Good Friday

by Annette Snider, Reach Therapist Intern

TGIF takes on a whole new meaning today. Good Friday in the Christian faith is a day that represents an amazing dichotomy, simultaneous love and suffering, with sacrifice and forgiveness. For many, today is a day of introspection and reflection. God, the Universe, a Higher Power, or your own moral compass at times, will guide you to consider your place in the bigger picture of life. To look honestly at yourself and ask the hard questions…questions like: 

“Do I lean more toward sacrifice or convenience?”
“Am I more likely to forgive or blame?”
“Do I purposefully avoid the areas in my life that are painful?”
“How loving are my relationships, and what am I willing to go through to make them healthy?”
These are scary questions because to obtain the answers that we want may mean we will be require to change, and change is difficult.

Good Friday was all about a difficult change. A major shift, so life could be experienced in a better way. What will your Good Friday be about? Is it time for you to make some shifts in your life or relationships? Is it time to stop holding a grudge or avoiding pain? The statement, “Do you want to be right or do you want to be well?” came from a sermon I heard many years ago and I’ve never forgotten it. Good Friday is all about being well; it’s about embracing what is scary and believing for a better tomorrow. Reach for it: (919) 941-2900.

Women's History Month: What's Self-Care Got To Do with It?

by Annette Snider, Reach Therapist Intern

March is Women’s History Month. This is the month accomplishments of women are to be celebrated, shared, and remembered. Over the centuries, women have broken through many barriers. They have blazed trails to make a better world for all of us. Women have been successful in non-traditions jobs and careers, been strong advocates for justice, written policy, fought in the armed forces, created beautiful art and music, excelled in athletics, saved lives, broken records, taught and nurtured children, and loved fiercely and sacrificially, just to name a few.

As wonderful and exciting as it is to list the accomplishments of women, a common theme is that women are socialized to put others before themselves. For some women, this practice is where they gain their value. However, when serving others first gets out of balance it can lead to physical, emotional, and mental concerns (DiGiacomo, Davidson, Zecchin, Lamb, & Daly, 2011).

How do women make changes so they can continue to be healthy and strong in the important areas on life? The answer: Self-Care. Those two words typically get a “Yep, you’re right” response. Self-Care is often acknowledged; however, consistent follow through of truly caring for oneself is harder to maintain. In honor of Women’s History Month, let each of us look around at all the wonderful women in our lives, and encourage them to care for themselves. Some women know exactly what to do to reset back to a healthy place. Others struggle with identifying what that might look like. If you, or a woman you know, could use some help in creating a self-care plan, Pfeiffer Institute Reach is a place where that can happen.


DiGiacomo, M., Davidson, P. M., Zecchin, R., Lamb, K., & Daly, J. (2011). Caring for others, but not themselves: Implications for health care interventions in women with cardiovascular disease. Nursing Research and Practice, 1-5. doi:10.1155/2011/376020

Invest in Your Relationship

by Annette Snider, Reach Therapist Intern

How much are you investing in your relationship? Would you like to see that investment pay off?

Prepare/Enrich is a relationship assessment tool that really zeros in on the areas and issues in every relationship. This assessment will be tailor made based on your answers. The assessment provides you with valuable information about yourself, your partner, and your relationship. It highlights the relationship strengths and also where there are opportunities for growth. It is not a test so you don’t need to worry about passing it.

As a Prepare/Enrich facilitator, I have found this tool can benefit couples at any stage of their relationship. If you are considering premarital counseling, Prepare Enrich asks all the questions you might not know to ask before you are married. If you want to enrich your relationship, the Prepare/Enrich assessment clearly indicates the areas of focus. If your relationship feels like it is in trouble, the assessment and accompanying curriculum provide tools to explore and pinpoint specific areas of concern.

Relationships are precious and need to be nurtured to thrive. For a $35.00 assessment fee a couple receives an accurate relationship inventory. Pfeiffer Institute Reach is offering a Prepare/Enrich workshop on Saturday, April 2nd. Please join us and see your investment grow!

Improve Your Relationship!

Take a LEAP!

It's time to balance the calendar with a 366th day! What will you do with your "extra" day? 

According to timeanddate.com, Leap Day is when women are allowed to propose to men:

According to an old Irish legend, or possibly history, St Brigid struck a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men – and not just the other way around – every four years.

This is believed to have been introduced to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how leap day balances the calendar.

You might not choose to do something quite that monumental, but this sort of occasion does prompt us to think about how we spend our days, and with whom, and what that relationship means to us. Take the opportunity to express your gratitude to and for your partner, your friends, your family. If those relationships are not all you want them to be, remember there is affordable and confidential individual, couple, and family therapy available at Pfeiffer Institute Reach. LEAP for it, and reach for a better tomorrow!

February Special: First Couples Session FREE!

One Carolina!