Our Latest Blogs

Do I Need a Life Coach? How to Determine If It’s Time to Seek Help

In life, often you find mentors to guide you towards the right path and to help train you for what’s needed to get to the final destination. We start with our parents to help us out, and then we have our siblings to help us navigate our social lives. A life coach can also help […]

Why Summer Camp is Good for Kids with ADHD

Each year, millions of children eagerly look forward to summer camp, where they can play freely, make friends, and be themselves.  Parents of children with ADHD want the same opportunity for their children, but may worry about them fitting in and finding success.  They may also feel their child needs to spend the summer focused […]

Doctor, Heal Thyself: Training to Be a Counselor When You Have Mental Health Issues

When you are living with mental illness, such as depression and anxiety, the idea of becoming a counselor might seem counterproductive. How can you possibly help others with their issues when you’re battling your own demons? The fact is, though, that a significant number of mental health professionals are drawn to the field because of […]

Concussions in Teen Sports: Why they Happen, What to Look for, and What to Do for Positive Mental Health

Concussions occur when the brain hits the inside surface of the skull. This sudden impact makes the brain “dance” inside the skull and, in so doing, nerves and/or tiny blood vessels may get damaged. About 90% of concussions do not lead to loss of consciousness and MRIs or CAT Scans taken after the impact will […]

Creativity and Recovery: The Mental Health Benefits of Art Therapy

man doing art therapy

Art – no matter whether you choose to create it yourself or simply observe and enjoy it – is a relaxing and inspiring activity for many people. However, the particular benefits of artistic expression go much further than relaxation and enjoyment. Studies suggest that art therapy can be very valuable in treating issues such as […]

Three Evidenced-Based Treatments for Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health disorders in the world. But despite the number of people (both children and adults) who experience these disorders, the majority of cases still go untreated. While anxiety disorders are quite common, we should not overlook the adverse effects they have on many people’s lives. In children, anxiety […]

What You Need to Know About Anxiety Medication: Pros and Cons

Anxiety is a broad term used to describe a naturally occurring phenomenon in the human body.  Stress, worry, and anxiety are all natural reactions to the problems of life. And while a healthy amount of anxiety can be helpful motivation, for some, it can be a recurring hindrance to productivity rooted in a biological condition […]

Online Therapy for Your ED (Eating Disorder) Toolbox

There are many environmental factors and personality traits that combine to create risks for an eating disorder. Eating disorders (EDs) occur during early adolescence through late adulthood. According to the ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Related Disorders), EDs are a growing national concern, as more than 30 million people in the US are […]

Recommended Treatments for Panic Attacks and Depression

Panic Attacks It is estimated that at least 18% of the US population suffer from panic attacks. Panic attacks are different from other anxiety disorders due to their relatively short and sudden nature. Panic attacks affect people differently, although they can still be treated effectively with a variety of methods as described below. Cognitive Behavioral […]

How to Find the Right Therapist for You

Finding the right therapist can be an intimidating task. You may be wondering where to begin, where to look, or what to look for. You may fear that you won’t know who is or isn’t a good fit for you and your particular needs. I’ve been there; I have had to navigate this process both […]

College Students with Mental Health Challenges Now Have Options to Help Them Stay in School

The first big learning for me when I began my career in mental health more than thirty years ago was how many lives had been derailed by mental illness and how unnecessary that seemed to be.  I decided to specialize in the rehabilitation and recovery side of mental health because I believed that people with […]

6 Reasons to Contact a Resource Specialist for Free Mental Health Help: Part 1 – Getting the Right Diagnosis

woman in therapy

Are you concerned that you or someone you care about has an untreated mental health problem that needs attention? Or perhaps you are worried that the treatment provided isn’t helping. Effective treatment and the path to recovery begin with a careful assessment of the problem. That’s why an accurate diagnosis is so important. There are […]

Evaluating Outcomes: 5 Signs Cognitive Therapy is Working for Someone with Schizophrenia or Other Mental Illness

happy-in-therapy

When someone has a serious mental health disorder such as schizophrenia we always seem to know when things aren’t going well. It can be much harder to tell when things are going right. This final installment in our series on cognitive therapy looks at the results of treatment and how to know whether it is working. […]

Cognitive Therapy for Treatment of Psychosis: Choosing the Right Provider

teen-in-therapy

  Often when young people and their families visit Laurel House, the top question on their minds is how a “psychiatric rehabilitation” program like ours can help people with serious mental illness have a better life. The concept of mental health rehabilitation can be hard to understand at first. But people usually get it when […]

7 Signs You or a Loved One Can Benefit from Cognitive Therapy

men in therapy

In my first article in this series on cognitive therapy, I explained Why Cognitive Therapy Works for People with Schizophrenia and Other Serious Mental Illnesses. In Part 2 of the series, I give some examples of problems cognitive therapy can help with and who can benefit. Key Points from last week’s post on Why It […]

Why Cognitive Therapy Works for People with Schizophrenia and Other Serious Mental Illnesses

female-student-struggles-to study

Part One in a four-part series on the benefits of cognitive therapy for people who experience psychosis. Forty years ago, there were two basic treatments for schizophrenia: medication and long-term hospitalization. Traditional psychotherapy was not usually offered because it did not help people with the most obvious and disturbing symptoms of psychosis: paranoia, delusions, and […]

Competence: The Most Important Quality in a Mental Health Provider

BIPOC support group

In a recent op-ed piece in the New York Times, Johns Hopkins professor of psychiatry Kay Redfield Jamison cited “competence” as the single most important factor in treating bipolar disorder, a condition which she lives with. Jamison, a clinical psychologist, is the recipient of multiple international awards and the author of the books An Unquiet […]

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