Suicide Prevention Month: Take ACTion This September
September is Suicide Prevention Month, a pivotal time for us at Summit Counseling Center to raise awareness about a pressing issue that affects countless lives. According to the World Health Organization, suicide claims nearly 800,000 lives globally each year....
CDC Reports Increasing Mental Health Challenges for U.S. Teens
by Cathy Murphy, Director of Community Outreach According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are continuing to see a trend of declining mental health among our teens. The data showed more...
Workplace Stress and Boundaries
‘Tis the season for quarterly changes at work. This may be in the form of a promotion, a department restructuring, a new work location, or a change in field. All of these things can impact day-to-day stress levels, yet...
How to Listen So Your Teen Feels Heard
Bailey Smith , M.Ed.
One of the most common phrases I hear from my teenage clients is “My parents never listen to me!” Teenagers often feel unheard and misunderstood by many of the adults in their lives, especially their parents, and it greatly...
Emotion Regulation – Naming the Emotion
Brittany Glaser , M.A., M.Div.
In our DBT class on Emotion Regulation, the first step that we work on can initially sound simple- naming the emotion. We work to first understand what the emotion is that we are dealing with before we try to tackle anything else. People come...
The Transparency of Therapy
When I was a child, there was a columnist by the name of Dear Abby, featured in the Detroit News. I was amazed at the transparency of the article from the one seeking advice and the columnist. Some of...
Coping with Grief During the Holidays
Stephen Walters , M.Div., M.A.
For some, the holidays are fun and exciting. For others, they can be painful. The holidays may be a reminder of loved ones we have lost, relationships that are hurting, or other struggles in life. This can lead to...
Interpersonal Effectiveness: Receiving & Giving Validation
Brittany Glaser , M.A., M.Div.
When we are running our DBT classes, a lot of clients will ask me what to expect with each specific group. One of the groups that we run is called Interpersonal Effectiveness. In this group, we focus on learning...
Parenting for More Effect – Impart and Implement III: The Why
Stephen Walters , M.Div., M.A.
So far this year, my blogs have been focused on how we can parent for more effect. Specifically, during a time of a pandemic, social distancing, and isolation. Also, generally, as we get closer and closer to “normal times.”...
The Importance of Gratitude
Maddie McGarrah , M.Ed.
Practicing gratitude in our daily lives can have multiple benefits on our mental and even our physical health. One definition of gratitude that I like is, “the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself and represents a...
Healthy Relationships Between Parents and Teens
Healthy Relationships between Parents & Teens require good communication. A healthy relationship is one that is based on respect, honesty, trust, communication, individuality, safety, support, and acceptance. Here are some tips for communication that will help foster a healthy...
Declutter Your Mental Space
Springtime is here! Spring is a season of rebirth and growth for so much of the beautiful nature we see around us. The extra evening sunlight often leads to increased feelings of productivity and more movement. As a result...
How Conflict Can Create Connection
Conflict is inevitable in relationships. This has been especially true over the past year as couples have tried to navigate a national pandemic, sheltering at home, working remotely while guiding children through virtual learning, job losses and financial strain,...
Comparison is the Thief of Joy
“Comparison is the Thief of Joy” – Theodore Roosevelt This is one of my favorite quotes by Theodore Roosevelt. Over the past year, 2020 brought us many unprecedented challenges and hardships that were impossible to prepare for. Having no...
Setting a Self-Care Routine Can Help Improve Your Physical, Spiritual and Mental Well-Being
Making a commitment to self is one of the best New Year’s resolutions a person can make! With most of us quarantining during the past year due to Covid-19, it gave us the opportunity to take a step back...
3 Tips to Listen to Your Spouse Better
You never listen to me! Have you ever heard that statement from your spouse in the middle of a heated argument? Are the two of you constantly arguing about the same things all the time? Want to know how...
Parenting For More Effect – Impart and Implement I: Our Words
Stephen Walters , M.Div., M.A.
I remember when my oldest son was born, my first thought was, “Wow, I really hope I do a terrible job as a parent.” Wait, that is not right. Of course, my first thought was more like, “Will I...
Positive Parenting: Setting Limits with your Child
Maddie McGarrah , M.Ed.
Whether your child or children express it or not, rules and limits are good for them. Children thrive off consistency, and a great way to help provide consistency to your child is when you are setting limits for them....
How to Help Your Anxious Child
Allison Bates , M.S.
Hello all! A lot of the adults I see suffer from variations of anxiety and struggle to cope with it effectively. It is potentially even more frustrating for kids who have anxiety to develop the coping skills to process...
A Word for the New Year
As we enter this new year many of you may be breathing a sigh of relief to have made it through 2020. For me personally, I think making it through 2020 was an accomplishment for all of us and,...