Couples counseling is most effective when rooted in specialized training and a systemic perspective. Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) bring a distinct approach to relational therapy, considering the intricate dynamics of family systems, attachment patterns, and relationship influences. At Spilove Psychotherapy in Bryn Mawr, PA, we’re proud to offer affordable couples therapy led by skilled MFT Interns under expert supervision. Learn how this unique training and collaborative care can transform your relationship journey. Click below to explore what sets MFTs apart and how our therapy services can support you and your partner in building a deeper connection.
Struggling to find a couples therapist within your budget? Discover the benefits of working with a graduate-level Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) intern. These therapists-in-training are highly supervised by seasoned experts and bring a wealth of systemic, relational insight to their work.
At Spilove Psychotherapy, our MFT interns are guided by licensed professionals, ensuring top-quality care for your relationship. With advanced training in systems theory and tools like genograms, they help uncover and address deep-rooted patterns in your relationship. Ready to strengthen your connection? Explore how affordable couples therapy can help your relationship thrive in Philadelphia, Bryn Mawr, or online in Pennsylvania. Click to learn more!
ADHD is often stereotyped as hyperactive boys unable to sit still, but for many women, it’s a silent struggle that goes undiagnosed for years. Instead of hyperactivity, ADHD in women often manifests as inattentiveness, emotional dysregulation, or perfectionism—symptoms that are easily misinterpreted as laziness or moodiness.
Societal expectations and cultural norms further complicate recognition, as women with ADHD work tirelessly to mask their struggles, often at the cost of burnout and mental exhaustion. From managing family responsibilities to meeting career demands, the toll of undiagnosed ADHD can feel overwhelming.
Learn how ADHD presents differently in women and why awareness and proper diagnosis are crucial for breaking the cycle of shame and self-doubt.
Parenthood is a beautiful, challenging experience that reshapes every aspect of life—including your partnership. Sleepless nights, endless to-do lists, and the demands of raising children often leave little room for the connection you once cherished. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.
At Spilove Psychotherapy, we help couples reignite their bond, balance parenthood and partnership, and navigate life’s challenges together. Ready to strengthen your relationship for the benefit of your family?
Click here to explore how couples counseling can help.
Is your relationship feeling distant, challenging, or stuck? Whether you're navigating life transitions, longing to rekindle intimacy, setting boundaries, or exploring new dynamics like Ethical Non-Monogamy, couples therapy can help you reconnect and thrive.
At Spilove Psychotherapy, we specialize in affordable couples counseling in Bryn Mawr, Philadelphia, and online throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Ready to take the next step?
Click to read more and discover how therapy can reignite connection and support your relationship journey.
Did your child tantrum at age two, two and a half or even three? If not, is your child tantruming now? When children tantrum at an older age it is often a result of skipping a normal developmental stage called, Rapprochement. I am sure you have heard of the “terrible twos” and the bad rap that comes along with temper tantrums.
As you might have heard, depression, anxiety and suicide rates are significantly higher among the LGBTQ community. The question is what will help build some resiliency? Well, there are a number of ways to help build resiliency in yourself or in those you love who may be struggling. Here are Spilove Psychotherapy's top five.
Lucky us! Scott Giacomucci, MSS, LSW, CTTS, CET III, trauma specialist, psychodramatist and all around amazing therapist has shared his insights and explained that complicated title: Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, also known as EMDR. The following is a handout Scott put together for his clients to help explain what EMDR is and how it's done:
Often, when something traumatic happens, it seems to get locked in the nervous system with the original picture, sounds, thoughts, feelings, etc. Since the experience is locked there, it continues to be triggered whenever a reminder comes up. It can be the basis for a lot of discomfort and sometimes a lot of negative emotions, such as fear and helplessness that we can’t seem to control. These are really the emotions connected with the old experience that are being triggered.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a late-stage, trauma resolution method. Developed in the late 1980's, EMDR currently has more scientific research as a treatment for trauma than any other non-pharmaceutical intervention. Based on empirical evidence as well as thousands of client and clinician testimonials, EMDR has proven an efficacious and rapid method of reprocessing traumatic material.
EMDR appears to assist in processing of traumatic information, resulting in enhanced integration - and a more adaptive perspective of the traumatic material. The utilization of EMDR has been shown to be effective with a variety of conditions including generalized and specific anxieties, panic attacks, PTSD symptoms (such as intrusive thoughts, nightmares, and flashbacks), dissociative disorders, mood disorders and other traumatic experiences. Theoretically, EMDR is about integration - bilateral hemispheric (right/left brain) integration; triune brain (brain stem, limbic system and cerebral cortex) integration; and mind/body integration, but practically, it’s about convincing the mind and body that the traumatic event is, indeed over. EMDR helps to put the past in the past, where it belongs, instead of staying stuck in it (feeling like it is happened all over again in the present-with the same thoughts, emotions and body sensations- that accompanied the event in the past).
The eye movements (or other bilateral stimulation) we use in EMDR seem to unlock the nervous system and allow your brain to process the experience. That may be what is happening in REM, or dream, sleep: The eye movements may be involved in processing the unconscious material. The important thing to remember is that it is your own brain that will be doing the healing and you are the one in charge.
a) buzzing in your hands by turning on the Theratapper
b) alternating auditory tones via headphones or ear buds
c) moving his/her hands back and forth, so you may visually track the movement
-You might begin by asking your IOP/PHP counselor for a recommended outpatient counselor who is skilled in EMDR.
-At the EMDR International Association website (EMDRIA.org) you can navigate to the “Find a Therapist” tab and search for a certified EMDR therapist in your community.
The current treatment guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies designate EMDR as an effective treatment for post traumatic stress. EMDR was also found effective by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense, the United Kingdom Department of Health, the Israeli National Council for Mental Health, and many other international health and governmental agencies.
(Giacomucci 2017)(References: EMDRIA; Linda Curran; Laurel Parnell)
Scott Giacomucci, MSS, LSW, CTTS, CET III is a certified trauma treatment specialist and licensed social worker in Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College where he received his Masters in Social Service (MSS) with a concentration in clinical social work. He facilitates trauma treatment services at Mirmont Treatment Center serving a variety of populations including young adults and emergency responders (veterans, police, fire, etc..) in both individual therapy and group sessions. Scott has a gentle, non-judgmental treatment approach that honors the inherent worth of each individual. He utilizes a blend of treatment modalities including both traditional talk therapy and experiential therapy which have been research-proven as the treatment of choice for treating trauma.
To learn more about Scott Giacomucci and the work he does, you can visit his website at: http://sgiacomucci.com/
Any comments or questions? We'd love to hear from you! Please comment below. For confidential questions, email TiffanySpilove@yahoo.com. If you need help finding an EMDR therapist, please call 610-314-8402, I'd be happy to help.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is an indication from your body that it needs support in sorting some things out. Traumatic memories are stored in a different part of your brain than the rest of your memories. When therapy is completed successfully, brain scans show that the trauma memory has been moved to a different area of the brain. This alternate area of the brain doesn’t trigger your mind to get confused, your adrenaline to rush, and your body to be on alert.
If you are ready to listen your body signals and get some support to untangle the memories and put them in their proper place, I can help. My name is Tiffany Spilove and I LOVE working with people to heal their past. I want to make sure that you find peace inside your body and your mind. I have specialized training and experience helping people who have gone through sexual abuse, physical trauma and emotional pain.
Call me today for your free 15-minute phone consultation at 610-314-8402 and find out if therapy is a good option for you
I know, I know, it sounds TERRIFYING! Yes, I'm serious - you will not die from eating food in a restaurant ... I PROMISE! It might FEEL like you'll die, it might seem like you'll gain a hundred pounds just from eating the food that is cooked for you back in that kitchen you can't see.
As my friend and colleague, Natalie says, "there aren't calorie ninja's back in the kitchen adding calories to your food"! I understand the fear - I get that allowing somebody else to prepare your food is giving up control in a way that might not feel safe for you just yet. Here's the rub, though - even though it might be hard to admit, I KNOW you want to be able to participate in experiences that involve food. You WANT to be social. You want to hang with your friends while they get frozen yogurt or try the food at the new cafe. You want to live your life again... it's just that ED forbids it. Here are some helpful tips for you to get more comfortable with dining out:
When you find yourself feeling fear about eating in a restaurant, it's sort of like a phobia - a very heightened anxiety around something specific. The way to deal with and cure this type of phobia is through exposure - WITHOUT - re-traumatizing yourself. So you don't want to push yourself to take it all on without practicing and getting comfortable with various aspects of it first.
Use affirmations - they are wonderfully helpful ways to rewire your brain!
You might want to enlist the help of your therapist, friend or family member. Tell them some food options that you consider safe. Start small.
Your support team member could either get you food from a restaurant or give you food that they made without you present. Or if you need to start even smaller, you could watch them make your meal so you know it's safe. Eat with them. Notice your feelings. Use anxiety reduction and grounding techniques. Keep breathing and do your best. Keep practicing this step until your anxiety stays below a 7 on a 0-10 scale with 10 being the worst anxiety you've felt and 0 being no anxiety at all.
Once you get comfortable with eating meals made by others, up the ante. If you're still not ready for restaurant dining, try getting take-out or try eating foods you didn't see being prepared. Use an affirmation like "This food is safe and nourishing; I am safe and I can eat this food". Make sure you start off each experience with some breathing and relaxing techniques so that you don't associate fear with the experience.
If noise bothers you, choose a restaurant that's quieter or a time of day that's less intense like lunch. See if you can get a table that's against a wall, in a corner or in a quieter area of the restaurant. This reduces over-stimulation and feelings of vulnerability.
In earlier recovery, it's helpful to have a plan. If you know which restaurant you'll be going to, look up their menu online. Work with your therapist or dietician to determine which menu item you'll be selecting. Most restaurants have portions that are significantly larger than the exchanges on your meal plan. If this is the case, you could anticipate eating half the meal. One tip is to ask for a to-go box at the beginning of the meal so that you can put half away for later and just focus on what's on your plate.
This experience is hard enough, don't add to it by going with someone who doesn't "get it" or tries to sabotage your recovery. Some therapists or dietitians will conduct sessions at the restaurant with you so that you can talk through it as it's happening. If that's not an option, or you're ready for the next step, choose a member of your support group who understands your recovery. Let them know the plan beforehand and maybe come up with a code word in case you need to abandon the mission.
Keep taking those deep belly breaths and know that this is just one meal. One meal won't make you fat. If you notice yourself starting to get overwhelmed or anxious, just come back to your breath. While you're eating, try to focus the conversation on something else like the weather, the new movie just out or anything fun. Take a sip of water, feel your feet. You got this!!
This experience is not just about today or next week. You are engaging in this exercise so that you can enjoy your life - so that you can HAVE a life! Spending all your time in isolation, feeling lonely, not participating in social events is no way to live. Remember that you are doing this so that you can be happy and free of your eating disorder.
One day at a time
One meal at a time
One bite at a time
You CAN recover!! Recovery from an eating disorder is not a linear process. It goes all over the place, it's messy at times and sometimes you need to take 5 steps backward so that you can get good 2 steps forwards. Even one success is worth celebrating, so give yourself credit for EVERYTHING you do right.
If you're still feeling anxious about dining out and you'd like some support, I'd be happy to schedule a time to help you reach your goals. Contact me now at 610.314.8402 to learn more about how to dine out with an eating disorder. Please feel free to share this post with anyone who is looking for help with eating and body issues.
Good luck and enjoy!!
If you have any questions or need support, please feel free to call me at 610.314.8402 for a free 15 minute phone consultation.
Please comment below and tell us your story!
