Dr. Lena Agree, JD, PsyD – Licensed Psychologist and AssociatesDr. Lena Agree, JD, PsyD – Licensed Psychologist and Associates

The Agree Psychology Team

Managing the Winter Blues: Practical, Evidence-Based Support for Seasonal Depression

Managing the Winter Blues: Practical, Evidence-Based Support for Seasonal Depression

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Shorter days and reduced sunlight trigger mood shifts for many people. For some, that looks like temporary “winter blues” — mild low mood and low energy that often improves with self-care. For others, symptoms meet criteria for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a recurrent, winter-linked form of depression that can be disabling. This guide helps you tell the difference, explains how reduced light and circadian changes affect mood, and lays out evidence-based steps that reliably ease symptoms. You’ll find practical self-assessment cues, lifestyle and light-therapy strategies, how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and coaching support high-achievers, and clear indicators for when to seek professional care. The page covers symptoms, causes, home-based remedies, therapy options, safe use of SAD light boxes, and decision…

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How to Improve Self-Worth: Practical, Evidence-Informed Steps to Strengthen Confidence and Self‑Esteem

How to Improve Self-Worth: Practical, Evidence-Informed Steps to Strengthen Confidence and Self‑Esteem

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Self-worth is your sense of intrinsic value — the belief that you deserve respect and care regardless of success or external approval. Strengthening that sense of worth supports mental health, healthier relationships, and sustained performance at work and in life. This guide lays out practical, evidence-informed strategies to bolster self-worth, clarifies how it differs from related ideas like self‑esteem and self‑confidence, and points to when professional help is the right next step. Many adults, adolescents, and high-achieving professionals notice that persistent self-criticism, imposter feelings, or perfectionism undermine a steady sense of worth. Below you’ll find clear definitions, a numbered set of actionable strategies with exercises, comparison tables for quick decision-making, guidance on therapy versus coaching, approaches tailored for high‑achievers, parenting…

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Finding Support During Difficult Times: How Emotional Support, Therapy, and Coaching Help You Heal and Move Forward

Finding Support During Difficult Times: How Emotional Support, Therapy, and Coaching Help You Heal and Move Forward

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Difficult periods—whether grief, burnout, relationship change, or a major life transition—bring emotional, cognitive, and practical challenges that can disrupt daily life and a sense of purpose. This guide outlines what “finding support during difficult times” actually looks like, why different kinds of help work, and how to match your needs to the right resources so you can regain stability and forward momentum. You’ll learn to tell informal supports from professional care, compare evidence-based therapy and coaching options, and pick practical stress-management tools designed for high-achievers and business owners. We also cover grief counseling across the lifespan, developmentally attuned approaches for children and teens, and a concierge model that integrates coaching with therapy for measurable progress. Read on for clear self-assessment…

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Practical, Evidence-Based Support for Adults and Children: ADHD Treatment, Therapy, and Parenting Help

Practical, Evidence-Based Support for Adults and Children: ADHD Treatment, Therapy, and Parenting Help

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Families and professionals often face the same problem: translating what research shows into everyday routines that actually reduce symptoms, improve functioning, and repair relationships for people with ADHD, anxiety, or behavior challenges. This guide lays out what works now — clear, practical approaches across the lifespan: child and adolescent therapy, adult-focused psychological strategies and concierge coaching, family and couples work, and concrete parenting supports that change behavior. You’ll learn how core therapies (for example, cognitive behavioral and play therapy) work in real life, why executive function coaching fills a skills gap, and when combined plans (therapy + coaching + parent training) lead to measurable improvements. The article maps age-specific symptoms, actionable tools for home, school, or work, and realistic expectations…

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Practical Coping Strategies for Trauma Recovery: Healing, Therapy, and Building Resilience

Practical Coping Strategies for Trauma Recovery: Healing, Therapy, and Building Resilience

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Trauma changes how we feel, think, and relate to others. Practical coping strategies offer clear steps back toward safety, regulation, and meaningful connection. This guide outlines core trauma types, the neurobiology of stress responses, evidence-based therapies, daily coping tools, and phased approaches for complex trauma and C-PTSD so readers can identify appropriate next steps. You’ll find concrete grounding scripts, breathing and movement practices, and plain-language explanations of how EMDR, CBT, DBT, and somatic methods work with attachment- and mentalization-based frameworks to restore regulation. We also cover the role of support networks and trauma-informed coaching for reintegration and growth, and when a concierge model of tailored services can help high-achieving adults, families, and couples build durable resilience. What Are the Different…

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Mindfulness Practices That Work: Practical Exercises to Reduce Stress and Sharpen Focus

Mindfulness Practices That Work: Practical Exercises to Reduce Stress and Sharpen Focus

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Mindfulness is the simple, intentional practice of bringing nonjudgmental attention to the present moment. Research shows consistent practice lowers physiological arousal and improves mental clarity. This guide presents evidence-informed exercises, brief micro-practices for packed schedules, and clinical applications designed for high-achieving professionals who want steady performance without burnout. You’ll find step-by-step scripts for mindful breathing, body scans, walking meditation, and guided imagery, plus short pauses that fit into meetings, commutes, and daily transitions. We explain the mechanisms at work—attention training, meta-awareness, reduced reactivity—and match specific practices to outcomes like less anxiety, clearer decisions, and burnout prevention. Each H2 section gives practical how-to steps, quick reference lists, and comparison cues so you can choose techniques by time and goal. Throughout, the…

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Prioritize Your Mental and Emotional Health for Lasting Growth at Work and Home

Prioritize Your Mental and Emotional Health for Lasting Growth at Work and Home

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Making your mental and emotional health a priority means deliberately protecting the cognitive clarity and relational capacity that power daily performance, clear decisions, and close relationships. This guide lays out practical, evidence-informed self-care habits and professional pathways designed for high-achieving people, business owners, and families who want durable change. Many leaders and high performers notice creeping stress, sharper reactivity, or tensions at home that quietly undermine both effectiveness and satisfaction. Prioritizing well-being reverses those trends by strengthening resilience and emotional regulation. Read on to understand why this work matters for sustained success, which time-efficient practices fit a busy schedule, when to shift from self-care to professional care, and how attachment- and mentalization-focused therapies produce deep, lasting shifts in emotion and…

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Raising Secure, Resilient Children: Child Psychology Services and Practical Parenting Strategies

Raising Secure, Resilient Children: Child Psychology Services and Practical Parenting Strategies

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Helping children grow into emotionally secure, developmentally on-track young people takes three things: clear knowledge of child development, hands-on parenting skills you can use every day, and timely access to supportive services when you need them. This article breaks down what “happy and healthy” looks like across emotional, developmental, and relationship areas; explains key mechanisms like emotion regulation and attachment; and gives practical, age‑appropriate strategies parents can start using now. You’ll find signs to watch for at different stages, step‑by‑step approaches to discipline and communication, and guidance on when individual or family therapy can help. We also map common therapy approaches — from play to talk-based work — to developmental stages, and describe how specialized support for high‑achieving families and…

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Practical, Personalized Strategies for Managing Depression: Treatment Options and Everyday Coping Skills

Practical, Personalized Strategies for Managing Depression: Treatment Options and Everyday Coping Skills

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Depression is a medical illness marked by persistent low mood, loss of interest, and reduced ability to function at work, in relationships, or in daily life. This guide helps you recognize core symptoms and common diagnostic types, summarizes the strongest evidence-based treatments and integrative care models, and offers immediately usable coping skills. High-performing professionals and business owners face role-specific stressors; knowing how therapy, medication, coaching, and coordinated care fit together makes it easier to restore function and sustain productivity. Below you’ll find clear guidance on which treatments have the best evidence, how coaching complements clinical care for driven clients, how attachment and mentalization work integrate with skills-based therapies, and a simple roadmap for starting treatment. Throughout, we include checklists, comparative…

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Practical Steps to Reduce Anxiety: Fast Relief Techniques and Sustainable Coping Strategies

Practical Steps to Reduce Anxiety: Fast Relief Techniques and Sustainable Coping Strategies

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Anxiety is a normal response to stress, but it becomes a problem when it gets in the way of work, relationships, or sleep. This guide blends clear, evidence-informed tools you can use right away with longer-term practices that lower baseline anxiety over time. You’ll find quick interventions—breathing patterns and grounding exercises—that calm the nervous system in minutes, plus sustainable approaches like mindfulness, cognitive strategies, and practical lifestyle changes that strengthen resilience. We define common symptoms and triggers, give step-by-step instructions for immediate relief, compare durable coping options, and explain when to seek professional help. Each section balances a brief “why this works” with concrete “how to do it,” so you can pick techniques that fit your life—at home, at work,…

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