Relevant Articles

Blog Posts Written by Staff

Understanding the Power of Narrative Therapy in Trauma Recovery
Phidaly Counseling Phidaly Counseling

Understanding the Power of Narrative Therapy in Trauma Recovery

Jewels Tauzin: Narrative therapy offers creative, non-invasive ways to externalize the trauma, allowing us to view it as separate as who we inherently are. In viewing trauma from a distance, it helps clients to feel less overwhelmed with the intensity of the feeling and instead see things a bit more clearly. In trauma recovery, this can be especially powerful, helping us reframe our traumatic experiences in ways that prioritize resilience and strength rather than victimhood.

Read More
We Need to Talk About AI Companions.
Phidaly Counseling Phidaly Counseling

We Need to Talk About AI Companions.

Amanda LaMela: About 25% of adults under 30 have used AI for companionship, according to a recent AP-NORC poll. For some, AI companions have become the most emotionally reliable figure in their lives. So, what does this mean for connection, healing, and our overall concept of relationships? This post explores the emotional complexity of human-AI companionship and offer surprising insights for therapists, parents, and users alike.

Read More
The Silent Struggle of Workplace Bullying — And How to Fight Back
Phidaly Counseling Phidaly Counseling

The Silent Struggle of Workplace Bullying — And How to Fight Back

Dani Saliani: While it might be less common than as a child/adolescent, it’s more pervasive than people would like to admit and often hidden due to embarrassment. Workplace bullying actually affects millions of adults, 78.4 million (32% of Americans) to be exact, according to data from the Workplace Bullying Institute. With that level of severity, you are certainly not alone. In this post, we’ll explore what workplace bullying can look like, common misconceptions, and practical steps you can take to protect your well-being.

Read More
Heeding the Oxygen Mask Warning: Why Treating a Child's Anxiety Starts with the Whole Family
Phidaly Counseling Phidaly Counseling

Heeding the Oxygen Mask Warning: Why Treating a Child's Anxiety Starts with the Whole Family

Jesse Chung: Anxiety in children is often treated individually, but research shows that involving the whole family leads to better outcomes. Parents and caregivers play a central role in either reinforcing or helping to reduce a child's anxiety through their own behaviors and emotional health. Addressing parental mental health alongside a child’s treatment creates a more sustainable path to healing. This post explores how anxiety is not just an individual issue, but a relational one that benefits from a family-based approach.

Read More
Depression vs. Burnout: Understanding the Difference and Approaches to Recovery
Phidaly Counseling Phidaly Counseling

Depression vs. Burnout: Understanding the Difference and Approaches to Recovery

Wes Higgins: Feeling exhausted, unmotivated, or emotionally drained? When facing high-loads of stress, it can become difficult to find the motivation to seize the day. If you find yourself exhausted, unmotivated, and emotionally drained then you are not alone. These symptoms are both conditions of both depression and burnout. In this blog post, we’ll compare the two to find out where they overlap. But importantly, from a psychotherapy perspective, we’ll discuss how different approaches may be warranted given crucial differences between the two.

Read More
“Oh no, what did I just do?” Recovering From Texting Gaffes 
Phidaly Counseling Phidaly Counseling

“Oh no, what did I just do?” Recovering From Texting Gaffes 

Amanda LaMela and Dani Saliani: Whether it’s a bad auto-correct mistake, sending something embarrassing to the wrong person, or something you regret you dished out when not sober or when in the throes of an emotional time period, we’ve all been there in one way or another. But while it may be relatable, it can be oh-so isolating in the moment when you realize what you just did and the feelings begin rising to a point of panic. It doesn’t even have to be that bad to send a spike to our blood pressure. This post will discuss the feelings that come up and what we can do when texting gaffes happen, both to figure it out with the recipient and to take care of ourselves.

Read More
The Doom Spending Dilemma: How Millennials & Gen Z Cope with Financial Anxiety
Phidaly Counseling Phidaly Counseling

The Doom Spending Dilemma: How Millennials & Gen Z Cope with Financial Anxiety

Amanda LaMela and Dani Saliani: "Doom spending" is a term gaining more media traction attributed to millennials and Gen Z, though it’s not an entirely new phenomenon. It often emerges from existential anxiety, a perceived lack of control, and a desperate attempt to regain agency, particularly in the context of distressing global events that lead to a sense of powerlessness and resignation. This post explores ways to support yourself both in terms of coping with powerlessness and better managing your finances, rather than impulsive spending.

Read More
Narrative Therapy: Rewriting Your Family's Story for Healing
Phidaly Counseling Phidaly Counseling

Narrative Therapy: Rewriting Your Family's Story for Healing

Narrative therapy can be used to treat a variety of circumstances such as trauma, PTSD, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and self-worth issues, relationship problems, grief and loss, LGBTQ+ related issues,  life transitions and addiction. A therapist using this approach is operating from the frame that a person is never the problem and the problem exists on its own. This blog post is designed to look at narrative therapy from the approach of the family unit, which is beneficial both in family therapy and in one’s individual therapy.

Read More
Understanding Body Image and Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Phidaly Counseling Phidaly Counseling

Understanding Body Image and Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Anya Ahuja: Each person’s relationship with their bodies differs from the next. How we see, feel, think about, and treat our bodies come together to comprise what is called our body image. I am confident that we all have heard the phrase “body image” before – but what exactly is body image? This post explores the concept of body image, as well as differentiate from the clinical disorder known as body dysmorphic disorder. 

Read More
Huntington’s Disease: How Psychotherapy Helps
Phidaly Counseling Phidaly Counseling

Huntington’s Disease: How Psychotherapy Helps

Huntington’s disease is a genetic and rare neurodegenerative disorder that affects the central nervous system. Though the disorder is rare, it still affects 30,000 Americans and, due to the genetic nature of the disease, 150,000 people are susceptible to developing Huntington’s disease. This post explores how psychotherapy can support both those with Huntington’s disease and their families.

Read More
Best Therapists New York: Finding the Right Fit
NYC, Tools Phidaly Counseling NYC, Tools Phidaly Counseling

Best Therapists New York: Finding the Right Fit

People often search for the best therapists or “good therapists NYC,” with a vague idea of what that means to them. However, there are as many variations of therapists as there are humans- which has positive and negative outcomes. This post explores considerations when searching for a therapist and how to navigate the initial meetings with them so that you can find the ideal therapist for you.

Read More
Circling Back to Sanity: A Realist's Guide to Workplace Resilience
Career Phidaly Counseling Career Phidaly Counseling

Circling Back to Sanity: A Realist's Guide to Workplace Resilience

Amanda LaMela: Building mental resilience in a corporate career can sometimes seem like mastering the art of walking barefoot over hot coals (only the flames are endless meetings, impossible deadlines, and passive-aggressive emails.) This blog post explores Amanda’s personal journey from being a fashion buyer to a new career in mental health counseling and provides helpful strategies for all workplaces and how to maintain your sanity.

Read More
Alone in a Crowded Subway: Why Loneliness Hits Different in New York City
Depression, NYC Phidaly Counseling Depression, NYC Phidaly Counseling

Alone in a Crowded Subway: Why Loneliness Hits Different in New York City

Amanda LaMela: Loneliness is a growing public health concern in the United States, even described as a national “loneliness epidemic.” While social isolation and loneliness can affect anyone, our environments can shape how we experience these feelings. There are ways in which you can reduce social isolation even in a busy urban environment like New York City, such as third places and meet up groups.

Read More
Eating Pure or Pure Anxiety? Understanding Orthorexia
Eating, Anxiety Phidaly Counseling Eating, Anxiety Phidaly Counseling

Eating Pure or Pure Anxiety? Understanding Orthorexia

Amanda LaMela: If "clean eating" feels more like walking a nutritional tightrope than nurturing your body, the pursuit of wellness might be devolving into an unhealthy obsession. Orthorexia or ‘orthorexia nervosa’ refers to a preoccupation with food purity and the associated restrictive behaviors surrounding consumption. This blog post explores orthorexia and what you can do to support yourself.

Read More
Gray Area Drinking: The Overlooked Struggle with Alcohol
Alcohol, Anxiety Phidaly Counseling Alcohol, Anxiety Phidaly Counseling

Gray Area Drinking: The Overlooked Struggle with Alcohol

Dani Saliani: Gray area drinking is the in-between area of a healthy relationship with alcohol and an alcohol use disorder, often looked at as social drinking. One still might experience distressing impacts from drinking and what is commonly known as hangxiety the day following a night out. This blog post explores the line between these varying levels of alcohol use, how you can support yourself, and some positive reminders.

Read More