online counseling Archives

Women’s support groups offer numerous benefits, offering a valuable source of support, encouragement, and empowerment for women facing various challenges in their lives.

Emotional Support: Support groups provide a safe space for women to express their feelings, share experiences, and receive empathy and understanding from others who can relate to their struggles. This can help reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Validation: Being part of a support group can validate women’s experiences, feelings, and concerns. Feeling understood and validated by others can boost self-esteem and confidence.
Sharing Knowledge and Information: Women’s support groups often provide opportunities to exchange practical advice, resources, and information about various topics such as health, relationships, parenting, career advancement, and personal development.
Building Coping Skills: Through interactions with others in similar situations, women can learn effective coping strategies for dealing with challenges and stressors in their lives.
Empowerment: Support groups can empower women by providing them with a sense of belonging, fostering self-awareness, and encouraging them to take control of their lives and make positive changes.
Reducing Stigma and Shame: Discussing sensitive issues in a supportive environment can help reduce the stigma and shame often associated with topics such as mental health, addiction, abuse, and other personal struggles.
Social Connection: Support groups offer opportunities for women to develop meaningful relationships and friendships with others who share similar experiences and interests. These connections can provide a sense of belonging and community.
Role Modeling and Inspiration: Seeing other women overcome challenges and achieve personal growth within the support group can serve as inspiration and motivation for members to work towards their own goals.
Accountability: Support groups can provide accountability and encouragement for members to follow through with their goals and commitments, whether it’s related to self-care, personal development, or making positive lifestyle changes.
Improved Mental Health: Research has shown that participation in support groups can lead to improvements in mental health outcomes such as reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Please let us know if you would be interested in an Online (live video chat), Women’s Empowerment / Support Group?

The relationship between teens and social media can be complex. While social media platforms offer opportunities for connection, self-expression, and learning, they also present challenges and potential risks. To foster a healthy relationship with social media, parents, educators, and caregivers can encourage open communication, set clear boundaries and guidelines for social media use, educate teens about online safety and digital literacy, and role model positive online behavior themselves.

It’s essential to approach social media as a tool that can enrich teens’ lives while also being mindful of its potential risks and challenges.

Social Connection: Social media provides teens with a platform to connect with friends, family, and peers, regardless of physical distance. It allows them to maintain relationships, share experiences, and communicate in real-time.
Self-expression and Identity: Social media platforms offer teens a space to express themselves creatively, share their thoughts and opinions, and explore different aspects of their identity. They can curate their online persona and connect with others who share similar interests and values.
Learning and Information Sharing: Social media can be a valuable source of information and learning for teens. They can access educational content, news updates, tutorials, and discussions on various topics of interest.
Impact on Mental Health: Excessive use of social media has been linked to various mental health issues among teens, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and body image issues. Comparison with others, cyberbullying, and fear of missing out (FOMO) are some factors that contribute to these negative effects.
Online bullying: Social media platforms can be breeding grounds for cyberbullying, harassment, and online conflicts among teens. The anonymity and lack of face-to-face interaction can embolden individuals to engage in harmful behavior.
Privacy and Security Concerns: Teens may not always fully understand the privacy settings and potential risks associated with sharing personal information online. They may inadvertently expose themselves to privacy breaches, identity theft, or online predators.
Distraction and Time Management: Excessive use of social media can interfere with teens’ academic performance, sleep quality, and real-life interactions. It’s essential for teens to develop healthy habits and boundaries around social media usage.
Digital Footprint: Teens need to be aware that their online activities leave a digital footprint that can have long-term consequences. Colleges, employers, and others may scrutinize their social media profiles as part of background checks or evaluations.

If you or your teen is experiencing issues connected to social media or the internet, speaking regularly with a trained therapists could help work through these issues and challenges.

Schedule an Appointment

You may be feeling a bit anxious about your first online therapy session, but there’s no secret step-by-step guide to this process, and it’s also okay if you aren’t fully clear on your goals or what you’re hoping to get from the experience, that can all be part of the process.

Online Counseling appointments are confidential, therefore, the use of a private computer, tablet or smartphone in a quiet environment is strongly encouraged.

Be prepared:

Be ontime, may be aim to be all set up 5 minutes before your start time, incase you forgot something.
Be dressed appropriately in comfortable clothing, but remember, you are entering your therapists virtual place of work, so pajamas or revealing outfits may not be appreciated.
Having a glass of water or a cup of coffee is a good idea, but alcohol or smoking may appear disrespectful.
Furbabies are always welcome to join, as long as they don’t draw your attention away from the connection with your therapist.
Please do not answer phone calls, text or surf the web during the appointment,unless something urgent is occuring.
You are encouraged to speak openly and honestly, the online space is private and secure. it is important you feel emotionally safe, heard and cared for.
Remember, if something feels a bit off during your session, feel empowered to speak up about it. If you are not comfortable bringing it up with your therapist, contact us on 718 232 8600 or email intake@bcsnygroup.com.

Your Therapist:

Your Therapist will endeavor to be on time, but sometimes through unforeseen circumstances, they may be a little late to join, please give them a few minutes grace before you leave the session.
Your Therapist will be dressed appropriately and be professional at all times.
Your Therapist will not answer phone calls, text or surf the web during the appointment.
Your Therapist will be respectful when communicating with you at all times.
Your Therapist reserves the right to end a video session if a client engages in behavior deemed inappropriate, offensive and/or discriminatory.

If there is a concern around your therapists approach, actions or focus of care, please mention it. If you don’t feel comfortable bringing this up in your session, reach out to our team on 718 232 8600 or email intake@bcsnygroup.com to address your concerns.

In Conclusion:

We are here to help you. Give yourself time to embrace this addition to your self-care schedule. Everyone experiences therapy differently, and with time and effort, you will reap the emotional benefits therapy will give you.

Please fill in the form below to schedule an appointment

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An article by Nicoletta Pallotta, MD, LCSW.

The challenges that women deal with are often directly related to their gender; sexism, stereotyping, motherhood, childbirth issues, infertility struggles etc.

As a society we like to think that we’ve achieved ‘equality’, but the truth is the way women experience life and are perceived in life, is still very different to men.

Traditionally perceived gender roles are something we’ll never truly escape. There is inherent pressure on women to balance career and family, and this is something that affects women across the globe. If you have children, you probably undergo immense guilt when unavoidable parental obligations interrupt your working day, even if a 60-hour week is your norm, deep down you may still think this way. All this in addition to the general predicament of feeling undervalued both at home and at work.

If you feel like you need help in dealing with any aspect of life, there’s a lot to be said for talking to someone of the same sex. Female therapists get it, because they live it. They understand. This is not to say that male therapists aren’t amazing and don’t add value, but when you’re dealing with sensitive subjects that are unique to women (and even when you’re not) it can be comforting, and easier to talk to a female counselor who can personally relate to much of what you’re going through.

Please fill in the form below to schedule an appointment

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an article by
Nicoletta Pallotta, MD, LCSW
CEO & Founder

As the much anticipated ‘return to work’ takes hold… my overwhelming concern has been once the pandemic was under control and social distance has been lifted, how would I manage our physical locations, for our clients and the 150 therapists that work for BCS Group.

I not only need to consider everyone’s safety, but also the new ‘norm’ for our practice, many clients and therapists have expressed a strong desire to continue with our tele-health model.

When COVID first forced me to shut down the physical locations, my focus abruptly shifted from assigning rooms to schedule our clients, to providing secure, Live Video services. The upside to this change gave us the ability to extend our hours, care for more clients, and hire more therapist. But also, it gave us the capability to reach out to more remote areas, where clients and therapist that previously may not have been able to connect with us, now could.

As I plan for the opening of locations and develop a real sense of the future balance between in-person and online, I decided the best way to forecast the future was to engage directly with our therapist and clients, to see what their preferences really are.

I was really surprised to learn that most therapists are more interested in the remote model, as are our clients, they are really enjoying tele-mental health; the convenience and flexibility, generally they feel their therapy sessions have been more relaxing from the comfort of their homes, along with not needing to arrange childcare, no more commute or waiting rooms. Overall, online counseling is a lot less stressful.

I think the pandemic helped us all realize that remote care is here to stay.

Even through, as an essential worker, i was in my office everyday through the pandemic – i saw my clients via Live Video Chat, i supervised therapists through Live Video Chat and i managed most of my staff through Live Video chat.

I have been asked a number of times “it must be so much better seeing clients in person, right?” I have spent much time thinking about this, and caught myself reflecting on just this question during sessions… I stumbled on the realization that when we see our clients in their own environment, over Live Video, we really do learn a lot about them we might not get to see when they come to our office.

Their home environment tells the clinician a lot about how they live and what is important to them, whether it is art they have hanging on their wall, or their connection to a dog or a cat or maybe both!

Seeing our clients in their own comfort zone allows us more understanding to who they are, which will undoubtedly help the therapeutic relationship. People often take for granted their environment and wouldn’t think to share some of the aspects of their home life with their therapist.

One of the main benefits of Online Counseling, besides the end of the commute and no more uncomfortable waiting rooms, is when our client is in their natural environment, often they are more relaxed and open to the process.

Dr. Nicoletta Pallotta
BCS Group – Founder, CEO

An article written by our Founder and CEO,
Nicoletta Pallotta, MD, LCSW

14 months of a Pandemic no one saw coming and no one was prepared for. I have seen clients struggle with social distancing, isolation, struggling with remote working, and/or home schooling their children. We have all been mentally challenged with having no physical contact and not being able to see our friends and loved ones. And of course, the devastating reality of some of us losing loved ones to Covid-19.

I was committed to being one constant in the lives of our clients, to continuing to see every single one of them that needed us, but also being available for so many, many more that reached out for our help. These unique and stressful times pushed us to do psychotherapy in a different way that we were used too. Our roles became overwhelming with responsibilities, with day-in and day-out struggles for my amazing team, who’s dedication and compassion came shinning though day after day after day.

What does the future of mental health look like?
“I believe that we don’t know the full impact of the pandemic, and that many people are still in survival mode.”

Many people are still living day to day, coping with the devastation of personal loss and financial concerns as best they can. Mental services are now more needed and demand than ever before. We still don’t fully know the consequences of social isolation and how it has impacted us and what effect it might have on our children and their futures. We will have to wait and see.

Tele-mental health is here to stay. Technology helps us reach more people who need us, particularly in remote areas, and our therapists turn up every day to help those who need us. And I am here to support them every step of the way.

The future is brighter – I am sure of it.

An article written by our Founder and CEO,
Nicoletta Pallotta, MD, LCSW

The fear is, because tele-mental health is a newer, alternative form of treatment, it is somehow less effective or a less desirable standard of care.

But the truth is, this technology platform represents much of the future in healthcare, and will likely lead the charge into the next era. In my opinion, having provided mental health care for over 35 years, tele-health works particularly well using digital, video-based care models, allowing us to reach more people in need, who otherwise, go without quality care.

This is one of the few health specialties that does not necessarily require ‘touch’ when doing an assessment or delivering treatment. Without that physical need, the Care Provider does not typically need to be in the same room as the client, allowing many more ways this care model could benefit their clients.

One might ask; does this communication between client and provider be as good as an in-person visit?

This may have been true when tele-health was in its infancy and lacked the technological capabilities it currently has. With the recent advancements in video conferencing systems and the ability to access much higher Internet speeds, the quality of video provides an environment in which there is little difference to an in-person consultation. The Care Provider will still be able to pick up on nonverbal cues and observe other factors such as their behaviors, facial expressions, hygiene, and speech patterns.

Tele-mental health care is as effective as in person sessions.

It also greatly increases access to care for many clients who may not otherwise be able to seek treatment. Allowing the client to seek treatment in their community, or even in their own home, has led to less travel, fewer absences from work, less time waiting, more choices for treatment, and ultimately, these factors lead to greater access for clients. This is especially important given the huge shortage of providers in this field.

Focused Articles

Women’s support groups

teens and social media

How To Prepare For your Online Therapy

The benefits of female therapists for women

The challenges that women deal with are often directly related to their gender; sexism, stereotyping, motherhood, childbirth issues, infertility struggles etc.

when social distancing is lifted

What we learn from clients doing remote psychotherapy

Life after the pandemic

Is online Counseling as good as in-person Counseling?

The fear is, because tele-mental health is a newer, alternative form of treatment, it is somehow less effective or a less desirable standard of care.

IN AN EMERGENCY

BCS Counseling Group is NOT an emergency or 24 hour service.

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