Posts by Rebecca A. Berg, MFT
Navigating the Role Shift as a Parent of a Teen
Remember when your child used to adore you and try to emulate you? There may have been constant hugs and unprompted, “I love yous.” You may remember those times fondly if you’re a parent of a teen. It may seem like a monumental task to even make eye contact with your teen these days. If…
Read More6 Ways to Lessen the Mental Load
The Mental Load moms carry is often invisible. The planning, organizing, and execution of the many tasks mothers are asked to do in our society can be overwhelming and exhausting. What’s a mom to do? You can’t get rid of your kids. If you work, quitting your job to attend to family life is often…
Read MoreThe Enduring Numbness: What You Need to Know About Anhedonia
Why does everything feel so hard? Do you struggle not just with motivation but with feeling joy or pleasure? Activities and social interactions may feel “meh” at best. Anhedonia is one of the hallmark signs of depression and when it shows up, it can be increasingly frustrating. Being Curiously Unmoved It is different from sadness…
Read MoreAn Anxiety Clue: Rehearsing and Rehashing Conversations in Your Head
Have you ever wondered why you prepare for conversations before having them? Or do you carefully examine all aspects of an interaction after it has happened? Do you wonder if most people do this? Or is it just you? Could this be a form of anxiety? Anticipatory Anxiety Rehearsing conversations in your head may be…
Read MoreThe Good Enough Mother
As mothers, we have many dreams for our children. There is much pressure from society about how to be the perfect mother, and despite the best of intentions, the reality is that the challenges of motherhood can often be overwhelming. The great news is we only have to be “good enough” according to the psychoanalyst…
Read MoreTeenage Depression and Anxiety in the Digital Age
In today’s interconnected world, teenagers face a unique set of challenges that can contribute to the development of depression and anxiety. There is an intricate relationship between teenage mental health and three key factors: the use of social media, marijuana use, and academic pressure. Helping adolescents navigate these hurdles requires intentional listening and curiosity from…
Read MoreWhy Trauma Causes Overexplaining
If you have been through some type of traumatic experience, your head can feel very loud. It may feel impossible to shut off your thoughts. You may run through various scenarios many times over in attempts to anticipate every possible permutation. This can leave you exhausted, frustrated, and often times frozen. The need to justify…
Read MoreWorking with the False Self in Trauma Therapy
If our emotional needs go unmet in childhood, we often develop a false self as protection. We may have learned to be attentive to the needs of our parents or siblings and disavowed our own needs. Or, we may have centered our whole identity on our achievement. Survivors of trauma often make themselves smaller and…
Read MoreUnderstanding Eating Disorders: What Parents of Teens Need to Know
Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions that affect millions of individuals worldwide. They often arise from a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. Eating disorders can run rampant in adolescence as hormones surge and teens grapple with their changing bodies at a time where the pressure to be accepted is at an all…
Read More8 Phases in Grief Therapy
You may be wondering if grief therapy is for you. How will it help? Is therapy really worth the time and investment? The better question is what is the cost of NOT getting the help you need. It’s true, there is no bringing your loved one back. The trouble is you are still living and…
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