Do you remember that moment when you finally gained clarity around your key values? I do. I remember feeling like everything finally made sense: why I had made certain choices in the past, why certain situations bored me, why I was drawn to some people and repelled by others. Best of all was that it […]

While not easily defined, existential therapy builds on ideas taken from philosophy, helping clients to understand and clarify the life they would like to lead (Iacovou & Weixel-Dixon, 2015). Although there is no single existential therapy, each approach shares the same basic principle that while life is fraught with dilemmas, we choose our values and

If last night’s dream helped you solve a problem, it could indicate that you are high in the personality disposition of openness (Larsen, Buss, Wismeijer, & Song, 2017). It doesn’t stop there. Being more open is linked to a willingness to explore new experiences, including foods, hobbies, and other cultures. And when we behave in

Through adversity, we acquire skills, abilities, and attributes that enable us to not just survive, but ultimately, thrive. French psychiatrist Pierre Janet said: “Every life is a piece of art, put together with all means available.” Van Der Kolk, 2014, p. 112 When I think of Janet’s statement, I envision a colorful and intricate life

Trauma is part of life and will be faced by all of us at some point. While it will lead to prolonged distress for some, others will return from the ordeal stronger in mind and spirit, having met the challenge and returned to purposeful lives (Southwick & Charney, 2018). While it is neither realistic nor

Anxiety is part of our brain’s hardwired threat response, which has helped humans survive for thousands of years. We have all experienced anxiety at some point, whether it’s hearing a bump in the night or preparing for an exam. However, over-activation of the anxiety response can have a debilitating impact, and anxiety difficulties are one

Self-soothing is an emotional regulation strategy used to regain equilibrium after an upsetting event. Most of us are familiar with soothing others when they are upset or afraid, especially if we have children. However, when we are triggered as adults, it’s difficult to regulate potentially disruptive emotions like anger, fear, and sadness, especially in a

The strengths-based approach to social work focuses on a client’s personal, relational, and community assets, rather than their deficits (Pulla, 2017). It is a holistic, collaborative approach concerned with identifying a client’s inner and outer resources to promote resilience (Pulla, 2017). Client strengths include their individual talents and problem-solving abilities as well as the resources

Supporting clients to develop a range of coping skills is a common focus in therapy. Having effective coping tools helps to manage difficult emotions, overcome challenging situations, build strengths, and work toward personal goals. However, a big challenge of therapy is translating helpful ideas and strategies from sessions into real-world situations. It is therefore important

Behavior change is recognized by politicians, scientists, and therapists worldwide as crucial to solving individual and social problems. The development of effective behavioral solutions to tackle chronic health conditions, mental health problems, financial difficulty, and criminal behavior has impacted fields as diverse as medicine and health, policing, and education (Hagger, Cameron, Hamilton, Hankonen, & Lintunen,