couples

In school you were always taught about the American Dream. You learned how people risked their lives to come to the United States of America to live out their dreams of happiness and freedom. Part of those dreams was and is to have a family and live a happy life. In today’s age, we are almost pressured into conforming to this dream of getting married and having a family. Everyone wants to know when you are going to settle down and have a family. With the rise of technology, there are a large variety of dating websites on the internet to help make this dream a reality. These websites are growing every day in acceptance and popularity. The growing usage of these sites shows that we still want to be able to get married and have children, but are we trying too hard? Are we overlooking deep meaning in our relationships just to take care of our superficial wants and needs?

Earning his Doctorate Degree in Counseling and Clinical Supervision from the University of North Carolina Charlotte, Dr. Gerald Brown is owner and founder of Inner Compass Counseling, Coaching, and Consulting in Cornelius, North Carolina. Jerry is a licensed professional counselor with extensive training in trauma, family, couples and Latino issues. He provides counseling, life coaching, and counseling in English and Spanish. He also works as a counselor at the Center for Military Families and Veterans at Central Piedmont Community College. Jerry’s research interests include resilience, military issues, multicultural issues, and first generation college minorities in education. He has over 7 years of counseling experience in school, college, and community mental health settings.

To find out more about Dr. Gerald Brown and his practice, Inner Compass Counseling, Coaching, and Consulting, you can visit their website at  or call (704) 302-6434 for an appointment.

 

Are you repeating the same behavior patterns in your relationship that you did as a child?

Every parent has their own way of parenting. Consequently, every person’s childhood is different from everyone else’s and can develop unique patterns. The way we are raised influences the way we do things later in life, whether it’s our study habits, work ethic, or career choices. Some parents enforce studying and getting homework done before play. Later in life this can help you to focus more on education or getting your work done in a timely matter. What our parents instill in us at a young age often carries with us in patterns over the years. What happens when we come from a home that is less than optimal? Do we develop differently? Can our childhood affect the way we do things in our relationship?

Earning her Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, Ms. Ricki Geiger is founder and owner of Rickie L. Geiger, LCSW in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Ricki is a licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Group Psychotherapist and Certified Retirement Coach. She has over 30 years of professional experience. She provides individuals, couples, and group therapy for adults over 21 years of age. Ricki is a seasoned, engaging and skilled community educator and workshop presenter.

To find out more about Ricki Geiger and her practice, Ricki L Geiger, LCSW, you can visit their website or call (919) 929-8559 for an appointment.

 

Are you taking care of yourself in your relationship?

They always say “you must love yourself before you can love someone else”. This appears to be true when talking about loving yourself emotionally and physically. But what about when it comes to understanding yourself. If you are not aware of your own emotional and physical wants and needs, how can you expect your loved one to understand or even recognize your emotional and physical wants and needs? If you are not aware or comfortable with your own wants and needs it may become hard for you to confide in your partner about what you desire. When this happens you and your partner may get frustrated or even give up on each other. What can we do to alleviate the problem and strengthen our relationship with our loved one?

Earning her Masters Degree in Community Agency Mental Health Counseling, Letitia Huger-­‐Hill practices at Positive Redirection in Durham, North Carolina. Letitia has expansive experience interviewing, and assessing new clients, working with clients with co-­‐occurring disorders, writing treatment plans, and conducting individual counseling sessions to address physical, mental, social and emotional problems. She is a facilitator of Coping With Work and Family Stress which is a workplace preventive intervention designed to teach employees 18 years and older how to deal with stressors at work and at home. The curriculum emphasizes the role of stress, coping and social support in relation to substance abuse and psychological symptoms. Letitia is a Licensed Professional Counselor in North Carolina. She promotes conferences, develops event topics and speakers and monitors event activities.

To find out more about Letitia Huger-­‐Hill and her practice, Positive Redirection, you can visit their website for an appointment.