Mental Health Blog
Surviving (and Thriving!) the Holidays: Your Ultimate Guide to Joyful Sanity
Surviving (and Thriving!) the Holidays Ah, the holiday season! A time for twinkling lights, festive cheer, and... endless to-do lists, awkward family moments, and the occasional holiday meltdown. Let’s face it, as magical as the holidays can be, they’re also a...
How to Be More Socially Competent: A Guide to Thriving in Social Situations
What is a True Friend in Life? Friendship is one of the most valuable and enriching experiences in life. True friends stand by our side, offering support, encouragement, and companionship through life’s ups and downs. But what exactly defines a true friend? Is it...
How to Be More Socially Competent: A Guide to Thriving in Social Situations
How to Be More Socially Competent: A Guide to Thriving in Social Situations Social competence is essential for building strong relationships, succeeding in professional environments, and improving emotional well-being. However, not everyone feels comfortable in...
Understanding PANDAS/PANS: How Therapy Can Help
Understanding PANDAS/PANS: How Therapy Can Help When it comes to children's mental health, parents are often on the lookout for the usual suspects like ADHD, anxiety, and depression. However, lesser-known conditions like PANDAS and PANS can often go unnoticed, even...
How to Stop Enabling Grown Children and Why It’s Important
How to Stop Enabling Grown Children and Why It's Important Parenting is a lifelong journey filled with countless responsibilities and challenges. As your children grow into adulthood, your role as a parent evolves. While providing support is natural, there comes a...
Why Do I Still Think About My Ex?
Why Do I Still Think About My Ex? Breakups can be emotionally taxing and complex, often leaving a lasting impression on our minds and hearts. It’s common to find yourself thinking about an ex long after the relationship has ended. These lingering thoughts can be...
What is Scapegoating and How Do You Avoid It?
What is Scapegoating and How Do You Avoid It? In human interactions, conflicts and misunderstandings are inevitable. One common yet harmful response to conflict is scapegoating. This practice, rooted in ancient rituals, involves unfairly blaming an individual or...
What is Main Character Syndrome and How Do I Recognize It?
What is Main Character Syndrome and How Do I Recognize It? In the age of social media, where everyone can curate their own digital persona, a fascinating psychological phenomenon known as "Main Character Syndrome" has emerged. This term, though not a formal...
How to Overcome the Fear of Love: Embrace the Journey with Washington Psychological Wellness
How to Overcome the Fear of Love: Embrace the Journey with Washington Psychological Wellness Love is a profound and multifaceted emotion that can enrich our lives with joy and meaning. However, for some, the fear of love can be a significant barrier, preventing...
Why Do I Cry When I Get Mad? Understanding the Emotional Response
Why Do I Cry When I Get Mad? Understanding the Emotional Response Have you ever found yourself in a heated argument or an intensely frustrating situation, only to feel your eyes welling up with tears? It's a common experience, but one that can leave you feeling...
12 Best Books for Adult Addiction
12 Best Books for Addiction At Washington Psychological Wellness, a psychotherapy center in Gaithersburg, MD, we get asked the question all the time. What are the best books for addiction? Well, we asked our mental health clinicians and put together this list of...
7 Tips for Opening Up in Therapy
7 Tips for Opening Up in Therapy Going to therapy is a big step. If you consider yourself a private person or don't like talking about yourself, opening up in therapy can be hard. Regardless of if you're brand new or have been going for a long time, you may feel...
8 Questions to Ask an Adult Therapist in Washington DC
8 Questions to Ask an Adult Therapist in Washington DC Deciding to start therapy is a big decision and requires a significant amount of time, money, and mental energy. For people who are new to the process of finding a therapist, it can be too overwhelming to find the...
5 Family Therapy Exercises to Try at Home
5 Family Therapy Exercises to Try at Home Although family therapy is beneficial in numerous ways, the therapy room isn’t the only place to improve the health and dynamics of your family. family therapy exercises to try at home If you’re looking to improve trust...
Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Work for Children?
Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Work for Children? Now is as an important time as ever to ensure children receive the mental health services they need. Research suggests that one in six children in the United States has a mental health disorder that is...
How Working With a Therapist Can Help Your Child Heal From Trauma
How Working with a Therapist Can Help Your Child Heal From Trauma Divorce, abuse, bullying, and an unexpected loss of a loved one can be overwhelmingly stressful for children. Too often, these sorts of encounters go unaddressed and start to impact kids of any age...
Do Couples Communication Workshops Work
Do Couples Communication Workshops Work? Communication issues can have a significant, negative impact on the quality of your relationship. It's also one of the most frequent and damaging patterns within a relationship, and often why couples seek help from a couples...
7 Tips to Consider Before Admitting to an Affair
7 Tips to Consider Before Admitting to an Affair It takes a tremendous amount of energy and courage when admitting to an affair, and it might be one of the most challenging conversations you have. In response, both partners undergo a shift that transforms the world...
Signs You Might Be in an Unhealthy Relationship
Signs You Might Be in an Unhealthy Relationship What do you consider a strong, healthy relationship? Being in any type of relationship isn't always easy and takes work. Whether it's your family or partner, a good relationship should make you feel safe, cared for,...
The Benefits of Therapy for Adoption
What Are The Benefits of Therapy for Adoption? Adoption is a unique experience for each child and family. It is a rewarding journey filled with love, joy, connection, and strength. It is also a complex process that can feel frustrating, challenging, and confusing,...