Help, I Think I’m a Hypochondriac! Who Can Help Me?
Are you always worried that you’re on the verge of getting sick? Every little ache, pain, and weird-looking spot sends you running to your laptop, where you sit and search for what your symptoms might mean. Before you know it, hours have passed, and you’ve got yourself convinced that you’re developing a chronic illness and […] Read more
3 Communication Skills That May Improve Your Relationship
Do you wonder how to improve your relationship, make your relationship last forever, and get past the common roadblocks? Ask any old married couple, and they’ll all give you the same piece of advice: communication is the answer! Honest communication is the key to a healthy, happy relationship. Holding your feelings back, biting your tongue […] Read more
How to Use Mindfulness to Help Alleviate Anxiety
When we ruminate on past mistakes or stay up late worrying about the future, anxiety results. Often, the root of our anxiety is our inability to practice mindfulness. What is mindfulness, you’re wondering? It’s a focus on the present moment, acknowledging your thoughts and feelings without judging them. And many people have found that mindfulness helps […] Read more
How Much Is Too Much? – Anxiety and Stress in the Workplace
Some level of anxiety and stress in the workplace is normal. We all get a little bit nervous before a performance review. We feel stressed when we have to work longer hours than usual. Sometimes, a customer will ask you a question that you can’t quite answer. Perhaps a coworker will need help with something […] Read more
Parents: Dealing with Tantrums and Meltdowns? – How to Know It’s Time to Get Help
As any parent knows, tantrums and meltdowns are just an unfortunate part of life when you have young children. Even the most well-behaved children can’t help but throw a tantrum every once in a while. It’s considered to be a completely normal aspect of child development. Although every parent deals with the occasional tantrums and […] Read more
Do Panic Attacks Keep You Homebound? – Here’s What to Do
A panic attack isn’t just an overwhelming feeling of fear or dread. It can involve debilitating physical symptoms, and the experience can be so frightening that a sufferer might assume they’re having a heart attack. A panic attack can occur out of the blue and then never happen again. But some people struggle with panic […] Read more
How to Overcome Insecurities [When You Have So Many]
No one is a stranger to insecurity. Perhaps you’ve felt insecure about your looks, your intelligence, certain skills you wish you were better at, or the direction your life is going. Yes, everyone feels insecure from time to time, including the most outgoing amongst us. But some of us tend to struggle with worries more […] Read more
How to Feel Less Frustrated with Your Partner
Have you been going through a rough patch with your partner lately, but you’re determined to work it out and stick together? Sometimes, we become frustrated with our partners over little things. Deep down, we might know that it would be easier to take a deep breath and let the problem go—but we still take […] Read more
Find the Right Therapist – How to Make Your Choice
It may have taken months or even years to take this step forward. But you’ve finally decided that you want to tackle your mental health struggles head on and work with a therapist. Now, you’re seeing that booking your first session isn’t really that simple. There are so many therapists specializing in different areas and […] Read more
Reclaim Your Family’s Calm When There’s Too Much Conflict in the House
No family is picture perfect. Everyone deals with conflict in the house sometimes, and it is frustrating for all parties involved. After all, we always want to feel like home is a place where we can be ourselves and feel at ease. But if you’re immediately greeted by tension and arguing when you walk in […] Read more
3 Reasons to Try Family Therapy Today
Naturally, a family may be bound by genetics. Yet, when you have several people with very different personalities living together under one roof, it isn’t surprising when problems arise. All kinds of events can put stress on a family—a big move, changes in their community, losing a loved one, or a family member going through […] Read more
5 Benefits of Couples Counseling
Even the most loving couples can struggle with communication, compromise, and figuring out the next steps in their relationship. Couples counseling can be effective whether you’re going through a rough patch or entering a transitionary period in your relationship such as engagement or pregnancy. If you’re preparing for the future or dealing with a pressing […] Read more
How to Identify Depression Symptoms in Children
Depression symptoms in children can be difficult to spot. In fact, many people are unaware that children can have depression or other mental health conditions. Furthermore, children who are struggling with depression may not experience the same symptoms as adults. Even similar symptoms can manifest differently in children. A child could become depressed for a […] Read more
Binge Eating Disorder Symptoms: How to Spot Them
Binge eating disorder symptoms can be hard to spot. It may seem like someone suffering from binge eating disorder is actually dealing with anorexia, bulimia, or crash dieting. They may seem shy about eating in front of others, which can be a telltale sign of anorexia. But they might also be sneaking large amounts of […] Read more
Is Your Child Afraid of the Dark? – How to Help Them
Being afraid of the dark is a common fear for many children. It’s been said that nightlight manufacturers are not going to experience a decrease in sales anytime soon. In fact, many parents seek child counseling in San Diego and the surrounding areas simply to help their children face this fear. Most parents genuinely want […] Read more
3 Lifestyle Changes for Anxiety – How to Make Them Work for You
Treatment for anxiety in San Diego runs far and wide. Some options are cutting edge and innovative, combining new medications with talk therapy, for example. Other options involve making seemingly rudimentary lifestyle changes for anxiety. As you may have imagined, there is a treatment to fit every lifestyle. What may come as a surprise, however, […] Read more
Treatment for Depression: How CBT Can Help
Although depression is one of the most common mental health conditions—falling in line behind anxiety—many people are unsure of how to treat it. Or, if treatment for depression is even effective. After all, depression is well known for destroying careers, relationships, and lifestyles. In short, there can be many victims of this mental health condition. […] Read more
Dealing with Panic Attacks? – Here’s How to Tell and What Will Help
Despite panic attacks being the blunt of cartoons and TV sitcoms, these episodes are no laughing matter. In fact, people have reported feeling like they were dying while in the throes of a panic attack. Your outlook may not always be this bleak as these episodes can produce many different symptoms, but you may have […] Read more
Help for Hoarders – 5 Signs It’s Time to Treat the Problem
If you are seeking information about help for hoarders, then chances are that you already know that there’s a problem. However, it can be tough to know for sure whether or not it’s time to seek help. Hoarding behavior is progressive. In other words, it starts out small, and it adds up over time. When […] Read more
Individual vs. Group Therapy – Making Sense of the Pros and Cons
It can be tough to decide whether to go to individual vs. group therapy. On one hand, they have a lot of similarities. Therefore, you are likely to gain benefits from either experience. On the other hand, there are important differences between the two approaches to therapy. One might turn out to be what you […] Read more
How to Know What Kind of Therapy Your Child Needs
As a child psychologist in San Diego, parents frequently ask me questions about therapy for their children. One of the most common questions is, “what kind of therapy does my child need?” This is a very good question. Of course, the answer depends on a child’s unique needs. Each child is different. Therefore, they’ll each […] Read more
Does Your Child Need Therapy? How to Know It’s the Right Time
As a child therapist in San Diego, people frequently ask me how to know whether or not their child needs therapy. It’s not an easy question to answer. Every child is different. That said, if you have concerns as a parent then it’s wise to trust your gut. If you think that your child might […] Read more
How to Recognize Clinical Depression in Your Teen
Learning how to recognize clinical depression might save your teen’s life. Mental Health America reports that approximately one in five teens suffers from clinical depression. Moreover, it can lead to suicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college-aged youth. It is the third cause of death for adolescents. However, four out of […] Read more
Understanding Selective Mutism – What Is It And How Is It Treated?
Understanding selective mutism is no easy task. After all, there is no physical reason why the person can’t talk. In fact, you may see it as “they won’t” when in reality they can’t. Yes, physically they can speak, but emotionally there is a block. Nevertheless, it seems like they should be able to talk. As […] Read more
4 Signs of Separation Anxiety and How to Help Your Child
Sometimes parents find it challenging to recognize the signs of separation anxiety in children. After all, it’s perfectly normal for children to go through stages during which they don’t want to be apart from their parents. The primary phase like this is just before or after the child turns about one year of age. It […] Read more
Is Your Child Stressing About Grades? – Here’s How to Help
Stressing about grades is a normal experience for school-aged children. After all, children learn early on that it is important to get good grades in school. Furthermore, they may face pressure to excel at standardized tests and prepare to get into the right future schools. Although education is important, excessive stress about grades can be […] Read more
5 Healthy Ways to Talk About Body Image with Your Daughter
It isn’t easy to talk about body image. Almost all of us have faced body image challenges. We have struggled with our self-esteem in relation to how we perceive our own bodies. We have faced challenges in how body image is dealt with in our society. If we’re lucky, we’ve worked through those issues over […] Read more
Too Much Screen Time? – 4 Signs to Watch for in Your Child
Most children these days are inevitably getting too much screen time. There are so many different devices. They are around us all of the time. Parents can’t help but wonder how to handle this aspect of their child’s life. We as a society are becoming increasingly aware of the potential dangers of too much screen […] Read more
3 Mindfulness Tips to Help You Keep Calm During the Holidays
Sometimes, it can feel impossible to keep calm during the holidays. There are just so many sources of holiday stress. Plus, seasonal anxiety triggers a lot of people during this time of year. However, you don’t have to succumb to the stress. Mindfulness can help. Mindfulness simply means the practice of being in the present […] Read more
Having Trouble Sleeping at Night? – Try These 5 Tips
Are you having trouble sleeping at night? Insomnia plagues a large percentage of the population. There are many potential underlying causes. Ultimately, the best thing that you can do is to figure out the underlying cause and treat it. For example, if depression is causing you to have trouble sleeping at night, then treating the […] Read more
Are Your Disturbing Thoughts on Replay? Consider These Reasons
Disturbing thoughts are among the most frustrating symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Of course, all intrusive thoughts are frustrating. You don’t want to keep obsessing about anything at all. However, disturbing thoughts are even worse, because they feel so shameful. You don’t know why you’re thinking what you’re thinking. You wish that you weren’t. […] Read more
Struggling with a Phobia? Advice on How to Face Your Fears
If you are struggling with a phobia, then it is tempting to just avoid the thing that you fear. However, it is important to face your fears. Otherwise, the situation is only going to get worse. It seems counterintuitive to expose yourself to something that upsets you. That’s especially true if it’s something that seems […] Read more
5 Tips on How to Find the Right Group Therapy Type for You
There is more than one group therapy type. Some groups are based around specific ages. For example, children and teens have their own groups separate from adults. Often times groups come together because of similar issues. For example, a specific group might help people cope with anxiety, PTSD, addiction, or grief. Of course, there are […] Read more
Group Therapy for Children with Social Anxiety: What’s It Like?
Group therapy for social anxiety sounds a little bit counterintuitive, doesn’t it? After all, the last thing you want to do with social anxiety is to participate in a group. However, group therapy can be the best treatment for dealing with social anxiety. Children and teens with social anxiety often feel like they are alone. […] Read more
How to Tell If Your Child Has Social Anxiety
Are you wondering if your child has social anxiety? It is really hard as a parent to know exactly what is going on with your child. You know when something is a little “off,” but you can’t always tell what the problem is. Furthermore, it’s hard to know when something is just a phase that […] Read more
OCD Therapy: What Is Exposure and Response Prevention?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) that has the most international research supporting its effectiveness. It is a specific type of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). CBT teaches people to recognize unhealthy patterns of thinking. That’s the “cognitive” part. The second part is the “behavior” part. CBT works to […] Read more
3 Reasons to Try Group Therapy for Your Child with OCD
You have a child with OCD. It feels like you have tried everything. Nevertheless, your child needs more support. Have you thought about trying group therapy? Some children may be hesitant about trying group therapy. However, research shows that there are immeasurable benefits. Of course, you can’t encourage your child to try group OCD therapy […] Read more
OCD in Children: How to Understand and Identify It
It isn’t always easy for parents to recognize OCD in children. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. With this condition, a child will experience obsessions manifesting as fears or preoccupations. Additionally, some children will engage in compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors. In some cases, the fears and behaviors may be very obvious. […] Read more
Finding Balance: 3 Steps to Overcoming Perfectionism
Overcoming perfectionism requires balance. Striving for excellence, seeking to improve—your skill at public speaking, your stamina in sports competition, your knowledge of a foreign language—is healthy when you are happy with yourself and want to be even better. Perfectionism, however, comes from feeling that you’re never good enough. A perfectionist’s striving is unrealistic. It’s an […] Read more
5 Compelling Reasons to Try Group Psychotherapy
Because we’re human, we are familiar with being members of a group—family, school, work, and social groups. It follows that groups are realistic settings for solving real-life problems. And that includes groups in the therapy setting. In group therapy, one or two professional therapists help several people with similar problems—such as anxiety, addiction or illness—work […] Read more
Group Therapy for Social Anxiety: Why It Works
Social anxiety disorder is not as unusual as you may think. About 12% of Americans have social anxiety at some point in their lives. Extreme fear of social interaction can lead people to avoid social situations, even if it means losing a job or contact with family and friends. And, like many mental disorders, it’s […] Read more
Building a Positive Family Environment – 5 Practical Steps
Family of three on beach vacation over sunset[/caption] Children’s lives center on their families. That’s where they learn how to be individuals and how to fit into society. To succeed, kids need a positive family environment. How is it possible to build that environment in the rush of modern life? Parents have careers, kids have […] Read more
The Secret of Long-Term Relationships? – Showing Love with Daily, Small Gestures
Small gestures make people feel loved. In fact, they can do more to make your relationship last than over-the-top romantic gestures. Researchers at the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State asked 495 American adults about whether they would feel loved in 60 different scenarios. Results showed that loving actions are the best […] Read more
Relationship Communication: How to Give Negative Feedback to Your Partner
Most people don’t like being told what they’ve done wrong. Even if we try to keep an open mind, negative feedback can lead to counter-criticism and argument that ruins relationship communication. In fact, often, poor communication between couples leads to blaming, fights, and damage to the relationship. It’s difficult to tell your partner that you’re […] Read more
Can Therapy Change Your Personality?
Enduring Changes in Personality May Happen Quicker Than You Think
Most people seeking therapy are struggling with a problem (or multiple problems) that they want to overcome. They rarely come to therapy stating, “I want to change my personality.” They want to keep the essence of who they are, but make the tweaks needed to achieve something they haven’t been able to achieve on their […] Read more