Tara Rickard, LPC

01/20/2025

All sessions will be held via telehealth on Tuesday and Wednesday due to temps. Stay warm and safe!!

08/06/2024

So I had a really interesting conversation today and one I feel needs shared. Recently a friend/co-worker committed su***de and my heart hurt for her. I found myself becoming defensive when others would say it was a selfish act. And let me say first yes I still become a bit defensive as I do not see it as a selfish act. Another friend then pointed out this important view that I think needs shared.

When someone commits su***de they do leave so many others behind, asking why, and feeling like they should have seen it coming. This is engrained with things like su***de prevention, knowing the warning signs, etc. The hard reality is you will never see it coming and it is not the burden of the family to take that on. They are left without the person they loved. We all post how upset we are that they are gone, but many times we leave a generic response about prayers for the family. The family needs the post that says it is not on them. That their loved one’s choice is not their responsibility. That their loved one wanted to be there for them, but just felt they couldn’t anymore.

Maybe as we look at su***de prevention we also need to look at how to support the family of the one that passed. That we bring more light to what they are going through and the emotions; the burden they carry from feeling that they were not enough to stop what their loved one did.

We need to be compassionate to all sides and give understanding to the whole experience. My love goes out to the loved ones left with this experience. May you someday find peace for yourself and peace for your loved one.

06/11/2024

Daily choices shape our future and current reality. What choices are you making that positively impact how you want your life to be today and in the future?

06/10/2024

Our days are unexpected. Sometimes it’s spilling something on your outfit while heading out the door, getting caught at every red light, or even an argument with a loved one. Sometimes things happen and we tell ourselves it’s a bad day. While yes the day may not be ideal, we can always look for something good. Our attitude and ability to focus on the good is how we change our day around. Make today a good day.

06/07/2024

So many times we get caught in the should thinking. I hear the people saying the “Itis what it is” quote as being a negative, but there is some truth to this. When we become conscious of the reality we recognize the truth of what is occurring. It allows us to move past what we think life or things should be. Seek peace in however that looks.

02/22/2024

Hey everyone. I will be moving the practice location in the upcoming weeks. The new number will be 814-648-0233. Please use this to schedule appointments and for any new referrals. Thank you

11/28/2023

11/21/2023

11/21/2023

07/31/2023

So setting goals is something that is so important to do and yet difficult. Our lives get busy and we get swept up in the random activities, work, relationships, or expectations.

Although we have our day to day we need to be setting goals for ourselves. These can be small changes or even big changes. Goals to achieve something at work, goals to set in relationships, goals for self-growth and awareness.

Recently I’ve been exploring more of the self-growth goals and career goals.

Here are a few goals you can explore-

-Read a book each month
-Read an article about something you want to learn
-Set a goal to get physical exercise 3 days a week
-Set a goal to each healthier 3 nights a week
-Set a goal to finish a work project or to connect with a coworker to build relationships
-Practice saying no to others
-Work at setting boundaries for yourself
-Interact with others who have similar goals to help motivate one another
-Be patient with yourself as you are setting goals (Rome wasn’t built in a day)
-Learn about yourself and what drives you or what hurdles you experience when setting goals

07/25/2023

So after fully reading this book I think there are some key points and useful information.

-Men need to be needed just as women do but in different ways.
-Men and women speak different languages much like going to a new country- you need to learn their language or words that may be similar but have different meaning
-Communication is key, but understanding with love and respect is more important
-You may not be able to solve all the problems, but if you can compromise and love one another it is better
-Men need to go to cave and think through their problems
-Women need to ride the wave that we experience
-The point system for which we acknowledge what the other does is real and instead of taking points away or even using points just be aware of what the other needs
-We each show love in different ways
-How you express your needs is important and using the right language to convey what you need is even more important
-Love is like seasons and will shift out at times, but don’t make decisions based on how it feels at the moment.

Overall this book was amazing and so enlightening. It can help anyone in relationships. Whether it’s a 10 year marriage, 2 year relationship, 3 month relationship, friendship, family, work relationships, etc. Take time to understand one another and it makes it easier to love each other ❤️

05/23/2023

Well Texas went to his forever home so I decided to foster another. Meet Dallas. Such a cute baby boy