Give

Up in Smoke: Facing the Fire Threat on Top of the Rest

By Emily Phifer, M.S. MFT   Approaching Burnout How are we to manage the fatigue of yet another threat (that of fires), on top of the Covid-19 specter which has been looming large for the past 6 months, and the racial upheaval and political unrest fueling division in our country? If you’re approaching burnout right about now, wondering how to keep putting one foot in front of another, you’re not alone. With the recent added trauma of the devastating West Coast fires, this year has just served up yet another whopping stressor to...

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Resiliency: Transformation Through Life’s Challenges

by Christian Bonilla, MA, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist   What is resilience? I think we can all agree that life is amazing when everything is running smoothly.  However, life does not always work that way.  It is simply too unpredictable.  I became quite familiar with this fact thirteen years ago, at the age of fifteen.  The result of a diving accident at a lake left me paralyzed from the chest down.  Life as I knew it would never be the same.  Gone was my ability to play instruments and run for my...

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Emotional Refueling: Vital to Mental Health

by Emily Phifer, M.S. MFT   During this difficult life season, Sync Counseling Center wants to remind you that everyone can benefit from prioritizing mental health practices.  Particularly during this pandemic and the collective shifting around long-held systems of  racial inequality in our society today, you may find yourself "running on empty", depleted and fatigued.  It's not uncommon during times of personal or collective grief, or both, for people to find themselves unusually exhausted, slowed down, and having difficulty completing usual tasks or functions.  Grief and stress slow us down physically, emotionally...

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Parenting in Pandemic Times

Even in the best of times, parenting is a challenging and ever-evolving journey, requiring stamina and grace. [perfectpullquote align="full" bordertop="false" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]Add in the daily restrictions, stressors and upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many parents and families are struggling to find their way.[/perfectpullquote] Take a look at these suggested routines and insights from Rubina Haroutonian, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist at Sync Counseling Center to guide you and your family in these uncharted times:   [perfectpullquote align="full" bordertop="false" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]“When parents deal...

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Grounded In the Present: Now. Here. This.

  By Emily Phifer    In overwhelming circumstances, with no end in sight, we may find ourselves challenged by knowing how best to survive the day- to- day marathon of our lives.   Disruptions to our routines, plans, and usual rhythms can bring overwhelm and disorientation for even the most balanced of people.  Our overwhelm is a normal and valid response to the stressors, changes and uncertainty we are collectively experiencing. We are normal, we are overwhelmed, and we are struggling, together.   Father Greg Boyle, the Jesuit priest and founder/director of “Homeboy Industries” organization with...

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