Counseling Q&A
30 experts · 148 questions answered
Latest Q&As
career guidance
Walaikumassalaam mahhum.. may Allah bless you Many students go through similar phases... I guide student on the basis of their interest, skill, aptitude,personality etc. Only then a student Will be able to make a informed choice....aptitude implies your inherent inclination towards a particular area
Answered by Halima Sadiya
Receiving Treatment for Sexual Addictions
Hello, Thank you for asking such a wonderful question. While sexual addiction is not one of my area of expertise, I can certainly direct you toward the therapist that might work for you. The Austin area has a variety of therapists that specialize in sexual addiction. I highly recommend working with
Answered by Milena Colyer
Opening a Sober Living House
Thank you for your question! I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor, not a lawyer so I cannot give legal advice. I've never opened a Sober Living House but I have researched it and could possibly give some advice. I also have a friend who has opened one in my town. The area that you mentioned that I
Answered by Anna Deeds
Is My Wife Gay, Or Is It a Mid-Life Crisis?
Thank you for your question. I am sorry to hear of your recent difficulty. I can see why you might be struggling to process the situation as it sounds like not only has your trust been compromised but you are wondering just who your wife really is. It is interesting that she says she did not mean fo
Answered by Rebecca Ashton
Response to Recurring Nightmare
Hello there. I know it must be very frightening for you to have the same dream repeatedly. Dreams are often open to many interpretations. Its best to try to look at this dream and think about what it is reflecting in your life? Often dreams where we are being chased means that there is something in
Answered by Christine McDonald
Depression and neurofeedback
I am sorry to hear that your son (and you) is in such a crisis. I strongly believe that neurofeedback can be very helpful in shifting how your son's brain reacts to the feelings he has taught himself to bury. It can also be effective in changing the addictive behavior that has resulted in his use of
Answered by Loren Gelberg-Goff
How do I get rid of my guilt feelings?
It sounds as if at the time you resisted taking responsibility of and owning your own actions, but now, in retrospect, you realize that you have done something wrong due to your feelings of guilt. Guilt is a very useful signal that alerts us to the fact that we have done something that has crossed o
Answered by Penny Bell
Resolutions that Stick. . .
So glad that you recognize that you're "tired of your lifestyle". That is a huge first step for making any resolution stick. The next step is to state an intention... perhaps it's to go back to school, get training, find something that you are passionate about that you might explore further to see i
Answered by Loren Gelberg-Goff
Frustrated Teenager
Without knowing more about your situation, my answer will by its nature have some limitations to it. If your situation continues to wear at you, you might think about seeking out someone who can help you look at your own situation, this might be a mental health professional in the community or your
Answered by Rev. Christopher Smith
Martha's Place
You may want to check out http://marthasplace.org/index.php/services/ to get more information. It is a recovery program for women overcoming drug addition and homelessness. Services: Six-month transitional housing: Women completing 28-day detoxification or 30 Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings in a s
Answered by Dr. Candace McCullough
Concerning Changes in an Elderly Parent
It can be hard to watch an elderly parent show distressing signs. Even if the parent is aware of what is going on, it can also be difficult for them to admit to the new problems they are having. This is the case whether the distressing signs are physical (such as the ability of the joints to work as
Answered by Rev. Christopher Smith
How can I help my sister break out of her celebrity fantasy?
Because I know very little about your sister apart from that she has infatuations with male celebrities, I can’t really help you with the psychology of her behaviour. I think you have perceived correctly that she is keeping herself safe from the reality of genuine relationships with all the inherent
Answered by Penny Bell
Reaffirming Comments
The person asking this question raises some good questions about mantras and positive affirmations. There are some things to think about around these that they raise. Not knowing the questioner's particular situation, let me address how these can be in general, wile encouraging the questioner to wor
Answered by Rev. Christopher Smith
Getting Help Without Creating More Problems
This question has a strong legal component to it that you would be wise to consult a local immigration lawyer about. The answer you might get may well vary from locale to locale. Having said that, let me briefly comment on your question. A related question that you have not asked is about the financ
Answered by Rev. Christopher Smith
Making a Change
I'm sorry for all the awful experiences you've been though. You've clearly had to deal with a lot. Unfortunately, this is not a problem you are likely to be able to solve in a Q&A forum. I think you are best off finding a therapist to work this through with. It doesn't sound impossible, but there's
Answered by Rabbi Raffi Bilek
How can I help my friend who I think has bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is an illness which affects the normal functioning of the brain, so that the person experiences extreme moods - they can become high, over-excited and reckless, or imagine that they are more important or influential than they actually are. They can also become extremely low, feeling
Answered by Penny Bell
How can I know and trust the integrity of this man?
Oh my gosh, from what you are saying, it sounds like you are in such a dilemma over this guy! Your thinking is going around in circles – yeah, he’s the one, no, he does this and this, but he’s good in this way, but hang on, what about this and this....you must be exhausted from thinking about this w
Answered by Penny Bell
How much exercise is too much?
Exercise is an important part of gaining strength, health and a feeling of well-being, and it sounds like you have worked very hard to gain the body size and shape that you desire. But am I right in perceiving that a part of you is wondering if you are perhaps taking it a bit too far? You say that y
Answered by Penny Bell
Ethics of Risking Passing On Mental Illness to Children
The person who posed the question is asking a very good question and it is one that I am not going to answer. The reason I am not going to provide an answer is that it is not a black and white question where there is one clearly correct question. Like many ethical questions, a lot will depend on the
Answered by Rev. Christopher Smith
Sleep: Quality versus Quantity
Dear Anonymous, Sleep difficulty is both a common and a complex problem. And sleep quality has been extensively studied and they have identified many things that can interfere with sleep quality and several interventions you can undertake to improve your sleep. And it does appear that you can get be
Answered by Cynthia Klatte
Living Empowered: Being True to Yourself
What a great question, and one that to make the life adjustment that you are asking about requires a few commitments from you. Usually people who care (too much) about what other people think are looking for their approval, love, acceptance, etc. There is an underlying fear that if you don't act or
Answered by Loren Gelberg-Goff
Religious Recovery Site or a Cult
There are a number of criterion for a group to be considered a cult. Common use of the term includes being separated from family and friends with no or very limited contact, financial commitments and long term control of residency. Formal cult definition usually goes beyond this to include other cha
Answered by Rev. Christopher Smith
Hearing voices...
Well, your question seems to bring up more questions than answers. I would tell you to please speak with a licensed therapist in person to discuss what is really going on for you. People often relate to "voices" in their heads that are thoughts they have that came from other people in their lives (i
Answered by Loren Gelberg-Goff
Depressed Daughter Doesn't Listen to Mom
I can feel your worry. But it really sounds like you have already done most everything you can. You may want to try asking about how her mood is affecting her children. They are old enough to understand a lot about what is going on. It's very likely mom's depression is affecting how they feel, how t
Answered by David Johnson
Depressed Daughter Who Won't Accept Help
Thank you for your question. First, I think it is important to point out that if your daughter is a danger to herself or others, you could have her involuntarily committed to a psychiatric ward. I know this seems harsh but it is for her own protection. If she is not suicidal but the depression conti
Answered by Anna Deeds
Unstructured Time
Thank you for your question. Structuring your time is a great way to keep your mind off relapse in early recovery. However, you are right that you cannot 'keep busy' the rest of your life. You could see if you are ready for unstructured time by scheduling small blocks of time, maybe an hour or half
Answered by Anna Deeds
How can I stop being so resentful?
When we look at the twelve steps in recovery there is a common theme – that of taking responsibility for ourselves, rather than blaming others. The fourth step gives us a way to deal with our anger and resentments – it directs us to take a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. We can
Answered by Penny Bell
Multiple Family Problems Can't Be Solved By Asking Questions Online
Mr Nelson: It is apparent from your series of questions that you have a lot of difficulty with your adult children. Clearly you see many problems in your children, but it suggests you and your ex-wife may have major difficulties with setting limits with them. I also get the impression that there cou
Answered by David Johnson
Diagnosis Is Not Real, It's a Theoretical Model
This is a question that is best asked of your son's therapist. What you describe sounds like some form of social anxiety which is not necessarily related to borderline personality disorder, but can be depending on circumstances. Knowing your son's diagnosis has limited value to you. You can look up
Answered by David Johnson
Does Attraction Make a Racist?
Finding people of other ethnic groups physically unattractive does not make you a racist. Racism is defined as: a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and ha
Answered by David Johnson