family counseling, Childhood trauma, Narcissistic Abuse, intergenerational trauma, self-esteem
Courtney Glashow
What It Means to Be the Family Scapegoat and ...

Maybe you're the family member who always gets called difficult or dramatic, and things go wrong and somehow land on you. Your side of the story gets waved off, and every argument traces back to your name. If that feels familiar, there's a word for it. Scapegoating is when a family unfairly blames one person for problems they didn't cause. It often starts in childhood, long before you're old enough to question it, and over time it can shape how you see yourself.

What It Means to Be the Family Scapegoat and How to Heal
Couples counseling, toxic relationships, Trust Issues, Hoboken NJ therapist, Narcissistic Abuse
Courtney Glashow
8 Tips for Dealing With A Narcissist

You're walking on eggshells in your own home. Conversations that should be simple turn into something you have to brace yourself for, and the moment you push back on anything, the script flips and somehow you're the bad one. You've started Googling words like "narcissist" and "manipulation" at 11pm because you don't know what to call what's happening, but you know something is wrong. You searched for how to deal with a narcissist, and you landed here. This post walks through what actually counts as narcissistic behavior versus everyday self-centeredness, what to watch for in your own relationship, and 8 specific strategies our therapists at Anchor Therapy use with clients who can't, or aren't ready to, leave the relationship.

The first step to determine your dynamic with someone who you think is a narcissist is to know the difference between someone with narcissistic tendencies and someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

8 Tips for Dealing With A Narcissist
nj therapist, nyc therapist, boundaries
Courtney Glashow
What To Do When Someone Is Using You As A ...

While everyone suffers and goes through uncomfortable situations from time-to-time, that does not mean that you should be left to suffer. In a scapegoating situation, you as the scapegoat are the one who assumes responsibility on behalf of someone else. This is not a voluntary position that you offer, instead it is pushed upon you. 

Scapegoating can occur in many different environments. Most commonly, people discuss scapegoating dynamics within families. For more information, read our blog “Understanding the Psychology of Scapegoating in Families.” In families, a scapegoat can be unfairly blamed for conflicts within the family.

With that being said, scapegoating can occur in other relationships as well. At work, an employee or group of workers may be blamed for company-wide or organizational problems. At school, a student may be targeted for classroom concerns. Within communities, certain people may be blamed for widespread social problems. Regardless of the setting, the act of scapegoating is always used to intentionally shift blame and avoid addressing the reality of a situation and the actual issues at-hand.

What To Do When Someone Is Using You As A Scapegoat
nyc therapist, relationship counseling, loneliness
Courtney Glashow
Overcoming the Aftermath of Love Bombing

Love bombing is a specific type of emotional abuse. It is a tactic where someone will “bomb” you with extreme displays of affection and attention. While it may seem like this person has fallen head over heels and madly in love with you, there is a darker truth to the matter. A love bomber is using their grand gestures with the intent of manipulating you. 

Being showered with love and affection can feel good and even positive at the very beginning of the relationship, but it can lead to serious issues down the road, like gaslighting and abuse. Love bombing is a very common tactic used by narcissists and sociopaths in relationships so they can control you.

Overcoming the Aftermath of Love Bombing
relationship counseling, marriage counseling, nj therapist, nyc therapist, premarital counseling
Courtney Glashow
How To Tell If You’re In A Toxic Relationship

When you are in a healthy relationship, it naturally functions well. Of course, like any couple, you may have disagreements from time-to-time or there may be some hard times, but you band together no matter what. You are able to make major life decisions together, discuss problems once they occur, and genuinely enjoy spending time with one another.

On the other hand, you have toxic relationships. In a toxic relationship, the ‘norm’ is feeling drained and unhappy after spending time with your partner. This should be a major red flag that some things need to change.

You may still love your partner, but the relationship does not seem enjoyable. Maybe minor issues turn into full-blown arguments or you always seem to provoke one another. It may even get so severe that you dread spending time with your partner instead of getting excited to see them, like you were in the past.

Continue reading this blog to see if your relationship is toxic, and some guidance on how to navigate a toxic relationship.

How To Tell If You’re In A Toxic Relationship

Emotional Exhaustion and Fatigue

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Are Empaths Real?

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Are Empaths Real?

Have you ever walked into a room and immediately felt the emotional temperature shift? Maybe you picked up on a friend's sadness before they said a single word, or you left a party feeling completely drained by emotions that weren't even yours. If that sounds familiar, you've probably wondered whether you're an empath, and whether empaths are even real.

An empath is a person with an extraordinary sensitivity to the emotions, energy, and moods of the people around them, experiencing those feelings as if they were their own. It's a term that gets used a lot on social media and in wellness communities, but the question of whether empaths are real is worth answering honestly. The science turns out to be more interesting than either the skeptics or the true believers tend to admit.

In this blog, we'll look at what the research says, how psychology understands high emotional sensitivity, and what it all means for your mental health and relationships.

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All About Career Coaching for CEOs

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All About Career Coaching for CEOs

In the high-stakes world of being a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), you operate from a place of leadership with great internal and external pressure and immense responsibility. You have to balance many priorities- setting visionary goals, making important decisions, steering your company towards sustainable success, and so on. As a CEO, you help many people on a daily basis, but who helps you? This is where working with a career coach at Anchor Therapy can come into play. Career coaching is a transformational tool for both personal and professional success so you can refine your leadership abilities while also empowering you to fully embrace the complexity of your roles. Contrary to popular belief, career coaching is not going to teach you how to run a business. Instead, career counseling is a tool to help you unlock your true potential and stay ahead in a corporate environment that is always changing.

Society often views CEOs as the embodiment of true success, but that does not mean that CEOs do not face their own share of challenges. From generating innovation to managing team dynamics, being a CEO is not easy work. Therefore, career coaching for CEOs gives you the space to reflect, prepare, and improve their vision for the future. It can help you create and exercise the skills needed to address hardships from a place of confidence where you can transform difficulties into opportunities.

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Are Dating Apps Bad For Your Mental Health?

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Are Dating Apps Bad For Your Mental Health?

In today’s world, dating apps have become commonplace. They have become the standard way to meet people and connect, offering access to thousands of potential romantic partners with a simple swipe or tap. There is no denying the convenience of these apps and how easy they make it to meet new people and expand your social circle, but have you ever wondered how online dating can impact your mental health? Do dating apps actually help people find meaningful connections? Do dating apps leave you feeling more isolated than before? More anxious? More dissatisfied?


In this blog, we will explore the complex impact of dating apps on one’s mental health, analyzing both the excitement they offer and the emotional toll they can take. Whether you are an avid user of dating apps or utilize them reluctantly, it is important to understand how online dating can impact your self-esteem, relationships, self-confidence, and overall happiness.

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5 Emotional Effects of a Hurricane

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5 Emotional Effects of a Hurricane

Hurricanes are often known for their physical destruction. When you think of a hurricane, it is likely that some powerful images come to your mind- torrential rains, powerful winds, and surging water. However, what is not talked about as much is the emotional impact of a hurricane which can be just as overwhelming as the physical effects. 


The devastation brought by recent storms, such as Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene, extend beyond just the physical wreckage left behind. When going through a natural disaster, it is likely that you are experiencing a whirlwind of emotions, from anxiety and fear to grief and helplessness. 


In the immediate aftermath of a hurricane, you are likely dealing with a lot of things, from the chaos and uncertainty surrounding evacuations to property damage. This sort of disruption in your life can leave you feeling vulnerable and emotionally exhausted. 


Going through a natural disaster once may leave you wondering when the next one will strike. This heightened fear can lead to more stress, insomnia, and even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. The experience of living through and surviving a hurricane can challenge your sense of safety, creating emotional scars that require mental health healing.

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