Summit Family Therapy, Mental Health
Robin Hayles, MA, LCPC
Coping with COVID 19: Is My Current Sadness ...

Are you having trouble identifying your feelings during the COVID 19 pandemic? You might be experiencing grief. In a recent Harvard Business Review, foremost expert on grief and author David Kessler, states there is a 6th stage of grief. Kessler co-wrote with Elisabeth Kubler-Ross about the 5 stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. In Kessler’s new book, Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief, he says that after acceptance stage there can be meaning. He is also the founder of www.grief.com.

Coping with COVID 19: Is My Current Sadness Really Grief?
Summit Family Therapy
Dr. Courtney Stivers, PhD, LMFT
Do Marriage Counselors have Better Marriages?

Recently, I wrote an article that raised some questions about the divorce rates of therapists, specifically Marriage and Family Therapists. As a MFT, I wanted to learn more about this topic.  I decided to dig a little bit deeper, and see if I could make sense of these statistics in existing research. There are many studies about psychotherapists, but not as many specific to MFTs.

Do Marriage Counselors have Better Marriages?
Summit Family Therapy
Dr. Courtney Stivers, PhD, LMFT
Why You Should Probably Marry an Optometrist ...

Have you ever wondered if there was a link between divorce rates and your profession?  There are many personality and lifestyle issues to consider when choosing a lifelong companion.  Though no one factor will doom your relationship, you may want to consider a nice Optometrist. 

Why You Should Probably Marry an Optometrist (Part 1)
Summit Family Therapy
Dr. Courtney Stivers, PhD, LMFT
Marriage & Divorce: Family Therapists Share ...

I have done a bit of research gathering stories of marriage and family therapists and their thoughts on marriage. As a marriage and family therapist who is married to another marriage and family therapist, I have a deeply personal interest in learning more about the marriages of therapists.

Marriage & Divorce: Family Therapists Share Their Own Stories
Summit Family Therapy
Dr. Courtney Stivers, PhD, LMFT
When Grief Comes Knocking During the Holidays

I recently had the opportunity to speak on the Living Well television show about how to cope with grief during the holidays.  You can watch the video by clicking the picture at the end of this post.  I wanted to share a bit more on of my thoughts this topic since I only had a few minutes during my interview.

I especially wanted to speak about this topic because I lost my mother to breast cancer in September and this has been our first holiday season without her.  Christmas was one of her favorite times of the year and she loved spending extra time with our family.

When Grief Comes Knocking During the Holidays

family conflict

,

Can You Fix Your Family?

,
Can You Fix Your Family?

I have noticed a significant reoccurring pattern in several of my client’s stories these past few weeks and thought it might be helpful to share my thoughts on this with others.

There are some amazing families out there who are loving, securely attached, have healthy boundaries, and fulfill individual emotional needs in balanced ways. They handle big feelings and give grace for the human imperfections that are in even the best of us. They address conflicts and repair hurts in relationships. Yet, many of the adult clients who end up in my office do not come from such a family. Often, a big part of their recovery is identifying patterns they learned from their family of origin, such as attachment styles, communication, and handling conflict.

Holiday Survival Guide

Holiday Survival Guide

As children, we often look to the holidays with anticipation and wonder. Like you, I have fond memories of twinkling Christmas lights, crackling fires, Thanksgiving feasts, and waking up to gifts under the tree. As adults, the holidays stir up more than pleasant sentiments. During the holiday season, we are reminded of hurt and loss. The void left by dear friends and family members during holiday celebrations is agonizingly felt.