Angelus Therapeutic Services Inc

12/21/2025

Winter Solstice & Mental Health ❄️🕯️

Today marks the Winter Solstice—the longest night of the year. And after tonight’s deepest darkness, we begin taking small steps back toward the light.

This shift is quiet and gradual, but meaningful. It’s the kind of change that reminds us how hope often arrives—not all at once, but in subtle ways—when the tides begin to turn and the light of dawn slowly starts to break.

For many people, winter can feel heavy. Shorter days, less sunlight, and the emotional weight of the season can impact mood, energy, and motivation. If you’re feeling more tired, withdrawn, or sensitive right now, you’re not alone—and there is nothing “wrong” with you.

The Winter Solstice invites us to:
• Slow down without guilt
• Honor rest as a form of care
• Reflect on what this season has stirred up
• Make space for both darkness and hope

Even the smallest return of light matters. Healing, like the seasons, doesn’t rush—it unfolds.

If this season feels especially hard, support can help. Reaching out is a meaningful step toward caring for yourself.

✨ Be gentle with yourself today.
✨ Light a candle.
✨ Trust the quiet shift.
✨ The light is finding its way back.

12/18/2025

If guilt keeps creeping in this holiday season, take a breath. Guilt often shows up when we’re honoring our needs and changing old patterns.

You’re allowed to rest, say no, and create a holiday that feels supportive to you.

Read more here: https://authenticconnectionscounseling.com/letting-go-of-guilt-during-the-holidays/

12/17/2025

🎮 Gaming gets a bad reputation — but for many teens and adults, it’s a real coping tool.

Video games can help with stress, emotional regulation, connection, and even confidence. The key isn’t taking gaming away — it’s understanding how and why it’s being used.

In our latest blog, Cody Currie, LCSW breaks down why video games feel so good, how flow state works, and when gaming supports mental health versus when someone may need more support.

If gaming is one way you or your child cope — and other areas of life feel harder right now — having support from someone who understands gaming culture (without shaming it) can make a difference.

Why do video games feel so rewarding? Learn how gaming affects teen mental health, flow state, coping skills, and emotional regulation.

12/08/2025

Men feel pressure differently—and often carry it alone.

Cody works with men who are:
• Burned out at work
• Snapping quicker than usual
• Shutting down emotionally
• Struggling with motivation
• Feeling disconnected in relationships
• Trying to keep everything inside but feeling overwhelmed

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and you don’t need to white-knuckle your way through it.

Cody’s approach is calm, steady, and real. No scripts. No judgment. Just practical support you can actually use.

📍 Hermitage appointments available
💻 Virtual therapy in PA & OH

Let’s make space for you, too.
Reach out today.
https://angelustherapeuticservices.com/looking-for-a-therapist/cody-currie/

12/03/2025

Part 2 of our Pet Loss Series is now live. 🐾💛

After sharing last week’s post about the deep grief of losing a beloved pet, many of you reached out with your own stories—moments of heartbreak, love, and memories that still sit close to the heart.

This week, we’re continuing the conversation with a gentle, trauma-informed guide on:

✨ What to say when someone is grieving a pet
✨ Common phrases that unintentionally hurt
✨ How to offer true support, validation, and connection
✨ The importance of honoring each person’s history, experiences, and grief style

Losing a pet is real grief. The way we show up for each other matters more than we realize.

Read the full blog here:
🔗https://angelustherapeuticservices.com/2025/12/02/what-to-say-and-what-not-to-say-when-someone-loses-a-pet/

If you or someone you love is navigating pet loss, remember—our therapists are here with compassion, grounding, and a safe space to heal.

12/02/2025

❄️ Snow Day Update! ❄️

Our first real snowfall of the year, and all the schools are on delay! If the roads in your area aren’t feeling safe—or you simply don’t want to leave the warmth of your home—you can easily switch your in-person appointment to virtual today.

Here’s how:

👉 Log into your portal@: angelus.clientsecure.me
👉 Send your therapist a quick message asking to switch to virtual
👉 They’ll confirm & send your link!

A couple quick notes:
☃️You have to let us know BEFORE the start time of your appointment, or else we will be looking for you in the waiting room.

☃️You must be in PA during your virtual session

EXCEPT if you see Cody, Jen or Janet — they’re licensed in Ohio too 🙌

If you have any questions or trouble accessing the portal, give us a call:
📞 724-654-9555 (9 AM – 5 PM)

Stay safe, stay warm, and take good care of yourself out there. ❄️

12/01/2025

The holidays can be wonderful — but they can also come with pressure, expectations, and emotional overwhelm.
If you’ve ever felt drained, stretched thin, or obligated to “push through” for the sake of holiday harmony… you’re not alone. 💛

Setting boundaries isn’t selfish.
It’s not rude.
It’s not unkind.

✨ Boundaries are a form of self-care — and a powerful act of emotional protection.

Whether it’s limiting your time with certain family members, choosing which events you truly want to attend, protecting your rest, or saying no without guilt… you have the right to make choices that honor your mental health this season.

If you’re struggling with where to start, we’ve put together a helpful guide full of grounding support:

👉 How to Maintain Your Holiday Boundaries
https://angelustherapeuticservices.com/2019/11/15/how-to-maintain-your-holiday-boundaries/

Give yourself permission to choose peace over pressure.
Your emotional well-being matters — this season and every season. 🌿

11/26/2025

The holidays can bring joy, connection, and meaningful moments —
but social media can sometimes pull us out of those moments without us even realizing it. 📱✨

Between perfectly curated photos, comparison traps, and the pressure to “capture” everything, it’s easy to feel distracted, inadequate, or disconnected from the people right in front of us.

If you notice social media affecting your holiday experience, here are a few grounding questions to ask:

🌿 When are you using it?
Are you scrolling because you want to — or because you’re overwhelmed, bored, or anxious?

💬 How authentic are the posts in your feed?
Remember: most people post highlights, not real life.

💛 Does it align with your values?
Is it helping you feel connected… or drained?

🕊️ What could you be doing instead?
Breathing, resting, laughing with family, playing games, making memories — the things that refill your emotional cup.

The holidays don’t have to be picture-perfect.
They just need to be yours.

Give yourself permission to step back from the screen and be present in the moments that matter most — even the messy, unscripted ones. ❤️

11/24/2025

Fear Often Has a Root
So often, our fears aren’t “overreactions” or flaws —
they’re signals.

They point to unmet needs we may not even realize we’re carrying.

This chart is a powerful reminder that:
✨ Fear of abandonment is really a need for connection
✨ Fear of failure is really a need for support and success
✨ Fear of change is really a need for stability
✨ Fear of loneliness is really a need for companionship
✨ Fear of judgment is really a need for acceptance
When those needs aren’t met, we may cope in ways that keep us stuck — clinging, avoiding, pleasing others, or shrinking ourselves to stay “safe.”

But here’s the hopeful part:
🌿 Once we understand what our fear is trying to protect,
we can respond with compassion instead of criticism.

We can choose healthier resolutions — like building supportive relationships, practicing self-trust, breaking goals into small steps, or surrounding ourselves with people who see our worth.

Your fears are not character flaws.
They’re emotional messengers — asking for care, safety, and connection.
It’s okay to listen to them gently. 💛

Which part of this chart resonates with you today?

11/23/2025

The holiday season isn’t easy for everyone.
For many, this time of year brings grief, sensory overload, complicated family dynamics, trauma reminders, or the ache of missing someone who should still be here. If the holidays feel heavy instead of joyful, you are not alone — and your experience is valid. 💛

Being trauma-informed during the holidays looks like:
✨ Respecting your emotional boundaries
✨ Allowing yourself to say “no” without guilt
✨ Creating traditions that feel safe and meaningful
✨ Recognizing triggers before they overwhelm you
✨ Making space to honor grief, not suppress it

You don’t have to pretend everything is fine. It’s okay to feel conflicted, numb, overwhelmed, or disconnected this time of year. What matters is finding small ways to care for yourself and move through the season at a pace that feels right for you. 🌿

If the holidays bring up memories, tension, or loss, we hope this blog brings gentle guidance and grounding support:

👉 Read: How to Manage Trauma and Loss During the Holidays
https://angelustherapeuticservices.com/2021/11/24/how-to-manage-trauma-and-loss-during-the-holidays/

You deserve compassion — from the world and from yourself. If you’re struggling, we’re here to help you navigate the season with care, understanding, and a trauma-informed approach.

11/22/2025

What Fills Your Emotional Cup?

We all have an emotional cup — and when it gets low, everything feels harder.
That’s why tending to the small, everyday things that refill your cup is so important. 🌿

Whether it’s:
✨ Time with people who make you feel safe
✨ A full night’s sleep
✨ A walk outside
✨ Slowing down and breathing
✨ Music, creativity, journaling, or routine
✨ Gratitude and small joys
✨ Letting yourself rest

Every drop matters.

You don’t have to wait until you’re overwhelmed or burnt out to give yourself what you need. Start noticing what truly fills you up — and give yourself permission to prioritize those things without guilt.

Your needs aren’t “extras.”
They’re part of being human.
And you deserve a cup that doesn’t constantly run empty. 💛

What’s one thing you can do today to refill your emotional cup?
Share below ⬇️💬

11/21/2025

Anxiety can feel overwhelming — like your thoughts are racing faster than your body can keep up. But small, intentional steps can help bring your mind and nervous system back into balance. 💛

Here are a few gentle tools you can use anytime anxiety starts creeping in:
✨ Breathe deeply to calm your body’s stress response
✨ Focus on the present moment instead of the “what ifs”
✨ Lean into creativity to channel tension into expression
✨ Ask for help — you don’t have to do this alone
✨ Move your body to release pent-up energy
✨ Take a pause when things feel too intense
✨ Care for your sleep so your system can reset
✨ Drink cold water to ground yourself quickly

Remember:
Anxiety is not a personal flaw.
You’re not “too much.”
Your brain is doing its best to protect you — it just needs support, not shame. 🌱

If anxiety is affecting your daily life, reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
We’re here to walk with you. 💬❤️