By Taylor Cnudde, Graduate Intern This is part 2 of a two part series on Desire and Passion. You can find part one here. There are many widely held and shame driven beliefs about having low sexual desires. If one partner desires sex and the other doesn’t, it can be very frustrating for a couple and can often lead to feelings of embarrassment, guilt, blame, and distance or conflict between partners. However,it’s important to look at all the factors that may be contributing to

Part 3: Finding Support for Caregivers and Families of People with Dementia **This is part 3 in a three part blog on mental health and aging. Click here for parts one and two.** Many of the topics that the person with dementia needs to process are also topics that their family needs to contemplate, too. The family’s role changes as the illness becomes more severe. At the onset, role shifts typically are pressing; later though practical concerns become the focus. This is the

**This is part two in a three part blog series on Mental Health and aging. To read part one, click here.** Part 2: The Effectiveness of Counseling for People with Dementia While most of the research and service on the topic has focused on giving the caregiver support, there are benefits of counseling for those with dementia or cognitive decline. In the past, persons with Alzheimer’s disease were perceived as unable to benefit from intensive therapy (Davies et. al., 1998, pg

Photo credit: Aled Lewis The holidays bring happiness to so many of us. The very idea of holidays inspires images of families smiling and laughing, feasting over perfectly cooked meals and sharing in the joy of being together. How could anyone hate this "most wonderful" time of year? That being said, most of us know someone who is a “Grinch” - an individual who does not share a love for the holidays and literally cringes at the thought of casseroles, Christmas carols, and gif

**This is Part 3 of Parenting with Intention; a 3 part-blog series by Aika Erlandson, LMFT-Associate at Austin STRONG: Relationship Building Center** Sometimes, parenting can be a stressful experience. When stress takes over the parenting, your child(ren) are paying very close attention and learning from your behaviors. Children look to their parents for support and modeling in figuring out how to manage emotions, especially when they feel distressed. As a parent, you may not

**This is Part 2 of Parenting with Intention; a 3 part-blog series by Aika Erlandson, LMFT-Associate at Austin STRONG: Relationship Building Center** Tips for Acknowledging your Child’s Emotions As your child learns to walk and talk, they will experience more of life, which also means an increased opportunity to feel more emotions. What your child needs the most from you is to help them figure out what emotions they are experiencing, why they are feeling the way they do, and

Part One: Fostering a Secure Parent-Child Relationship During the Holidays The holidays are fast approaching and it’s a special time for us to stop and consider what we are grateful for in our lives and set intentions for the new year. For some parents, it is easy to get caught up in daily routines--taking kids to school, going to work, picking the kids up, having dinner, going to sleep, and repeat--with little room to consider how you want to show up as a parent for your chi