Is DBT Effective in Treating Eating Disorders?

Therapy session for eating disorder

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is utilized to help individuals identify, understand, and manage difficult emotions. The major areas of focus in DBT include mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. The purpose of DBT is to help people become more mindful and present with their emotions, manage difficult or even painful emotions, regulate how…

What is Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)?

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy

Do you have a strong-willed child who struggles to listen and follow directions? Do you feel like you have to repeat yourself over and over until you yell to get your child to do what you’ve asked? Does your child often exhibit tantrum behavior, including yelling and screaming? If so, you may be interested in…

What is Agoraphobia?

agoraphobia staring out window

Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder marked by the avoidance of locations or circumstances that can potentially bring about panic. Individuals experience intense fear about being confined, powerless, or uncomfortable in actual or projected situations. Agoraphobics fear that they will be unable to escape, which causes anxiety to intensify. Most people with agoraphobia develop the condition after experiencing…

Exposure Therapy: What Is It? How Does It Work?

man sitting on couch

When dealing with anxiety and trauma, people tend to avoid whatever it is that is causing them to feel pain or worry. For example, a soldier might avoid anything that reminds him of war. Someone with arachnophobia will avoid spiders. Although it is a natural response, it is that avoidance that causes symptoms to continue, and…

Overcoming the Monday Blues

Sad man sitting in front of computer at work

The sad or anxious feelings many people experience as the weekend comes to a close are related to the dread they feel on Monday morning when you wake up for another work week. Everyone has likely experienced that emotion at some point. Even those that enjoy their jobs sometimes find themselves dragging their feet into…

What Is Atypical Depression?

sad woman sitting alone on a pier

The manner in which people experience depression can vary drastically between different individuals. There are several different types of depression, one of the most common forms being atypical depression, known clinically as major depressive disorder (MDD) with atypical features. Those with atypical depression are able to experience a reprieve from depressive symptoms when encountering a…

What is Emotional Blackmail?

Emotional Blackmail

Emotional blackmail is a relationship dynamic that involves a person instilling fear, obligation, and guilt into a relationship with another person.[1] As author and psychotherapist Susan Forward explains, people in intimate relationships will use such manipulation tactics as a form of punishment for their partners not doing what they want them to do.[2] While those in…

Tokophobia: Understanding the Fear of Pregnancy

pregnant woman

Most women experience anxiety and fear about pregnancy and childbirth. It’s obviously understandable considering that the process is accompanied by significant pain and discomfort. However, when the fear becomes so severe that it becomes an obsessive dread that interferes with one’s daily functioning, it can be classified as a mental health condition.[1] This condition is…

Online Anger Management: Your Options Explained

anger management

Everyone gets angry. It’s a natural emotion. But it’s what you do with that anger that matters. Managing your anger can sometimes feel like an insurmountable challenge. Luckily, if you have difficulty managing your anger, there are numerous resources, both free and paid, that are available to help you, many of them being just a…

The Truth About Functional Fixedness

woman using scissors for art project

Functional fixedness refers to a type of cognitive bias that limits a person’s ability to see more than one use for an object. It’s a systematic error that can affect a person’s judgment or their ability to make a decision. When you notice that someone is unable to see any other use for a specific…

How to Stay Optimistic When You Feel Like a Failure

tired man working at computer

Have you tried incredibly hard at something, yet nothing seems to come of it? It’s a terrible feeling. That’s because trying your hardest means you care, and when you care about a goal or endeavor and don’t succeed, you end up feeling hurt and defeated. So when you commit all our energies to something that…

What Is Milieu Therapy and How Does It Work?

therapy group in milieu therapy setting

Today, the term milieu therapy refers to a protected treatment program environment, often in a short or long-term residential setting. Essentially, it’s a form of psychotherapy with a focus on using the setting and staff as part of the healing process. This therapy may be used as either one specific approach or as part of…

Is Online Therapy Covered by Insurance?

online therapy covered by insurance

The world is becoming increasingly reliant on digital solutions to replace traditional, “real world” alternatives, and mental health services are no different. As more clients turn to teletherapy solutions in place of in-person counseling, insurance companies are left with no alternative other adjusting to this trend. Some platforms are already accepting insurance, while others are…