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.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
In today’s day and age we are all programmed to be independent. We go off to 4-year colleges to get our degrees. We then use those degrees to land ourselves a career to support us through life’s necessities. Being independent means that we don’t have to rely on anyone else to aid or support our needs and wants. Wanting to be independent is a good virtue to have when it comes to financial stability and careers. However, when it comes to relationships, being independent might not be what’s best for you and your loved one. What happens when we try to be too independent in our relationships? Can being interdependent, dependent, or independent hurt our relationship with our loved one? What can we do to become more mutually dependent with our loved one?
Earning her Doctoral Degree in Counseling Psychology at Temple University, Dr. Susan Orenstein is founder and director of Orenstein Solutions in Cary, North Carolina. Dr. Orenstein has devoted her professional career to helping individuals and couples improve their most intimate relationships. She specializes in relationship and couples issues. Dr. Orenstein is committed to providing state-of-the-art practices in marital counseling and to that end, continues to attend professional training programs.
To find out more about Dr. Susan Orenstein and her practice, Orenstein Solutions, you can visit their website or call (919) 428-2766 for an appointment.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Each and every one of us responds to stress differently. Some of us respond to stress by eating more than we usually do while others eat less than they are used to when they are stressed. Some of us exercise until they push themselves too far while others may stop their exercise regimens. Some use smoking, drinking and drugs to try to escape the stress in their lives. Sometimes, we may choose to withdraw from our friends, families and activities while some of us fill up every minute of the day to avoid facing problems, which leads to added stress. How does our stress response impact the way we respond to others? Are we often even mindful or aware of this? How can this affect our relationships? What can we do to improve the quality of our relationships?
Earning his Master’s Degree in Counseling and License in Marriage and Family Therapy, Mr. Jude Johnson practices at Akeen Mind in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jude specializes in the practice of mindfulness, meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy. He has attended extensive training on the practice of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and has applied these skills into clinical practice. Jude has worked in an array of settings including inpatient psychiatric/substance abuse, home based family therapy, alternative schools, emergency services, and outpatient clinics both as a therapist and administrator. Jude utilizes mindfulness and family systems theory as base ingredients to optimize the well-being of organizations, professionals, and people from all walks of life. He has experienced the benefits of practicing mindfulness first hand and is passionate about helping others discover their own inner resources for managing stress, pain and illness.
To find out more about Jude Johnson and his practice, Akeen Mind, you can visit their website or call (843) 364-5921 for an appointment.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
