Terri A. Ammirati, LCPC Couples & Marriage Therapy. Prospective clients, as well as friends and family, often ask me if a little rough patch in their relationship requires professional help or if they can and should work out their problems on their own. I usually ask them this: Do you ignore small fires in your …
By Terri A. Ammirati, LCPC. Does love really cure all? Over the past 50 years, social epidemiologists have proven that loving relationships, whether romantic or friendly, contribute to a longer and healthier life. But, it takes hard work for love to stay strong and unleash its potential. It’s almost unfair the way negative emotions can …
Constant, harsh criticism from parents can have lingering adverse effects on children long after they’ve reached adulthood. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology found that children who grew up with highly critical mothers had impaired brain activity in response to rewards and losses. Children who experience regular parental criticism may feel …
Having a low mood or feeling on edge from time to time is perfectly normal, but if these feelings persist, they could be signs of depression or anxiety. Depression affects millions of people worldwide. It can manifest in different ways and impact individuals of all genders, ages, and backgrounds. Despite being a common issue, many …
Signs You’re Ignoring The Fact That You’re Depressed Read More »
Grief affects all of us at some point in our lives and impacts us all differently. It’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed, angry and frustrated, or even relieved after a loved one’s death or other significant loss. You may even experience a mix of wild emotions at different times. The origin of your grief can …
Therapy can be a helpful tool for individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma, or who simply want to improve their well-being and relationships. With so many different types of therapy available, it can be difficult to figure out which approach is right for you. Let’s dig into the differences between two therapeutic models, …
Individual Therapy vs Group Therapy: Which is Right for You? Read More »
What do you do when you find out your children are engaged in substance abuse, engage in unprotected sex, or deliberately harm themselves? If your children are in need, you feel helpless, lost, or frustrated because everything you’ve tried so far just hasn’t worked. You feel as though you’re not a good parent. These feelings …
Help with Harm Reduction for Substance Use and Self-harm Read More »
To Treat Adolescent Substance Abuse Here’s why… In high school, I closed myself off from the world. I felt so isolated and alone. I rarely wanted to go out with friends. To drown out the hurt I played sports but didn’t interact much with others on the team…I just wanted to be ALONE. With my …
To Treat Depression Anxiety and Negative Self Image For Adolescent Children And Families When I was younger I had a difficult relationship with my family. I suffered from depression and anxiety. And the depression symptoms manifested themselves in stubbornness, loneliness, and sadness…I was scared. My parents sent me to therapy to get depression and anxiety …
“Empathy not only matters; it is the foundation of effective parenting.”John Gottman How our children react to us in times of frustration, joy, sadness and anger depends on whether we have developed a relationship of mutual respect and empathy. Empathy refers to our ability to recognize and share someone else’s emotional state. I often describe …
Therapy came into my life at an early age. One of my family members struggled with mental health when I was a child and I participated in family counseling sessions and group therapy that was extended as part of my family member’s treatment plan. Although it was difficult emotionally to cope with some of my …
Deconstructing the language to work with trauma is the first step in understanding this critical situation. Also, removing adjectives from people is vital because they could do more damage. “Individuals are not traumatized; they deal with trauma.” Language Using the appropriate language creates a space of respect and dignity. It holds the individual’s wisdom to …
