Individuals Archives

Does Valentine’s Day Stress You Out?

February 1, 2021 by Dr. Gary Brown

Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that people seem to either love (no pun intended) or hate. Children tend to love it because it typically involves candy of some sort. Grown-ups can go either way. If you are in a relationship, dating or otherwise, and if things are in good standing, it’s generally something you look forward ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Dating, Individuals Tagged With: couples, couples counseling, dating, Dr. Gary Brown, DrGaryLATherapist, how to get through valentines day, individual therapy, Los Angeles therapist, love, marriage, navigating valentines day, relationship therapy, relationships, sad love quotes, single on valentines day, valentines day, valentines day for singles

New Year’s Resolutions and Goals: A Simple and Proven Three-Step Plan to Make Them Actually Work

January 1, 2021 by Dr. Gary Brown

Welcome to 2021! So many of us are looking to quickly turn the page on 2020. It’s done. It’s over, although there are some lingering effects. There is so much to look forward to and now that multiple vaccines and therapeutics are coming online, some things will begin to get back to our former normal…and maybe better. Like almost all of us, I ...read more

Filed Under: General counseling, Individuals Tagged With: goal setting, goals, life goals, life planning, new year, new years resolutions, personal development, personal goals, resolutions, self improvement, success

5 Reasons to Make Friends a Higher Priority This Year

January 19, 2020 by Dr. Gary Brown

It’s the new year and this is a time that I tend both reflect and look ahead. When thinking about friendships and seeing some people who are close to me struggling in this area, the idea of creating this post came to mind. I hope you find it helpful. This year my resolution is to experience more connection with others. And my intention is to ...read more

Filed Under: General counseling, Individuals Tagged With: depression, friends, friendship, fun, health, lonely, reality check, well-being, wellbeing

How To Fast Track Your Resolutions This Year

January 5, 2020 by Dr. Gary Brown

Many of us make resolutions and set goals at the beginning of the year. Actually, you may or may not have written them down. I recommend that you do. So, what’s next? What do you do with them for the rest of the year? How often do you revisit those goals that you were so excited about in January, but might have faded by the time you get to ...read more

Filed Under: Individuals Tagged With: courage, empowerment, goals, inspiration, motivation, personal development, personal success, resolutions, self help, success, vision, vision board

Coping with the Holiday Season When You’re Feeling Down

December 8, 2019 by Dr. Gary Brown

Holiday parties every weekend, traveling long distances, decorating your home. Christmas lists from the kids to Santa, Hanukkah presents for eight nights, extra time with extended family. Colder, winter weather (well, as cold as it can get in Southern California!) and endless sweet treats when we’re trying to follow a healthier eating ...read more

Filed Under: Individuals Tagged With: anxiety, break up, Christmas, coping, depression, divorce, grieving, Hanukkah, holidays, loss, sad, seasonal affect disorder, Thanksgiving

You Don’t Have to Go Home for the Holidays: How to Keep Your Sanity in Check When You Come from a Toxic Family

December 11, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

You may cringe every time you hear Andy Williams sing the classic, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” You’re not a Grinch if you feel this way. You just may be dreading going home for the holidays. If you come from a toxic or abusive family, the feeling of obligation to spend time with them over the holidays can be enough to ...read more

Filed Under: Individuals Tagged With: anxiety, coping, coping with the holidays, family, holidays, home for the holidays, self care, stress, toxic relationship

12 Signs That You May Not Be Ready for a Serious Relationship…and That’s Okay

October 30, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

A good relationship can be hard to find. And it’s okay to be picky or not ready. And maybe online dating isn’t your scene. While your mom or your well-intended friends keep trying to set you up, maybe you’re just not ready for a serious relationship. Or maybe the idea of settling down is scary or just unappealing right now. And that’s ...read more

Filed Under: Dating, Individuals Tagged With: commitment, dating, pressure, relationships, single, the one

Bullying on Social Media (and Other Places): Tips to Lessen or Even Eliminate the Impact

September 25, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

Bullying has historically included physical, sexual, emotional, verbal bullying. Now you can add cyberbullying and most recently, political bullying to the list. Often, in incidences of bullying, the perpetrator uses more than one of these tactics on his/her victim or escalates from one to the next. Given the current environment, several ...read more

Filed Under: Individuals Tagged With: aggression, anxiety, bully, bullying, depression, Dr. Gary Brown, DrGaryLATherapist, individual therapy, Los Angeles therapist, relationship therapy, social media

How to Know If Someone May Be Considering Suicide and What to Do

September 18, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

September is Suicide Prevention Month and it’s an important topic. Statistics show that eight out of ten people considering suicide give some sort of sign of their intentions. Imagine someone that you care about, a friend or family member, is having a rough time (like we all do occasionally), YOU could be the person that makes a difference in ...read more

Filed Under: Individuals Tagged With: anxiety, depression, stay connected, suicide

Dating Anxiety in The Age of Tinder

July 31, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

There are so many singles I see in my practice who struggle with dating. It’s one of the most talked about issues among my clients. Some feel anxious and confused about the whole dating scene. So, let’s start with some of the basics. First, here’s some information about anxiety in general. About 18% of American adults have been diagnosed with an ...read more

Filed Under: Dating, Individuals Tagged With: anxiety, dating, dating anxiety, finding a boyfriend, finding a girlfriend, finding a partner, help for dating anxiety, how to manage dating anxiety, online dating, relationships, social anxiety, what to do about social anxiety

How Do You Know When It’s Not Right to Trust Your Gut

July 17, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

Do you always and should you always trust your gut? Has your gut always been right? ...or all too often wrong? Bustle reached out to me for an interview about these gut-wrenching and mind-bending questions that people sometimes struggle with. I hope you find it helpful. Please feel free to contact me if you are currently dealing with this ...read more

Filed Under: Individuals, Relationships Tagged With: Bustle, intuition, relationships, therapy, trust your gut

The Wisdom of Crying

June 26, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

The issue of crying often comes up for many of my clients. So many feel a stigma associated with crying – even crying alone, crying with another, and especially crying in a public setting. Somehow there is the erring belief that the human act of crying implies that we are weak. I challenge this belief. It could not be more false. Crying is an ...read more

Filed Under: General counseling, Individuals Tagged With: crying, is it ok to cry, mask, power of crying, should I cry, vulnerability, why do we cry, wisdom of crying

11 Tips to Help You Cope with Rejection

May 22, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

This is going to be one of the deepest dives I have ever done on almost any other blog I have ever written. That’s because feelings of rejection are one of the most common, powerful, and confusing emotional experiences any of us can have. This subject simply doesn’t lend itself to a few electronic soundbites. The feeling of rejection hurts. It ...read more

Filed Under: Individuals Tagged With: anxiety, assumptions, career, cope, courage, depression, friends, good enough, mean girls, people pleasing, rejection, self-fulfilling prophecy

4 Tips To Help You Get Over A Relationship You Know Isn’t Good For You

April 10, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

Most of us have been there. We are in a relationship that we know isn't good for us, but for any number of reasons, we stay anyway. It is painful to stay. It can also be painful to think about leaving. All of this can be pretty confusing. Wanting some tips for her readers on how to get over a relationship that is not a good fit, Kimmy ...read more

Filed Under: Dating, Individuals Tagged With: breakup, couples, depression, Elite Daily, heartbreak, how to know he's not the one, relationships, sadness

How to Know If You’re in Love with Your Best Friend

March 13, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

You spend a lot of time together, you laugh a lot, you have inside jokes and shared stories. You seem to balance each other and have great conversations and chemistry. Lately when you’ve been together things may have been affectionate and it’s getting you thinking. It could make sense that you and your best friend may want to ...read more

Filed Under: Individuals Tagged With: Bustle, friends, friendship, love, lovers, relationships, the one