Mental Health Blog and News
Summer Break Isn't Always a Break: A Parent's Guide to Teen Mental Health When School's Out
For most families, summer feels like a sigh of relief. No more alarm clocks, no more homework battles, no more anxious mornings before a test. But for a lot of teens, the end of the school year doesn't bring the kind of relief parents expect; it brings something closer to a vacuum. It's worth understanding why, and what you can actually do about it.
Why Do I Feel Guilty Setting a Boundary?
You finally say it. "No, that doesn't work for me." Or, "I need some space right now." Or simply, "I can't take that on." And then, instead of relief, something else creeps in: guilt. A tight feeling in your chest. A voice telling you that you've let someone down, that you've been selfish, that you should probably walk it back.
Why Setting Boundaries With Family Feels So Hard (And How to Do It Anyway)
Most people don't struggle to understand boundaries in the abstract. They struggle to hold them at the Thanksgiving table, on the family group chat, or on a Sunday phone call with a parent who has a particular talent for guilt. Family boundaries are uniquely difficult, not because the concept is complicated, but because the relationships carry decades of history, fixed roles, and unspoken rules that a simple boundary statement can suddenly threaten to unsettle.
Attachment Styles Explained: Why You Love the Way You Love
Have you ever wondered why you text back the second your phone buzzes, while someone else needs two days to "process" before they respond? Or why one person in a relationship always seems to need reassurance, while their partner seems to need space? These aren't just personality quirks. More often than not, they're rooted in something called attachment style.
When Is It Time for Relationship Therapy?
Seeking therapy isn’t a sign that your relationship is failing; it’s one of the most loving and proactive things you can do for yourself and your partner. Many couples wait until they’re in crisis before reaching out for help, but the truth is, the earlier you seek support, the more you have to work with.
How Therapy Helps You Understand Yourself
Most people wait for a crisis before they consider therapy. But therapy isn't just for when things fall apart. It's one of the most effective tools available for understanding why you think, feel, and react the way you do.
Your First Therapy Session: What to Expect
Starting therapy for the first time can feel intimidating. For many people, the hardest part of therapy is simply taking the first step. It’s completely normal to feel nervous, uncertain, or even overwhelmed before your first appointment. You may wonder what you’re supposed to say, whether you’ll be judged, or if your problems are “serious enough” for therapy.
How Shame Shows Up in Everyday Life
Shame is one of those emotions that often hides in plain sight. Most people don’t walk around thinking, “I feel shame.” Instead, it tends to show up through everyday thoughts, behaviors, and patterns that quietly shape the way we see ourselves and interact with the world around us.
You Don’t Need to Be in Crisis to Go to Therapy
There is a common misconception that therapy is only for people who are in severe distress or experiencing a major crisis. Many people believe they need to be at their absolute breaking point before they are “allowed” to ask for help. But the truth is, therapy is not only for surviving difficult moments. It can also be a space for growth, healing, self-awareness, and support long before things become overwhelming.
What Therapy Is Actually Like
When most people think about therapy, they picture dramatic breakthroughs, a therapist giving life-changing advice, or someone lying on a couch talking endlessly about their childhood. A lot of what we see in movies, TV, and social media creates expectations that don’t always match the real experience of therapy. The reality is often quieter, slower, and much more human.
What Can Star Wars Teach Us About Mental Health?
In many ways, the Star Wars universe mirrors the emotional experiences we navigate in our own lives. Since Star Wars Day was a couple of days ago, here are a few mental health lessons we can take from it.
Play Therapy
At Journeys Therapy Center, we believe children deserve a space where their feelings can be understood, even when they don’t yet have the words to explain them.
That’s why we offer Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), an evidence-based approach developed by Garry Landreth. In this model, play becomes the child’s language and toys become their words. In a safe, accepting playroom, children are free to explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences while the therapist follows their lead with empathy and understanding.
Through this process, children can work through big feelings, build confidence, develop self-control, and strengthen their sense of self in a way that feels natural and developmentally appropriate.
Our play therapy program allows us to support children and families with care that honors the unique way kids communicate and heal.
If your child is struggling with anxiety, behavioral concerns, big life changes, or emotional overwhelm, play therapy can help.
Contact us today at www.journeystherapycenter.com
to learn more
#playtherapy #journeystherapycenter #mentalhealth #CCPT #healing
Lessons from the Sandbox: Curiosity
Lessons From the Sandbox: Curiosity. Children naturally possess some key qualities that adults can sometimes forget. This post explores how adopting a curious mindset helps us build healthier connections with ourselves and others.
Be Curious
Be Open
Be Collaborative
Local psychologist believes difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations
Local psychologist believes difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations…