An all you need to know guide about Couples Therapy. This blog discusses when the right time is to seek couples therapy, common reasons to seek couples therapy, common myths and misconceptions about why people seek couples therapy, types of therapeutic approaches to couples therapy, Repose Therapy’s approach to couples therapy & more!
Read MoreThere are many reasons why you might find yourself in the position of finding a new therapist. Whether you are coming back to therapy after a few months or years after your last experience with therapy, or perhaps you are continuing immediately after a closure with your most recent therapist, there are a few ways to consider and prepare for beginning the therapeutic journey with a new therapist.
- Kaely Phelps, LMSW
Have you ever found yourself questioning your life? Do you compare yourself to pictures that you see others post? The number of likes and shares can feel like society’s judgment on how we present ourselves. What makes one person popular and another obscure? You might find yourself wondering how other people’s lives look so amazing when you feel stuck.
Read MoreCollege is an exciting time. You’re tasting a sense of freedom and independence for the first time. It’s a time to grow and develop outside of the environment you grew up in. However, many college students experience a sense of “culture shock” when they enter campus life. They are adjusting to roommates, increasing school work, changes in academic performance, new friendships, relationships, and so much more. If you’re an international student, that may come as a double "cultural shock". You’re becoming accustomed to college and the US for the first time perhaps. This can cumulatively take a toll on your mental health and leave you struggling to move forward. At Repose Therapy, we see the magnitude of the many challenges you face. Whether you’re at NYU, Columbia, FIT, Sarah Lawerence, Barnard, SVA, Julliard, or Yeshiva, online therapy is a great place to start to get that extra support.
Read MoreAt Repose, we believe in the efficacy of holistic wellness. What does that mean? It means that we take into account everything that makes you, you! That includes your mind, body, and spirit. We need to address the environment we come from and the emotions themselves. You are integrated into the world around you, meaning we cannot isolate these parts of you to work on creating a better you. Therefore, we want to help you understand these components and find a way to find calm in an already chaotic world. That means in therapy, it is important to not only understand what is happening but why it is happening. Psychoeducation is a huge part of understanding yourself better. Together we will learn about you to help you develop healthy coping skills and prevention for the future.
Read MoreThe Gottman Method specifically recognizes that even within successful relationships, there will inevitably be some unresolvable conflicts. With this principle in mind, the Gottman Method refers to a system of conflict management rather than conflict resolution. There are ways that successful couples approach conflict, even those that feel unresolvable, that allow them to maintain positive sentiment and feel heard and respected within these conversations. There are three main practices to managing conflict in the Sound Relationship House: 1) accept your partner’s influence, 2) dialogue about problems, 3) practice self soothing.
- Kaely Phelps, LMSW, SIFI
Read MoreThe Gottman Method is an evidence based approach to couples therapy that enables couples to reduce verbal conflict, and increase intimacy, affection, and respect. It is founded by psychologists, and husband and wife team, Julie and John Gottman. The Gottmans have over 40 years of research and clinical practice with couples and their methodology is applicable to all types of couples across all phases of life and relationship stages. The foundation of the Gottman Method is based on creating mutual understanding and positive regard within the relationship.
Read MoreHave you ever heard the advice: “Just pray, and everything will be okay”? Has someone reprimanded you for being “ungrateful” when you were genuinely having a difficult time? As much as advocacy for mental wellness has advanced and become normalized in recent times, there is still a stigma attached to attending therapy in the Muslim community. Oftentimes, members of the Muslim community may struggle with their mental health, but hesitate to seek treatment due to a culture of guilt or shame. Why?
Read MoreSexual violence, including but not limited to sexual assault, child sexual abuse, domestic or intimate partner violence, is an unspoken, stigmatized, and unfortunately common experience within many South Asian communities. The silence that individuals endure for the sake of self-preservation against family, community, and the larger direct effects of shame, blame, guilt, can take an immense toll on one's emotional health and result in post-traumatic stress.
- Bushra Shaheen, LMSW
All you have ever wanted is to feel like you belong. Like this world has space for you. Like you can live your truth whilst retaining your culture and traditions. But society wants to push you out. “You can’t be Indian and gay; You can’t be Muslim and queer; You can’t be Pakistani and trans; You can’t be you”. You feel a pressure to sacrifice parts of yourself. Either uphold your queerness or your culture, you are told there is no place for both. This is commonly the experience of queer South-Asian folks all over the world.
- Prerna Menon, LMSW, CTP
When our nervous systems are triggered by safe or unsafe situations, they send signals to our bodies. The initial perception that we have of these messages, before we can create meaning around them or move into action, is a feeling, a primary emotion. Thus, if we want to respond to stressors and triggers in our lives with wisdom and intention, we must work from the bottom, up - by investigating our primary emotions.
As humans, we long for connection with others, whether that be romantic or platonic. We are always seeking to build lasting and meaningful relationships with others. That instinct is constantly reinforced by society and mirrored in our media: you will only feel complete once you’ve found that other part of your soul.
Read MoreAt times in life, we experience events that are so difficult that accepting them may seem nearly impossible. In other instances, it may be more day-to-day frustrations that we cannot come to terms with. There may be no justification for the things in life that cause us pain. We may wish things happened differently. We may not deserve them. Some things don't feel fair at all.
Read MoreTeens today experience stress at levels that rival adults. Young people today are more connected than ever and are susceptible to stress from sources that can be nearly impossible to disconnect from whether it’s peers, family, academic, or community stressors. For many reasons, it can be challenging for loved ones to recognize when teens are experiencing typical day-to-day stressors, and when their stress is actually better defined by anxiety. Here are some ways to identify and support a teen in your life that may be affected by anxiety.
- Kaely Phelps, LMSW, MS, SIFI
Teens and young adults today are under an enormous amount of pressure. Between navigating school demands, friendship and romantic relationships, family responsibilities, social media, and increasing awareness and engagement with social issues such as gun violence and racial justice, teens are experiencing increasingly high rates of stress. Recently, teens even report higher levels of stress than adults, but under-estimate the negative long term impact of chronic stress.
- Kaely Phelps, LMSW, MS, SIFI
Often times as human beings we find ourselves feeling stuck, repeating the same cycles, patterns, and habits. These same thoughts and emotions can affect our mental health, physical health, and overall well-being. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma can take a toll on our bodies and have a lasting impact. Impacts that can take away from our true inner strength and beauty. But what if I told you there was a way to navigate these stressors and overcome these emotional challenges in the comfort of your own space?
- Beenish Ansari, LMSW
While certain breathing techniques can be useful for some, they may not always click with everyone. There is an entire world of mindfulness techniques that open the door to something you never would have thought can help ground you.
- Ava Kaplan, LMSW
People are far more than their symptoms or problems, which is why holistic therapy asks us to bring our whole selves into the therapeutic process. This approach focuses on fostering a balanced relationship between mind, body, and spirit to achieve optimal wellness and personal growth. As a holistic therapy practice, we at Repose integrate psychotherapy with movement and somatic education in order to help you gain clarity and overcome challenges.
- Sarah Panzer, MSW
Whether it’s your first day of college or the beginning of your senior year, the start of a new academic year can come with a lot of overwhelming thoughts. It is important to acknowledge those thoughts but keep an open mind, and thus, there can be a world of new experiences on the horizon.
- Ava Kaplan, LMSW
Trauma is something that we don’t talk about enough. Most often individuals expect trauma to show up in veterans or someone who has experienced a traumatic event. But, did you know that, in some capacity, we have all experienced trauma? Whether it was a big traumatic event or something that has built up traction over time. Trauma is an experience that can leave us stuck, lost, and hurting. Especially when the long-term damage finally leads you to your breaking point. That is why it matters to have therapists who understand that trauma is a common occurrence. In fact, even being trauma-informed as a clinician can make a world of difference.
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