It's normal for friends to experience conflict, disagreements, and maybe even fight sometimes. You can't always agree on everything and sometimes this may result in behaviors that are unintentionally hurtful towards friends you care for deeply. Most times conflict with a friend or within your friend group is easily resolved and you can move forward without any major consequences to...[ read more ]

Conflict is often difficult to handle, but it can be even more so with family. Familial conflict often runs deep and feelings around the conflict can be complicated. Conflict with people you love, or you feel that you are supposed to love, is often different from having a disagreement with a coworker or even an acquaintance or friend. The emotions...[ read more ]

Conflict in your community can take many forms. There might be disagreements over various community matters, such as allocation of funding, and there might also be significant issues that need to be addressed, such as discrimination or crime. Conflict in your community can affect your everyday life, causing you anxiety and stress. You might feel like you can't do anything...[ read more ]

Interpersonal conflict is an issue that we all have to deal with in different situations and environments. Everyone has differences of opinion and disagreements, or we may have times when we need to have difficult conversations with others. Conflict can be hard to handle, especially if you feel anxious at the thought of being disliked or being judged. It can...[ read more ]

While suicidal thoughts and the act of suicide are not considered mental health disorders on their own, they can be a symptom and effect of various mental health conditions. People who suffer from depression, anxiety, bipolar, PTSD, schizophrenia or other conditions might experience suicidal thoughts, as well as make plans to act on these thoughts. Recognizing suicidal thoughts and behavior...[ read more ]

All children and teens feel sad sometimes and they might not always know or be able to articulate why. Some, however, experience more than just sadness and may struggle with depression. Determining whether your child or teen is depressed can be difficult, especially when it’s developmentally normal to experience a wide range of emotions for a variety of reasons. If...[ read more ]

Anxiety is a feeling that we all experience, and one which children can often feel, especially when faced with the unknown. However, there is a point at which feelings of anxiety may become a problem for your child. If anxious feelings and behaviors are beginning to affect your child's daily life, it may be time to consider whether anxiety has...[ read more ]

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a difficult time for everyone, regardless of age. However, children and teenagers may be especially feeling the effects and struggling to cope with the stress. There are many things that might be worrying your child or teen, from health concerns to isolation and dealing with a lot of change in a relatively short period of...[ read more ]

Bridge to Balance is a provider of therapy services, with a focus on helping children and teens, as well as their parents and families. Founded by Kim Finnie, CSSW, LCSW and co-owned with Julie Ferdas, LCSW, Bridge to Balance has a dedicated team of therapists who all have years of experience in delivering therapy to individuals and families. In addition...[ read more ]

Image from Pexels - CC0 License Being compassionate means to make an effort to understand the feelings and emotional states of another person. It also involves understanding your own emotional state.  Showing compassion has a big impact on a person’s mental wellbeing. Compassion is similar to empathy, which is the ability to imagine yourself in someone else's shoes. However, compassion...[ read more ]