Building a 6-Figure Private Practice

When I offered to do a webinar for the Florida Mental Health Counseling Association about building a 6-figure private practice the ink was barely dried from my accountant indicating that I hit that mark.  For me, the gold seal of approval for therapists was hitting the 6-figure mark.  It signifies something about reaching an income goal.  Going into my 4th year of practice, I’ve realized that I get to define what being successful means.  One of the things that defines success for me right now is that I get to take off Fridays and still reach my income goals.  For… Continue Reading This Article

Are you an Over-Giver?

Every week, from my friends, clients and family members I hear another common complaint. People share about how much they give to other people. They give too much to their work. Their bosses ask them to work overtime or on a special project and they don’t say no. Therapists move their schedules around to fit in that one client, same goes for hair dressers and people in service industries. Girlfriends end up buying their boyfriends luxurious gifts for anniversaries. Moms end up on snack duty more weeks than they bargained for. When people give and give and give, it can… Continue Reading This Article

Three Reasons Not to Sleep With Your Child in Bed

Lately, the topic of co-sleeping with children has come up in therapy sessions.  Parents often share, with trepidation, that their child slept with them for an extended period of time.  As a mental health professional, it is my training that has me telling parents that I recommend children to have their own bed, bedroom and space that they feel safe in that is separate from their parents. 1. Babies need to learn to self-soothe When children sleep in their own rooms, they learn how to self-soothe.  Being afraid of the dark is a very common fear that children have.  By… Continue Reading This Article

How to Handle Questions About Your Future Plans

This goes out to my clients, friends and family who have complained to me about people asking about their future. I have an important message for everyone.  You ready for it?  Stop asking people when they plan on taking the next step in their lives. Stop asking a newly married couple when they plan on having children. Stop asking new mothers and fathers when they plan on having their next child. Stop asking people in a new relationships when they are getting married. Stop asking people when they are going to leave their job. And here’s why? Most people have… Continue Reading This Article

Art Therapy Fail

I have a confession to make: My Instagram lies.  I live one of those lives where everything looks great online but in truth, my life doesn’t match up.  Wondering what I mean?  I’ve been doing a lot of arts and crafts activities with the children and teenagers I see in my Davie office.  It’s a lot of fun and I enjoy it but here’s my confession: I’m not a crafty therapist.  Like all good women who push themselves outside of their comfort zones to do things for children, that isn’t in their normal repertoire, I have made several trips to Michaels,… Continue Reading This Article

Three Ways to Put the “XXX” and Intimacy in Sex

It’s time to put intimacy in sex. One of the biggest topics during couples counseling is around sex.  The issues range from not having enough sex, mismatched sexual drive, inability to try new things and complacency, to name a few.  It’s become more and more common to have women finding a voice when it comes to their sexual needs, it’s not just men complaining about not having enough sex. We live in a day and age where people want more out of their relationships.  People want to connect in a meaningful way and sex is one of the biggest ways… Continue Reading This Article

Ten Things For Parents To Do When Your Teen is Depressed

Let’s face it, teenagers get moody and depressed. It’s a part of their biological makeup. As hormones are racing through their bodies, their emotions jump on that same roller coaster. The parents who come into my office are often looking for answers so I’ve decided to write this blog post for all the parents out there who are worried about their depressed teenager. Below I’ve outlined ten things you can do when you suspect your teen is depressed: 1. Talk to them about it It’s important to talk to your teenager about their depression and how they feel. They may… Continue Reading This Article

Life’s Onion: A Review of the Latest Therapy Tool

A colleague and friend of mine, Ilene Glance, started promoting a new tool called Life’s Onion.  For anyone who knows Ilene, she is an extremely resourceful therapist and is usually up on all the latest information and technology.  I decided to look over the blogposts and website for Life’s Onion and order one myself.  Here is my review of the product. Ordering the product online was pretty easy and can be done at their website here: It was shipped to me right away and it was to be delivered within 2-3 days, which is a bonus because when I order… Continue Reading This Article

Five Things I Learned By Leaving My Full-Time Job

It’s been almost two years since I left my steady 9-5.  Every two weeks I knew how much money was coming in.  I had a specific amount of vacation time that I had to use within a certain period.  In general, I knew my job was safe and secure.  By opening my business, within a short period of time, I realized that safe and secure was no longer where I needed to live. With the help of a coach , I was able to realize that I wasn’t taking a leap of faith as so many of us think that’s… Continue Reading This Article

How Listening to Rap Music as a Child Affected My Mental Health

I grew up in Miami in the 80’s where, I’ve later learned through watching Narcos, Burger King lent the Miami morgue their freezer trucks because there were so many dead bodies that needed to be picked up because of the drug cartels.  I grew up in a time when DJ Laz ruled the airways on Power 96 at 5pm on any given day. Despite my parent’s best efforts to introduce me to their music (The Beach Boys and The Beatles), I had a blank tape in my boom box ready to record the best mixes DJ Laz had to offer…. Continue Reading This Article