GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
The theory of the cycle of abuse was developed in 1979 by Lenore E. Walker. Walker identified 4 stages that occur in an abusive relationship: Tension Building, Incident, Reconciliation, and Calm. Defining these four stages has been instrumental in learning about abusive relationship patterns and how they affect both the abused and the abuser. Coming […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
A common cause of challenges with relationships is how a person communicates. Communication skills can affect a person in different ways, whether they are struggling with relationship issues, social anxiety, self-esteem, or other issues. Being able to communicate well helps with a person’s mental health in several ways, including boosting confidence, working through emotional challenges, […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Supporting a loved one with depression can be challenging. It can drain you mentally, emotionally, and physically, which can lead to burnout and exhaustion. While it is a gesture of love to support a loved one who is struggling with depression, it is important to do so in a healthy way. There are ways to […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
When you do not set clear and healthy boundaries with others, you put yourself at risk of being mistreated. Without proper boundaries, the people in your life may mistreat you and not realize it. This is because they do not know that the way they are approaching you is upsetting you or simply does not […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Listening skills are important to have, but not everyone is taught effective methods of listening to others. To listen does not mean to formulate a response, it means to understand the points and perspective of another. We all get eager to respond to things we are listening to at times, but it is often more […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Change takes time. Change can be challenging for people to accomplish, and it is often something that people resist. Change is scary, but can also be exciting, healthy, and liberating. Some changes cause pain while others cause relief. Whatever the need is for change, it can be difficult for a client to facilitate change in […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Issues in relationships often stem from a problem with communication. Communication is a critical part of a healthy relationship. Without proper communication skills, it is difficult for a couple to work together as a team and resolve issues. Good communication skills are important both during the good times and the bad times. People often think […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Anger is a powerful emotion that can have many effects on people. Everyone feels anger for different reasons, and everyone has different triggers for their anger. It is important to be in touch with your anger. Understanding your own anger and why you are feeling angry is an important step in managing anger. If an […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Relationships can be challenging. In any relationship, there are points of strength and points of struggle. In the more challenging times, it is important to be able to work as a team. The goal of resolving problems in a relationship is finding resolution, not winning an argument. To be a strong team, each partner must […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Relationships can be challenging at times. There are many obstacles a couple faces throughout the course of their partnership. It is not uncommon for a couple to fall out of sync with each other. Whether it is dishonesty, unfaithfulness, or just troubles with managing work and family, every long-term couple will face its trials. Every […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Cognitive distortions are a major source of mental and emotional strain on a person’s day-to-day life. Everyone struggles with cognitive distortions sometimes. They are natural patterns that our brain develops to understand how the world affects us. The challenge with cognitive distortions is they warp the way we see the world and how it relates […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Anger affects everyone. It is a powerful emotion that can be triggered by many different things. You may feel anger from an upsetting situation, stress or another emotion you don’t entirely understand. Sometimes, when we do not understand our anger or how it negatively affects us, it has a damaging effect on our quality of […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Self-image is an important part of understanding who you are as a person. Many people who seek therapy struggle because they do not have a good relationship with themselves. They do not understand who they are, and that can be for many reasons. Sometimes people are so distracted with who they want to be they […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Anger can be difficult to manage. People who suffer from anger management issues often struggle to cope with their anger in a healthy way. They may engage in unhealthy behaviors, like lashing out at others or taking it out on themselves. It is important to have healthy anger management skills. Without proper anger management skills, […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Exploring values can help a great deal in therapy. When a client understands their values, they can gain a better understanding of their goals and what they want from life. They also learn about the type of person they want to be, and how they want to behave. When a person does not have a […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
A huge part of having a healthy lifestyle is having proper boundaries with yourself and the people in your life. Boundaries promote healthy relationships with others and a good sense of self-esteem. They are very important, but can sometimes be difficult to maintain. Everyone’s boundaries are different. Each person has their own unique needs and […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Everyone has stressors in their lives. When people are in therapy, different stressors can serve as triggers for different conditions. Most people in therapy will have significant triggers that can cause them to think, act and feel in ways that are not healthy for them. An important part of therapy is helping clients identify their […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
A huge part of being able to build a strong relationship is to know how to acknowledge your partner’s qualities, and be able to articulate why the qualities are important to you. Building a strong foundation takes time, dedication and patience. Couples need to learn how to communicate, compromise, and express appreciation for one another. […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Everyone struggles with cognitive distortions. A cognitive distortion is an error in thinking. It is a pattern of thinking that is detrimental to the way clients think about challenges and behave in reaction. A cognitive distortion can cause different issues with stress management, communication, and relationships. It can also affect a client’s self-esteem, self-image, and […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Relationships can be tough, but a couple that is motivated for change and attends couples counseling has a lot of room for growth. It is not uncommon for a couple to struggle with a number of issues. Sometimes an issue that a couple can face is remembering to express gratitude for their loved one. Feeling […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
When used properly, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a very effective form of therapy. CBT helps people work on their problem behavior by providing a means to understand their thoughts and feelings. People often react to stressors quickly, and that can prevent them from thinking things through. CBT teaches a person how to slow down […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Everyone faces challenges. Life is about facing challenges to find resolution and grow from the experience. A huge factor that affects a person’s ability to handle challenges while maintaining inner peace and growth is the way in which they handle their own negative thoughts. It is important to know how to counter your own negative […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Throughout the course of therapy, it is important for both the therapist and the client to have a concrete understanding of how the client is growing and developing their coping skills. Therapy is more than just talking about feelings. It is about personal growth and learning how to manage thoughts, feelings, coping skills, behaviors and […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Practicing effective self-care techniques is a very important part of mental health. Without self-care, people cannot grow and learn how to cope with the stress of their daily lives. It is particularly important to practice self-care when struggling with mental illness. This is because self-care helps to promote skills to maintain good coping strategies and […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Our thought patterns make a difference in how we interpret challenging situations. When we practice healthy thinking patterns we can control how we react to upsetting issues. When we have errors in thinking, or cognitive distortions, we can misunderstand a challenging situation and behave in a way that may not fit our character. Cognitive distortions […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Having healthy communication skills are important, but also challenging to develop. Some people may struggle with articulating their feelings and needs. It is common for a client to struggle with being assertive or understanding what it means to be assertive with your needs. Learning how to reflect on a situation before confronting another person can […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
A huge part of successfully developing effective communication skills is understanding what it means to be assertive. Assertive communication skills are essential for clients who are learning how to express themselves effectively. When a person is assertive, they are able to make their point and perspective clear. They are able to state their needs and […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Emotions can be challenging to understand. Sometimes they have concrete reasons for being felt, and sometimes we are not sure why we are feeling a certain way. When we feel emotions we do not understand, we can struggle to understand how to cope. People who struggle to understand how to identify and cope with their […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
When teaching your clients cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) skills, it is important to help them gain an understanding of common thinking errors and how they affect thoughts, feelings and behaviors. When a person has a pattern of negative thinking, it will skew the way they see and understand how they fit into a situation. This will […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Cognitive distortions, or errors in thinking, can cause a person to misinterpret situations and see themselves in a negative light. They are powerful and can have effects on a person’s sense of self-esteem, mood, and reactions to challenging situations. Teaching a client in therapy about how cognitive distortions may be impacting their mental health can […]
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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 a client’s triggers is a critical component of learning how to cope with symptoms of mental health challenges. Triggers are situations that can cause a person to react in an unwanted or unhealthy way. Triggers can cause a person to struggle with unwanted thoughts, feelings, and impulses. They are especially challenging when […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
It is not uncommon for a client to feel like a victim of their own anxiety. Anxiety is a difficult feeling to live with, and it is often chronic for people who seek counseling. Anxiety brings ruminating negative thoughts that can have a major impact on a client’s ability to get through their day. When […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Stress is a natural part of life. It is a part of life that everyone must face and learn how to cope with. Some people are able to manage stress well, while others tend to really struggle to cope. Stress can lead to other issues, like anxiety, depression, motivation issues and relationship issues, so it […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Anger is an emotion that can overwhelm anyone, especially a young child. When a child is not taught proper emotional regulation skills, they can have trouble with learning how to manage their behaviors in reaction to their feelings. This can result in behavioral issues and troubles with communication. Teaching proper anger management skills helps a […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
When it comes to certain cases, clients may find it difficult to grasp an understanding of the struggles they are going though. Whether dealing with trauma, anger, anxiety, depression or otherwise, it can be a challenge for many clients to understand how they came to become who they are. Sometimes it is not easy to […]
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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
At some point in a client’s journey, he or she will need to take a step back to evaluate how he or she is managing self-care. It is important for a client to be well-aware of what he or she needs to be able to maintain self-care, and to understand a hierarchy in which the […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
It is important to have a list of goals and objectives for the client and therapist to work toward when beginning a new therapeutic relationship. Setting goals creates a foundation that helps the client and therapist stay on track when helping a client feel better. Setting goals also empowers a client to stay on track […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Arguments are never easy, but it is important to know how to effectively argue to keep lines of communication open. Often when people struggle with arguments the point of the argument is lost, which prevents the partners to find resolution. This is why it is important to learn how to effectively argue to find resolution […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
In recent studies, it has been found that practicing gratitude exercises and positive affirmations have been effective in helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and an array of other types of mental health disorders. Teaching a client how to practice gratitude exercises helps him or her learn how to acknowledge and appreciate the good. This […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Working on communication in relationships is an integral part in strengthening the bond between a couple. Often, people who are struggling in a relationship have a hard time expressing their needs in an open and effective way. This can often cause tension in a relationship and cause a rift between partners. About This Worksheet This […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
When working with clients on how to modify behavior, it is important to teach how to be self-reflective and aware of his or her behavior in reaction to the people places and things around them. When clients learn how to be self-reflective, they are able to learn how to slow down reactions, think situations through, […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
It is not uncommon to have a client pass through your doors who has low self-esteem and a poor awareness of who he or she is and how he or she fits into the world. This can cause a great deal of unpleasant feelings and anxiety within a person, as he or she struggles to […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Creating mantras is a great way to help your client learn how to cope and self-soothe when going about their day-to-day life. A mantra is a saying or phrase that is created and used by a person in times of distress, discomfort, sadness or anger. Mantras derive from meditative practices and have been found to […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
We all know that sometimes life can get overwhelming. Whether it is stress at work, home, or from an unexpected circumstance that causes us to feel overwhelmed. Whatever the case, it is important to know how to manage the feelings of stress, anxiety, fatigue, and depressed mood that comes with difficult circumstances. We all have […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
The way we think is a huge component that contributes to the way we feel, behave and react to situations. People develop habits in thinking. Sometimes those habits are healthy, but often people can develop erroneous patterns of thought that affect the way they perceive the world and their place in it. These thoughts are […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
It can be easy to get wrapped up in the moment of a stressful situation and instantly feel overwhelmed and without direction or hopes of finding resolution. When dealing with stress it is important to keep in mind that it will trigger anxiety, and each person reacts to anxiety in different ways. It is important […]
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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
As therapists, we know that most issues and concerns our clients face are more dynamic and intricate than the client may realize. Many components contribute to presenting issues with our clients, and often there is more than meets the eye. When working with clients on issues like emotional regulation, mood disorders, anxiety, and self-esteem, it […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Interpersonal issues like assertiveness, aggression, and confrontation are often things people struggle to know how to handle. There is a fine line between assertiveness and aggression, hostility, and submission, when dealing with confrontation. Sometimes it can be difficult to know which road to take, whether to be assertive, aggressive or submissive, and the confusion can […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
When working with patients who struggle with relationship issues and communication issues, it is important to be sure the patient understands the core elements needed in developing relationships. Patients often struggle with building relationships, getting to know people, being open to others, and communicating. When patients struggle with these issues it is important to teach […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
One major cause for stress for patients is understanding how to handle confrontation and interactions with others. Sometimes people struggle with being assertive, controlling their temper, or simply expressing how they are feeling or what they are thinking in a given situation. When patients struggle with such challenges it helps to help them understand social […]
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GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Negative thoughts have the potential to control the way people perceive and interpret almost every aspect of their lives. Some may have negative thoughts about themselves, others, or the way of the world. Negative thoughts generate negative feelings, and negative feelings contribute to negative behavior and mood disorders. That is why it is important to […]
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