GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
When dealing with a client who is struggling with self-confidence and low self-esteem, it is important to ensure that they are aware of their protective factors. Knowing your own protective factors is important. Protective factors serve as a source of strength, hope and comfort when dealing with a challenge. Sometimes a client is not aware […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Being aware of triggers is a critical component to learning how to cope with symptoms of mental illness. A part of a client understanding why they are feeling uncomfortable is understanding what causes the discomfort. Being able to identify triggers helps the client learn how to cope with several different disorders, like anxiety, depression, anger […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Dialectical behavioral therapy is particularly useful when it comes to teaching a client how to handle distressing or upsetting situations. DBT teaches coping skills for stress tolerance, emotional regulation, and the reduction of mood swings and panic attacks. DBT provides several different tools that help a person learn how to cope with upsetting emotions like […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Sometimes it can be tough for our clients to know what words to use to express what they are feeling. Feelings and emotions are complex, and can sometimes be uncomfortable and overwhelming. When our clients struggle to articulate their feelings it can be helpful to provide a guide to help navigate them through the words […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
When we are confronted with a situation in which a patient is expressing to us that he or she is in danger of causing harm to himself or herself or is in danger of being harmed by someone it is important that as clinicians we do all we can do to keep our patient safe. […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
It is always alarming when a patient comes into our office and begins to express plans or thoughts about harming himself or herself. We are trained as professionals to take any and all reports like this seriously and need to be able to collect all of the information we need to effectively and safely assess […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
One of the most important things we do as therapists is screen our patients to make sure they are safe after they leave our office. Whether the patient is struggling with depression, anger, eating disorders, substance abuse, family issues, abuse, or suicidal ideation, it is imperative that we make sure our patients are safe and […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Sometimes when people suffer from low self-esteem, low confidence, or mood disorders like anxiety and depression it is easy to focus on the negative and forget about the positive that they have in their lives. When patients focus only on the negative it is hard to imagine a happy and positive life that has hope, […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
When a patient is learning what is affecting them and ways to feel better it is expected that they take lessons learned in therapy and to them to their lifestyles. Sometimes in the heat of emotions and stress patients can forget what they learned and how to implement them, and need a reminder of why […]
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