ERA therapists Jeni and Kelsey are both Level 2 Gottman trained couples therapists. This means they have done about 40 hours of training just on how to be a couples therapist. But what difference does it make if a couples therapist is Gottman trained or not? Great question!

It’s OCD Awareness Week, which is a great opportunity to raise some much-needed awareness about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This week reminds us that so many people deal with the challenges of OCD daily, and it’s important to talk openly about what living with it can be like. Whether you’re navigating OCD yourself or supporting someone who is, self-care is a huge part of managing it.

The concept, idea, and practice of self care is pretty prevalent nowadays. Many of us know how important it is to take care of ourselves. Self care helps us in so many ways - mentally, emotionally, physically, and even spiritually. I can imagine that for an average person, when they hear “self care,” they can think of a few things to try and how they’d like to do it. But as a step-parent, does self care feel a little bit …different…?

Read Jeni's blog for more on navigating self care in a blended family.

Having a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be one of the most overwhelming, stressful, and emotionally draining experiences for new parents. Parents of NICU babies face a unique set of challenges, from the emotional toll of watching their newborn struggle to the logistical demands of balancing hospital visits with everyday responsibilities. If you know someone navigating the NICU journey, offering your support can make a tremendous difference. But often, people don’t know what to say or do to truly help.

Tomorrow kicks off NICU Awareness Week, so in honor of that, here are some do’s and don’ts to help you support any NICU parents in your life.

When anxiety flares, it’s easy to become trapped in fear-based thinking, leading us to make choices out of a desire to avoid discomfort rather than pursuing what truly matters to us. However, there’s a different path—a way of making decisions based on our values, rather than our fears. Read this blog from Gabrielle Trecek, LCSW, to learn more

When one person in a relationship is grappling with trauma, it can affect the entire relationship. Couples therapy offers a path to navigate these challenges together while fostering empathy, understanding, connection, and healing.

It can be difficult and scary when your partner or loved one has PPD. Learn some signs of PPD, how to provide support, and how to encourage professional help - including a resource list.

Health anxiety can consume your thoughts and disrupt daily life. Gabrielle writes about how ERP therapy might offer a path to relief.

We all want healthy relationships - but where do you even start?

Build solid foundation with healthy expectations! Read Jeni’s perspective on where to begin.

For many, the journey to parenthood is filled with hope and dreams, but those don’t always come to fruition. Kelsey offers tools that might make that path a little bit more manageable.

Having a new baby comes with a lot of unknowns. Emily offers tips to help weather the uncertainty that comes with a new addition to your family.

Many of us spend all year pining for summer - and then when it arrives, it falls flat or whips by. Gabrielle writes about how to truly enjoy this time.

Life doesn’t always go as planned. And then what? Jeni writes about continuing to cultivate joy while acknowledging other difficult emotions.

Navigating the duality of enjoying warmer weather and your concern for climate change can be hard - Kelsey shares techniques to help manage these feelings.

Gabrielle explains what a cognitive distortion is, and describes 5 that might pop up for you.

Jeni writes about her experience of navigating medical diagnoses in her family, and how she has found her own support team.

Check out some of Kelsey’s favorite tools for calming and regulation when you’re feeling activated or escalated.

Gabrielle details the phases we move through when making lasting change.

Jeni gives her recommendations for keeping your relationship strong long after Valentine’s Day is over

Gabrielle draws a distinction between distraction (which can be a helpful when it is intentional) and avoidance (which isn’t!)