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Date Night Ideas in CLT February 1, 2024 by Meghan Ray As Valentine’s Day approaches, there is no better time to go out on a date night. Expert’s say that couples, no matter the stage of their relationship, should date at least every 10-14 days. Take a look at this list of ideas for all budgets to see how you can rekindle the intimacy or spice up the routine!  Low Budget Couples...

A List of Fiction, Non-Fiction and Memoir Books About Mental Health  January 19, 2024 by Meghan Ray As the weather gets colder and the winter blues kick in, it’s the perfect time of year to curl up on the couch with a blanket and great book. Reading is proven to lower stress levels, build empathy and resilience, increase perspective taking, improve mental health and broaden...

A Reflection of September 11, 2001 It’s been a long time since I wrote a blog. Life has been crazy with moving, remodeling, and many other life changes. However, today, it was important for me to take time and reflect on the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001. Even though you will see many posts today you on reflection and remembrance, I wanted to take the time honor all those...

Looking at Your Problems in a Different Way The other day, my husband and I encountered a large problem with the permit of our house, which put our final inspections on hold. Instantly, when I heard of the problem, I went into the negative and dark place of “We will NEVER get to move into our new house” or “We will NEVER get out of this season.” However, when I...

For the past few weeks, I have taken a break from blogging. Why? I needed to take some time for spring cleaning. As many of you know, my husband and I are remodeling a 100 year old house. Whenever the house is finished, we will be downsizing tremendously. Unfortunately, downsizing also mean I need to de-clutter and clean out. Throughout this process, I have had to box up the essential items...

There is an old saying, “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Often in counseling, I encounter people who are angry and bitter because they are holding onto grudges. Holding a grudge involves replaying a past injustice over and over in your head. If you are holding a grudge, you repeatedly get caught up in the emotions associated with...

After a betrayal in your relationship, it might feel impossible to move on as a couple. You may feel like you may never be able to trust your partner again. However, there is hope. A damaged relationship can heal with time, effort, and the restoration of trust. While it can be difficult to navigate the rough waters of a betrayed relationship, seeking and using techniques from therapy can be...

In a previous blog, I compared times of depression and hopelessness to a difficult hike. It helps me to persevere through difficult times when I shift my mindset and look for the reward and growth opportunities, instead of focusing on the struggle and pain. Now, I wanted to expand on that concept and share some tools that can help overcome hopelessness and depression. To take on any big...

During times of hopelessness and depression, I have this bad habit of asking questions like, “Why does everything have to be so difficult?” or “Why can’t things just go the way I planned?” In reality, there is nothing wrong with asking questions like that out of frustration. We all need to vent sometimes. However, I have to try not to ask questions like that...

Just about everyone makes some sort of promise to themselves with the coming of a New Year: get in better shape, lose a few pounds, or maybe break a bad habit. Then…by February, most—if not all—of the plans and resolutions seem abandoned. Often, when we do not meet our goals, we let the “feelings of failing” get us down. It causes us to lose faith in ourselves, our bigger goals, and our...