As an African-Caribbean-American man who has felt as if I must be aware of my backgrounds at every turn, my experience as a counseling intern has been no exception. It has therefore, left me to wonder the extent to which, and how, the race and ethnicity of the therapist matter to clients. A few months... Continue Reading →
In a previous blog I asked if someone could be addicted to being at a bar. I presented the example where Bert, a teenager was at a bar named Water Bar in my birth Caribbean village of Trafalgar, Dominica. Bert accused one of the adult men who was waiting outside the bar with him before... Continue Reading →
Many therapists use a framework called acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which suggests that “control is the problem; not the solution.” Attempting to control our environments, emotions, internal experiences, or other people can temporarily alleviate discomfort or anxiety, but it does not provide sustainable relief. Rather, it creates a cycle of trying to do something... Continue Reading →
You are in the middle of a conversation with a friend at a local coffee shop. You haven’t seen each other in weeks, and you can’t wait to dish on the latest things happening. Or, you are in the middle of an argument with your significant other, and you just need to shut them up.... Continue Reading →
Can someone be addicted to going to a bar? Seriously, I am talking about a person who does not drink alcohol, do any drugs, or engage in any gambling or other elicit activity. Is it possible that someone’s socialization, in and of itself, can be an addiction? Or, does an addiction require some sort of... Continue Reading →
I'm in the final weeks of the summer semester in the middle of my 2.5-year grad program. The last weeks of the semester are filled with research papers, final presentations, and end-of-semester reports. Even if you are the most diligent student and have kept up with all the assigned reading and assignments, the last few... Continue Reading →
Although I identify as a Black person of African and Caribbean heritage, and American socialization, I am still struggling with the word “Black people.” As I selected those two words as the first for the title of this blog, I imagine that some people may feel certain ways when they read it. They may wonder,... Continue Reading →
We all tend to overthink situations from time to time. We can feel our anxiety start to rise in our bodies. Our heart rate goes up, our palms get sweaty, our neck starts to feel tense. Thoughts race through our mind faster than we can keep up with as our mind jumps from one idea... Continue Reading →
Anxiety is something we all feel at one time or another. In fact, anxiety has a purpose. The purpose of anxiety is to keep us safe from harm. But anxiety can also get out of control when there is nothing around to harm us. When we feel anxiety at those times, we need to take... Continue Reading →
CounselingMatters.live 