Should My Therapist Speak My Language?
Bilingual Therapy or Therapy in Your Native Language
Having therapy in your native language can feel essential. A language barrier can create obstacles to the vulnerability that is needed to make therapeutic change. Nelson Mendala once said “when you speak to someone in their native language, you speak not only to their mind but also to their heart”, creating a deeper connection .When searching for a therapist, consider whether language is something important to inform the match.
7 Tips For Staying Connected After Welcoming a Baby
7 Tips For Staying Connected After Welcoming a Baby
Becoming parents is a profound transition—one that reshapes your routines, priorities, and even your relationship. In fact, research shows that 67% of couples experience a decline in relationship satisfaction in the first few years of parenthood. Between sleepless nights, endless feedings, and the weight of new responsibilities, it’s easy for connection to take a backseat.
Addressing the Mental Health Impact of a NICU Stay: Coping with Stress and Trauma
A stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be an incredibly overwhelming and stressful experience for parents. Whether it’s due to a preterm birth, complications during delivery, or health issues arising shortly after birth, having a newborn in the NICU can affect both the baby and the parents—emotionally, mentally, and physically.
5 Tips to Boost Focus: Improve Executive Functions with Evidence-Based Practices
Learn about practices to improve focus and enhance executive functioning skills.
Preparing for the Fourth Trimester: The Importance of a Postpartum Care Plan
Welcoming a baby into the world is a transformative experience filled with joy, challenges and countless unknowns. As a perinatal psychologist, I have had the privilege of walking alongside many families during this special time and one important but often neglected thing I’ve learned is that having a plan for the postpartum period can make a world of difference. The postpartum period, sometimes called the “fourth trimester,” is just as important as the pregnancy and birthing process. A thoughtful postpartum care plan can help you navigate those early weeks, support your mental health, and set you up for success as a new family.
Mental Health and the Executive Function Connection: How ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression Relate to Executive Functioning
Mental Health and the Executive Function Connection: How ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression Relate to Executive Functioning
How to Know If Psychological Testing Is Right for You
Psychological testing involves completing a series of tasks and answering questions designed to give insight into how you think, feel, and behave in various areas of your life. The specific tests you take are customized to meet your unique needs and questions, helping to create a holistic picture of your mental and emotional well-being.
Coping with a Suicide Loss
The experience of losing someone significant to suicide can come with unique challenges that may complicate the grieving process. Often, people report encountering stigma surrounding the cause of death, a lack of social support, and persistent thoughts about why the loss occurred or whether it could have been prevented that exacerbate the painful experience of the loss.
Strategies for Responding to Imposter Stress
Have you ever felt self-doubt, fraudulent, or wondered if you are as competent or qualified as others perceive you to be? Believe it or not, these feelings are quite common, especially among high achieving people who have a hard time believing in their competence. These feelings and thoughts often arise when we begin something new, step into a new role, and enter environments that invalidate aspects of our identity. Here are some practical suggestions for how to respond to imposter stress.
Understanding Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD, C-PTSD, Complex-PTSD) refers to the impact of prolonged, unavoidable, relational trauma. Such repeated trauma tends to negatively impact the survivor’s sense of safety, self-esteem, trust in self, and trust in others.
The Role of Therapy in Supporting New Parents
Becoming a parent is a monumental life shift, one filled with both anticipated adjustments and unexpected emotional twists. While new parents may brace themselves for the practical changes like disrupted sleep schedules and increased responsibilities, the whirlwind of emotions that accompany parenthood often still catch them off guard. This is where therapy can be particularly helpful in adjusting to your new role.
Practical Techniques to Help You Handle Criticism
It is very common for people to have strong emotional reactions to perceived criticism. This is because criticism often triggers an underlying negative narrative or belief we hold about ourselves, which can provoke the experience of shame. When we receive criticism that touches on a negative belief we have about ourselves or something that we hold shame around, it can feel like that feedback is proving that there is something inherently wrong with us as a person, instead of serving as a piece of feedback about our performance.
The Relationship Between Alcohol and Anxiety
Many of us who tend to feel anxious in social situations, otherwise known as social anxiety, may lean on alcohol to help manage those feelings of anxiety when we do socialize. A few drinks can make us feel carefree and confident and this can make alcohol feel important to our enjoyment of socializing. However, the relationship between anxiety and alcohol might be more counterintuitive than it seems.
NYC as Exposure Therapy for Social Anxiety
One of the most frequent reasons people seek out therapy is to address their anxiety. Anxiety can be a debilitating condition in which it feels like your anxiety runs your life. Symptoms of anxiety include racing negative thoughts, a tightening of the chest, rapid heartbeat, difficulty staying present, lightheadedness, queasiness or stomach pain, and restlessness. One of the more common forms of anxiety is social anxiety, which is when someone has outsized, persistent fears about being exposed to possible scrutiny.
Can I really talk about _____ in therapy??
In the realm of polite society, there are topics that we’re often advised to steer clear of - the kinds of conversations that make us squirm in our seats. But the truth about therapy is it’s not polite company; it’s a space designed for you to delve into every nook and cranny of your life, even those that feel awkward or uneasy to discuss. So if you’ve ever wondered, “Can I talk about __ in therapy?”, the answer is a resounding yes.
Unseen Struggles: Shedding Light on Postpartum PTSD
Embarking on the journey of pregnancy and childbirth is often envisioned and portrayed as a joyous and exhilarating time. However, for some birthing individuals, the postpartum period can bring unexpected challenges that go beyond the more commonly discussed topics of postpartum depression and anxiety.
I’m Queer. Should I see a Queer therapist?
Unfortunately, there are stories abound of Queer people seeking therapy, only to be met with disaffirming care, a lack of relevant knowledge, or even bigotry. These can be traumatizing experiences that discourage people from seeking further help. As a Queer person, it may seem like the only option is to find a Queer therapist, but not every therapist discloses their identities in introductory information. While finding a Queer therapist might be one avenue to feel valued and understood, I’m here to tell you that it’s not the only option and may not even be the best option for you.
A Case For Going to Therapy When You Have “Nothing” to Talk About
Have you ever found yourself rushing into your therapist's office, flustered and unprepared, only to draw a complete blank when you're finally seated? It happens to the best of us. But guess what? Those unscripted moments in therapy, when you're not sure what to talk about, can be incredibly valuable.
How to Find a Good Therapist as a Person of Color
Therapy should be a safe space where you feel understood and respected by your therapist. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, particularly for U.S. racial and ethnic minority clients. Like so many fields, psychology has been slow to decolonize and not all therapists are culturally sensitive. This can be frustrating at the least, and at the worst, traumatizing or re-traumatizing for clients who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Here are a few tips to help prospective BIPOC clients find culturally-informed and effective treatment:
Perinatal Depression in Fathers
While perinatal depression in women during pregnancy and the postpartum period has become more widely acknowledged, it is less commonly recognized those who identify as men. Recent research has indicated that, in fact, 4 to 25% of fathers globally experience postpartum depression (PPD). Fathers are at highest risk for developing perinatal depression during the first trimester of pregnancy. Rates for postpartum depression in fathers are highest at 3-6 months after birth, typically due to factors such as a 4-month sleep regression or the return to work of the birthing parent, but can continue until one year postpartum which may contribute to under recognition of paternal PPD.
Ready to find your therapist?
Start with a brief conversation with one of our directors, senior psychologists who personally guide every match. We’ll take the time to understand what matters most to you and connect you with the therapist who is the best fit for your needs.