Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Empowering Connections: A Guide to Improving Social Skills

Strong social skills are more than just a necessity in a world deeply rooted in human interactions—they're an asset. Effective communication and social abilities are fundamental to personal relationships, professional collaborations, or networking opportunities. This article delves into ways to enhance social skills, offering tips that can help create more meaningful, successful connections.

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Developing Social Skills in Adults

While often associated with childhood development, social skills remain integral to adult life. They play a significant role in personal relationships, professional success, and overall well-being. However, developing these skills later in life can seem daunting to many. This article provides insights into how adults can effectively and confidently enhance their social skills.

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Love Yourself: The Key to True Happiness

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Understanding Emotions: The Power of an Emotions Chart

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Confidently Assert: The Power of Assertiveness in Personal and Professional Life

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Understanding Common Personality Traits: What Are the Characteristics That Define Us?

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Understanding Central Route Persuasion: A Deep Dive into Effective Communication

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Embracing the Freedom of "I Don't Care Anymore"

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

The Impact of Passivity on Choices: A Path to Stagnation or Clarity?

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Is It Okay to Set Boundaries with Yourself?

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Understanding the ISTP Personality: The Virtuoso in Action

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Can Journaling Help My Mental Health?

You might hear the words “personal journal” and immediately conjure an image of an angsty teen sitting in their room, scribbling away in a diary, lamenting about an unrequited crush or a failed test. However, if you're like me and you’ve carried on with the practice of journaling into adulthood, you know that sitting down to write in your journal can provide a much needed moment of clarity. Journaling allows me to organize my thoughts in the good times and can help me release some anxiety in the

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Have Eating Disorder, Will Travel

I just got home from Vegas. My husband and I trekked through the chilly Pittsburgh airport, triumphantly remembered where we parked our car, hit the road for home, and now I’m nestled comfortably on the couch in between two snoring dogs sans bra. I’ve only just posted “I’m happy to be in you, Pgh” on Facebook and people have messaged me about where we’re going next. Everybody loves to travel, right?‍‍Except me. Well, that is until recently. For most of my life I’ve harbored the very unpopular op

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

How to Achieve a Sense of Belonging

The core parts of who we are as individuals is crafted and molded by the experiences we had as a child, how our parents raised us, the environment in which we spent most of our time, and the friends we choose to surround ourselves with. In his book, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, Don Miguel Ruiz writes, “We are so well trained that we are our own domesticator. We are an autodomesticated animal.” He makes an excellent point. We are all predisposed and programmed to be

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

How to Stop Your Negative Self Talk

Self-talk is that seemingly never-ending stream of thoughts running through our minds all day (and sometimes all night) long.A memory from years past may pop up, making us feel guilty or silly. A harsh comment spoken by someone we admire or care about can resurface for no reason. When we get older and wiser, we tend to ruminate over our mistakes and overanalyze the cringe-worthy moments of our past.This inner dialogue, or mental chatter, is soaked in negativity, because we naturally lean into ne

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

10 Simple Tips for a Good Night's Sleep

Sleep is a vital element of our lives that often gets overlooked amidst our busy routines. Quality sleep is critical to our overall health and well-being, enhancing our mood, energy, productivity, and even our ability to manage stress. Yet, many people struggle to achieve consistent, restful sleep. This article provides ten simple tips to improve your sleep, promoting better health and well-being.

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Everything You Need to Know About ADHD for Adults

Surprisingly, ADHD is one of the most under-treated mental health diagnoses in adults, despite the fact that it affects almost 4% of the U.S. population. Impacting the brain, ADHD is most commonly diagnosed to children, not adults. Do you often wonder if you have ADHD? Are you prone to forgetfulness, poor planning, and difficulty focusing? Do you think this goes beyond what you consider normal disorganization?Then you may have adult ADHD, and it might be beneficial to talk to a doctor or license

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

How to Steer Clear of Holiday Triggers

In an ideal world, the holidays would mean spending time around a candlelit dinner of honey ham, roasted chicken, mulled wine, and sweet desserts, while the laughter and chatter of our loved ones fills the air. A time for families and friends to look back on the past year and speak fondly of memories, open special handpicked gifts, and play light, not-too-competitive games. Unfortunately, this usually isn’t exactly how it goes. There are pestering questions, political debates, judgements about h

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

Social Media & Your Mental Health

It’s been a whirlwind of two years due to the pandemic - leaving us all more susceptible to loneliness and isolation from having to stay in quarantine or transitioning to working from home full-time. Dealing with the loss of family members or friends due to the virus can add to this despair even more. Feeling depressed, anxious, and stressed can create health problems that we may have never had to experience before. We can develop high blood pressure or even become diagnosed with a mental health

Personal Growth & Self-Esteem

10 Ways to Improve Mindfulness in a Busy New York Lifestyle

It’s no surprise that living amidst the hustle and bustle of New York can take a toll on you mentally and physically. You can easily get lost in the hectic lifestyle, finding yourself suffering from acute anxiety or even chronic pain.  Mindfulness based cognitive therapy is just one of many different approaches to psychotherapy that marries techniques drawn from cognitive therapy, meditation and the creation of mindfulness, which is a non judgmental attitude that is rooted in the present t

BPD & Emotional Regulation

What Therapy is Best For Borderline Personality Disorder?

When it comes to Borderline Personality Disorder, there is currently only one empirically-supported treatment protocol for this condition: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT. A form of psychotherapy developed in the late 1980s by Dr Marsha Linehan, this treatment protocol is based on cognitive behavioral principles applied in specific ways in order to target common symptoms of BPD such as chaotic relationships, emotional lability, instability, and impulsivity. Over the last few decad

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DBT

What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy Used For?

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or DBT, was developed in the late 1980s by Dr. Marsha Linehan following extensive use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). DBT was developed specifically because it became clear that CBT was not fully effective for patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). In order to improve treatment for BPD, Dr. Linehan and colleagues created and tested additional techniques in order to achieve greater success as they sought to improve the health and wellbeing of t

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DBT

What Is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, is a modified version of another well-known type of psychotherapy called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The primary goal of DBT is to help individuals struggling with certain behaviors and mental health conditions to better cope with stress, regulate their emotions, stay present in every moment, and consequently improve the health of their relationships with others. ‍While DBT was initially developed to treat a specific condition - Borderline Perso

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OCD & ERP Therapy

What Are Therapies For OCD?

The road to treatment for OCD can be a difficult one, and often requires significant courage and determination to succeed. Establishing a healthy level of support from a group can encourage you during the treatment process and is a healthy and beneficial step as you get started. ‍ERP & SRIsThe majority of psychologists will agree that the best and most effective treatments for OCD are Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in combination with medication such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (

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Grouport Guides

What is group therapy?

If you’ve recently discovered the concept of group therapy, you might be wondering, “What is group therapy like?” When considering any type of talk therapy or psychotherapy, it’s important to be aware of your options and to understand the benefits and challenges associated with them. Once you have a basic understanding of what to expect, you can make an informed decision about whether or not group therapy is the best choice to address your mental health concerns and move forward with positive ch

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Anxiety & Panic

Social Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms & How to Manage Them

Do you struggle with social anxiety? Social anxiety is “an irrational fear of regular, daily social interactions that culminates in avoidant behaviors that can disrupt your life”. So what does this mean? It means that if you have social anxiety, you may experience disruption in your work life, education, and daily routine, as well as your relationships with the people around you. Social anxiety can bring a great degree of fear, worry, and missed opportunities to your life on a daily basis. 

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Grouport Guides

5 Things You Need To Know About Group Therapy

The American Psychological Association says that we have been experiencing a continuous rise in the popularity of group therapy here in the United States since the aftermath of the second World War. During this time period, returning combat veterans were placed into therapy groups and the licensed mental healthcare providers leading them saw major benefits from these therapy sessions.‍Some therapy groups can be organized around a similar experience, such as navigating the aftermath of losing a l

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OCD & ERP Therapy

How to Manage Life With OCD

Dealing with obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, can be incredibly difficult. People who suffer from OCD tend to be stuck in a destructive pattern of obsessions followed by compulsions. Obsessions are defined as unwanted fears and thoughts, while compulsions are defined as repetitive behaviors meant to quell anxiety or prevent bad things from happening.‍If you are trying to navigate dealing with OCD thoughts, you might try to ignore or even stop your obsessions, but in fact this will likely o

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Depression & Mood

Depression Or Clinical Depression? How To Spot the Difference

The Mayo Clinic explains that depression is a type of mood disorder characterized by a loss of general interest and regular feelings of deep sadness. It is important to remember that depression is more than just a period in which you feel down: if it reaches a clinical level, it could interfere with your daily life, productivity, and relationships. ‍WHAT IS CLINICAL DEPRESSION?Clinical depression is more than just periodic episodes of feeling down or discouraged, it instead involves a perva

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BPD & Emotional Regulation

How To Know The Difference Between Boredom And BPD

Boredom is defined by feeling uninterested and unsatisfied and is most evidenced through periods of high energy (where you feel you have nowhere to channel that energy), or when you are having a hard time staying focused on a particular task. Boredom is a pretty common issue found in adolescents as well as children. It is important to remember though, that young people may complain that they feel bored when they are actually having a difficult time handling their feelings or thoughts.‍There are

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OCD & ERP Therapy

Understanding And Treating OCD

Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a mental health disorder marked by a pattern of escalating obsessions (unwanted fears and thoughts) that lead to compulsions (repetitive behaviors). This pattern of obsessions leading to compulsions can end up interfering with your daily activities, ultimately causing significant distress and a diminished quality of life.‍Those suffering from OCD will often ignore or try to stop their obsessions, which can in turn escalate their levels of anxiety and dis

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New York & Distress Tolerance...Navigating A Tough City with Mindfulness & DBT

New York City is one of the toughest cities to live in: if you want to live here for the long haul, it’s important that you develop strong levels of distress tolerance. There will always be external stimuli threatening to overwhelm you, whether it is a car honking, music blaring, or people rushing around you and often bumping into you. Are you familiar with experiencing all of these stimuli at the same time? Welcome to NYC!‍There are many different approaches that can help you deal with this str

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Overcoming Fear Of Abandonment And Rejection

About 10% of people in the United States struggle with some type of phobia; this means that millions of individuals are currently coping with different types of fears. While fear of abandonment is not officially considered a phobia, it is widely considered to be among the most commonplace–and potentially damaging–fears. Individuals who suffer from a phobia of being abandoned might behave in ways and engage in thought patterns that not only negatively affect them, but also their relationships wit

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DBT And What It’s Good For

What is DBT?Dialectical behavioral therapy, or DBT, is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) under the psychotherapy umbrella that seeks to provide people with critical skills that can help them diminish conflict in their relationships as well as manage difficult emotions. DBT hones in on equipping individuals with skills in four major areas:‍‍1. Interpersonal effectiveness: Equips individuals with techniques that can help them better communicate with the people around them in ways that s

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How To Navigate "Stormy" Relationships By Practicing Mindfulness & Setting Boundaries

We all know that relationships, no matter what kind, can be incredibly difficult to navigate. Whether you are having difficulties in your relationships with your peers, friends, or family, “stormy” ones–ones that are characterized by frequent ups and downs–can be tricky. Toxic relationship patterns can undermine your self-discipline, your work and home life, your sleep habits, physical health, and mental health if not managed successfully long-term. Are you feeling the strain of unhealthy relati

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3 Ways Your Self Image Impacts Moods, Decisions And Priorities

According to the Cleveland Clinic, self image is defined as “the mental picture we hold of ourselves.” This image we hold of ourselves defines what characterizes us and sets us apart from others. In other words, the different characteristics we use to describe ourselves come together to form a collective self representation that is the culmination of our strengths and weaknesses as seen from our own perspective.‍ Here are three major ways that our self image can impact our moods, decisions, and

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Anger Management with DBT

DBT, which stands for dialectical behavior therapy, is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) developed by Marsha Linehan in the 1980s to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD). Over the past few decades, experts have found that DBT can also be effective in the treatment of various other issues, such as:Substance abuseMood disordersDepressionDisordered eatingPost traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)Bipolar disorder‍DBT therapy works to equip clients with useful skills in four major areas:

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DBT

What is DBT Treatment?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioral treatment developed by Marsha Linehan in the 1980s which was originally intended to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD). People who are trying to cope with BPD often experience incredibly intense negative emotions that might be very difficult for them to manage. These emotions can negatively affect their mental health, sleep, eating, working, and interpersonal relationships, along with other facets of their lives. It’s

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DBT

The Beneficial Scope of Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a cognitive-behavioral therapy initially designed to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder. However, its scope has expanded over the years. It is now used to treat various mental health disorders by teaching patients to live in the moment, develop healthy coping strategies, and improve relationships.

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What Happens In DBT Therapy: 5 Things To Keep In Mind

Here at Grouport we offer a wide variety of therapy types conducted completely online, from the comfort of your home. These sessions often include various forms of psychotherapy and talk therapy, including but not limited to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Our therapists are well versed in treating a wide variety of mental health issues and other conditions, and are formally trained in many different therapeutic approaches, including DBT.‍Typically, ind

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