How many of you have teens, or are a teen? I don’t know about you, but I’m terrified of my teens getting their hearts broken, or worse. Statistics show that teen dating violence is getting worse and it affects MILLIONS of teens each year, and I’m seeing it affect many of the teens here in middle Georgia.

Data from CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 2019 indicate that among U.S. high school students who reported dating during the 12 months before the survey:

About 1 in 12 experienced physical dating violence.

About 1 in 12 experienced sexual dating violence.

Parenting teens can be a challenging task, but with the right approach, it can be incredibly fulfilling. Here are five ways to successfully parent teenagers:

You may be wondering if you should tell your therapist the truth about how you are feeling. If I tell her, will I be hospitalized? Will she believe me? Will he tell my parents and then I’ll be in trouble? The answers to these questions could be “Maybe.”

Licensed Therapist in Perry Georgia shares three actionable tips to improve your productivity in the workplace, in your personal life, or at school.

Do you compare yourself to others and find yourself lacking? Or do you catch yourself speaking or thinking negatively about yourself? You may be dealing with low self-esteem. Here are some practical ways you can start to boost your self-esteem today.

Did you know that laughing has actual health benefits? Medical and mental health professionals agree that there are short-term and long-term benefits to laughter. Here are a few of my favorite reasons why we should all try to add more humor to our lives. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Bettina Lyons, shares ways that introducing laughter and silliness into your days can benefit many areas of your life.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be happy? Like truly happy? I mean, like those people who find joy in things even when it seems like they have a permanent rain cloud affixed to their circumstances?

I don’t know about you, but life is bananas right now. I’m finding myself juggling roles that I never thought I’d find myself in- home school teacher, principal, cafeteria lady, spring break entertainer, and even telemental health therapist. The date that our kids return to school has been pushed back another month. This time is full of changes and unknowns. It seems like every time I turn on the news, the number of confirmed cases is on a swift uptick. People that I know are being personally affected. How do we find balance?

How do I know if I need therapy?

How to listen like you mean it. “You’re not listening! I keep trying to tell you… “ or “You aren’t hearing me. How many times do I have to tell you…?” Do those sound familiar? Have you been the one to exclaim those types of statements? Or, have you been on the receiving end of those? Or maybe both. And, why does this happen in the first place?

Six common misconceptions about therapy. You have to lay down on the therapy sofa while your therapist psychoanalyzes all of your childhood experiences. No, you don’t have to lay down on a chaise sofa while your therapist discretely takes notes behind you. You can sit down and grab a blanket if you are cold, or even eat a snack if you are hungry. The goal is to be comfortable because you are generally talking about stuff that is uncomfortable. Now with that being said, I do have a sofa in my therapy office, and if you want to lay down during your therapy session, go ahead!