This blog is written by the clinicians at Jonah Green and Associates, a mental health practice based in Kensington, MD that provides quality services for children, teens, families, and adults. It is intended as a resource for families who are seeking to expand their knowledge about mental health and mental health services, and also as a resource for families who are seeking quality mental health services, especially in the mid-Atlantic region.
Few things unsettle us more than transitions. Relationships end. Children leave home. Loved ones die. We move, retire, change careers, or receive an unexpected diagnosis. We may choose changes, or they are thrust upon us. Either way, life no longer feels familiar. When people seek therapy during times like these, they often assume they are
A mother has fallen and broken her hip, and the adult children are trying to decide what to do. One sibling wants to move quickly toward more support; another feels it’s too soon. The parent insists, “I’ll be fine. “ Everyone senses that change is coming. Conversations are tense. The family comes to therapy to
Ideas from Ximena Vengoechea’s book Listen Like You Mean It Listening can transform relationships. When someone feels genuinely heard, their nervous system settles, defensiveness softens, and something shifts. Conversations move from attack and retreat—or from listless information exchanges—to a feeling of being known. Ximena Vengoechea’s 2021 book Listen Like You Mean It offers practical strategies
“I hope I’m at least half the dad that he didn’t have to be.” —Brad Paisley, He Didn’t Have to Be Stepfamilies are often born in transition and pain, arriving after divorce, separation, or loss. Blending a new family means juggling a swirl of tasks: establishing routines, balancing loyalties, negotiating boundaries, and developing traditions. As
You’re on a well-deserved date night with your loved one. You hired a babysitter to watch the kids and made reservations for a restaurant you had wanted to dine in for some time. You even scored a table by the window with a great view. As you’re biting into your food, your partner looks out