by Shannon McLaughlin | Jul 11, 2017 | Counseling
Many clients ask what the logo for my counseling practice means. The delta sign within the logo means “change.” The spiral is the Maori symbol for “growth.” Both together create the letter ‘A’ which I assign the meaning of “acceptance.” The teal color is a shout out...
by Shannon McLaughlin | Dec 22, 2016 | Counseling, Grief and Loss Counseling
We usually spend more waking hours at work with fellow employees than with our own families. When the death of a work colleague occurs the grief may be pronounced. Grief at work impacts productivity and morale. The difficulty grieving at work is that one is expected...
by Shannon McLaughlin | Aug 31, 2016 | Counseling
Rumination is a tendency to dwell on our problems and difficulties. Our thinking feels like a tire spinning in mud. We beat ourselves up over a past event, become preoccupied with a stupid thing said. It is normal to ruminate every so often. It can even be helpful if...
by Shannon McLaughlin | May 27, 2016 | Anger Management Counseling, Counseling
Resentment building in your relationships? Each of us is responsible for our own emotional reactions to other people and situations. When we mistakenly hold our partners responsible for our own emotions it is possible to begin to blame our partners for our own painful...
by Shannon McLaughlin | Mar 31, 2016 | Anger Management Counseling, Counseling
No is difficult for many people to say. They agree half heartedly to activities or perceived duties and then stew in resentment. Being conditioned for so long to “be nice,” the idea of saying “no” feels rude. The more difficult aspect for most is communicating...
by Shannon McLaughlin | Feb 19, 2016 | Counseling, Grief and Loss Counseling
Pet loss is painful The grief felt losing a pet is a surprise to many people. A beloved pet is a companion on so many levels to a human that when the companion is gone the loss is profound. Other pet lovers understand your grief but many of us are embarrassed...
by Shannon McLaughlin | Nov 25, 2015 | Anger Management Counseling, Counseling
Difficult relatives, it that time of the year for the obligatory blog post about getting along with family during the holidays. This can be a very stressful time for people, particularly if your family contains difficult characters. The following are some tips to...
by Shannon McLaughlin | Oct 29, 2015 | Anger Management Counseling
It is challenging to communicate with a person who is angry. The best option is to wait until the person is calm before holding the conversation but there are times waiting is not possible. When the conversation must be addressed now, the following are some tips to...
by Shannon McLaughlin | Sep 13, 2015 | Anger Management Counseling, Counseling
Anger at your therapist may be confusing. Many people experience relief, gratitude and hope the first two or three sessions of counseling. For many it is the first time to speak with someone about long pent up emotions, past hurts and grievances. As the rapport with...
by Shannon McLaughlin | Jun 17, 2015 | Anger Management Counseling, Counseling
Blaming another for one’s anger is the greatest roadblock to managing anger. We like to think that when someone does something that angers us; it is the other person’s fault for our anger. Many people believe anger is merely stimulus – response. It is not. She said...
Shannon McLaughlin, LCSW