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One of my first clients as an outpatient therapist 12 years ago involved a woman who was living in a hotel with her daughter and grandchildren, limited food, no reliable transportation unless she had money for public transit, unable to work due to multiple health conditions, and uninsured—all while experiencing significant mood disturbances. I was able to see her in her hotel room at most once a week for 53 minutes for a therapy session (travel expenses paid for by me, mind you) for up to 8 sessions, and she currently qualified for minimal social services, of which I would also need to seek out on my own time as care coordination was not reimbursed. I came back from that session and cried in my supervisor’s office, I cried to my mom, I cried in my car. 1) I had no idea where to begin, 2) She […]

Medical providers talk with us about preventing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weight gain, low bone density, diabetes…shall I go on? Each year I visit my primary care provider to have these conversations and as I have gotten older, some conversations have trickled in around perimenopause and menopause as well. But the same emphasis has not been given to my mental health. There have not been conversations about my family’s well-being, how I am handling the launch of my first-born to college, or simply how I manage my day-to-day stress. And yet…it is no longer a secret how stress impacts our body. Why do we not close the loop on our health recognizing the relationship between the body and the mind? Why do we not give the same degree of attention, importance, and infrastructure to maintaining our mental wellness and preventing mental illness? For our children, prevention […]

Living through the COVID-19 Pandemic taught us a lot about our well-being – physically, socially, and especially mentally and emotionally. With unending days of isolation and distance, lack of routines, consistent uncertainty and fear, as well as grief and loss, the topic of conversation quickly highlighted the emotional suffering experienced by many. It emphasized that not only was living through this experience overwhelming, but the experience also exacerbated or contributed to the development of mental and emotional issues for many individuals. As the conversation continues to remain on the forefront on all systems levels, with increased community conversations and funding surrounding mental health, I offer a review of some of the effective, evidence-based approaches to a community response to mental health. Question Persuade Refer (QPR) From the QPR Institute https://qprinstitute.com/ The QPR mission is to “reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical and proven […]

“A good therapist will meet you wherever you are in your journey and help you get closer to truly living your best life—however you define that.”   Sara Herrity Moscarelli, MS, LMFT | COE Senior Project Manager Finding a therapist can be confusing and challenging to navigate whether you have been to therapy before or are seeking it out for the first time. Our team is here to help with some tips on how to find a therapist who fits your needs. You can learn about distinct types of therapists, tips for finding the right fit, an overview of how mental health insurance works, and more.  How can a therapist help me?   Therapists can help you navigate life transitions, develop healthy coping skills, identify and process your emotions, and gain greater insight into your experiences. Even if you aren’t 100% sure what you hope to gain from therapy at […]

I am an elder millennial. I am part of the generation that knew what life was like before social media, but also went through middle school with the AIM screenname “saraobx”—leaving away messages with moody song lyrics and “brb ttyl lylas”. The generation who had to receive an invite to join Facebook when it was exclusive and cool, when Instagram was for photos only, when Twitter was called Twitter, and Vine was the original TikTok. Fortunately for my parents, they had minimal knowledge about the usage and impact of social media, chat rooms, and the Internet—outside of Ask Jeeves—as it was just getting its hold on their children. Also, luckily for them, we only had one home computer with dial-up internet so our addiction to being online was kept somewhat at bay. Yet fast forward 20 years and I am a parent raising a daughter in the […]

Our bodies are made up of complex systems. Not being a physician, I cannot explain the intricacies of our neurological system, respiratory system, endocrine system, digestive system and so on. I can however tell you that when I experience a stressor, I have a thought and depending on that thought my breathing may change, my stomach may gurgle, and my body may secrete a variety of hormones in response as well. Come to think of it, maybe it is the thought that generates the emotion that propels those system dominoes to react? Maybe our bodies even know it before we can consciously give language to the experience….or maybe it is all of the above. One thing we know for sure is that it is complicated. I have had many instances of experiencing the mind-body connection in my life. They began when I was very young. One summer […]