Northern Light Counseling & Salt Cave

09/09/2026

🎒 Back to school is exciting… but it can also be A LOT.

New teachers, new routines, friendship stuff, homework, expectations, early mornings… and sometimes the biggest feelings don’t even show up until kids get home and completely crash. 😅

In the newest episode of Beyond the Couch, Nancy & Claire talk about what kids may be experiencing during the back-to-school transition, what parents can watch for, and simple ways to help with anxiety, emotional regulation, routines, school stress, and those after-school meltdowns.

Real conversation. Practical ideas. And a reminder that adjusting to a new school year takes time. 💚

🎧 Watch/listen to the new episode here:
https://youtu.be/yu-7dQuA6eM

Beyond the Couch: A Northern Light Podcast
Mental health • wellness • life • and everything in between

09/08/2026

Not every pleasure is good for you. But dopamine isn’t the bad guy either. 🧠

Dopamine is involved in motivation, reward, learning, and the drive to repeat behaviors that our brains find rewarding.

The bigger question is: what are we teaching our brains to reach for over and over again?

Some rewards tend to leave us feeling more regulated, connected, and restored: movement, sunlight, sleep, time outside, meaningful relationships, nourishing food, creativity, reading, and slowing down.

Others can become very quick ways to escape boredom, stress, loneliness, or discomfort: endless scrolling, shopping, binge-watching, substances, ni****ne, gambling, or constantly chasing the next little hit of novelty.

And this is where we want to be careful about labeling things “good” or “bad.”

Watching Netflix isn’t bad. Dessert isn’t bad. Shopping isn’t bad. Scrolling isn’t bad.

It’s the relationship we have with the behavior that matters.

Does it feel like something you’re choosing and enjoying?

Or does it feel like something you automatically reach for every time you don’t want to feel what you’re feeling?

A good little mental health check-in:

🌿 Do I feel better afterward, or just temporarily distracted?
🌿 More peaceful or more restless?
🌿 More connected or more checked out?
🌿 Satisfied, or immediately looking for the next thing?

Sometimes our nervous system doesn’t need another hit of stimulation.

Sometimes it needs sunlight. A walk. Sleep. A real conversation. A decent meal. Five quiet minutes. Something that helps us come back to ourselves instead of helping us escape ourselves.

No perfection required. Just awareness.

Am I choosing this, or am I being pulled by it?

That’s a pretty good place to start. 💜

08/28/2026

✨ LAST-MINUTE SOUND HEALING OPENINGS TONIGHT! ✨

Tonight’s Sound Healing was sold out, but Caressa just had 3 last-minute openings become available for 5:30 PM! 🤍

If you’ve been wanting to try one of her sessions, this is the perfect chance. It is such an amazing way to relax, reset, and start your weekend feeling refreshed.

✨ Walk-ins welcome
📞 Call 570-280-6321 to grab one of the 3 spots

Come unwind with us tonight. ✨

08/26/2026

🎉✨ TWO AMAZING NEW THERAPISTS ARE JOINING THE NLC TEAM! ✨🎉

We are SO excited to officially welcome Evan Orr-Sipos, LSW, and Heather Schariest, LSW, to Northern Light Counseling!

💛 MEET EVAN ORR-SIPOS, LSW

Evan is a compassionate, child-centered therapist who works with children, adolescents, young adults, and families. Evan will be providing counseling through one of our school-based programs, with the potential to also see clients at our Honesdale offices.

Using child-centered, trauma-informed, attachment-based, and DBT approaches, Evan supports clients navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, family challenges, neurodivergence, LGBTQ+ identity, and life transitions. Sessions may incorporate play, art, mindfulness, emotional-regulation skills, and other creative activities tailored to each client.

💛 MEET HEATHER SCHARIEST, LSW

Heather brings more than a decade of social work experience supporting children, adolescents, adults, families, veterans, and individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. She will be providing outpatient counseling at our Honesdale offices, including evening and weekend availability!

Using CBT, DBT, ACT, strengths-based therapy, and trauma-informed care, Heather supports clients navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship concerns, life transitions, and personal growth. She creates a warm, collaborative space where clients can build insight, strengthen resilience, and develop practical coping skills.

We feel incredibly lucky to have both Evan and Heather joining our growing team! Please help us give them a HUGE NLC welcome! 🥳💫

08/26/2026

You are allowed to become someone new. 💛

Sometimes we stay attached to an old version of ourselves simply because we’ve invested so much time in becoming that person.

But changing direction doesn’t mean you failed. A career can change. A dream can change. Your priorities can change. Even the way you see yourself can change.

Healthy growth includes flexibility. We are not meant to stay exactly the same forever.

You can appreciate who you were, honor what that chapter gave you, and still choose something different now.

You don’t have to keep proving that an old version of you made the right choice. 🌿

saxonkent

08/21/2026

How often do we finally get to the thing we’ve been working toward… and immediately start looking for the next thing?

The next goal. The next project. The next milestone.

A gentle reminder that it’s okay to pause and actually *be* where you are. 💛

Take a moment to notice the progress, the little wins, and the life you’re creating right now.

Don’t miss the moment you worked so hard to reach. ✨

08/20/2026

Okay… we have officially been outdone. 😂
We thought we were pretty funny when we made Caressa a vacation video… but she came back and completely one-upped us. 🤣👏
Apparently, the only way to properly bring your coworkers on vacation is to print out their faces and take them along for the adventure.
Chrissy and I are honored that our paper selves got to experience the sights, the fun, and the vacation life we weren’t actually invited to!!
Caressa… you win this round. But don’t worry… we’re already planning our comeback. 😉🤣

08/20/2026

Whenever someone from NLC goes on vacation, it is basically required that we make a ridiculous video in their honor. 😂

Caressa does beautiful sound-healing sessions…so naturally, while she’s away, we decided to fill in for her.

Unfortunately, our instruments consisted of bowls, forks, screeching noises, and absolutely no healing whatsoever. 😭😂

Caressa, please enjoy your vacation—but also please come back soon. The community is not ready for our sound bath. 🥣🍴🎶

08/19/2026

We are SO excited to welcome two incredible new clinicians to the Northern Light Counseling team! 🎉🤍

First up is Lisa Madrigal, LCSW! Lisa supports individuals and families navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship concerns, and life transitions. She draws from CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care, and specialized EMDR training. Lisa will be working full time within the Wallenpaupack Area School District.

Next is Kristina “Kristi” McGraw, LCSW! Kristi specializes in working with children and adolescents experiencing anxiety, trauma, behavioral concerns, and emotional regulation difficulties. She uses trauma-informed approaches, including TF-CBT, and incorporates play, art, and engaging activities into her work. Kristi will provide therapy within our partnered schools and at our Honesdale office.

We are truly THRILLED to be adding these amazing clinicians to our local school districts and expanding access to mental health support for children and families throughout our community!

And stay tuned because we have even more amazing clinicians coming onboard next week! 🤍✨