The quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives. In fact, humans need quality, connected relationships to be healthy and have prolonged lives…Communication is only one of many important relationship skills, not THE most important relationship skill. I want to outline a number of other vital, relationship skills that often get overlooked when we’re primarily thinking that the key to successful relationships is communication. Read on for seven additional relationship skills to help you improve the quality of your relationships.

After a long day all I really want to do is listen to music. It is an unmatched, easily-accessible form of self care that helps me to both move towards and away from my feelings.

Sessions can be more affordable, but the level of savings is not proportional to the rate cut for providers. So when you pay for therapy, although you’re paying less, your money is going toward the company BetterHelp—its advertising, parent company investors, and overall profit, not toward paying your therapist. This will undoubtedly impact the therapeutic relationship, which is “at least as vital to a positive outcome as using the right treatment method” according to the American Psychological Association.

Welcome beginners to sex toys!! This blog is meant to be a non-judgmental and cozy invitation for you to begin to explore sex toys with a partner. I’ll go over ways to introduce toys, some things that are not specifically toys that can be helpful, and then a few recommendations at the end to get started!

Being with those who are grieving is one of the most powerless feelings…If you haven’t experienced loss yourself (or even if you have!), it can be hard to know how to support others who are grieving their own losses. Read on for tips on how to support a loved one who’s navigating loss.

Job loss can really mess with our sense of self. This blog will discuss why job loss is so impactful, how job loss connects back to identity, and approaches to help you re-engage with your emotional and relational self after losing a job. In our present American culture, our job is a standard place for measuring value and worth.

Similar to the Sunday Scaries, the Sunday Angries is a series of judgmental thoughts and perfectionism around having wasted time. Read this blog from a therapist about combating perfectionism with a practice of beginning again.

Loss is extraordinarily painful and real. There is no pain quite like that of losing someone you love. It’s a pain you cannot know until you do, and then you can’t un-know it, no matter how badly you might want to. In western culture, the depth of pain one feels in loss is also uncomfortable and unwelcome—people just don’t want to think about it. It’s unyielding weight is very quickly considered impolite, and our cultural push toward collective denial can be so painful for those in the midst of a loss who can no longer deny its existence.

Did you know that: Having frequent interactions with dogs (not even just our own, so don’t worry if you don’t have a dog) has, in a number of studies, been found to be significantly associated with positive psychological outcomes across the lifespan? Read on for more info about why dogs are great for promoting mental health!

Amanda, our care coordinator, is back with 5 things they wish their therapist knew - Lunar New Year Edition! Finding a culturally competent therapist is important. These are just a couple of thoughts to consider if you are Asian and / or in the world of therapy.