The Magic of Therapy
A blog about the transformational power of psychotherapy and how it helps us blossom into the wholesome being we are.
The Impact of Life Transitions on Mental Health
A life transition is any type of change in life that affects it in a big way. Life transitions occur throughout our lives, even when we are very young. For example, think about the massive impact that going to school can have on a young child.
Depression: There's A Lot More to It Than Sadness
Depression is among the most underdiagnosed mood disorders in the world. It's not that doctors, psychotherapists, and other medical professionals don't believe it's real.
Common GAD Myths – And the Truth, Too!
Anxiety therapy is one of the services we offer here at Psych Blossom. It is an invaluable therapy for people living with general anxiety disorder (GAD).
Seasonal Depression Is Real – Here's What You Need to Know
Do you experience feelings of depression or melancholy during the winter months? Do those feelings begin to set in just after daylight saving time ends? If so, you're not alone. Seasonal depression is real.
How to Be Sure Social Anxiety Doesn't Get to Run Your Life
As someone whose work focuses heavily on depression and anxiety therapy, I have a lot of opportunity to work with people struggling with social anxiety. Their struggles make it difficult to interact with friends and family in social situations.
Coping with Anxiety and Depression During the Holidays – Part 2
In the context of offering depression therapy, one of the things we try to do is help clients understand what depression looks like for them. In other words, it is good to recognize how depression manifests itself. It can take on many forms.
Coping with Anxiety and Depression During the Holidays – Part 1
Enjoying the annual holiday season can be challenging if you deal with anxiety or depression. You might generally want to feel the joy and happiness that everyone around you seems to so freely embrace. But for you, the holidays just aren't everything you wish they were. We want you to know that your holidays can be better.
Is There a Right or Wrong Way to Cope with Grief and Loss?
Grief and loss are part of the human experience. The thing is that people deal with them in different ways. If the way you cope with grief and loss doesn't fit what others think it should look like, you may find yourself questioning whether you are 'doing it right'. Well, you can take comfort in the fact that there is no right or wrong way to cope with grief and loss.
What Relationship Therapy Can and Cannot Do
Relationship therapy is one of the many services we provide here at Psych Blossom. It can take many forms. We counsel married couples struggling with tough times. We also work with romantic couples who aren't married.
How to Approach Family Conflict as a Way to Do Better
In the make-believe world of Hollywood films and television shows, perfect families abound. Nothing ever goes seriously wrong to the extent that it cannot be patched up before the story ends. But that's Hollywood. In the real world, family conflict is to be expected.
Life Transitions Are Scary – It's Okay to Be Afraid
Change is a part of life. And with so many changes, there is transition involved as well. That change from parenting minor children to launching them into adulthood requires a significant transition. And that is just one example. Know this: life transitions can be scary. It's okay to be afraid.
How Perfectionism Affects Your Dating Life
At one point or another, we have all sought out the “perfect” relationship. Your partner does everything right all the time, you never fight, and the honeymoon period lasts forever. Of course, this does not exist in real life.
Dating as a perfectionist can be difficult. When you think of the traits of a perfect partner, a perfectionist might take it literally. No one partner will ever be absolutely perfect, especially at the beginning of a relationship. Your perfectionism might be making you sabotage your own happiness. Let’s learn how to recognize the signs and take action against your perfectionism.
How to Cope with Post-College Depression
College is widely regarded as some of the best years of your life. This first step into adulthood is a transformative experience. Making new friends, discovering new interests, and learning about your passions are all a part of the college experience.
Once you graduate, not only do you receive a diploma for all your hard work, but you will also have to change your lifestyle. It is a hard adjustment to enter “the real world.” Unless you plan on pursuing additional higher education, it is now time to leave being a student behind and enter adulthood. However, you are not alone if you are experiencing post-college depression.
What Does It Mean to Have High Functioning Anxiety?
“High functioning” is a phrase we’ve seen more of in recent years, particularly tied to anxiety and depression. High functioning anxiety isn’t actually a clinical anxiety disorder, so you may not find as much research on it. But that doesn’t mean it’s not something people are actually experiencing.
Mostly, we use it as a term to describe anyone who functions reasonably well in various areas of life despite having anxiety. Many often see this as a “type A” personality. For these people, anxiety is more a driver than a fear that holds them back. Their success stems from their anxiety pushing them to surpass every expectation—failure is not an option. In turn, this actually creates more internalized anxiety.
Here’s How to Recognize a Trauma Bond
If you question why it’s so hard to leave a partner, even when you know they’re mistreating you, this post will help you figure that out. These situations often imply a toxic relationship. These relationships are distressing and often abusive and they may also have brief moments of positivity that feel wonderful, but it’s never consistent.
How Are Codependency and Narcissism Linked?
Typically, codependency and narcissism are thought of as opposites. This is because codependency is seen as an excess of selflessness. Meanwhile, narcissism is viewed as an excess of selfishness. However, there are a lot of similar traits. Some of the core symptoms of narcissism and codependency overlap. Learn how they’re intertwined and how to get help.
What Are Some Common Depression Triggers?
Many people across the nation are living with depression. The World Health Organization even quotes depression as one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Depression doesn’t discriminate. Sometimes it happens even when someone has an objectively idyllic life.
Sometimes it’s triggered by a stressful or negative life event. For some, it may become a recurring trigger for future depressive episodes. Identifying triggers for your depression can help you become more aware of the signs of depression and can also be helpful if you’re living with someone who has depression.
What Should You Do If Current Events Bring Up Past Trauma?
Trauma is when we experience extreme emotional distress because of an event. People experience trauma and recover from it in different ways—it’s an experience unique to each individual. While coping with trauma can be a challenge, there are coping mechanisms you can use when you become triggered. Let’s talk about some strategies you can use if you become triggered.
Breaking Free: Recognizing the Signs of Psychologically Abuse and Finding a Way Out
Psychological abuse can be insidiously quiet. It doesn’t have the same marks that physical abuse does because involves verbal and social attacks in an effort to control someone. The abuser may try to control who their partner can and cannot see and be around and may use hurtful abusive language.
Abusers who use these psychological tactics often break down their partner’s self-esteem or attack their self-worth. This creates a psychological dependency on the abuser, which then gives the abuser even more control.
Recognizing the signs of psychological abuse is the first step to resolving the issue, or escaping it.
Overcoming the Feeling “You’re Not Good Enough”
Feelings of inadequacy are part of being human. We sometimes feel that we’re unimportant. It’s important to acknowledge this insecurity so that you can overcome it. There are ways you can put a stop to intrusive thinking patterns like this. Let’s look at who’s likely to experience this, the causes, and how you can combat feeling like you’re not good enough.