Parenting

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

Wide interior picture of an empty doorway. The white doors are wide open, symbolizing an empty nest. Move Forward Counseling can help you through major life transitions. Contact us today for therapy for teens in Pennsylvania, maternal mental health, and more!

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

Adjusting to Parenthood is Hard

Three feet appear at the edge of the bed from under a blanket. These feet belong to two adults, and one baby. Move Forward Counseling can help you in the adjustment to parenthood! Contact us today for maternal mental health, counseling for postpartum depression in lancaster, pa, and more!

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

The Benefits of Slowing Down

Dad and Daughter sit on long wooden pier with boat and ducks in background. Move Forward Counseling can help you reconnect with friends, family, and loved ones. We offer relationship therapy, body image therapy, depression therapy, and more! Contact us today for support!

Published on: February 25, 2019

We are all busy, it seems. Constantly preoccupied with what’s coming next, planning for the next event, the next big life goal, always trucking along, moving forward. While it is good to plan things out and work on achieving goals, sometimes we need to be reminded to slow down. Our lives are happening right in front of us and many of us are missing it. We are so busy worrying about what is coming next, what we should be doing, that we are missing the moments we are part of currently. Slowing down is a challenge for many of us…. Continue Reading This Article

The All-Important Family Dinner

Wide shot of well lit room. There is a dinning room table in the front of the image, and a couch in the background. Opposite the couch sits a wooden chair. Move Forward Counseling offers counseling for teens in lancaster, pa, online therapy for women, coupes therapy in Pennsylvania, and more! Contact us today for support!

Published on: September 21, 2017

Life is hectic. Between shuffling the kids from extracurricular activities, getting your work done, and taking care of life’s many chores it is easy to let family dinner time fall by the wayside — but that is exactly why it is so important.   In fact, research shows family dinners are among the most important things you can do as a family. Children who eat family dinners do better in school, eat healthier, and make better life choices; and parents who have family dinners report lower levels of stress, according to a study by the National Center on Addiction and… Continue Reading This Article

Starting School Is Hard For Parents Too

Close up of a person holding their black backpack above the curb, and against a brick wall. Move Forward Counseling offers body image therapy in Pennsylvania, online therapy in Pennsylvania, counseling for women, and more! Contact us today for support!

Published on: August 28, 2017

Be it kindergarten or college, sending your child off to school can be a difficult thing for parents. There are a mix of emotions, it is bittersweet as they say. Starting a new chapter in life is exciting and school is such a wonderful thing for all children. It is where they grow and learn and find themselves. For mom and dad there are moments of pride — “thats my kid!” — accompanied by moments of grief — “when did he get so grown up? where did the time go?” As the kids gather their backpacks and lunch boxes, and… Continue Reading This Article

The Struggle for Parents to Manage Teen’s Technology Usage

Close up of woman in red sweater and striped shirt touches something on her phone while holding a basket in her left arm. She is wondering if she could fit online therapy into her schedule. Move Forward Counseling offers online therapy for women in Pennsylvania, couples counseling in Pennsylvania, anxiety treatment, and more! Contact us today for support!

Published on: July 14, 2017

There is no question that teens are spending way too much time on social networks, and in turn— studies have shown — their mental health is suffering. Social media and constant text messaging from peers have become so integral to teens lives that in many cases it is leading to more anxiety, depression, and decreased self-esteem. No Escape With the use of social media, there is no escape from the stressors of adolescent peer-to-peer relationships. No escape from bullying and a constant exposure to a skewed and unrealistic view of others’ lives. Teens are spending more time glued to their… Continue Reading This Article

It’s Summer, Time to Focus on Your Child’s Mental Health

Young blond girl in blue dress sits on pavement while holding a hand full of flowers. She is barefoot. Move Forward Counseling can help you and your child cope with anxiety in children. We offer anxiety treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety. Contact us today for treatments for anxiety!

Published on: June 15, 2017

    Summer is here and that means more time to focus on things other than school, such as mental health. If you noticed changes in your child/teens demeanor during the school year, or they appear to be struggling then it might be time to bring them into counseling especially while they have the time to focus on mental health. By giving them the tools to work through emotions, and helping them to get to the core of their distress they will be better prepared come September. How can you tell if your child is in need of therapy services?… Continue Reading This Article

Debunking the Many Myths of Motherhood

Mother holds her daughter close by the busy city street. Move Forward Counseling can help you through maternal mental health issues. We offer anxiety treatment, treatments for anxiety in children, and more! Contact us today for support!

Published on: March 30, 2017

Being a mom is a big role all on its own– you are responsible for shaping this little person into a successful human, add to that the great expectations that society places on moms, and, well things can be just plain overwhelming. We all have that vision of the sitcom mom. You know – the one that always has a perfectly clean house, a beautifully cooked dinner on the table every night at 5:30 sharp, and children who never have peanut butter smeared across their face and always ALWAYS have both shoes on when they leave the house. Let’s Debunk… Continue Reading This Article

How To Help Your Child Cope With The Back To School Transition

Child peaks from behind her book. She is sitting in the front of the classroom, and is the first one in her seat. The text to the left of her says "How to help your child cope with the back to school transition". Under her is the text "www.moveforwardlancaster.com". Move Forward Counseling can help you and your teen work through tough transition periods. We offer therapy for teens in Pennsylvania, and more! Contact us today!

Published on: September 7, 2016

It’s back to school time! While nearly everyone thinks about the pencils and backpacks and new clothes needed to be adequately prepared for classes to start, it’s important to think about the other “stuff” your kids need even more than that really cool new lunchbox they just HAVE to have. (Come ON Mom, didn’t you know that Frozen stopped being cool last year?!) I’m talking about how to emotionally prepare them for starting back to school. After a summer of fun, sun and flexibility, kids will be back to the world of rules, structure and absorbing all the required information… Continue Reading This Article

How To Cope When Your Child Leaves For College

Teen with red hat and backpack faces away from the camera. The sidewalk they are on leads towards a grey, fog covered road. Other students can be seen in the distance walking. This could be symbolic of the depression they are experiencing. Move Forward Counseling offers counseling for depression. Contact us today!

Published on: August 10, 2015

It’s the second week of August which means for many families their college-aged children will be leaving home to go to school, many for the first time. This can be a difficult transition for young people, which deserves a blog post all of its own, but today I want to focus on the experience for parents. One important thing to remember–this is a time of many emotions, often those that conflict with one another. On one hand you feel proud and excited for your son and daughter, while simultaneously feeling scared and worried for them. Will they make good decisions?… Continue Reading This Article