Gina Della Penna, LMHC

09/09/2024

Saw this post and had to share. It struck me as just so beautiful. And reminded me of therapy…how we slow down and “be” with whatever or whomever is showing up in session.

☀️🕰️🩵

05/23/2024

The many benefits of gardening on mental health are highlighted in this NYT article.

Digging holes can be a workout and mood booster all rolled into one.

03/17/2023

After college and beyond, people can find it hard to make new friends. This is a great resource for suggestions on how to go about meeting new people and cultivate meaningful connections. https://chicagocounselingandtherapy.com/why-its-hard-to-form-adult-friendships/?fbclid=IwAR2zLhSc5d22k0ewIaSyzjYplAvADWcar9z1-uydQzX48olC0Nci_zh0qsY&mibextid=unz460

This blog post discusses why it is difficult to form friendships as an adult and three tips to help.

03/07/2023

I was happy to contribute to this article guiding older folks on maintaining mental and emotional wellness.

Experts say that by being proactive, you can maintain your mental and emotional health and overall wellness as you age.

02/14/2023

Great post on how perfectionism can present itself.

Perfectionism is striving for things to be perfect in most aspects of life, all of the time. And when things don’t go perfect, as things often don’t in life, the person who suffers from perfectionism is self-critical and blaming.

This self-criticism, which often is intended to motivate, actually leads to poor self-esteem, extreme fear of failure and procrastination (“I can’t do it perfectly, so I won’t try”).

https://www.alisonpelz.com/2017/03/15/perfectionism/

08/03/2022

Some good perspectives on how to navigate the quarter-life crisis of young adulthood. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/29/well/family/quarter-life-crisis.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/29/well/family/quarter-life-crisis.html?referringSource=articleShare

The generation entering adulthood now faces novel, sometimes debilitating, challenges. Experts offer tools to navigate a “quarterlife crisis.”

07/16/2022

07/12/2022

Experiencing the body sensations that accompany emotions is important to mental health. This is something that I incorporate in my therapy work with clients.

Suppressing or blocking out physical sensations related to emotions such as sadness can hinder recovery from depression symptoms and may cause a relapse into depression.

06/19/2022

It’s okay to feel however you feel on Father’s Day. This NYT article gives some good tips on handling the day if it’s a tough one. ❤️

For people grieving a loss or facing thoughts “about what could have been or what may never be,” there are ways to find solace.

06/01/2022

Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈

05/02/2022

Grateful for the courage of Dr. Fryer. What a remarkable story! 🏳️‍🌈

In 1972, Dr. John Fryer risked his career to tell his colleagues that gay people were not mentally ill. His act sent ripples through the legal, medical and justice systems.