traditionally queer spaces. For many queer folks, it...[ read more ]