October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but breast cancer prevention should occur EVERY month. The American Cancer Society recommends having annual mammograms at age 45, but women who are at least 40 years old should be given the choice of… read more
Olivia K Pitkethly, MA, LMHC
How to Maintain Healthy Relationships
Between careers, education, children and other family responsibilities, your relationships can easily get overlooked and you may not even realize it’s happening. Relationship experts Drs. John and Julie Gottman have spent decades studying couples and their relationship patterns and have… read more
Identity Theft: Protect Yourself
“Your card has been declined.” Those are words you never want to hear, especially when you know there should be sufficient funds in your account to cover the transaction. When you pull up your banking app and see a number of… read more
Sleeping with Teddy: Is it OK to sleep with a stuffed animal into adulthood?
As children, most of us had that one special item we loved to snuggle. A soft blanket, a stuffed animal or a comfortable pillow might have made us feel safe, calm or comforted. But as we got older, these once… read more
Stressed Out or Anxious?
It is crunch time. You are facing a work deadline and hurtling toward zero hour. You can feel sweat dripping down your brow and your heart beats a tad faster as you keep pushing forward. You will be glad when… read more
When EQ is More Important Than IQ: Explaining Emotional Intelligence
The popularity of emotional intelligence has boomed in the past 20 years after psychologist Daniel Goleman authored a book of the same name in 1995. However, the concept is still relatively new to many individuals. Emotional intelligence (EI or EQ)… read more
Let Us Answer Your Questions About Mental Health Professionals
So, what do those letters after your name mean? Can you prescribe me some Xanax? Are you psychoanalyzing me right now? If both you and your husband are counselors, do you ever argue? As a therapist, I’ve been asked all… read more
Boo! Why Do People Enjoy Being Scared?
It is that time of year again. Seems like just yesterday we were celebrating this season. The delectable treats, the incredible decorations, the festive attire and the fun-filled events that can make anyone feel absolutely...frightened. That is right. I am… read more
Say “No” to Traveling This Holiday Season
Every year, AAA predicts more than 40 million people will be traveling during the Thanksgiving season. Are you one of them? Do you even want to be? I admit I am one of those 40 million-plus who will be traveling this… read more