Entries by randym

7 Signs of Emotional Maturity

I’ve noticed that adults rarely think in terms of maturity with each other. In fact, we grown ups tend to expect maturity from other grown ups, right? And that often leads to disappointment. Here are 7 Signs of Emotional Maturity. Take a moment to honestly assess how you are doing in each of these areas. 1. […]

Designer Drugs: K2, Spice, Bath Salts–10 Things You Must Know

By Randy Moraitis, MA, CIP, BCPC K2, Spice, and bath salts are designer drugs that frequently make the news because of their link to overdose deaths and abnormal behavior. In fact, just this past March there were several teen deaths in Washington State caused by designer drugs. Designer drugs problems are not isolated to America. Europe […]

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Intervention

By Randy Moraitis, MA, CIP, BCPC If you have a loved one who is struggling with addiction–to drugs, alcohol, food, gambling or other behavior, then you are probably stressed, worried, frustrated and angry. You’re probably wondering what you can do to help your loved one, or if there even is anything you can do to […]

Mental Health and The Church

Observations from The Gathering on Mental Health and The Church held at Saddleback Church on March 28, 2014: This was not a churchy pray away the problem type of event. It was very scientifically sound and included teaching from some top mental health professionals including Daniel Amen, MD, Tom Okamoto, MD and Aaron Kheriaty, MD […]

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The Power of No!

Those who know me well know that I am a huge fan of healthy boundaries. So when I came across these tips on Finding Your Voice to say No by psychologist Judith Sills, Ph.D., I just had to share. If you are new to saying no and setting boundaries, give these tips a try– you will […]

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Mindfulness

By Randy Moraitis, MA, BCPC, CPC Mindfulness is a hot topic today in both psychology and medicine. According to Psychology Today, mindfulness “is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life […]

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Treating Anxiety

Anxiety Disorders affect millions of Americans filling them with dread, fear, and uncertainty. In my last blog I shared a brief history of anxiety in society which you can view here: History of Anxiety This post is focused on treating anxiety. Those who struggle with anxiety experience physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual symptoms, so it […]

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Anxiety–A Brief History

Anxiety–A Brief History Suffer from anxiety?  If so, you are not alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health over 55 million Americans struggle with anxiety. In a quest for better understanding and relief from anxiety, author Scott Stossel chronicled the history of the evolution of anxiety (Psychology Today, Feb. 2014). Here are the […]

4 Therapy Skills Everyone Can Use

Most people know that hairstylists and bartenders make great amateur therapists. But what are the actual skills one needs to do therapy effectively? According to licensed psychologist Linda Hatch, PhD, there are four skills that anyone can use to be helpful to someone in a stressful or difficult situation. Hatch states that effective therapy allows […]

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Free Personality Test–Part 2

By Randy Moraitis, MA, BCPC, CPC As I mentioned in a previous blog post there are many personality profiles out there–Myers-Briggs, DiSC, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter–most of which are used by prospective employers to determine the best hires for their companies, as well as for pre-marital counseling purposes. These are all effective at determining personality […]