How Practicing Gratitude Can Help You Be Happier

grateful gratitude happiness joy

Published on: November 20, 2019

We know of Thanksgiving as the holiday of shoveling mounds of turkey, stuffing, and pie into our mouths but it is also about being thankful. Gratitude is a practice that can do wonders for your mood, your outlook on life and your overall happiness when embraced year-round. There is always something in your life to be thankful for, you just have to identify it.  Shifting Your Focus To Joy So much of the time we focus on the bad things going on. We fall into the realm of feeling like a victim even if the bad only took up a small… Continue Reading This Article

What Your Teen Needs Most

teen support

Published on: November 4, 2019

The adolescent years are difficult to navigate both for children and their parents. Hormone levels are running rampant, brains are changing, and your once precious child is now slamming doors, taking extreme risks, and crying uncontrollably at the dinner table.  A Tricky Time For All We have always known that the teenage years were tricky. It is a time when parents tend to let go a bit, let their teen figure things out, but also attempt to set boundaries and teach valuable life skills. New research from a variety of multiyear studies offers more information and understanding of the adolescent… Continue Reading This Article

Warding Off the Winter Blues

winter mood

Published on: October 22, 2019

Fall has officially arrived meaning winter is not too far behind, and you are beginning to get worried. Winter and you don’t get along. The cold, dreary, dark weather is a major blow to your mood. Getting out of bed is difficult. You just want to stay cuddled under that warm blanket. Leaving the house is the last thing you want to do, for good reason, who wants to deal with the cold air or the layers and layers of clothing? Keeping the Winter Blues Away Unfortunately, we live in an area where winter can come on with a vengeance… Continue Reading This Article

What is your teen’s smartphone doing to their mental health?

teen mental health smartphone

Published on: October 1, 2019

Smartphones weren’t a thing when I was a teenager. They didn’t exist yet. But, through the teen years I still dealt with the typical stuff—figuring out who I was compared to my friends, adjusting to hormones and body changes, and the dramas of my friends/boyfriends.  When I wanted to call my friends, I would use the house phone (where everyone could hear what I was saying). Social media wasn’t even created. When we left school, we actually left. The day’s drama, while still on our minds for a short while, was left at our lockers.  Nowadays almost every teen you… Continue Reading This Article

How can you help? Tips for parents of kids with depression/anxiety

kids with anxiety

Published on: September 16, 2019

Anxiety disorders affect one in eight children, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. As a parent of a child who is struggling with anxiety or depression, it can be difficult to know how to help your child. You may feel defeated or like you are doing a bad job of parenting, when in fact anxiety and depression are NOT a result of bad parenting. You may also struggle with maintaining calm or patience with your child as you might not understand why they are reacting in a certain way. First of all, as the parent, you need… Continue Reading This Article

You are an “empty nester”, so now what?

empty nest

Published on: September 3, 2019

This is it. You have just watched as your last child goes off to college. You have come home to a place that was once filled with the noises of your children and is now almost too quiet for comfort. You may be struggling with a vast array of emotions from excitement for your son or daughter to anxiety over their wellbeing, fear about their preparedness and safety, and sadness that yet another stage of life has passed. Transitioning is Hard Being an empty nester is hard. There is nothing that prepares you for the emotional rollercoaster of watching your… Continue Reading This Article

Mental Health Tips for Back to School

school image

Published on: August 12, 2019

Whether you are entering another year of high school, starting college for the first time, or returning to college for another year, the school year can be a great time to work on your mental health. Being in school is a challenging environment for anyone mentally and for those with underlying mental illness, it can be downright overwhelming.  Opportunity for Growth  Challenges and changes, while daunting, can be a great time for personal growth. Equipped with the right tips and tools you can succeed, and come out better for having experienced and overcome tough times. This is the opportunity to… Continue Reading This Article

Move Forward Welcomes LPC Stephanie Graybill

Stephanie Graybill

Published on: July 31, 2019

Move Forward Counseling, LLC is excited to announce the addition of Licensed Professional Counselor Stephanie Graybill to our team.  Stephanie is a 2016 graduate of Edinboro University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. She specializes in helping those struggling with: Depression of all kinds, including postpartum and grief-related.  Stress and Anxiety, including those navigating life changes such as parenthood, new careers, transitioning to college, learning to set boundaries, and managing Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.  Trauma —Stephanie is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She uses a variety of trauma-informed interventions to help clients work through their traumatic experiences to become stronger and more… Continue Reading This Article

Adjusting to Parenthood is Hard

adjusting to parenthood

Published on: July 23, 2019

You have always known you wanted to be a parent. So you try, you get pregnant, and you and your significant other (or you on your own) have a child. Suddenly, you are thrust into parenthood. This life isn’t about you anymore. Your relationship now involves another person and an entirely different set of priorities than it did in the past.    It takes adjustment. And, it is not easy. I am not just talking about those suffering from postpartum depression, anxiety, or other mood disorders. This parenthood thing can be difficult for anyone. And that is ok.  Get Rid… Continue Reading This Article

Perinatal Loss: A Personal Journey

Published on: July 1, 2019

Perinatal loss can refer to miscarriage, stillbirth, or the death of a child shortly after the birthing process. It is understandably devastating, heart-breaking, and soul-crushing.  It can be difficult to talk about and accept. You might feel all alone and completely distraught. However your grief shows itself, it is a personal journey. Your grief might not look the same as a spouse’s or family members. It might not look the same as another person who has also suffered perinatal loss.  Waves of Grief Grief comes and goes in waves. There are days that feel normal, like they used to feel,… Continue Reading This Article