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Ashley's desk The other day, a prospective therapy client asked whether the team at Claimed Counseling was certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or trained in it. It got me thinking and inspired this blog post. When you are looking for a therapist, credentials and treatment approaches can feel like a lot to sort through. You deserve to understand a clinician’s background without needing to become an expert in every acronym. The short answer: credentials can provide

Utilizing therapy as a place to process & explore yourself and your identity Identity Understanding your identity and sexuality is an ongoing process. However, having a safe space to explore your feelings can make that process feel easier and less isolating. Identity exploration doesn't always happen in a vacuum. It can be complicated, it can impact relationships, school, family dynamics and it's something that can be difficult to process alone. This is especially true for

The new parent who adores their baby. The person who would never cheat. The kindest person in the room. These are often the exact people who come into my office terrified of their own minds. That is not a coincidence. It is how OCD works. What is an intrusive OCD thought? An intrusive OCD thought is an involuntary, repetitive, and distressing thought, image, or urge. These thoughts are what clinicians call ego dystonic, meaning they conflict with a person's core values, belie

You go to therapy. You talk through your anxiety, your grief, your relationship struggles. You leave feeling heard. But Monday rolls around and you're right back where you started, heart racing at your desk or lying awake at 2 a.m. Sound familiar? This is what most people experience with conventional talk therapy. It addresses what's happening in your mind, but it misses something crucial: your mind and body are not separate systems. They're in constant conversation. And if y

A child may be talkative and engaging at home, joking with family members and having plenty to say around people they trust. Then they walk into school and seem to shut down. They may become silent when a teacher calls on them, struggle to answer when schoolwork becomes difficult, or have trouble speaking around peers. Because adults know the child can speak, it can be tempting to interpret the silence as refusal, defiance, or simply choosing not to participate. But selective

Do you feel a pit in your stomach when daylight savings comes around? Are you dreading the four o’clock New England sunsets? Is the thought of cold weather, snow, long nights, and cloudy days of winter making you feel down? You are not alone, and there are a few reasons why you might be feeling this way. If you live in New England then you’ve probably heard of the phrase the winter blues by now. The technical diagnosis is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a typ

As a therapist, I often hear from clients who are hesitant to share their deepest thoughts and feelings during our sessions. One of the most common concerns is about confidentiality, wondering what can be said without fear of hospitalization or their private thoughts being shared without consent. No wonder so many are worried about what they disclose during a session. I want to reassure you by explaining the key aspects of confidentiality in therapy and how understanding the