Smart Talk

Smart Talk We are a boutique appointments only online practice. We are in network with Aetna, Cigna, MHN/HealthNet, Optum, and Souther CA Kaiser Permanente.

We specialize in working with adults who are going through:
1) Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (aka Postpartum)
2) Stress and Anxiety
3) Isolation and Loneliness
4) Relationship Counseling
We work with clients via telehealth in CA, IL, NY, & FL. We accept Cigna health insurance! Female Owned, Female Ran.

The postpartum period can be one filled with high expectations and massive barriers to meeting them. So, instead of tryi...
05/21/2024

The postpartum period can be one filled with high expectations and massive barriers to meeting them. So, instead of trying to do too much, just focus on these four pieces of advice. If you are able to do these four things every day you will notice that you feel happier, more energetic, and more connected to this period of life. Try this for only 2 weeks and see how much better you will feel.

Oh and of course you should also speak to a mental health provider who specializes in mental health support for postpartum women (like us!)

The first few months of motherhood can be very lonely and isolating as you remain home with your baby while your partner...
05/17/2024

The first few months of motherhood can be very lonely and isolating as you remain home with your baby while your partner works and you cannot go to playgrounds yet to meet others. Here are just a few suggestions on what you can do to deal with postpartum isolation.

** NEW BLOG ALERT **We’ve all been told, at one point or another, that we can’t keep avoiding our problems. That’s true....
12/11/2023

** NEW BLOG ALERT **

We’ve all been told, at one point or another, that we can’t keep avoiding our problems. That’s true. However, sometimes the problem is something that can’t be solved right away. What do you do then? You can’t avoid the problem forever, but you can give yourself a bit of a break. Not only could a little distraction shift your focus elsewhere, but you might even have a changed perspective the next time you address the situation. Marcus Aurelius wisely said “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” Let’s learn how to lessen this pain.

TO READ ENTIRE BLOG CLICK ON LINK IN BIO.

In case you are wondering what you can do this weekend to improve your mood, here are just a few ideas.                 ...
12/09/2023

In case you are wondering what you can do this weekend to improve your mood, here are just a few ideas.

Talking to yourself is something that happens more often those first few months of motherhood. Our internal dialogue (ou...
12/08/2023

Talking to yourself is something that happens more often those first few months of motherhood. Our internal dialogue (our thoughts) start to externalize as we face sleep deprivation, stress, and other issues. Talking to yourself is considered normal and natural behavior. If it happens in excess, if you are responding to internal voice (hallucinations), or if you cannot stop the behavior then it might be a symptom of mental illness such as anxiety or depression. You know yourself best! If it feels off or not like your usual self you can always schedule an appointment with a therapist and get assessed.

The lactation consultants and hardcore breastfeeding people will say "absolutely not!" You cannot bottle feed or use a p...
12/07/2023

The lactation consultants and hardcore breastfeeding people will say "absolutely not!" You cannot bottle feed or use a pacifier if you want a baby to latch well and breastfeed well. BUT the reality is that oftentimes babies do just fine being bottle feed and breastfed. Many parents choose to start bottle feeding at night in order to get consistent sleep and improve a mother's functioning. Oftentimes, dual income households will also bottle feed breastmilk during the daytime when mom is working. Remember: we live in the 21st century and there are many ways to feed a baby. As long as baby is getting fed, and the parents are getting rest, there is no right or wrong answer to how you feed your baby.

I always say that you don't know sleep deprivation until you have had a baby. By week 3 most parents are so exhausted an...
12/06/2023

I always say that you don't know sleep deprivation until you have had a baby. By week 3 most parents are so exhausted and overwhelmed that they tend to slump. Here are only a few symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation. If you are struggling with sleep deprivation please reach out and schedule an appointment. Together we will come up with a plan that will help you get the sleep that you deserve.

The Baby Blues last only the first two weeks postpartum. Symptoms night include:- crying- sleep deprivation- mild mood s...
12/05/2023

The Baby Blues last only the first two weeks postpartum. Symptoms night include:

- crying
- sleep deprivation
- mild mood swings
- worry
- exhaustion

Remember that if this lasts for more than 2 weeks then reach out and schedule a session with us so that you can enjoy this motherhood journey as soon as possible.

** NEW BLOG ALERT **What Does “Wellness” Actually Mean?What comes to mind when you hear the word “health”? The first thi...
12/05/2023

** NEW BLOG ALERT **

What Does “Wellness” Actually Mean?

What comes to mind when you hear the word “health”? The first thing that I think of is my physical body. Am I in good shape? Am I eating properly? What will my doctor have to say? Physical health is important, but it’s not everything. Health is a lot more than that. We typically associate health with physical things, often forgetting the importance of other indicators of health. To make this distinction clear, I am going to stray away from the word “health” and instead focus on “wellness.” To me, health seems somewhat binary. I’m either in good health or I’m in bad health; there isn’t much focus on the in-between. It’s also possible to be in good health and in a terrible mental state, or vice versa. Wellness, instead, takes into consideration the whole person. Wellness is so much more than your physical state. It also includes:
- occupational
- social
- spiritual
- intellectual
- environmental
- financial
- emotional

TO READ ENTIRE BLOG CLICK ON LINK IN OUR BIO.

No, it is not! The Baby Blues is what you feel those first 2 weeks. You might be crying, might not feel connected with y...
12/04/2023

No, it is not! The Baby Blues is what you feel those first 2 weeks. You might be crying, might not feel connected with your baby, and be sleep deprived. IF symptoms last longer than 2 weeks then you have entered Postpartum Depression period. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men have Postpartum Depression so if you are one of them know that:

1) You are not alone,
2) You can feel better with support.

Reach out if you want to schedule an appointment and start to feel better.

Stage 5: Maintenance 😊Wait what? There's more? Yes, there is! This is the final stage and the one that most people forge...
12/04/2023

Stage 5: Maintenance 😊

Wait what? There's more? Yes, there is! This is the final stage and the one that most people forget. You need to be able to maintain the changes that you made to improve your life. There will be set backs on the way but it's important to remember what you did to improve your life. In the postpartum journey this might look like:

- I know the baby is sick but lets try to continue alternating nights as much as we can so that we can still get some sleep,
- I know that couples counseling has been working for us but maybe we don't have to do weekly sessions anymore. Maybe just check ins would be good for us.

Stage 4: Action 🥳Woohoo we have hit action! Time for some change, time to do something different. You get to pick one of...
12/02/2023

Stage 4: Action 🥳

Woohoo we have hit action! Time for some change, time to do something different. You get to pick one of your solutions and try it out. Pro tip: pick a solution that's behavioral and try it out for at least 2 weeks before you decide whether it works or not. For someone in the Postpartum journey, this could look like:
- We are going to alternate nights with the baby so that we can both get sleep. We will try it for 2 weeks before we decide if it's working.
- I have made an appointment with a couples counselor. We will meet with the counselor at least 4 times before we decide if it's working for us.

Tune in tomorrow for the final stage! 😀

Stage 3: Preparation ✍️Not only have you realized that there is a problem but you are actually starting to think of solu...
12/01/2023

Stage 3: Preparation ✍️

Not only have you realized that there is a problem but you are actually starting to think of solutions. In this stage, you start to fantasize about what you can do to make your life better and think of actual ways to get there. In the Postpartum Journey this could look like:
- Maybe if we sleep train the baby, I'll be able to get more sleep at night and be happier. OR maybe if we take turns at night caring for baby then I'll get more sleep and be happier.
- We need to reduce our arguing and get back to a happier place. Maybe we should start couples counseling. OR we could go on more dates to see if that helps. OR we could have more intimacy.

Tune in tomorrow for Stage 4.😃

Stage 2: Contemplation 🤔Welcome to the stage where you start to notice that there might be an actual problem. In this st...
11/30/2023

Stage 2: Contemplation 🤔

Welcome to the stage where you start to notice that there might be an actual problem. In this stage you start to look at the pros and cons of what is happening in your life and start to think about possibly changing things. Some examples of this in the Postpartum journey might be:
- I haven't slept well in weeks. I think that I would be a lot happier if I started to sleep more regularly.
- We have had a lot of arguments lately. I wonder what's going on and if we should talk about it to see if we need to change some things around.

Tune in tomorrow to hear about stage 3. 😁

Stage 1: PrecontemplationThis is the first stage of change. In this stage, you are still a little bit in denial about wh...
11/29/2023

Stage 1: Precontemplation

This is the first stage of change. In this stage, you are still a little bit in denial about what is happening and not yet ready to start facing the problem head on. You might be making excuses or minimizing the impact that the problem is having on your day-to-day life. For your Postpartum journey, this can look like:
- Well I'm crying a lot because I just got home with the baby
- We are arguing more because they baby is up all night
- I haven't been outside in a few days but that's OK because things have been happening.

Tune in tomorrow to learn about stage 2.

Did you know that whenever you need to change something in your life you actually go through different stages? Today I'l...
11/28/2023

Did you know that whenever you need to change something in your life you actually go through different stages? Today I'll give you a quick overview of the stages and over the upcoming days I'll focus on each stage as it pertains to postpartum care. If you have been considering changing something in your life please follow along as we dive into the 5 Stages of Change.

** NEW BLOG ALERT ** Beware: Your Mind Is A Trap!Sometimes I feel like my mind is playing tricks on me. Why can’t I ever...
11/28/2023

** NEW BLOG ALERT ** Beware: Your Mind Is A Trap!

Sometimes I feel like my mind is playing tricks on me. Why can’t I ever appreciate when something good happens? Why does my mind try to turn even the tiniest interactions into huge ordeals? Personally, I’m sick of it. The good news is: I have the power to change my thinking. You do too.

In psychology, the term cognitive distortion–what I like to call a thinking trap—is used to describe a particular type of thought that influences the way you think. Everyone is susceptible to getting caught in these thinking traps, and some of us get stuck a little more than others. Before we can release ourselves from these traps, we need to understand how they work. Step one is to catch ourselves in the trap. Once we do that, we can figure out what kind of trap we are in.

To read entire blog click on link in bio.

The final push is officially on! Thanksgiving has come and gone. The holidays are just a few weeks away and everyone is ...
11/27/2023

The final push is officially on! Thanksgiving has come and gone. The holidays are just a few weeks away and everyone is trying to meet their end of year deadlines. Here are just a few ideas on what you can do to improve productivity these upcoming weeks. Try to focus on 1-2 ideas from the list above each week so that you don't get overwhelmed.

Yesterday was a lot for many people out there. There are things you can do today as you recover from too much food, too ...
11/24/2023

Yesterday was a lot for many people out there. There are things you can do today as you recover from too much food, too much wine, and too much family. Here are just a few things you can do today to help your body and mind recover.

** NEW BLOG ALERT**In the realm of couples therapy, there's a term that often floats in hushed tones but carries profoun...
11/23/2023

** NEW BLOG ALERT**

In the realm of couples therapy, there's a term that often floats in hushed tones but carries profound significance: silent divorce. Unlike the conventional legal dissolution of a marriage, silent divorce is a more subtle process that occurs within the confines of a relationship. It's a phenomenon characterized by emotional disconnection, unspoken grievances, and a growing chasm between partners. In this blog, I explore and unravel the intricacies of silent divorce and outline ways that couples can move toward healing and renewed connection.

Some common signs or indicators of a silent divorce, outlined below, include:
1. Emotional Distance: Partners may seem emotionally distant, even in close proximity.
2. Communication Breakdown: Infrequent or superficial communication can indicate deeper issues.
3. Avoidance of Conflict: Couples may go to great lengths to avoid addressing underlying problems.
4. Loss of Interest: Partners may lose interest in each other's lives, hobbies, and aspirations.
5. Emotional Neglect: Feelings of being undervalued or emotionally neglected are prevalent.

Nothing like a little reminder of what to do to care for yourself on Thanksgiving Day. For many new moms Thanksgiving ca...
11/23/2023

Nothing like a little reminder of what to do to care for yourself on Thanksgiving Day. For many new moms Thanksgiving can be filled with stress as you try to manage a new baby while managing family expectations. Feel free to take your baby on a walk, arrive to Thanksgiving "dinner" late, or leave early if the baby (or you) isn't doing well. Remember to listen to your body and your intuition and only do as much as you want to today.

Anxiety is one of those weird emotions that has a lot of positive aspects to it that make it easy for us to ignore. A li...
11/22/2023

Anxiety is one of those weird emotions that has a lot of positive aspects to it that make it easy for us to ignore. A little bit of anxiety helps you stay awake when you're exhausted, helps you care for your baby, and helps you stay on top of everything that you need to do. BUT, it's easy for that anxiety to become all consuming and ends up paralyzing you. Once the anxiety is no longer useful it is time to reach out to a mental health professional to get the support that you deserve.

Breastfeeding is something that is really difficult to do at the beginning. You might have a baby that has difficulty la...
11/21/2023

Breastfeeding is something that is really difficult to do at the beginning. You might have a baby that has difficulty latching, issues with lactation, etc... Oftentimes this can create feelings of hopelessness and helplessness in women which also creates hopelessness and helplessness in their spouses. Instead of telling you what "not to say" here are some supportive statements you can make instead:

1) How can I help you right now?
2) I love you
3) I support whatever you want to do with breastfeeding

Please comment below on other comments that are helpful while breastfeeding.

**NEW BLOG ALERT**Let Your Mind Bloom: Adopting a Growth MindsetIt sucks when things don’t work out the way you had plan...
11/20/2023

**NEW BLOG ALERT**

Let Your Mind Bloom: Adopting a Growth Mindset

It sucks when things don’t work out the way you had planned. You spent hours each night for the past few weeks studying for your chemistry final, only to find out you failed the exam. You’ve been working hard to perfect your public speaking skills but forgot everything you had prepared to say the moment your presentation began. Perhaps you tried to practice setting boundaries at work, but then felt pressured into coming in on your only day off. Panic, confusion, anger, anxiety, and more leaves you feeling discouraged. Where do you go from here? What is the point of putting in effort if you’re going to fail anyways?

To read the entire blog click on the link in our bio.

The baby blues are the first two weeks post delivery where your hormones are crashing. It is natural during this time to...
11/17/2023

The baby blues are the first two weeks post delivery where your hormones are crashing. It is natural during this time to feel a rollercoaster of emotions as you adjust. Here are somethings you can do to support yourself during that time:

1) REST - you just delivered a baby! So REST!
2) CONNECT - try to connect with friends and family by having them visit with you, calling them, texting, sending funny memes. Whatever it takes to feel connected to your community.
3) HYDRATE - make sure to drink a lot of water to help your body heal.

There are tons of other things that you can do too to help with the baby blues. Feel free to post in the comments below what helped you get through this time.

Something that isn't often mentioned is what I like to refer to as the 3 week slump. You see, when you give birth, every...
11/16/2023

Something that isn't often mentioned is what I like to refer to as the 3 week slump. You see, when you give birth, everyone is excited for you. You have visitors, helpers, food is being brought to you, etc... There is euphoria in your community around your new baby.

That euphoria lasts about 2-3 weeks and then people move on with their lives. But you and your spouse are still in the very thick of learning how to manage a new baby. Oftentimes 1 partner returns to work in the USA at this stage and then it's just you and the baby. This slump also oftentimes coincides with baby blues turning into postpartum depression.

If you are in the 3 week slump feel free to reach out to speak with one of our amazing therapists. Together you will come up with a plan to engage your support system, manage the day-to-day stressors of being a new parent, and become the parent you wanted to be.

** NEW BLOG ALERT**Contempt is often considered one of the most destructive forces in a marriage. It's an emotion that e...
11/16/2023

** NEW BLOG ALERT**

Contempt is often considered one of the most destructive forces in a marriage. It's an emotion that erodes the foundation of trust and love between partners. Understanding what contempt looks like is crucial for couples seeking to nurture a healthy, long-lasting relationship. In this blog post, we'll dive into the signs and consequences of contempt, shedding light on why it's so detrimental and offering strategies to address it.

To read entire blog click on link in bio.

The short answer is "YES"! There are many reasons why arguments increase when children are added to a marriage. Did you ...
11/15/2023

The short answer is "YES"! There are many reasons why arguments increase when children are added to a marriage. Did you know that the two biggest slumps in marital satisfaction occur when you start to have children AND then again when children leave the home?

The main reasons why couples start to fight more when they start to have children can include (but are not limited to):
- sleep deprivation
- feeling overwhelmed with new responsibilities
- difficulty getting your needs met by your partner
- reduced intimacy

But here's the thing. Just because you are fighting more doesn't mean that your marriage is in danger. There are healthy ways to have disagreements and resolving them. If you want to learn healthy ways to argue feel free to reach out and schedule an appointment with one of our amazing therapists.

Did you know that Smart Talk offers all kinds of mental health support? The number one support we offer is individual an...
11/14/2023

Did you know that Smart Talk offers all kinds of mental health support? The number one support we offer is individual and couples therapy. We have therapists located in CA, IL, NY, and FL who are ready to support you in your current life struggles. We use a collaborative and friendly approach to therapy. In your sessions you will find yourself laughing, thinking, and feeling supported.

But our mission goes much further than traditional therapy. When I created Smart Talk in 2017 I wanted to create a space that supports mothers. I know that mothers can't always get to therapy so there are other ways that we help. Here are the other resources we offer:

1) Blogs - we publish numerous blogs each week. They are free to consume and are a space for the general public to learn mental health tools without having to access mental health treatment.

2) Amazon store front - we have an amazon store front that highlights our favorite books and has them organized by topics. This is a great resource for readers who want to learn more about specific mental health needs without having to access mental health treatment. Topics vary from burnout prevention, to positive psychology, to relationships. Link is in our bio.

3) Support groups - One of the fastest ways to feel connected to your life and to your community is through a support group. We offer stress management groups and body image groups. The groups occur weekly and are virtual during your lunch break. This is a great resource for people who want mental health support but don't like the feeling of one-on-one therapy.

The beauty with therapy is that you can come in and just take what you need that day. Sometimes we need comfort and peac...
11/13/2023

The beauty with therapy is that you can come in and just take what you need that day. Sometimes we need comfort and peace. Other days, we might need inspiration and motivation. No matter what you need, take what you need.

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Newport Beach, CA
92660

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Our Story

Smart Talk was created to provide mental health services to people who might not have otherwise been able to access it because, for example, they don’t have child-care, live too far away from a therapist, or who simply cannot afford the astronomical costs of traditional therapy.

By conveniently offering live video therapy sessions, ranging from 30 - 60 minutes long. Smart Talk therapists are uniquely able to support clients even when their only time to spare is during a lunch break or commute, when the kids are napping, or in the evenings after work. Therapy can be hard enough for clients depending on what brings them in, so we made sure that at least the scheduling was easy! Connect with a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist right on your laptop or smartphone through the internet, schedule as many or as little as you would like, and avoid the costs of having in-person therapy.

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