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Relationships of First Responders

First Responder Marriages First-responder marriages are unique for a variety of reasons.   Although they face the same challenges as mainstream civilian marriages, they also face added challenges that are unique to the line of work.   This impacts the lives involved in these marriages from the spouses to children and extended family/relatives.   Many first-responders are almost never able to make it to family functions, and they often have to work through major holidays.   If your spouse is not also a first-responder and does not have parents or close family who are also in that line of work, in-laws are often not understanding of why their son or daughter-in-law cannot make it to the family Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas get-togethers, birthday celebrations, etcetera.   The first responder parent is often missing from important school events for their children, and they may have to be sleeping at times when the family is awake.   Depending on scheduling, husband and wife may only
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First Responders and Trauma

First Responders and Trauma As those of you who have been following my blog know, I have a passion for working with first responders and their spouses.   Today, I would like to focus on trauma-which is a part of daily life for those in the line of work.   Defining a traumatic event Trauma occurs when we experience a threat to our physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual well-being—whether that threat is actual or perceived.   In such situations, our reaction can be as extreme as intense fear, helplessness, or horror.   A noteworthy fact is that our emotional experience during the event is what determines whether or not the event is traumatic, not the event on its own.   In other words, the meaning that we attach to the event in relation to ourselves is what determines whether or not the event will have a traumatic impact on us.   After the experience After experiencing a traumatic event, it is perfectly normal for us to experience a range of emotions and reactions such as
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About Me

Sheena Maharaj, MFT Associate #79147 Supervised by Brandi Garner LMFT #49045 s.maharaj.vylc@gmail.com       916-573-0108 Hello and welcome to my blog! My name is Sheena Maharaj and I am an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at Visualize Your Life Counseling Center, a private practice located in Elk Grove, California.  I have been in practice for 5 years and consider it my honor to walk alongside individuals and couples on their journey to freedom and healing.  My heart is in helping couples rediscover why they fell in love in the first place and finding a balance in their lives both personally and professionally.  I have extensive experience in providing spiritual counseling from a culturally sensitive and competent standpoint, and I also work with first-responders and their spouses through the challenges that the line of work brings.  Within the framework of couple's counseling, m y passion is working with first responders and spouses. There is a great
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Things To Help You Feel Good Daily

When we are feeling down or are not in a "good emotional space", the first thing we often do is let go of what makes us feel good.  We let go of exercise and eat unhealthy foods, we stop activities that help us feel accomplished and often do things that are self-destructive.  Here are a few tips to help avoid those pitfalls and to keep your self-care going. Spend 10-15 minutes listening to music you love. Move your body to the music to lift your mood.  *Studies show that moving for at least 10-15 minutes daily help produce endorphins and lift mood effectively. Get connected with people who have a positive attitude toward life and relationships, and who can bring you closer to God. Promise yourself that you will do at least one thing a day just for yourself that makes you happy. Engage in activities that help you feel accomplished.  Examples include reading your favorite book, connecting with your spirituality, clearing the space around you by removing clutt
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Why Seek Therapy?

Why Therapy? Authored by Sheena Maharaj, M.S., MFT Associate             Many of us have often heard this question.  Perhaps we have even asked it.  Why should I seek therapy?  What will it do for me?  The first thing I’d like to say is that by making a sincere effort to answer this question, you are taking the first step toward living a healthier, more fulfilling life.  How so?  Because it brings to light the realities of the need for an un-invested, third party support system who is working with you, hand in hand, solely in your interest.  Such a partnership is indispensable at this point in life where you may be feeling unheard, a lack of support, or not understood.  Many times, it is we who fail to understand ourselves and what we need in moments where our burdens seem the most difficult to bear.  Indeed, sometimes all we feel is stuck and frustrated, but those feelings are enough to cause us to lose focus or feel overwhelmed.  Know that this is a normal reaction to a situat
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