The Collaborative Counseling Center

11/02/2021

11/02/2021

03/23/2021

When people are in an abusive dynamic they often want to avoid showing obvious signs. Often times they already feel helpless, trapped, and attempting to do anything in their power to stop their abuser from being set off again.

It's a very scary place to be.

Many times we have intuitive hits when someone is suffering. When it comes to our close friends or relatives- we will be able to pick up on subtle (or not so subtle) cues when abuse is happening.

It can be difficult to say anything. Especially if your loved one is in denial or feels like they are consistently watching their back.

When you want to help: start the conversation out with kind curiosity and avoid blaming the victim. Make sure you are both in a safe and private space to have this conversation. If the abuser has any hint of you catching on- they might try and stop your communication so keep that in mind as well.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE

03/22/2021

Definitions of domestic violence recognize that victims can include anyone, regardless of socioeconomic background, education level, race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender.

Domestic violence was formerly referred to as "wife abuse". However, this term was abandoned when the definition of domestic violence was changed to reflect that wives are not the only ones who can fall victim to domestic violence.

The definition of domestic violence now recognizes that victims can be:

•Spouses
•Sexual/Dating/Intimate partners
•Family members
•Children
•Cohabitants

Many people think that a victim of domestic violence can only obtain a protective order against their spouse. This is actually a myth.

Most states allow victims of abusive cohabitant lovers to obtain protective orders (also referred to as temporary restraining orders or emergency protective orders).

Some states allow victims of abusive adult relatives, roommates, or even non-cohabitating partners to obtain protective orders. The laws in each state are different, so check the most updated laws in your state.

For more information and to learn about how the law protects you:
visit the source of this caption:
www.findlaw.com/family/domestic-violence/what-is-domestic-violence.html

03/17/2021

Many health professionals recognize the weight that chronic pain carries.

There still seems to be a vast misunderstanding in our community circles- making it even harder to deal with chronic pain alone. It's important to have an outlet.

We invite you to google "The 6 Best Chronic Pain Support Groups of 2021" and be pointed to a list by Very Well Mind. There are more people in your shoes that would love to talk to you.

03/16/2021

Chronic pain and mental health directly impact one another. Psychological management seeks to deal with coping with a diagnosis or pain pattern.

If you are able to develop a team to help with your chronic pain- adding a mental health practitioner who has experience with chronic pain can be life-changing.

Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3986332/

03/15/2021

https://www.painfreepainrelief.com/chronic-pain-and-mental-health/ #

It’s important for anybody contending with chronic pain and mental health problems to seek professional help. Therapy can greatly improve the patient’s life

03/15/2021

Have you ever lived with chronic pain? Or lived with someone experiencing it?

It's an invisible pain that is one of the hardest human experiences to go through.

Most of the time even medication only offers partial relief. You are in a state of limitations- and all of the emotions that go along with it.

This week we will be covering how much chronic pain has an impact on your mental health. On a clinical level- there are practitioners who specialize in helping people cope with chronic pain or iillness.

03/11/2021

If you have been to couples counseling: What did your therapist help you through individually AND as a couple?

03/10/2021

It can be hard to identify when you and your partner need to book couples counseling. Some of the reasons are more apparent than others.

If you are experiencing any of these challenges, it's time. Having an unbiased third party helps identify where there may be missing pieces in your collective puzzle.

Many practice marriage and couples counseling. It's one of the best investments you can make not only for yourself but for your relationship.

03/09/2021

Finding the right therapist can take time. Especially when schedules are busy.

Many if not all therapists who are taking new clients offer 15 or 30-minute consultations. Have a list of questions you can go over while you are on the phone with your potential counselor.

It works best when the fit is working for all parties involved and is a realistic commute for both parties of the couple.

Couples therapy can be hard. Making the details fall into place can help you feel more confident in your decision and not add more stress to the situation.

03/08/2021

We will be talking couples therapy all week! One of the points we love to emphasize is- you don't have to wait until things get nuclear to try couples counseling!

Everything we go through ends up having an impact on our relationships. Whether it's the tendency to put up walls- or take everything out on our partner, etc.

Having a mental health professional/third party to help distinguish your individual patterns can be very helpful.

Have you ever tried couples counseling?

03/05/2021

Research shows us just how powerful parental attention is and how children will go to great lengths to receive it.

Experts have found that positive attention is much more effective in changing behavior.

This can be very challenging to implement at first- but when you shift the dialogue to the positive instead of immediately pointing out the negative- big changes can happen.

For more information, check out the source article from Child Mind Institute

https://childmind.org/article/the-power-of-positive-attention/

03/04/2021

"Cassandra of has over a decade of experience working with children, youth, and families in the child welfare system in various capacities including targeted case management, family counseling, child advocacy, and clinical counseling.

As a trauma-informed therapist, Cassandra can help you, your child, and/or family make the shift from surviving to thriving! Once a child/youth/adult’s behaviors and emotional state can be understood as stress behavior in the brain/body, rather than misbehavior, change can occur! Together we can tap into your, your child, and your family’s natural resources and strengths to take the first step towards a healthy and hopeful future!"

Contact Cassandra at (786) 867-3119 for a free 30-minute consultation.

03/03/2021

It can be challenging as a parent to know if your child is suffering from normal childhood growing pains or having trouble with a behavioral disorder.

These five signs can help you indicate whether you need to turn to a professional opinion for early intervention.

03/01/2021

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-recovering-from-a-breakup-webinar-tickets-143760781367

If you're thinking about leaving a relationship or recently separated, this webinar is for you.

03/01/2021

"Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is broadly defined as a persistent pattern of defiance and hostility against authority figures (e.g., parents and teachers).

A diagnosis of ODD is more common among young children (i.e., ages 3–7 years) manifesting clinically severe levels of disruptive behavior than is conduct disorder (CD). Considerable evidence suggests that ODD often precedes the development of CD in children."

-American Psychiatric Association