September is National Suicide Prevention Month. This week we take a look at another aspect of this serious mental health issue. Suicide. The word evokes emotions ranging from sadness to guilt to anger. Most of us can’t imagine what might...
A Commitment to Healing in a Time of Sorrow and Despair Along with this entire nation, we express our deep sorrow for the recent tragic event in Orlando. We hold in our hearts those whose lives have been lost, along with...
Having a baby is one of the most natural and universal experiences human beings have – unless you are struggling with infertility. For millions of people, the inability to have this most common experience can lead to a heightened sense...
Honoring lost loved ones can help ease grief Despite the wealth of books and blogs on the topic, the experience of grieving is, in many ways, uncharted territory. Grief is personal and variable. You may think you know how you...
Marta Oko-Riebau, MA Let’s hurry to love people, they vanish so quickly And all that’s left behind are empty shoes, a deaf phone… Only what’s unimportant drags on forever, That what really matters happens much too quickly… Don’t be certain there’s...
By Lorraine Lipson, LPC For over a month now, the tragedy of Malaysia Flight 370 has been intensively covered in the media. Such awful events can create a myriad of fears and feelings. Do you remember where you were when you...
By Michele Battle, MA, NCC I never liked the term “Empty Nest”. To me, it sounded like a bleak, hollow place where youth and laughter once reverberated. Then suddenly, the children leave, and only silence and the prospect of aging...
by Lisa Ransford, LPC, CAC II …and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” As I prepared to write a blog post this week, my topic was going to be about tradition, particularly those traditions...
by Joel Silverman, MA, LPC About six months ago my wife and I had to make the agonizing decision to euthanize Remy, our 11 year old Irish Setter. Remy was a gentle giant with long legs and the most loving...
by Chris Lewis Ed.S., LPC September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. I remember the very last time I saw by former college boyfriend, standing outside Jose Muldoon’s restaurant on Tejon Street in Colorado Springs. We had met for drinks...
by Chris Lewis, Ed.S., LPC The death of a loved one is invariably among the most painful experiences we endure as humans. The absence of a loved one from our earthly lives forever, whether sudden and unexpected or anticipated through...
by Chris Lewis, Ed.S., LPC Very recently, I visited the town in which I did a good part of my growing up. It is the town where I graduated from high school, the town where I lived during half of...
by Linda E. McKinzie, LCSW As we take time to reflect on Thanksgiving and the official beginning of the holiday season, many of us will engage in annual traditions that include family gatherings, lots of good food, watching football, and...
by Jo Brilhart, RN, Psy.D, LPC People have bonded with animals for thousands of years. One of the oldest pieces of evidence of this was discovered in Israel when a 12,000 year old skeleton was found with its hand resting...
by Chris Lewis, EdS, LPC In the first few moments of the morning of July 20, 2012, our collective hearts were broken by the tragic shootings in the Aurora movie theatre. Within a few minutes, lives were cut short, scores...