May 09
The Spiritual Power of Depression By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC-S “Depression Hurts.” This clever tagline was used for years by a pharmaceutical company hawking a particular anti-depressant, or SSRI, and the medication in question allegedly ameliorated not only the despair and fatigue of depression but also the actual physical aches and pains that often accompany it. …
Feb 18
By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC-S I see a lot of clients who suffer from social anxiety. Many of them begin to isolate because of their discomfort. When we deconstruct their social experiences, more often than not many clients report that they strive to appear interesting to others and hence spend the bulk of their social exchanges …
Feb 17
By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC-S A year ago, my right hip had become so painful that I was reduced to walking with a cane. This was after months of limping, hoping the condition would resolve. I am an avid dog-walker, and log 2-4 miles in my neighborhood daily. I was desperate to avoid surgery, but determined …
Sep 04
What goes on in a therapist’s office is a mystery to many who have never pursued psychotherapy. First-timers are often nervous and uncertain, not knowing what to expect. A common misconception is that therapy is some sort of cathartic, secular confessional, or that the therapist will magically “fix” the client—cure depression, anxiety, grief, social isolation, …
Apr 25
Recently, our daughter, Owen, 28, followed by her older brother, Jesse, 30, got married within two months of each other. While both were joyous celebrations—and a long time coming—I experienced a massive crash after the festivities. And I’m not just talking about the emotional kind. My right hip went out. Suddenly, the hip simply didn’t …
Jan 01
Today was one of my assigned swimming days at Gold’s Gym. I am working with a trainer to rehab a hip plagued by osteo-arthritis—swimming laps two or three days a week, and on alternate days, struggling through an isometric and hip-strengthening workout. For me, swimming is easy and Zen: I find it meditative and restorative, …
Dec 13
What’s Your Story? Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC I’m telling my story today as a vehicle for giving you guideposts, or a kind of road map, through internship to full licensure. Ch. 1: Honoring Your Roots Everyone Has a Story Each of YOU has a story about how you found your way from your previous life to …
Aug 25
I was keen to stay home and raise our three children. Happily, in New York City, where we were living in the 80s and 90s, it made more economic sense for me to quit work. But this choice was fraught: women in New York who leave their jobs to raise their children generally vaporize into …
Apr 09
By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC A career should be a source of joy and empowerment. But too often, Sunday evening is cloaked in dread. Monday morning’s alarm hangs heavy. While the national unemployment picture has improved, many people who have jobs are not satisfied. They work for “The Man,” sitting in a sterile cubicle, performing rote …
Dec 09
St. Edward’s University Graduation Speech 2013 Counseling Graduates What’s Your Story? Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC Ch. 1: Honoring Your Roots Everyone Has a Story Each of YOU has a story about how you found your way from your previous life to the St. Ed’s counseling program. Whether you enrolled right after college or later …