This One Habit Can Change Your Mood, Sleep, and Health
by Margaret Lee, LICSW The flowers are blooming, a cool breeze is in the air, and daylight lasts just a bit longer each day. If you’re like me, you’ve been […]
The Sandwich Generation
by Caleigh Alevy, LMSW It’s 8:30 on a Tuesday morning. You’re answering emails before work when your phone rings. It’s your mom. She can’t remember where she wrote down her […]
What Will My Legacy Be?
by Mark Driskill, LICSW-S, CJFS Lead Clinician For the past several years, I’ve paid attention to articles and news stories about the Blue Zones—geographic areas of the world where many […]
Rethinking Anxiety
Amy Neiman, LMSW The other day I was scrolling on social media and started counting how many posts were titled, “how to get rid of anxiety,” “how to fix your […]
The Role of A Social Worker with Older Adults
LaBrena Friend, LMSW Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the privilege of meeting several older adults as part of our CJFS Personal Care Program assessments. What surprised me was […]
Finding Gratitude When You Have the “Mulligrubs”
by Meredith Stutts, LICSW Have you ever had what my mom calls “the mulligrubs,” that feeling of being down for no clear reason? That was me the other week. Maybe […]
Am I Ready to Retire?
Share it : by Mark Driskill, LICSW-S For most of our working life, retirement planning is about money—how much do I need and when will I have enough? While money […]
Shining a Light on Suicide Prevention
The month of September is full of diverse holidays such as Labor Day and Rosh Hashana, observances such as the International Day of Charity, and light-hearted celebrations, such as Hobbit […]
Beat the Heat: Summer Safety Tips at Every Age
by Caleigh Alevy, LMSW Let’s face it—August in Alabama feels less like summer and more like standing in a giant outdoor sauna. While it’s tempting to hunker down indoors […]
Navigating the Seasons of Life
Share it : by Mark Driskill, LICSW-S Back in grad school my very first class was called Human Behavior Through the Life Cycle. The big takeaway? Our physical, emotional, and social […]
Planning with Compassion: How CJFS Can Help
Share it : by Amy Neiman, LMSW June marks Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month—a time to reflect not only on the challenges of memory loss, but also on the […]
Combating Loneliness in Older Adults
Share it : by LaBrena Friend, LMSW Recently, I accompanied my 98-year-old client “Tom” to a medical appointment. The visit went well, but I noticed on the way home he […]
The Sandwich Generation: Finding Balance While Caring for Both Kids & Parents
Share it : By Meredith Stutts, LICSW Do you ever feel overwhelmed, pulled in multiple directions at once? Trying to balance relationships, excel at your job, be the perfect parent […]
Our Pasts Can Be the Ultimate Resource
Share it : by James Cannon, LMSW Memories are powerful. They can shape our decisions. They also help us reflect on ourpast in ways that alter our point of view […]
Given Up on your Resolutions Already?
Share it : by Margaret Lee, LMSW Did you know both January 10th and February 1st are both considered Quitter’s Day? By February 1st 68% of people have abandoned their New Year’s resolutions. […]
Navigating Caregiving and Grief: A Guide to Self- Care
Share it : by Amy Neiman, LMSW Ms. Green and her sister have lived together for the past 15 years in a house not far from the CJFS office. When […]
Safety at Home – CJFS Can Help.
Share it : by Caleigh Rathmell Alevy, LMSW Caring for a loved one is deeply meaningful but can also be exhausting, both physically and emotionally. When caregiving ends with loss, […]
It’s Not About You
Share it : by Mark Driskill, LICSW-S “What people say and what people do is all about them and not about you.” For many years I’ve used this statement as a […]
When Holidays Are Challenging
Share it : By LaBrena Friend, LMSW During a recent visit with one of my clients, we had a heartfelt conversation about the upcoming holiday season. We shared our favorite […]
Spreading Kindness Daily
Share it : by Caleigh Rathmell Alevy, LMSW As I exchange pleasantries with a passerby, my children often ask, “Who was that?” Their curiosity never gets old. Sometimes, the person […]
Healing is About Progress, Not Perfection
Share it : . At some point in college or my early twenties, my grandmother gifted me a scrapbook full of poems, stories, cartoons, and musings, all of which […]
On Mother’s Day and Every Day
Share it : by Mark Driskill, LICSW-S For most of our working life, retirement planning is about money—how much do I need and when will I have enough? While money […]
Feeling Stressed? Try the Rule of 2
Share it : by Amy Neiman, LMSW I told myself that 2024 would be less stressful. Seriously. I had a conversation with myself while I was walking my dogs. I […]
People Need People!
Share it : Socializing with others makes most of us feel better about ourselves and about the world. For people affected by dementia, social interaction has a proven additional benefit: […]
What is Negative Self-Talk
Share it : By Mark Driskill, LICSW-S I remember watching cartoons as a child and seeing one in which a character had an angel on one shoulder and a devil on […]
Talking to Kids About War
Share it : by Amy Neiman, LMSW Finding the right way to speak with a child or teenager about death, war or terrible uncertainty is not easy. It is our […]
Simple Ways to Make Life Better for an Older Adult
Share it : y LaBrena Friend, LBSW When an older adult is experiencing new age-related problems, their friends and loved ones may not always recognize what is wrong. But by […]
CJFS Caregiver Support Group
Share it : by Pam Leonard, LBSW, CDP Twice a week, in my role as director of the CJFS CARES dementia respite program, I co-facilitate virtual support groups with Lise […]
Establishing Healthy Boundaries
Share it : by Mark Driskill, LICSW These days it is common to hear people talking about setting boundaries—at work, with their extended families, and in other personal relationships. Healthy […]
The Journey through Grief
Share it : My world changed in 2004, when I lost my dad to melanoma. Even though his death was not sudden, I was unprepared for the grief I experienced. […]
Deciding to Leave a Job…and Then What?
Share it : by Gail Schuster, LICSW, ACSW ‘Denise’, who is in her 40s, had worked with the same company for more than a decade. She had always considered herself fortunate […]
Helping a Child with Anxiety Starts with You
Share it : By Amy Neiman, LMSW We have all experienced the signs of ANXIETY when facing an intimidating or challenging situation: sweaty hands, heart beating faster or butterflies in the stomach. […]
Showing Love to a an Older Adult
Share it : by LaBrena Friend, LBSW On our calendars, we just checked off Valentine’s Day – a day when the whole world seems focused on expressions of romantic love. […]
For Caregivers: How to Counter ‘False Beliefs’
Share it : The emotional and physical demands of family caregiving can be overwhelming under the best circumstances. When you add anxiety and self-doubt into the mix, the strain only […]
2023 Resolution: Help to Repair the World
Share it : by Caleigh Rathmell Alevy, LMSW With 2026 fast approaching, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the past year and resolving to change ourselves, our routines or […]
Traveling with a Loved One Who has Dementia
Share it : by Pam Leonard, LBSW, CDP: Traveling with a loved one who has dementia can be challenging and intimidating. Families often long to be together over the holidays, […]
How to Navigate Difficult Conversations
Share it : by Amy Neiman, LMSW Difficult conversations are well, difficult. As parents, spouses and children, we must have discussions that are challenging and can be life-changing for those […]
Understanding Your Child’s Anxiety
Share it : by Jennifer Bradley, LPC As a therapist for 25 years, I have had the privilege to work with adults and children of all ages, and I have […]
When Is It Time To Consider Long-Term Care For A Loved One?
Share it : By Pam Leonard The decision to move a family member into a long-term care facility can be difficult. Family caregivers often feel guilty when they begin considering […]
Reaching Out is Not Weakness
Share it : by Gail Schuster, LICSW, ASCN My client, Jane, was devastated to learn that her husband, Dave, had Parkinson’s disease. Dave was having difficulty speaking and feeding himself, […]
Proactive Planning Brings Peace of Mind
Share it : by LaBrena Friend, LMSW In 2013, just ten days after I got married, my mom let me know that she had autoimmune hepatitis. Although I did not […]
Words Matter
Share it : by Amy Neiman, LMSW I was a fairly dramatic child. Well, my parents might disagree and say I WAS a dramatic child. I had big feelings and […]
Practice, Practice…and Repeat!
Share it : By Gail Schuster, LICSW Many people think of therapy as a place to “work out” a problem. That isn’t wrong … but for most of my clients, […]
Addressing Life’s Challenges, Layer by Layer
Share it : By Marcy Morgenbesser, LICSW, CJFS Clinical Director. Older adults are often referred to CJFS because of one acute problem – say, they’re grieving the death of a […]
How to Build Your Resilience
Share it : By LaBrena Friend, LMSW We hear a lot about resilience these days, and for good reason. If you’re human, your life will include emotional challenges and setbacks […]
Sitting in the Problem
Share it : by Amy Neiman, LMSW We are a society of fixers. We want answers to our problems, and nowadays, we want the answers fast. We pop on our […]
Struggling with Sleep?
Share it : by Robin McMilin, LCSW Everyone experiences an occasional restless night, but for those who toss and turn regularly, the inability to sleep can be a source of […]
Can Care Management Help Me or My Family?
Share it : by Marcy Morgenbesser, LICSW Alice, 67, has bipolar disorder and lives alone in a subsidized senior housing community. She has been a CJFS client since 2017, receiving […]
Long Goodbyes
Share it : Cynthia Bryant, LCSW Television and movies would have us believe that life changes in the blink of an eye. Screenwriters tell stories this way to make way […]
The Magic of Gratitude
Share it : By LaBrena Friend, LMSW It seems hard to believe that we have been consumed by the COVID-19 crisis for almost a year now! Most of us are still […]
Counselor’s Corner: Coping with Disappointment
Share it : by Gail Schuster, LICSW, ACSW My client, Joan, was excited about joining her sister Nan to celebrate the wedding of Nan’s son in Washington, D.C. Joan, who […]
‘Tis the Season to be Tactful
Share it : By Cynthia Bryant, LICSW You’re attending, or maybe hosting, a holiday party or family dinner – yay! Or is it nay? Holidays, and the way we anticipate them, can be complicated. We […]
Catching Up with Health Care Visits
Share it : by LaBrena Friend, LMSW Have you delayed health care visits to avoid potential exposure to Covid-19? If so, you are among millions of people who have postponed […]
How to be a “SuperAger”
Share it : by Pam Leonard, LBSW, CDP What can we do to help ensure that as we age, we maintain our cognitive and physical health for as long as […]
Sleep and Your Mental Health
Share it : by Amy Neiman, LMSW With four pre-teens and teenagers under one roof, our family has some interesting discussions. Due to the pandemic, they have been hanging out […]
Thinking About How You Think
Share it : by Cynthia Bryant, LICSW The COVID pandemic has obviously impacted everyone’s life. Just when you think you have adapted to the current reality, new information and recommendations […]
Depression and Anxiety are NOT a “Normal” Part of Aging
Share it : by Gail Schuster, LCSW We all wonder what “normal” is when it comes to different stages of life. One of the stereotypes of aging is that it […]
Is Counseling For Me?
Share it : by Gail Schuster, LCSW Counseling is a process of self-discovery that focuses on feelings and relationships and how we interact with our world. It is a […]
Assessing Your Aging Parent’s Needs
Share it : by Marcy Morgenbesser, LICSW In my role as Clinical Director for CJFS, I frequently get calls from adult children concerned about their aging parents’ living situations. Often, a son or daughter believes that, in their current residence, Mom and/or […]