fbpx
Call for your appointment: 941-306-1235

Resources and Thoughts from Marilyn Halls, M.A.

While I cannot share experiences that happen in the privacy of my counseling sessions, there is so much information available to us to freely share in this resource blog. I write from my experience drawing on other professional resources to educate and guide you in ways that can help you both before and beyond the counseling conversation.

Here are the topic categories that help keep this blog organized for search.

Relationships and Communication

Anxiety and Stress

Depression Therapy

Grief and Loss

Transitions

 

Gottman Approved Member

Learn More about

The Gottman Institute

Featured Posts

couple in difficult communication

How Can We Improve Our Communication? Part 1

From an initial group of 130 newlyweds, 17 couples were divorced at the six-year point in their marriages. Gottman divided them into what he called “masters and disasters.” What set them apart? The most significant finding was that it was not arguments about key issues, such as money or sex but rather the presence or lack of emotional connection in their communication.   READ MORE

Positivity in Communication Part 2

Many couples struggle with communication issues. In my practice, I hear comments such as “When we try to address a serious topic such as in-laws, disciplining our children or getting them to finish their homework our arguments escalate into a fight” or “my partner does not listen to what I am saying, he/she interrupts and tells me I am wrong”. Positivity and soft startups are missing. Harsh startups are common and there is a great deal of criticism and complaining.  READ MORE

Relationships and Communication

Anxiety and Stress

Self-Isolation Woes

Self-Isolation Woes

Self-Isolation Woes, Your Fitness, and You: Keep the Negative Energy Out with These Three Things Self-isolation during these stressful times can be a challenge. It is difficult to find your balance and get right with yourself. A lot of adults and children are...

Beating Coronavirus Blues

Beating Coronavirus Blues

Is beating Coronavirus blues a struggle for you? I'd be surprised if it wasn't. We all are dealing with one thing or another brought on by these strange times. I would like to share a few thoughts and good ideas I’ve come across recently as we are all handling a very...

COVID-19 Anxiety

COVID-19 Anxiety

COVID-19 anxiety has upended our lives in such a short space of time. As humans, we like to feel that we have control over our lives and that we can see the future with some certainty. So how do we address this huge shift? As the...

Depression Therapy

Keep Mental Health Care Top of Mind

Keep Mental Health Care Top of Mind

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month For more than two years the whole world has experienced a pandemic that has had a major impact on our lives creating a greater need for mental health care. Fortunately, this has brought discussions about mental health care into the...

Suicide Risk and Prevention

Suicide Risk This past week, two people with familiar names to us, have apparently taken their lives by suicide. These sad events shock and confuse us. Questions such as "How could she leave her daughter?" in Kate Spade's case or "How could there be anything wrong in...

Grief and Loss

Grief – how can I help a loved one?

When someone we love experiences the death of a loved one, a divorce or any other major life event we often do not know how to help them in this period of grief and loss. In our efforts to alleviate pain we often fall back on platitudes such as: You are lucky to have...

Transitions

Senior Living – Independent or Assisted

Senior Living – Independent or Assisted

At a certain age, the idea of a senior living community becomes more appealing. How appealing it is different for each individual, Then there are those who are fiercely independent and will have nothing to do with this group living arrangement.  ‘ Weighing your...