Blog Articles
Additional resources written by our PCS therapists.
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Spirituality: Sobriety’s Peaceful Paradox
VELVET STEELE Spirituality: Sobriety’s Peaceful Paradox By KEN WELLS, LPC Addiction is an invite to become spiritual. In the midst of chaos, denial and deception, there is this beckoning toward truth. The word spiritual is a conundrum. It is a paradox- an “unsettling contradiction”. Some describe spirituality as “trying to… -
Highlights from April 2016 Psychodrama Conference
Cristine Toel, MA, LAC, S-PSB PCS Staff Therapist and Psychodrama Trainee at the Arizona Psychodrama Institute The American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama (ASGPP) held their 74th Annual Conference (“Desert Oasis: Healing the Spirit Within”) at the Phoenix Sheraton Crescent this past weekend. PCS had a strong presence at… -
Understanding Depression
Depression is a group of enduring symptoms that last anywhere from a few weeks to many years. Symptoms are broken down into 4 clusters: How you think (e.g. self-criticism, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, concentration difficulties, overall negativity) How you act (e.g. isolating, low motivation)How you feel emotionally (e.g. sad, guilty, irritable,… -
Healing from Grief and Loss
Grief is experienced in three major ways: Psychologically (feelings, thoughts and attitudes) Socially (behavior toward others) Physically (health and bodily symptoms) Grief is a continuing development, involving many changes over time. PCS provides comprehensive steps toward effective grief work in addressing both physical and symbolic experiences of losses: Facing the… -
Helping Women Deal with Psychological Challenges
Psychological Counseling Services, Ltd. is a group of licensed psychologists and mental health professionals who provide specialized psychological and educational services for women. It is our pledge to work with individual women, families, and organizations in a safe, supportive, and therapeutic manner. Counseling Services – individual, relationship, family, and group… -
Trauma Resolution
Emotional trauma is defined as any distressing experience that causes emotional shock and may have long-lasting psychological effects. Trauma resolution is accomplished when the painful memory or event no longer triggers anxious reactions or distorted thoughts. At PCS, all therapists are trained to assist clients in identifying past traumatic experiences… -
Depression in Teenagers
Depression is the predecessor to suicide and teens experience depression differently than adults. For example: Instead of exhibiting typical depressive behavior such as lethargy, helplessness and lack of energy, most teens will become hyperactive. Although increased activity during the teen years can be normal, changing friends or interests frequently can… -
Surviving Ashley Madison
The recent security breach of the Ashley Madison website is having a profound effect upon both the individuals named and their spouses/partners. If you found the email of your spouse in the leaked email addresses OR if you find yourself dealing with infidelity please know that help is there for… -
Sports Performance Enhancement
Trained therapists at PCS incorporate time-tested tools with the latest technology to promote production and performance with athletes from all sporting venues. We address the development of mental toughness; tools for cultivating a productive response to pressure; reversing a setback; handling stress; and cultivating visualization skills through hypnotherapy and EMDR…. -
Single Parent and Blended Families
Divorce happens to about 40-50% of first marriages and another group of children lose a parent to death. While divorce and bereavement do not necessarily lead to long-term adjustment problems in children, there is a subset of kids who suffer long-term problems as a result of these transitions. Following divorce… -
Identifying and Treating Personality Disorders
Everyone has unique personality traits, some positive and some negative. Negative personality traits that can be traced back to childhood or adolescence and become rigid and problematic in many areas of an individual’s life may indicate the presence of a personality disorder. Personality disorders may cause considerable chaos, frustration, and… -
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by compulsive behaviors that are hard to understand at times. In OCD, people attempt to avoid disturbing thoughts that are difficult to stop (obsessions) by doing compulsive behaviors that don’t always appear to make a lot of sense. Obsessions may include: Fears that you… -
Practicing Mindfulness in Your Everday Life
Mindfulness is about maintaining awareness of your mind, body, and surroundings in the present moment, noticing when your mind drifts into the past or rushes to the future, and bringing your focus back to the present moment. It is about learning to enjoy life in the here and now and… -
Helping Men with Psychological Challenges
Men are facing more and more challenges every day. The juggling of changing roles and a desire by many to be more involved in their primary relationships as intimate friends, partners, and parents can promote tremendous turmoil. In addition, many are being told they are not meeting the needs of… -
Intimacy and Relationships
One of our basic human needs is to experience a sense of connection with another human being. We want to be known, accepted, valued, and wanted. Intimacy is the degree that we feel emotionally close and connected with someone. Intimacy exists in a relationship when personal information and feelings are… -
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment modality that alleviates distress associated with traumatic memories. When disturbing events occur, the memory seems to get locked in the nervous system with the original picture, sounds, thoughts, and feelings. EMDR seems to unlock the nervous system and allows the… -
Sex Therapy at PCS
Sex therapy addresses issues of sex education, sexual dysfunction, spirituality, and intimacy. The resolution of these issues is fundamental to all of our lives. Is the sexual area boring to you? Have ruts developed in your sexual relationship? Are there problems in terms of erections or not reaching orgasm? Most… -
Overcoming Eating Disorders
Eating disorders affect many in our culture. The emphasis in this area is on treating both the individual and family system. Treatment is available for anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and compulsive eating disorders. The treatment team consists of psychologists, master’s level therapists, psychiatrists, dieticians, exercise physiologists, and other special professionals. Levels… -
Divorce Prevention Services at PCS
When couples are either in the process of divorce, or have seriously considered it as an option, it may seem like little or no hope for relational improvement is possible. Such couples are usually in need of “emotional open-heart surgery” if change is going to occur. Psychological Counseling Services offers… -
Couples Therapy
Couples therapy at PCS focuses on helping couples sharpen their ability to talk, listen, resolve conflict, and manage anger effectively. Understanding the unique dance of relational reactivity between partners is critical for the growth of healthy intimacy in a coupleship. Each couple is challenged to identify ways in which they…
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