Family Counseling Archives - Page 3 of 11

Work in Progress

By Emily Phifer, M.S. MFT When I was younger, I held tightly to a beloved illusion that at some point in my life, I would reach a “settled place”. There I would reside, with a steady job and life situation, all loose ends tied up, issues resolved, and a comfortable homeostasis surrounding me like a warm blanket. Of course, more years of life quickly cleared up that illusion, replacing it with the hardwon reality that life is anything but settled or static. People I love have died before their time, I’ve survived...

Friendships, the Pandemic, and Reevaluating What Matters

By Maija Vance, AMFT I think we can all agree that the pandemic has changed our lives in so many ways. One area of life which has been greatly impacted and which often gets overlooked is that of our friendships. We often take for granted that friendships should be easy, come naturally, and will be there for us, no matter what. But almost all of us have suffered when suddenly, due to pandemic limitations, we’ve had limited access to these friendships for an extended period of time. As a therapist, I have...

When Faith Falls Apart

By Thomas Lazo, MFT Trainee In the past 10 years in the United States, the number of adults who identify as Christians has steadily decreased, and the number of adults who do not identify with any religion has steadily increased (See statistics here). More than just a social trend, behind these statistics are stories of everyday people whose identities and relationships have gone through major changes, and sometimes major conflicts. Although this is a significant social shift, there is no single word to describe what happens when belief systems collapse. Sometimes researchers...

New Normal

By Emily Phifer, M.S. MFT Emerging from Chaos We typically think of the phrase “New Normal” as a way of referring to finding a new rhythm and equlibrium in our lives after recovering from some level of chaos and disruption. A new normal can be considered desirable in ways, because it symbolizes reaching a point where the state of normalcy is possible again. We associate "normalcy" with knowing what to expect, and finding a sense of settledness. But, there is something about the phrase and the idea of a new normal that...

Looking Back, Taking Stock

by Emily Phifer, M.S. MFT Often, we struggle through life seasons of challenges and set-backs with a laser focus on getting through to the other side. And with good reason! When our lives become disoriented, we instinctively long for resolve and resolution by seeking the solution to our struggle. But, what we often forget is how much we can gain by learning from how we survived and thrived in difficult times. By failing to look back and reflect, we cheat ourselves out of making significant realizations about what helped us to...

Work in Progress

Friendships, the Pandemic, and Reevaluating What Matters

When Faith Falls Apart

New Normal

Looking Back, Taking Stock

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