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Written by: JEAN PIERRE BRAVO, AMFT Art Therapy is a mental health field that improves the lives of individuals, couples, families, and communities. Art Therapy is facilitated by a professional Art Therapist who uses psychological theories to improve cognition and sensorimotor functions, foster self esteem, raise awareness, cultivate resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce conflicts and distress, and promote societal and ecological change. Art in therapy engages the mind, body, and spir[...]

Written By: Raquel Martinez, MSW We live in a society in which perfection is what is deemed ideal. The standards are high, and we seem to forget that no one is perfect. We have unrealistic expectations of ourselves and when unmet, we internalize the ‘failure’ and move further away from self-acceptance. When it comes to focusing on our mental health, we must first work on accepting ourselves. The thing about mental illness is that people want you to behave as if you do not have one. Therefore, you live[...]

Written by: CLARICE STOUT, MA Exercise has so many benefits other than the physical parts of it and making your body healthy. There is much research on how even just moderate exercise can really help with symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD, and traumas. All in all, with some form of exercise it is known to help with mental health by boosting your mood, creating a better sleep pattern, and boosts self-esteem and thinking. According to Mikkelsen et al., (2017), they reprot that being in tune with your bo[...]

Written by: Leya Worcester, MSW, LCSW   Anger is an emotion word that conjures up distaste. You may be thinking, “I’m not an angry person.” Or, if you are less skilled at managing anger, you may be thinking, “I act like the Incredible Hulk when I’m angry.” What’s interesting about these polar opposite reactions is that in both cases, both individuals feel anger. We can’t avoid it. Anger is an emotion we all feel, and we all feel anger for a reason (Lerner, 1985). The problem with[...]

Written: BRENDA LIRA MIRANDA, MSW There is a lot of information and discussion around exercise as a way to lose weight, enhance body aesthetics, and/or for medical health benefits. However, there is little awareness or information that focuses on the connection between mental health and exercise. In my personal and professional experience, physical exercise improves mental health, medical health, and quality of life.  It is very common for individuals who are experiencing mental health illness suc[...]

Written by: Annalise Wintz It’s easy to think of therapists as all-knowing and even at times, perfect. It’s also easy to forget that therapists are in fact human, too. Therapists struggle the same way that everyone else does. It is likely your therapist has experienced and/or overcome trauma before. It is likely your therapist has experienced grief and loss before. It is likely there are days when your therapist doesn’t have the energy to work. It is likely your therapist gets triggered from hearing[...]

Written by: DR. JESSICA VARTANYAN, PSYD, LMFT What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)? If you have been in search of a therapist, you probably have come across the acronym before, but what exactly is this therapeutic modality? Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence based practice, meaning it has substantial scientific evidence as a clinically effective approach in treating common diagnoses such as anxiety and depression. The basic tenet of CBT is that our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors ar[...]

Written by: Raquel Martinez, MSW Nervous about your first therapy session? Unsure of what to expect? Do not know what to share? Wondering if it will be awkward to open up – especially via telehealth? All those feelings are completely normal and valid! The truth to the matter is that you will be meeting with a stranger and will talk about things that perhaps you have never shared with anyone else before. It is not easy and no one fully prepares you for the first session.  Know that the feelings y[...]