Dr. Lena Agree logo featuring her name and title as a licensed psychologist, emphasizing professional psychological services.Dr. Lena Agree, JD, PsyD – Licensed Psychologist and Associates

Therapy

Strategies for Assertiveness and Self-Respect: How to Build Confidence and Set Healthy Boundaries

Strategies for Assertiveness and Self-Respect: How to Build Confidence and Set Healthy Boundaries

By

Assertiveness means naming your needs, limits, and values clearly and respectfully. Self-respect is the inner sense of worth that makes those limits stick. This guide gives practical, evidence-informed strategies to strengthen assertive communication, protect your emotional energy with clear boundaries, and grow lasting self-esteem through everyday habits and targeted cognitive tools. If you find yourself people-pleasing, carrying chronic guilt, or struggling with fuzzy limits at work or in relationships, the steps below translate insight into behavior with scripts, step-by-step boundary work, and short practice drills. You’ll find definitions, core communication skills, examples for couples and professional settings, and clinical context linking attachment and mentalization to assertiveness. The guide also clarifies when coaching or therapy is most helpful and how focused,…

Read More
Strategies to Improve Self-Perception: Building Self‑Esteem, Self‑Acceptance, and a Healthier Body Image

Strategies to Improve Self-Perception: Building Self‑Esteem, Self‑Acceptance, and a Healthier Body Image

By

Self‑perception is the internal sense of who you are — the combined beliefs about your abilities, worth, and body that shape choices, resilience, and relationships. Research and clinical experience show that focused approaches — cognitive reframing, self‑compassion, and body‑neutral practices — shift automatic thoughts, create corrective experiences, and strengthen body awareness to produce lasting gains in confidence and well‑being. This article lays out a practical, evidence‑informed pathway: strategies to improve self‑image and self‑worth, practices to cultivate self‑acceptance and inner calm, concrete steps for healthier body image, how therapy and coaching support change, curated exercises and readings, and a five‑step action plan you can use today. High‑achieving professionals, business owners, caregivers, teens, and families will find quick micro‑practices alongside routes to…

Read More
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

By

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…

Read More
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

By

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…

Read More
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

By

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…

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

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

By

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…

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

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

By

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…

Read More
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

By

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…

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

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

By

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…

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

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

By

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,…

Read More