Online Therapy and Counseling Services Blog | Lancaster, PA

Tips for Combating Back-to-School Anxiety

Published on: August 1, 2021

With the start of the school year just a few weeks away you and/or your child may be feeling some back-to-school anxiety. This upcoming school year will again be different than past years bringing a whole flood of emotions. Not to mention, for those who spent all of last year at home learning, the transition back might be a bit challenging. The underlying emotion of anxiety is uncertainty. And, boy have we had a lot of that these past many months. It is hard to know what things will look like come New Year’s or next Spring. What we do… Continue Reading This Article

How to Live a Simpler Life in Pennsylvania

Published on: July 13, 2021

Burnout has become a way of life in our society. We are constantly feeling stressed, bogged down, and overwhelmed. We are forgetful, plagued with anxiety over all the things, and struggling to be happy. What if you could live a simpler life in Pennsylvania? Changing your life to be more simple can have several health benefits — reduced anxiety, slower aging, and stronger immunity (the less stressed we are the better our immune systems are). But, it can be difficult to get off the “hamster wheel,” as some would say, and get on with an easier existence. Here are some tips… Continue Reading This Article

Why Decluttering is Good for Your Mental Health

Published on: July 1, 2021

Have you ever looked at a space in your home and instantly felt anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed? Have you ever cleaned a room and felt relieved, calm, and more focused? This is the difference between a cluttered, messy space and an organized, cleaned space. Decluttering can have major benefits for your mental health. When things are out of our control in our lives, often we feel anxious and overwhelmed. Cleaning and decluttering a space is a way of putting you back in control. It can be extremely cathartic and helpful for your mental wellbeing. Some of the benefits of decluttering… Continue Reading This Article

Why Boredom is Good for Mental Health

Published on: June 14, 2021

We hear it often from our kids — “I’m so bored.” As parents, you might dread those words, “you have so much you can do, why are you bored?” As adults, you might welcome boredom or you might dread it. Generally, boredom is viewed as an unpleasant emotional state, characterized by feelings of restlessness, dissatisfaction, and mental fatigue. We often have a strong desire to escape boredom, to find anything to occupy our mind. There is a tendency to run to outside stimulation — such as watching tv or playing video games when bored. Despite having the desire to run… Continue Reading This Article

Tips for Combating Post-Pandemic Anxiety

Published on: June 1, 2021

As Pennsylvania, and the world, begins to re-open after over a year of being shut down it is an exciting, yet nerve-wracking time. It is no wonder that many of us are struggling with anxiety, grief, and uncertainty as things change—yet again. We have all just been through a traumatic event—the world as we knew it dramatically changed. Post-pandemic anxiety is very real. If you are nervous about returning to work after working from home, waking up earlier to face long commuting times into Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, or your Pennsylvania city, or attending obligatory social events like birthdays and weddings,… Continue Reading This Article

Mental Health Tips for Teachers in Pennsylvania

Published on: May 17, 2021

What a year it has been for teachers—an occupation held primarily by women— in Pennsylvania and around the world. Teachers have been forced to be more flexible and creative than ever before, not to mention all the complications that come from teaching from home while also parenting. Teachers feel overwhelmed, worried about their student’s wellbeing, and helpless as they face a desire to teach while also wanting to be safe. Stress levels have been at an all-time high, with a Los Angeles Times article reporting teachers experiencing symptoms of secondary trauma. Teacher burnout is becoming more common with anxiety and… Continue Reading This Article

How Counselors Keep Their Mental Health in Check

Published on: May 3, 2021

Mental health professionals have bad days too. We have days where we feel like a rollercoaster of emotions. We often feel overwhelmed and struggle to “catch our breath.” We face emotional challenges just like the rest of the world. After all, we are human, and things happen. This past year the need to focus on mental health has been more apparent than ever. Life threw us all quite a curveball, forcing us to change our lives in big ways—whether we wanted to or not. Even the most stable person had times of struggle during the Covid-19 pandemic. As we enter… Continue Reading This Article

Mom, You Don’t Need to Be a Superhero

Published on: April 20, 2021

Mom, you are killing yourself trying to be everything to everyone. You feel like you have to be the master of all your roles. Oh, the roles. There are so many of them: cook, chauffeur, nurse, teacher, authoritarian, maid, personal shopper, talent manager, dream catcher, cruise director, and on and on and on. Well, I am here to tell you otherwise. You don’t need to be the master of all your roles. You don’t need to be a superhero. In fact, being Supermom is impossible. There is no such thing and trying to be one is only going to hurt… Continue Reading This Article

The Many Benefits of Taking a Walk in Pennsylvania

Published on: April 5, 2021

Have you ever noticed how you feel after you take a walk? If you were stressed before you started moving, chances are you felt much better after. With National Walking Day coming up on April 7 and having just passed the start of Spring here in Pennsylvania, I thought it would be a great time to talk about the benefits of taking a walk. Most of us know the typical reasons to take a walk— like reducing weight and improving heart health— but the act of walking can do so much more for our lives. It calms the brain. Simply… Continue Reading This Article

How Anxiety Isolates Your Teen in PA

Published on: March 16, 2021

Anxiety can cause your teen to feel a lot of things — excessive worry, agitated, restless, fatigued, unable to concentrate, irritability, unable to sleep, fearful, and isolated. Anxious teens often feel lonely and alone. They fear what they are going through is unique to them—no one else is suffering through the same thing. We know this isn’t true (about 1 in 3 teens struggle with anxiety) but to them, they are the only one in their circle of friends or at their school that is up all night worrying. Anxiety in and of itself causes the sufferer to want to… Continue Reading This Article