Sweeping Away Anxiety: Why Cleaning Can Help

Woman Mopping

Published on: January 9, 2019

Have you ever noticed that feeling of relief you get when your home is clean? Or the empowering emotions that roll through your body as you vacuum the floor, or clean out the closet? It is not necessarily that you like cleaning, let’s be honest nobody really enjoys the cleaning process. It’s more about how cleaning makes us feel.  For anxiety and depression sufferers, cleaning is something we have control over. Unlike the burdensome emotions we are often faced with or the day-to-day stressors that leave us feeling overwhelmed—cleaning is something constructive and positive that we can do to take… Continue Reading This Article

Meet Elizabeth (Lisa) O’Hara, LCSW

counseling Lancaster, PA

Published on: December 18, 2018

Meet Elizabeth (Lisa) O’Hara, LCSW, a new therapist at Move Forward Counseling, LLC: What inspired you to pursue a career as a therapist? I have always been interested in people and how they work. As a child, my friends would call me on the phone to tell me about their problems. My parents made me a sign that read “The doctor is in. Five cents please.” What is your favorite thing about being a therapist? Being a witness as people begin to understand that there are always reasons for behavior choices and if they can understand the reasons, changes can… Continue Reading This Article

Eating with Mental Health in Mind at the Holidays

Counseling Lancaster, PA

Published on: December 10, 2018

’Tis the season for eating. The holidays are in full swing and with them comes the parties, gift baskets, special treats, and creative drinks. We are often told to be careful to not overdo it on the sweets, the alcohol, and the fatty foods but the reason for that usually revolves around our waistlines. The food we put into our bodies can also have a big impact on our mental health—especially for depression and anxiety sufferers.  This holiday season, and everyday really, we should be mindful of what we are putting in our bodies and what it is doing for… Continue Reading This Article

How To Cope With the Reminder of a Loss of a Loved One at the Holidays

counseling Lancaster, PA

Published on: November 26, 2018

The holidays have a way of bringing a wave of emotions surrounding lost loved ones. The reminder of them is strong as we are gathering with others we care about and noticing their absence. While these feelings might make you want to curl up in bed and pull the blankets over your head until the holiday season is over, doing that wouldn’t benefit anyone. Grief invites us to remember, not forget. While memories can be painful, transforming that grief into a way to honor and remember that person can help to ease your pain. For example, you could light a… Continue Reading This Article

How To Set Boundaries With Your Family at Thanksgiving

counseling Lancaster, PA

Published on: November 14, 2018

Holidays are great for many reasons — they bring people together to connect over food and traditions. But, they are also a time for family drama, arguments, and stress. If you are one of those people that dreads family get-togethers for this very reason, then it is time to set some boundaries.  Your stomach doesn’t have to turn at the very thought of Thanksgiving dinner with your family, you should be dreaming of turkey and mashed potatoes instead. You are in charge of you and it is time you show your family exactly what you will tolerate. Dysfunction is something… Continue Reading This Article

An Interview with Caroline Rickson, Creative Life Coach at Move Forward Counseling

life coach Lancaster, PA

Published on: October 25, 2018

Meet Caroline Rickson, our first Creative Life Coach. We are pleased to offer this new service to our clients. What inspired you to pursue a career as a Creative Life Coach? When I was in high school and college I had a poster in my bedroom. It read “Climb High, Climb Far. Your Goal, the Sky. Your Aim, the Star.” This poster reflected, and still reflects, my goal to go after my dreams and live a life that provides me purpose and meaning, creativity, stability, growth, and connection. My road has had many winding turns. At times I thought I… Continue Reading This Article

An Interview with Laura Dyott, LSW, Therapist at Move Forward Counseling

therapy Lancaster, PA

Published on: October 15, 2018

We interviewed our newest therapist, Laura Dyott, LSW, who specializes in teen issues as she joins the Move Forward Counseling team. What inspired you to pursue a career as a therapist? I initially wanted to be a school psychologist, but when I realized that school psychologists focus on testing and creating education plans, I lost interest. At the same time I had began working in an adolescent residential program and I enjoyed working with the clients on a one-on-one level and helping them tackle their issues across all environments. With that experience, I switched masters’ programs and decided to pursue… Continue Reading This Article

Is Social Media Good or Bad For Your Mental Health?

therapy Lancaster, PA

Published on: October 3, 2018

The quick rise in the use of social media has changed the landscape of mental health. I am sure you have already heard some of the arguments of why it is bad, how much is too much, and maybe some of the positives. I am not here to swing one way or the other, except to stress the importance of limits. Everything in moderation.  It is my tendency in life— and in practice— to first focus on the positives. Social media was created for one simple reason— to bring us together. Having access to others who think and feel the… Continue Reading This Article

How Do You Help Your Perfectionistic Child?

therapy Lancaster, PA

Published on: September 20, 2018

Children hear it all the time “practice makes perfect.” In our minds, we are encouraging our children to keep trying. We are telling them they will get better at a task the more they give it a shot. We are teaching them to not give up. But, some children are hearing they need to be perfect, they should be perfect, there is no room for failure.  Most parents who have perfectionistic children report they don’t teach their children to perform at high standards, but that the child is putting those standards on themselves. It seems for some children perfectionism is… Continue Reading This Article

Why You Should “Trust Your Gut”

Therapy Lancaster, PA

Published on: September 7, 2018

We have all heard the expression “trust your gut,” but how often do we really listen? It turns out there is science behind following your gut, and we should be taking notice. It all has to do with how our brains develop memories. There are two different types of memories—implicit and explicit. Explicit memories are the things we have consciously crammed into our brains—like studying for a test. Implicit memories are things that are formed in our minds without our conscious effort, for example getting a song or a movie quote stuck in your head. When the two types of memories… Continue Reading This Article