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Lifestyle

General content that offers questions for clients to consider outside of therapy

Shedding Light on Relational Problems through Discernment Counseling

Shedding Light on Relational Problems through Discernment Counseling 997 250 Avani Counseling

Author: Melda Baysal Walsh More often than not, significant problems in our relationships can lead us to wonder whether to separate or not. For couples who are considering the option of ending a long term, committed relationship, Discernment Counseling offers a means  to support this exploration with the goal of gaining more clarity within a…

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The influence of “work” on identity

The influence of “work” on identity 1000 250 Avani Counseling

Author: Jenn Hourani When the United States shifted from a farming economy to an industrial powerhouse in the late 1800s, capitalist values like “productivity at all costs” and “profit over people” began to shape society as we now know it. “Work” became the new measure of personal worth; “output” became the new measure of regional…

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An Invitation to EXPLORE

An Invitation to EXPLORE 1000 250 Avani Counseling

Author: Mona Klausing A good number of our male clients (both gay and straight) are brought to therapy for the first time by their partners. Often the initial goals are to improve communications, reduce conflict, or reconnect after a period of disconnection or infidelity. Sometimes men are ‘forced’ into therapy with the ominous-sounding threat of…

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Burnout

Burnout 1000 250 Avani Counseling

Author: Mona Klausing “Just push through” is what our culture tells us to do when faced with stress. Oftentimes this is the worst possible advice, because living in a perpetual state of stress literally breaks down your body and rewires your brain – keeping you fearful, on alert and less capable of sound decision-making. Yet…

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TikTok and Mental Health

TikTok and Mental Health 999 250 Avani Counseling

Author: Mona Klausing TikTok and Mental Health Recently, our team has noticed an uptick in clients discussing mental health issues and diagnoses that they first learned about on TikTok. The rise of mental health content on the social media platform has skyrocketed during and since the pandemic and this phenomenon has been documented extensively. Millions…

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Who are you?

Who are you? 1000 250 Avani Counseling

Author: Melda Baysal Walsh Who are you? Many of us will probably jump to the most readily available identifiers to answer this question, such as our name, age, and occupation. I would like to reflect on this question more to extend and deepen our perspective on ourselves by approaching it as a rather philosophical question. …

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What do the 2020s have in store for you?

What do the 2020s have in store for you? 1000 250 Avani Counseling

Author: Mona Klausing What do the 2020s have in store for you? As we move closer to the two-year anniversary of the California lockdown (March 16, 2022), my family has been in some reflection about what we have learned from the past two years cut off from our extended family and friends, our day to…

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The Immigrant Dilemma: Who to Be, Where to Go?

The Immigrant Dilemma: Who to Be, Where to Go? 1000 250 Avani Counseling

Author: Melda Baysal Walsh The Immigrant Dilemma: Who to Be, Where to Go? My intention with this blog post is to acknowledge and validate the questions of “who to be?” and “where to go?” and explore the idea that these questions might be never ending, forever accompanying ones, specifically for those of you with direct…

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The Importance of Natural and Seasonal Nurturing

The Importance of Natural and Seasonal Nurturing 1000 250 Avani Counseling

Author: Melda Baysal Walsh The Importance of Natural and Seasonal Nurturing  With a deep appreciation for the inevitable ties between humans and nature as a system, I would like to raise an awareness for our need to connect to nature as it poses a valuable opportunity to preserve mental and physical health. When paying close…

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(Re-)Adjusting to New Routines

(Re-)Adjusting to New Routines 1000 250 Avani Counseling

Author: Melda Baysal Walsh  Fall is here and brings with it not only the seasonal changes we can witness in nature but also seems to carry a significance in the natural cycles we go through as humans. As summer is coming to an end, many of us may find ourselves transitioning into new routines; maybe…

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