Notes from our practice
Reflections from our psychologists on evaluation, development and the therapeutic process.
Do Shorter Days Actually Lead to Depression?
Winter means shorter days, less sunshine, and colder weather. It’s important to understand the connection between daylight and mental health to help combat season depression (SAD).
Helping Others: How Altruism Transforms Your Life
Sometimes, the best way to get out of our own heads is to focus on someone else. It's not just a distraction; it's a mindset shift. Helping others doesn’t just benefit the recipient—it profoundly impacts the helper.
Setting Realistic Intentions for the New Year
The new year offers an opportunity to recalibrate and set new intentions. What’s more—it offers a chance to reframe and build on previous resolutions.
Navigating Tricky Relationships During the Holidays
The holiday season can be a time of joy, togetherness, and celebration, but for many, it’s also a time when complicated relationships come to the forefront.
The Impact of Journaling on Therapy
Journaling helps to process emotions and motives. When combined with regular therapy sessions—it becomes a transformative tool that helps individuals process thoughts, recognize patterns, and strengthen the therapeutic process.
The Benefits of Creating SMART Goals and How to Start
Setting goals is a crucial part of personal and professional growth. Sometimes, it’s not quite enough to simply have goals. To truly set yourself up for success, your goals need structure, which is where the system of SMART goals come in.
Reducing Friction to Improve Your Good Habits
Creating and sticking to good habits can be challenging, but one key strategy to make it easier is to reduce friction—the small obstacles and inconveniences that prevent us from following through on our intentions.
The Importance of Celebrating Your Wins
Whether it's completing a challenging project at work, reaching a personal milestone, or simply making it through a tough day, celebrating wins is an essential practice that fuels motivation, boosts self-esteem, and enhances overall well-being.
What is EMDR Therapy and how does it help?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a specialized psychotherapy approach designed to help individuals process and heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (such as side-to-side eye movements) to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories, reducing their emotional intensity.
Helping Teens Build Better Boundaries with Technology
Teens today are growing up in a digital age, where technology is woven into every aspect of their lives. While technology offers numerous benefits, it also presents significant obstacles that can hinder the development of healthy habits.
Grief Counseling and Therapy for Teens in Orange County
Grief is a profound and complex emotion that can be particularly challenging for teens. The loss of a loved one, whether due to death, divorce, or other significant changes, can leave teens feeling overwhelmed and isolated.
A Guide to ADHD Therapy and Testing in Orange County
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that affects people of all ages. It's characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which can interfere with functioning or development.
Helping Teens Build Healthier Habits
Adolescence is a critical period for developing habits that will last a lifetime. Helping teens build healthier habits can significantly impact their mental and physical well-being.
What is the Best Way to Help a Depressed Teenager?
The most common signs of depression in teens include a marked increase in irritability, sadness, isolation, negative attitude, self-criticism, difficulty concentrating, low energy, low motivation and changes in sleep and appetite.
The Benefits of Online Therapy in Orange County
While online therapy may have been the only means to mental health care during the pandemic, it will continue to be a crucial resource in navigating the post-covid world.