Long Valley Community Services addressing Mental Health, by Margaret ("Peggy") DeLong, Licensed Psychologist

In addition to providing supportive psychotherapy services and forensic psychological services in my private practice for clients age preschool through adult, I enjoy providing services to the community.  I am transitioning my practice from Liberty Corner, where I have been for 14 years, to my new office in Long Valley at 41 East Mill Road.  Here are a few things that are going on in my practice:

1)  Fostering Gratitude Workshop on Monday, 1/25/16 7:00-8:30 at Long Valley Arts/Teen Center (214 West Mill Road).  Practicing gratitude helps us attract more good things into our lives and provides a sense of balance and perspective, even in our darkest times.  Practicing gratitude also helps us minimize depression and anxiety, and fosters greater life satisfaction.  This workshop is designed to help you develop gratitude in meaningful and creative ways, and to discover ways to incorporate gratitude into everyday living.  Pre-registration is required.  Please register at http://drpeggydelong.com/workshop-signup/. 

2) Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, I facilitate The MotherDaughter Connection.  This is for girls in grades 6-9 along WITH their mothers.  Grades 6/7 meet at 6:30, and grades 8/9 meet at 7:40.  This is a unique group that brings mothers AND daughters together to address issues facing tweens and teens today, including social media, body image, friendships, substance use, all within the context of the mother-daughter relationship.  There is growing consensus that healthy adolescent development involves mothers and daughters becoming better at connecting.  It is not surprising that teens and tweens fare better when their parents provide them with guidance, love, and connection.  What better person than a girl to turn to than her mother - a person who has more wisdom, experience and factual knowledge than her peers, who keeps her secrets, does not have hidden motives, and loves her unconditionally.  Pre-registration is required.  Please register at http://drpeggydelong.com/motherdaughter-group-signup/.

3)  Also every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, I facilitate MotherCARE (Care, Assistance, Resources, and Education).  This is a parallel group of the Mother-Daughter Connection.  Groups are offered at 10AM  5:30PM.  This group was added to meet the needs of mothers of boys, as well as mothers of girls in grades other than 6-9, and for mothers whose daughters were unavailable to attend The MotherDaughter Connection.  The topics, material, and resources are the same as The MotherDaughter Connection, but this is a mothers only group.  When mothers come together and support each other without judgment, incredible and beautiful things happen.  Pre-registration is required.  Please register at http://drpeggydelong.com/mothers-group-signup/.

4) I facilitate the Long Valley Women’s Walking Group.  Research demonstrates that group walks in nature are associated with significantly lower depression, less perceived stress, and enhanced overall mental health and well-being.  In this group, I combine my passions: helping people improve mental health, the outdoors, being with people, and fostering interpersonal relationships in others.  We typically walk once a week at various parks and trails in and around Long Valley.  We typically walk 3 miles at 3mph pace.  The start time is 9:30AM, but the day of the week and location varies.  To receive the weekly emails regarding the day and location, please go to http://drpeggydelong.com/services/community-services

5) I love to write, about psychology, parenting, and life in general!  I post various essays and articles I have written to my website.  If you would like to receive a weekly email of what I have written, please sign up at http://drpeggydelong.com/blog/