About mirel

Counselor and Psychotherapist in New Jersey for OCD, social anxiety, anxiety. College professor, author
23 10, 2026

Object Constancy and the Soothing Internal Object

2026-10-23T02:18:07+00:00

Object constancy refers to the ability of a person to use the function or representation of a caregiving other for self-soothing and comfort, even when the other person is not actually there. It’s the ability to feel a sense of security and […]

Object Constancy and the Soothing Internal Object2026-10-23T02:18:07+00:00
8 10, 2026

The Need for Predictability and Control

2026-10-08T02:17:06+00:00

As humans, we all need some level of predictability, and perception of control, in our lives. 

Even though none of us really have control over the way life plays out for us, there are choices we can make, and experiences others […]

The Need for Predictability and Control2026-10-08T02:17:06+00:00
15 09, 2026

Health Anxiety and What It Taught Me About Control

2026-09-15T06:23:10+00:00

I used to have pretty bad health anxiety. It wasn’t there all the time, but when it flared up, it was debilitating. For example, over the years, I’ve had a few biopsies. Those cancer scares, and the waiting for results, were always […]

Health Anxiety and What It Taught Me About Control2026-09-15T06:23:10+00:00
7 09, 2026

Which Therapy is Best for You?

2026-09-07T02:46:46+00:00

Not everyone comes to therapy wanting the same thing. And not everyone should.

Some people want a place to exhale. Somewhere they can talk about their week, process how they’re feeling, and have someone really listen, not to fix […]

Which Therapy is Best for You?2026-09-07T02:46:46+00:00
24 06, 2026

The “What If” Trap: How to Use Your Imagination Without Spiraling

2026-06-24T02:30:53+00:00

Those of us with active imaginations tend to be excellent at coming up with hypothetical scenarios and running possibilities through our minds. We constantly play out mental scenarios, asking ourselves: “What if this happens? What if that happens?” 

    The “What If” Trap: How to Use Your Imagination Without Spiraling2026-06-24T02:30:53+00:00
    10 06, 2026

    On failures to launch and maladaptive bids for attention

    2026-06-10T17:52:46+00:00

    Growing up, and life in general, involves a lot of trade-offs. Many of the developmental steps we take come with a sense of loss, a feeling of giving something up. New doors open, new capacities develop, but we also leave things behind. […]

    On failures to launch and maladaptive bids for attention2026-06-10T17:52:46+00:00
    5 05, 2026

    The Bridge from Action to Connection

    2026-05-05T20:31:25+00:00

    Lately, many of my clients have been struggling with emotions that feel uncontainable. At times, they describe an internal void so physically painful to sit with that it feels like a vacuum demanding to be filled. This sense of emptiness and disconnection—the feeling of not knowing if you are truly “real” to yourself […]

    The Bridge from Action to Connection2026-05-05T20:31:25+00:00
    13 04, 2026

    Being Held in Someone Else’s Mind

    2026-04-13T19:47:15+00:00

    We all need to be held in mind by others, especially by our caregivers early in life, at a time before we have words- or the capacity to think about ourselves on our own. Being held in someone else’s mind makes us […]

    Being Held in Someone Else’s Mind2026-04-13T19:47:15+00:00
    4 02, 2026

    Rupture and Repair: How Small Moments of Disconnection Build Stronger Relationships 

    2026-02-04T23:24:07+00:00

    Guest Post By Michal Goldman

    Relationships are built through many small moments of connection, and they are also shaped by many small moments of disconnection. These moments of disconnection are often subtle. Someone says something and does not […]

    Rupture and Repair: How Small Moments of Disconnection Build Stronger Relationships 2026-02-04T23:24:07+00:00
    26 01, 2026

    The Alien Self: When Who You’re Told You Are Isn’t True

    2026-01-26T21:00:44+00:00

    Many of us now understand the self not as a single, unified identity, but as a system of parts or sub-selves that can be in conflict or in harmony. The idea that a person has only one unified self is no longer […]

    The Alien Self: When Who You’re Told You Are Isn’t True2026-01-26T21:00:44+00:00
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