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Have you ever stood on the edge of a cliff or a tall building, and for a moment, felt an inexplicable urge to jump? Or while driving on a highway, felt a fleeting impulse to swerve into oncoming traffic? This mysterious and unsettling phenomenon is known as the “Call of the Void,” or in French, “L’appel du vide.” It’s a peculiar and enigmatic aspect of the human experience that has intrigued and puzzled many.

What is Social Wellness Month? Well, I’ll tell you! Social Wellness Month is celebrated in the Month of July each year and promotes social well-being

It should come as no surprise that all of us at Owens & Associates Counseling & Therapy Center write about the stigma surrounding mental health and reaching out for help regularly in these blog posts.

“We’re our own worst critic”.

July 23rd is National Women Touched by Addiction Day. This day is aimed to raise awareness on the issue of women suffering from addiction.

Mental health encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Our mental health affects how we think, feel, act, and handle stressors.

National Simplicity Day is in honor of writer Henry David Thoreau, who once wrote: “As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.” He’s right!

Art therapy is a form of therapy that integrates visual media such as drawing and painting into the therapeutic process.

In our fast-paced and demanding world, finding effective ways to support our mental health and well-being has become increasingly important.

When we think about mental health and mental health problems, the first thoughts that come to mind are often of outwardly expressed symptoms.

When you hear the words “let it go”, I think a majority of us can think of a song that goes along with those words.

With Father’s Day on the horizon, all of us at Owens & Associates Counseling and Therapy Center wanted to take some time to talk about self-care, and specifically, self-care for men.

Hi everyone! My name is Kevin Lahey, and I’m a new Clinical Intern at Owens & Associates Counseling and Therapy Center!

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia. It is a degenerative brain disease that occurs due to cell damage.

Graduation, whether that is from middle school, high school or college can be an exciting and
celebratory time!

It is once again Mental Health Awareness month! During this month people try to bring to the forefront psychological issues that, many times, are shoved into the background and ignored.

Self-care is defined as the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.

Picture this: It’s the weekend. You recently just finished another tough week of work or school. You’re exhausted & feeling drained. To reward yourself for surviving through the week, you go to the pantry & grab your favorite snack or dessert. You sit down with your favorite snack or dessert while you’re watching your favorite show & before you know it, the entire snack is gone.

Everyone has their own thoughts & opinions about therapy, as everyone’s experience is unique! 

Secrets can be kept in many ways. What is a secret? A secret is something that is told or kept confidential from another person/group/or thing.

Worth, in accordance with the definition of Merriam Webster, can be defined as “the relative usefulness or importance of something as judged by specific qualities.”  

Sleep is essential in how we function, physically and mentally. A bad night of sleep can drastically affect our mood and ability to regulate emotions. It can also affect our physical state by inhibiting our ability to fight diseases, decreasing our immunity, effecting our metabolism and increasing risk of chronic disease.

Developmental disabilities refer to a group of conditions that can affect an individual’s ability to learn, communicate, and interact with others. These disabilities often appear during childhood and can have a profound impact on an individual’s daily life, making it challenging for them to live independently or function normally in society.

Problems are a natural part of life, and learning how to solve them effectively can be beneficial to an individual’s overall well-being. However, the process of resolving problems can also be incredibly stressful, which can have a negative impact on an individual’s mental and physical health.

We are well into the new year now which is typically a time where we see friends, family, and maybe even ourselves start to become more relaxed with our new year resolutions. Common resolutions I see are to eat right, work out more, get in shape, or to improve physical appearance. What we don’t always recognize is the danger, physically and mentally, we introduce to our routine when these are the goals set in place as they can lead to disordered eating patterns.

The internet can be super helpful when you are trying to figure out how many inches are in a foot
or how to cook a turkey at Thanksgiving! Although it can be a useful place, it can also be unsafe
without the proper precautions.

Experiencing mental health disturbances can cause for significant feelings of isolation, worthlessness, and confusion. It may feel like your brain is working against you, and since you are the only one with your brain, this can be extremely lonely.

While February 2nd is most known as Ground Hogs Day, it is also known as self-renewal day!

What is celebration of life? Celebration of life is a gathering for a grieving family and friends to honor a loved one who has passed.

January can be an exceptionally tough month because the holiday excitement has died down and
reality has set in. This sudden shift from the holiday mode can feel like a huge letdown.

“Meditation is not about stopping thoughts but recognizing that we are more than our thoughts and feelings” Arianna Huffington.

The last few months of the year are filled with a myriad of joyous events: holidays, family gatherings, breaks from school and/or work, and many more.

Honor you as the client, and be treated with dignity and respect. As clinicians, we strive to not only honor your rights, but make you aware of those rights from the very beginning!

Thanksgiving is a common time to “give thanks” and reflect on what we are grateful for from the year.  Research shows that making this a more consistent habit not only shifts our mindsets, but the way we treat others.

This November, between the 13th and 19th, marks transgender awareness week! This week is a time for people to uplift members of the transgender community by sharing positive stories while also surrounding them with love and support.

Does your friend from grade school who you haven’t spoken to in years really need to be your Facebook friend?

“Just because an animal is large, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want kindness; however big Tigger seems to be, remember that he wants as much kindness as Roo” Winnie the Pooh.

If not for you and your brave sacrifices, we as a nation could not enjoy today’s freedom and security! 

Do you tend to feel anxious?  Restless? A million different things on your mind racing around to be the first thought you have when you wake up in the morning? Let’s consider what we can do to help with that. 

ADHD—we often think of an overactive child, running around, unable to pay attention. While this is very much classic for ADHD, it does not commonly show up this way in women (or girls). That can make diagnosis at a young age for girls more difficult, leading to a childhood and young adulthood that is challenging and confusing. 

Halloween is just around the corner, it a time for fun and celebration. While getting in the Halloween spirit, it’s important to be cognizant of the different situation’s others might be in. There are many aspects of the holiday that can be difficult for individuals.

This annual celebration began back in 1988, commemorating the anniversary of a march in Washington in 1987 where half a million people marched for lesbian and gay rights. By 1990, all 50 states were observing October 11th as National Coming Out Day.

National Bullying Prevention is this month, and the idea of bullying can sometimes seem like it can relate back to the child beating up the kid for their lunch money. But what if I told you it can go far much deeper than that.

Depression is a word that is tossed around often, which can often create a misunderstanding of its severity.

Have you ever experienced feelings of distress and hopelessness? Do you ever feel unhappy and overwhelmed about what is happening in your life? Do you have unresolved painful feelings and issues you do not want to face alone? If so, it could be a good time to seek psychotherapy.

For those of you who may not know Alzheimer’s is one of the leading causes of dementia.

It can feel almost impossible to think positively when you’re overwhelmed and struggling. This is because our minds can get stuck in a loop where negative thoughts repeat over and over.

If you have a good memory for the early 2000s, you may remember the saying that “suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”

I’m Mike, a therapist at Owens & Associates, and we are entering my favorite time of year…autumn! Not only do I love the cooler weather (Hoodies!), but it begins with a month dedicated to addiction awareness and recovery; a topic very near and dear to me.

Equality, it’s a concept you hear a lot about. Equal rights, equal opportunities, but when it comes to trying to see equality in action, you sometimes need to take a step back.

Oh the excitement the new school year can bring! Fresh school supplies, new classes, social bonding with peers, and maybe being able to reach goals athletically or with clubs or activities this year!

Mindfulness is simply the practice of being aware: aware of our inner experience, aware of our external self, and aware of our environment.

While there is so much research and information floating in the world, something that is so precious is wisdom gleaned from time and experience.

Feeling as though you are getting in the way of something, imposing on someone, or souring situations can take a significant toll on your physical and mental health.

A large benefit of tea is an increase in alertness and energy. Often clients experiencing symptoms of depression may have reduced energy or experience an increase in fatigue.

Friendships are hard work, especially when we are first starting that new relationship – it can feel like we are putting in so much effort with little reward.

We talk to our clients a lot about the importance of balance in our lives in order for us as individuals to be happy and function effectively.

Our Brains & Bellies by Nichole Dabrowski, Counseling Intern Could you ever imagine that your gut activity was related to the activity in your brain? Or that your mood, depression, or anxiety is related to what is going on in your intestines? Our gastrointestinal...

School can be a stressful time for students, no matter what age or grade they’re in.

Is it possible to not forgive someone?  

Anxiety—it feels and looks different for everyone.

Along the way there will be progress made up the metaphorical mountain. Sometimes progress will be slow, other times it can be fast the important thing to acknowledge is that progress is progress.

A large body of research demonstrates a connection between mood and the ability to recall information, including recall of skills to aid in reduction of distress and emotion regulation.

Just before the start of the pandemic, I used to walk down the halls of my high school and I would be familiar with most of the faces that I saw.

By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical Intern Kaleigh is a Clinical Intern, completing her Master of Art in Counseling at Northwestern University. Kaleigh believes her role as a counselor is to welcome all clients by inviting them to create a partnership where they grow...

By Jacki Haworth, Clinical InternRetirement is a time of celebration, when an individual who has been working decides that they are going to stop working and dedicate their time to other pursuits. This is a life transition which is often only focused on the positives,...