Trauma symptoms arise when a stressor exceeds our ability to cope in that moment; it is when we move from manageable discomfort that we can respond to, into overwhelming or intolerable pain. In a stressful situation, our nervous system responds by energizing us into fight or flight mode; we confront the challenge, or seek safety. An adaptive response from our ...READ MORE »
There’s an old joke that goes, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” and the punchline is, “practice, practice, practice.” Oftentimes, in my work as a therapist for children, adolescents, and their families, the question comes up of “How do I remember to use this in the moment?” And the simple answer, as the above “joke” points out, is practice. Skills ...READ MORE »
This past week, with the Uvalde school shooting, has been difficult. Given the context of the shooting in Buffalo not too long before and the SCOTUS leak about Roe V. Wade, there is so much worry in our world right now. If you are a parent, you are likely concerned about how to talk with your children about the school ...READ MORE »
I feel helpless and heartbroken watching the news about the latest school shooting. I watch from the living room of our home in a quiet suburb in Virginia, where we moved last year after multiple shootings in the alleyway of our beloved rowhouse in NW DC traumatized us into searching for a safer place to live. A place where we ...READ MORE »
In a previous blog, I talked about how to recognize what we value as a way to reframe and manage stress. In this blog, I would like to talk about how I use my values to get motivated. In my work as a child/teen, and family therapist in Washington DC, I utilize Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help my ...READ MORE »
In my first entry of “Anxiety in Grief”, I explored the idea that anxiety is a common experience within the grief process. This concept is presented and discussed in the book Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief, by Claire Bidwell Smith. As a child and adult therapist in Washington, DC, I have experienced anxiety as a part of grief in ...READ MORE »
Have you found yourself wondering lately why you are still so anxious? With the pandemic subsiding some, do you worry about why you don’t feel better yet? Have you felt some of these symptoms below recently? A sense of panic Heart racing/palpitating Obsessive worry Dizziness Insomnia Nausea/Unsettled stomach This is what grief looks like for those of us thriving and surviving in the midst of so much worldwide! ...READ MORE »
If you are like me, you may be both appalled and interested about what is happening with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For me, my anxiety over this situation has been through the roof. Being glued to twitter and the news over this has become, for me, akin to perseverating or ruminating over a stressful or anxiety producing situation of my ...READ MORE »
February is Feelings Month! And, I officially give each and every one of you full permission to feel….or rather Dr. Marc Brackett does, in his very well done book, Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Well-Being and Success. Dr. Brackett has learned from his own personal trauma and 25 years of professional experience that feeling ...READ MORE »
In my work as a psychotherapist in Washington, DC I often use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with my clients. One of the major areas covered in ACT therapy is that of values. At first glance, we may all think we know what values are and that we have them, but we often can’t answer some basic questions about our ...READ MORE »
TSG is aware of the high level of need for mental health support and treatment for the families in our community and beyond, and an increasingly short supply of available therapists. We are excited to offer new services with immediate daytime availability: Mental Health Consultations. These appointments are a one-time or brief preventive and/or supportive service for individuals and families who are not engaged in therapy at TSG, yet could benefit from consulting with a mental health expert in a variety of ways. Email intake@thesibleygroupdc.com for more information or to schedule a consultation.
Click here for more information on on our new mental health consultation service.
