by Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC You may have heard the phrase “attachment style” and wondered if it was relevant to you or whether it was just another psychology buzzword being thrown into the vernacular. The concept of attachment styles has actually been around since the mid 20th-century when psychologist John Bowlby developed a psychological framework known as “attachment theory”. Within … Read More
by Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is characterized by feelings of depression that start and end at the same time every year, in accordance with a change in seasons. Typically, it is associated with lack of sunlight during the winter months. However, the disorder can affect individuals during any of the four seasons. For instance, depression that is experienced … Read More
by Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC Setting and maintaining boundaries in the workplace can be challenging, as it may involve asserting yourself and potentially encountering resistance from colleagues. Some people may believe they have good boundaries when in reality they avoid asserting their own wishes and preferences out of fear as being seen as “unkind”. In truth, boundaries are indicative of respect, self-esteem and create … Read More
– Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC The Mind-Body Connection It’s no secret that food has a significant impact on the mind and body. Eating healthy, nutritious foods generally leads to increased energy, mental clarity and self-esteem. We also know what foods have the opposite effect—typically those that include high amount of sugar, grease and fat. While this basic approach … Read More
– Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC What is Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar disorder (BP) is a mental health condition characterized by extreme shifts in mood, energy levels and activity levels. These two extreme states of being are known as mania/hypomania and depression. There are two subtypes of bipolar disorder: bipolar I (BPI) and bipolar II (BPII). The distinction between these two subtypes … Read More
– Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC Reassurance seeking is a behavior or mental act aimed at clarifying or verifying something that is typically already known. It often emerges through an individual’s inability to tolerate uncertainty. Most people can obtain information and feel relatively satisfied with being “sure enough” of a specific quandary. However, this “sure enough” part of the brain … Read More
– Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC Sometimes, life can feel unfair—not just mildly inconvenient but, like, really unfair. We’ve all been there. Maybe your offer for an apartment didn’t get accepted. Or you got rejected from the job you really wanted. Or months of diet and exercise are “undone” by an unexpected injury or week of stress-eating. If several of these events happen close … Read More
– Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC Contamination OCD is among the many subtypes of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Before looking more closely at this particular subtype, let’s do a quick review of OCD. OCD is characterized by the presence of disturbing thoughts or images (obsessions) that are intrusive and unwanted. As a result, people with OCD feel driven to engage in repetitive … Read More
– Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC Real Event OCD is a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a mental health condition characterized by intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors that cause significant distress and interfere with daily functioning. As the name suggests, Real Event OCD can be defined as simply as “having OCD about real events”. As humans, we have all done things … Read More
– Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC Think back to the first time you ever got behind the wheel of a car. If you’re like most people, it was far from a “stress free” experience. There was probably a lot of adrenaline coursing through your veins and your mind was automatically thinking of all the possible worst-case scenarios that could … Read More
