Telehealth Services

We continue to welcome new clients to schedule appointments with the best match within our group. All of our appointments are virtual: care when you need it, on your terms.

At Frey & Associates we have found that both our clients and clinicians genuinely enjoy, and prefer, telehealth services. Why telehealth? Click the button below to learn more about why we provide our services virtually.

Please reach out to see if we can be of help getting you scheduled with one of our clinicians, or if we can connect you to additional resources. We strive to respond to all inquiries as quickly as possible.

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© 2026 Melissa A. Frey, LCSW

Tag: couples therapy north shore

mindful moment

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Things Get Better: The Power of Resilience

Life has a way of throwing challenges at us—some expected, some completely out of the blue. When you’re in the middle of a tough time, it can feel like things will never improve. However, nothing stays the same forever. Just like the seasons change, so do our struggles.

Resilience isn’t about never feeling pain; it’s about learning to cope with it. It’s about reminding yourself that you’ve survived difficult moments before and that you have the strength to do it again.

No matter how hard things feel right now, they won’t always be this way. The weight will get lighter, the storm will pass, and you’ll come out stronger on the other side. Hold on, take it one step at a time, and trust that better days are ahead. You are stronger than you know.

coping with winter blues

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Coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder: Understanding and Overcoming the Winter Blues

As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, many people find themselves experiencing changes in mood, energy levels, and motivation. This could be more than just a case of the “winter blues”—it might be Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Understanding what SAD is and how to cope with it can make a significant difference in maintaining mental well-being during the colder months.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that occurs at a specific time of year, most commonly in the fall and winter months when daylight hours are shorter. It is believed to be linked to changes in sunlight exposure, which can affect the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) and the production of certain neurotransmitters like serotonin and melatonin.

Symptoms of SAD can vary from mild to severe and may include:

  • Persistent feelings of sadness or depression
  • Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Changes in sleep patterns (oversleeping or insomnia)
  • Changes in appetite, particularly cravings for carbohydrates
  • Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness

Ways to Cope with Seasonal Affective Disorder

If you suspect you have SAD, there are several strategies that can help alleviate symptoms and improve your mood during the darker months:

1. Maximize Sunlight Exposure

Natural sunlight can help regulate your body’s internal clock and improve mood. Try to spend time outside during daylight hours, even if it’s just for a short walk. Opening blinds, sitting near windows, or using daylight simulation bulbs can also be helpful.

2. Consider Light Therapy

Light therapy (also known as phototherapy) involves using a specialized light box that mimics natural sunlight. Sitting in front of a light box for about 20–30 minutes each morning can help regulate mood and energy levels. We typically recommend a light of 10,000 LUX and to maintain a distance of roughly 20 inches away from the light. Consult a healthcare professional before starting light therapy to ensure it’s right for you.

3. Stay Active

Regular exercise is a powerful mood booster. Activities such as walking, yoga, and strength training can help increase serotonin levels and reduce feelings of depression. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.

4. Stay Connected

Social isolation can make SAD symptoms worse. Make an effort to stay connected with friends, family, or support groups. Engaging in social activities, even when you don’t feel like it, can help improve mood and prevent feelings of loneliness.

5. Practice Mindfulness and Stress Management

Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and journaling can help manage stress and anxiety. Engaging in relaxing activities like reading, listening to music, or practicing gratitude can also contribute to emotional well-being.

6. Seek Professional Help When Needed

If SAD symptoms are interfering with daily life, speaking to a therapist or medical professional can provide additional support. Treatment options may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or medication, such as antidepressants, in more severe cases.

Final Thoughts

Seasonal Affective Disorder can be challenging, but with the right coping strategies, it is possible to manage symptoms and improve overall well-being. By prioritizing self-care, maintaining healthy habits, and seeking support when necessary, you can navigate the winter months with greater ease and resilience. If you or someone you know struggles with SAD, remember that help is available, and brighter days are ahead.

Questions? Want to connect for an appointment? Reach out to us today and see how we can help.

Copyright © Melissa A. Frey, LCSW 2025. All rights reserved.

mindful moment

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Beneath the snow, the earth still sleeps,

Dreaming of spring’s vibrant green,

Though icy winds may fiercely sweep,

A resilient heart, unseen, is keen.

Copyright © Melissa A. Frey, LCSW 2025. All rights reserved.

as the end of the year approaches…

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As the year comes to a close, it’s tempting to get caught up in the rush—finishing projects, planning celebrations, or setting resolutions. But before diving into what’s next, let’s take a moment to pause and end the year with mindfulness. Here’s how you can reflect, recharge, and renew for a meaningful transition into the new year.

Reflect: Look Back with Gratitude and Clarity

Take some time to sit quietly and reflect on the past year. Ask yourself:

  • What moments brought me joy?
  • What challenges taught me something valuable?
  • Who or what am I grateful for?

Recharge: Prioritize Rest and Self-Care

The holiday season can be hectic, so make it a priority to slow down.

  • Schedule moments of rest—curl up with a good book, take a walk in nature, or meditate.
  • Nourish your body with healthy meals and stay hydrated.
  • Say “no” to things that don’t align with your energy or priorities right now.

Recharging isn’t about doing nothing; it’s about giving yourself the space to breathe and reset.

Renew: Set Intentions, Not Resolutions

Instead of rigid resolutions, try setting gentle intentions that focus on how you want to feel or grow. For example:

  • “I intend to prioritize my mental health by practicing daily mindfulness.”
  • “I aim to nurture my relationships by being more present.”

These intentions allow room for flexibility and kindness, guiding you into the new year with purpose instead of pressure.

As the end of the year approaches…

The end of the year is not a finish line but a moment to pause and celebrate your journey. You’ve navigated ups and downs, grown in ways you might not even realize, and made it through another year—an accomplishment in itself.

As you close out this chapter, remember to approach yourself with kindness and gratitude. Here’s to a mindful end of the year.

Copyright © Melissa A. Frey, LCSW 2024. All rights reserved.

mindful moment

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Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better take things as they come along with patience and equanimity.

-Carl Jung

melissa: welcome fall

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As the weather transitions into a new seasons, this shift in the environment can create a sense of renewal and transition as the world prepares for a quieter, more introspective season. The changes in nature can subconsciously remind us of the cycles of life, prompting reflection and new beginnings.

After the busy, outward energy of summer, fall often encourages more inward reflection. As the days shorten and the temperatures drop, people naturally slow down, spend more time indoors, and contemplate the year so far. This quieter time fosters introspection, which can lead to setting new goals, reevaluating habits, or starting new routines.

If you’re feeling a period of reflection, transition, and change this fall, therapy can be a good space to process this  time. Whether you want to set new goals, explore new skills and tools, or begin a new phase of your life, therapy is a wonderful resource to consider.

Copyright © Melissa A. Frey, LCSW 2024. All rights reserved.

mindful moment

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Warm Summer Sun by Mark Twain

Warm summer sun,
Shine kindly here,
Warm southern wind,
Blow softly here.
Green sod above,
Lie light, lie light.
Good night, dear heart,
Good night, good night.

Melissa: welcoming spring

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Finally, Spring has arrived! Spring, often thought of as as season of renewal, brings fresh air, sun, light, and growth.

In honor of Spring having finally begun in the Midwest, below is a poem by the poet Ava Lemon that so beautifully captures the spirit of the season.

Instructions on Not Giving Up by Ada Limón

More than the fuchsia funnels breaking out
of the crabapple tree, more than the neighbor’s
almost obscene display of cherry limbs shoving
their cotton candy-colored blossoms to the slate
sky of Spring rains, it’s the greening of the trees
that really gets to me. When all the shock of white
and taffy, the world’s baubles and trinkets, leave
the pavement strewn with the confetti of aftermath,
the leaves come. Patient, plodding, a green skin
growing over whatever winter did to us, a return
to the strange idea of continuous living despite
the mess of us, the hurt, the empty. Fine then,
I’ll take it, the tree seems to say, a new slick leaf
unfurling like a fist to an open palm, I’ll take it all.

mindful moment

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Song of March

by Patricia L. Cisco

With winter’s footprints in the past,
and snows begin to melt at last.

With longer days and shorter nights,
the wayward winds of March take flight.

Four winds she holds within her grip,
then hurls them from her fingertip.

Her woolly, fleecy clouds of white,
she sets in skies of blue delight.

Her wild bouts of gusty breezes
roar through valleys, hills, and trees.

That high pitch whistling song she sings
awakens earth and flowering things.

She tears a hole in heaven’s sky
so sun can shine and rain can cry.

She gently calms as spring draws near,
as blooming daffodils appear.

She welcomes April showers in,
then gathers up her dwindling winds.
Now her long journey home begins,

knowing she’ll be back this way,
upon a cold, late winter’s day,

when nights grow short
and days grow long.

Listen for her whistling song!

Melissa: social media breaks

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Around the time of a new year, many of us think through how to best consider changes in our behaviors and actions. On many lists of “changes to make” is considering a break or a slowing down of usage of social media. Not sure if that would be for you? A piece from Harvard helps people evaluate when a break from social media might be worth considering:

“Recognizing When You Need a Break

Considering all of the above, you may be ready for a break. Ask yourself the following questions if you think it’s time to reevaluate your relationship with social media:

  • Do you come away from your interactions on social media feeling inspired, informed, and positive? Or are you drained, saddened, frustrated, overwhelmed, depressed, anxious, angry, or negative?
  • Do you find yourself on a social media app, yet don’t remember picking up your phone and tapping on the app?
  • Is the amount of time you’re spending on social media taking away from time you used to spend with friends or family, doing schoolwork, or doing other productive activities?
  • Are you constantly comparing your life to the lives you see on social media, and think that you could never “catch up”?
  • Have any friends or family members expressed concern that you’re on social media too much, or that you talk about what you see there too much?
  • Do you have more activities and relationships in real life, or do you conduct most of your life on social media?
  • Do you just have a feeling you need to take a break, but aren’t sure how?”

If any of those questions resonate with you, it might be worth reading into the article further here.

Remember: always progress over perfection!

Copyright © Melissa A. Frey, LCSW 2024. All rights reserved.

mindful moment

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To the New Year

By  W. S. MERWIN

With what stillness at last
you appear in the valley
your first sunlight reaching down
to touch the tips of a few
high leaves that do not stir
as though they had not noticed
and did not know you at all
then the voice of a dove calls
from far away in itself
to the hush of the morning
so this is the sound of you
here and now whether or not
anyone hears it this is
where we have come with our age
our knowledge such as it is
and our hopes such as they are
invisible before us
untouched and still possible

Michael J. Fox: Parkinson’s Disease and optimism

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“Positivity is really sincere and I really feel it, and it’s genuine, but it’s hard fought, and it’s hard won,” Fox expressed.

A recent interview with Michael J. Fox continues to shed light on his ongoing persistence in coping and thriving in his life with Parkinson’s Disease.

You can read more about his journey here.

mindful moment

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The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

melissa: meditation and anxiety apps

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We often get questions about options for apps that can assist in mindfulness, meditation, and overall anxiety management. To save our clients the leg work, we have a list of resources on this page of our website. I particularly like the app Simple Habit, which has a free version and also an option that allows you to pick a specific stressor or goal paired with a targeted guided meditation. I also like the app Down Dog for free yoga instruction, which can be targeted for the level of yoga and duration of time you’d like to use it for.

With so many options for apps, it can be easy to overlook that there are also a lot of options for mental health and wellness podcasts to listen to as well. We list podcasts this page of our website as well, and there are plenty more that are released and up and coming that can be found, for example, here and here. Lastly, there are additional app reviews and options here and here, should you want to read more! The possibilities are endless- happy listening!

Copyright © Melissa A. Frey, LCSW 2023. All rights reserved. 

mindful moment

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warm summer sun by mark twain

Warm summer sun,
Shine kindly here,
Warm southern wind,
Blow softly here.
Green sod above,
Lie light, lie light.
Good night, dear heart,
Good night, good night.

melissa: boundary setting

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Boundary setting is one topic that comes up frequently in our lives and in therapy. Boundary setting, for most people, is a learned skill. Some people seem to learn that skill earlier in life, while others learn it later in life. How would one know if they needed to work on setting stronger boundaries for themselves? Well, one place to start is to ask yourself if you feel:

1) Guilty or anxious for saying no to requests

2) Resentful or upset that you feel you’re often doing a lot for others

3) Taking less time than you’d prefer to take care of yourself and are more focused on taking care of others (there are certainly many life circumstances that can make this one particularly difficult, ex. parenting, caregiving, etc)

If you can relate to any of the above statements, it might be worth considering (or reconsidering) how to best set boundaries in your life. Boundary setting, for many people, is a lifelong journey and is a muscle that gets stronger over time. Want to learn about how to set boundaries, with specific skills? You can read more here. There’s also a Harvard Business Review article here to help guide you further. Want additional support? Give us a call, send us a text, or send us an email.

“The only people who get upset when you start setting boundaries are the ones who benefited from you not having them.”

Copyright © Melissa A. Frey, LCSW 2023. All rights reserved.

mindful moment

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Spring is like a perhaps hand by E. E. Cummings

Spring is like a perhaps hand
(which comes carefully
out of Nowhere) arranging
a window,into which people look(while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here) and

changing everything carefully

 

melissa: podcasts about mental health

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Looking for a new podcast? There are a lot of excellent mental health resources and podcasts, and it can be overwhelming to know where you might want to start. I’ve compiled a list of the mental health podcasts that tend to be cross listed on the top reviewed lists. If you want to look at the “top mental health podcasts” lists yourself, I’ve included some links below of four different resources. In the meantime, here are some of the top reviewed, chart topping podcasts:

Top mental health podcasts are listed, reviewed, and with talking points/pros/cons, in the articles here, here, here, and here.

Happy listening!

Copyright © Melissa A. Frey, LCSW 2023. All rights reserved.

mindful moment

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Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

-Robert Frost

melissa: teen mental health and beyond

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As more data is being regularly released on the status of mental health of adolescents and teens in the United States, we are becoming more and more aware of the desperate need for services for our young population. The past few years have proven to have a lasting impact on children, teens, adults, older adults, families, marriages, and friendships; nearly every relationship in our lives (including the relationship we have with ourselves) has been impacted by the ongoing stressors we have been experiencing.

What we are learning, over time, is that small steps need to be taken daily to ensure our mental wellness, and ensuring that those in need of therapy and support are able to access these services. While we fall short of providing fully accessible services as a country, for a variety of reasons (insurance, barriers to entry, provider shortages, etc), we do know that we can work within our systems to ensure that we are taking care of ourselves and our families.

We can create safe spaces to open up dialogues about how together we can process stress, heavy emotions, uncertainty, pain, and anxiety. Creating safe spaces means listening without judgment or “fixes,” and focusing how to listen with an empathic heart and open mind. A wonderful resource is The Whole Brained Child, among many other readings. A quick review of “teen mental health” in the Podcast app also brings up a variety of support and options for listening/getting more information- both for parents and their children.

We hear from families all the time, and we are here for your family, as well. If there’s anything we can do to support you, your family, or your children, reach out. If you feel resources are a great place to start, check out books and podcasts. If you feel as though therapy is an option to consider for your family, we can help with that too- either within our office or at another practice.

You can find out more information about the status of mental health within our adolescent and teen populations here, here, here, and here, as well as some action items to consider in supporting the children and teens in your own life. We know it takes a village to raise a family, and we are here to support you.

Copyright © Melissa A. Frey, LCSW 2023. All rights reserved.