Preventing Burnout in Athletes: The Role of Counseling

As an athlete, you already know the importance of keeping your body in top condition. You stay healthy by eating right, staying physically active, and participating in preventative care with doctors and specialists. 

But, it’s just as essential to take preventative action when it comes to your mental well-being. Many athletes will argue that performance is just as much about mental fortitude as physical skill. 

Athletes aren’t immune to a variety of mental health issues, including burnout. When you’re putting hours into your sport each day and centering your life around being in top shape and excelling, it can cause fatigue, a lack of motivation or passion, or even eventual resentment toward your activity. 

If you’ve never considered counseling as a way to prevent burnout, now is the time. 

What Are the Signs of Burnout? 

Perhaps the most obvious sign of burnout for an athlete is decreased performance. You might start to notice that your stamina isn’t what it used to be, or you simply don’t feel as strong. However, there are other signs to pay attention to. 

Other physical signs of burnout include fatigue, muscle aches and pains, high blood pressure, and difficulty sleeping. 

You might also experience some mental and emotional symptoms. Athletes dealing with burnout can lose motivation and struggle with low self-esteem. You might feel helpless, and detached, and develop a lack of interest in your sport. 

Maybe you’re under a lot of stress to perform well, or maybe your training regimen has become too overwhelming. You might even be struggling with a lot of pressure, or feel like you’re “trapped” in your sport. There are plenty of things that can lead to burnout, but understanding the signs if the first step to getting the help you deserve. 

How to Deal With Burnout

Physical training is likely second nature to you. But, what can you do to manage burnout? Start by identifying the negative thought patterns causing it. What’s inhibiting your performance, and why? 

Next, practice self-care. While eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep are important, it’s essential to focus on your mental care, too. Try things like mindfulness, meditation, journaling, or deep breathing exercises to help with stress and anxiety. 

It’s also a good idea to find ways to boost your self-esteem. Burnout can cause you to doubt yourself, especially if your performance starts to struggle. Focus on your strengths, visualize victories, and improve your focus to see the best version of yourself. 

How Counseling Can Help

While self-care strategies can help with burnout symptoms, getting to the root cause and learning how to better prevent burnout in the future will make the biggest difference in your recovery. Counseling is one of the best ways to accomplish that. 

A counselor will address your personal needs and struggles. They’ll make it easier for you to understand why you’re experiencing burnout. While it’s not always easy to uncover those challenges, it’s a necessary first step. 

Counseling can also help to improve your emotional regulation. The more you’re able to understand and process your emotions, the less heavy they’ll feel. That can be a difficult thing to do on your own, so let a counselor teach you some of the most effective ways to prioritize emotional regulation. 

Finally, a counselor can help you navigate any other mental health issues that might be contributing to burnout. Whether you’re struggling with stress, dealing with depression, or you’re antsy with anxiety, counseling can help with deeper understanding and symptom management. 

Don’t let burnout get in the way of your performance or your future. If you’re interested in learning more about how sports counseling can help, contact me to set up an appointment soon. 

Exploring Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Relief

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common and effective treatments for anxiety. While people can struggle with different symptoms and severities, CBT helps by breaking down negative thought patterns and making it easier to take control of your mental well-being. 

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions in the world. As such, there are a variety of different treatment and symptom management options to consider. 

If you’ve been on the fence about CBT or simply want to learn more, let’s dig a bit deeper into what you can expect, and whether CBT is right for you. 

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

CBT is a type of talk therapy that focuses on changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. Your thoughts, feelings, and actions are all connected and work together. When you’re dealing with negative thoughts associated with anxiety, all of those things can start to become tangled, making you feel like you’re trapped within a vicious cycle. 

The goal of CBT is to help you break down the negative issues you’re facing so they’re smaller and less overwhelming. When you’re able to do that, you can start to take control over your anxious thoughts and break free from the negative patterns causing fear and worry. Not only will you feel more in control, but you’ll be able to restructure your thought process into something more positive and productive. 

What Are CBT Techniques for Anxiety?

Cognitive restructuring is a common technique therapists will often use to help with anxiety. It can be a very personal experience depending on the type of anxiety you tend to struggle with. For example, maybe you always assume the worst. Or, maybe you’re fearful of social situations. 

Those fears can impact your behaviors and become worse without some kind of reframing process. 

Your therapist will help you by encouraging you to challenge negative thoughts. You might not even know why you have certain fears or worries. Challenging them will make it easier to understand the cause of your anxiety so you can gain more power over it. 

Some therapists might have you keep a journal to record your thoughts. Journaling is a great way to make you feel more connected to your anxious thoughts so you can better understand them. Journaling can also make it easier to figure out how to replace anxious thoughts with positive ones. It serves as a tangible way to track your progress and see how far you’ve come as you continue with treatment. 

Learning to Relax

During your CBT sessions, you might also go through a few behavioral experiments. Your therapist might offer you a hypothetical situation to consider, so you can either talk about or write down your fears. They might ask you about the worst-case scenario of that situation. Then, you can talk things through and decide what you would do if that worst-case scenario were to happen. This exercise helps you feel more in control. It can make you realize that your fears might not always be based in reality. 

A CBT therapist can also help with relaxation techniques. Learning to relax on your own is one of the best ways to manage the daily symptoms of anxiety. Things like deep breathing exercises, mindfulness, and meditation are all fantastic ways to reduce stress, feel more relaxed, and ground yourself in the present rather than worrying about the “what ifs” of the future. 

Just because anxiety is a common condition doesn’t mean you have to live with it forever. If you’re interested in learning more about CBT and how it can help, feel free to set up an appointment or call for a consultation for anxiety treatment. 

The Role of Therapy in Building Teenage Resilience

Building resilience in the teenage years is more crucial than most people realize. As a parent or caregiver, you already have a lot on your plate when it comes to how to guide your teen, but helping them foster resilience now will make it easier for them to face challenges and keep moving forward as young adults and beyond.

There are many ways to help your teen build resilience. But, therapy can play a big role. Not only will it teach your teen how to prioritize their mental health from an early age, but it can build problem-solving skills and improve their self-awareness and confidence. 

Let’s take a closer look at the role of therapy in building teenage resilience. 

Teens and Mental Health

It can be hard to look at your teen and consider that they might be struggling with their mental health. But, think about everything on their plate. Teenagers have to deal with hormonal and physical changes while navigating relationships, thinking about school, and considering their futures. 

On top of those “normal” everyday worries, we’re living in a world with political unrest, wars, cyberbullying, and more. Today’s teens have been through a global pandemic, and continue to face challenges in the aftermath of COVID. 

So, your teen’s mental health is nothing to take lightly. Consider how resilient they have already had to be when faced with so many challenges, big and small. Now is a great time to step in as a parent, and offer a helping hand with therapy. 

How Does Therapy Help With Resilience?

Therapy can benefit your teenager in a variety of ways. If they’re struggling with their mental well-being, a therapist can help them understand where those issues are coming from. Therapy will also teach your teen healthy strategies to cope with those issues. 

Even if your teenager doesn’t seem to be struggling, therapy can help with emotion management, problem-solving, and coping with challenges. You can’t protect your teen from every challenge and hurdle. It’s important to let them fail sometimes. But, it’s their resiliency that will help them get back up and try again as they journey toward adulthood. 

Teaching Healthy Techniques

Therapy can also teach your teen techniques like mindfulness. Mindfulness has become a bit of a buzzword lately, but it’s highly effective when done the right way. 

Mindfulness is the practice of staying grounded in the present. Anxiety is regularly fueled by the “what ifs” of the world. If your teen is facing a challenge, they might start to worry about what will happen if they fail, or what they will do to keep going. 

Mindfulness will help them stay focused on the here and now, rather than worrying about what’s ahead or focusing on past failures. With a few simple breathing techniques, they can reduce stress and move forward, no matter what. 

The Role of Acceptance

In addition to mindfulness, therapy can also help your teen with acceptance. Teenagers don’t have fully formed prefrontal cortexes. As a result, it’s not always easy for them to see the big picture of things. So, if something goes wrong in their lives, it can feel overwhelming, and they might have a hard time seeing past it. 

Therapy can help your teen with acceptance — understanding that they will have challenges and failures, but they can learn from them and move forward. 

Family therapy is a great way for your teen to start prioritizing their mental health. They’ll learn healthy coping skills, be in better touch with their emotions, and build resiliency every step of the way. If you’re ready to set up an appointment for your teen, don’t hesitate to reach out today.

Building Stronger Relationships: A Guide for Couples

Even the happiest, most successful relationships take work. As a couple, building a stronger relationship over months and years should be something both you and your partner prioritize.  Thankfully, it’s easier than you might think. By focusing on consistently strengthening your relationship, you’re likely to enjoy benefits like increased intimacy, trust, and even better communication. 

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few strategies you can put into practice right away to build a stronger relationship and enjoy the fruits of your efforts for a long time. 

Prioritize Communication

Again, one of the benefits of a strong relationship is better communication. But, it also requires you to put effort into your communication skills so you know how to interact with each other. Communication should be a top priority in any relationship. It helps to eliminate assumptions and uncertainties. It makes your needs and wants clear, and can make it easier to work out disagreements in healthy, effective ways. 

Strong communication is a two-way street. While it’s important to clearly express yourself, you also have to choose to be an active listener. Lead with respect and eliminate distractions when discussing things with your partner. When both of you prioritize communication, you’re more likely to show vulnerability, which will boost trust and intimacy throughout your relationship. 

Adopt an Attitude of Gratitude

What are some of the things about your relationship that you’re most grateful for? Does your partner know how you feel about them? 

It’s easy to focus on the negative things that might pop up in a relationship. Maybe you don’t like that your partner leaves their muddy shoes by the door or the long hours they work. No one is perfect and no matter how much you love someone, you’re not going to like everything they do. 

But, instead of focusing on the negative things, choose to be grateful for the positive points of your relationship. What about your partner are you grateful for? What do they do that makes your life better or easier? 

When you both focus on your relationship with gratitude at the forefront, you can enjoy fewer disagreements and a better attitude toward each other. 

Spend Time Together

There’s no denying we live in a busy world. You and your partner might have stressful schedules, and you might fall into habits that leave you both distracted, even when you’re technically together. If you want to strengthen your relationship, focus on being present with each other when you have time together.

More importantly, make time. Even if you have to schedule a designated date night once a week to break up your routine and slow down your schedules, make it happen. 

Prioritizing time together will help both of you understand your importance to one another. Dedicated time gives you both a chance to open up about your feelings and thoughts, and when you focus on the present moment, you’ll feel closer and more intimate. Your date night might end up being the thing you most look forward to every week. 

Consider Couples Counseling

There’s a common misconception that couples therapy is only for people who are in a rocky relationship. You don’t need to wait until you and your partner are having problems to enjoy the benefits of working with a therapist together. 

Couples therapy can help you improve communication, deal with any underlying issues, and provide more healthy and effective ways to strengthen your relationship if you’re having a hard time doing it on your own. 

If you want to prioritize your relationship and create a stronger foundation for the future, reach out to set up an appointment today for couples counseling. 

Effective Parenting Strategies for High Achievers

Encouraging your child to be a high achiever is different from expecting perfection or putting pressure on them that they can’t handle. It’s good to want what’s best for your child and to encourage them to reach their full potential, but it’s important to approach your parenting strategies the right way.

Maybe you’re a high achiever and you want to instill the same characteristics in your child. Or, maybe they’ve already gravitated toward being high-achieving individuals themselves.

Whatever the case, adopting the right strategies will make a big difference. You can help to boost their confidence and encourage them while allowing them to express themselves and enjoy the fun and growth that are part of growing up.

With that in mind, let’s look at a few effective parenting strategies for high achievers.

Be a Source of Constant Support

Your child should know from an early age that how they perform will never dictate how much you love them or how much you support them. Teach them about emotional intelligence rather than making your sole focus on performance.

By showing your support, no matter what, you’ll let your child know that their emotions matter. They will feel validated, whether they’re struggling or celebrating their successes. That can go a long way in building confidence. They’ll be more likely to try new things rather than stick to the activities they know they’re already good at.

Encourage a Growth Mindset

Speaking of your child trying new things, helping them foster a growth mindset will benefit them well into adulthood.

A growth mindset will allow your child to be a lifelong learner. They will develop more natural curiosities and a willingness to think outside the box. You can foster a love of learning from an early age, but make sure it goes beyond academics. Instead, focus on helping your child grow in every area of life so they can discover their true passions.

Let Them Fail

High achievers can be hard on themselves when they experience failure. But they will experience failure. Everyone does at some point.

As a parent, it can be hard to watch your child stumble, but it’s even more difficult to see them struggle with the aftermath.

Although it can be tempting to step in and fix things for them, try not to. Offer your help and support, but allow them to fail and learn from it. All failures should be a learning experience and an opportunity to grow. So, provide helpful advice and encouragement, but don’t step in to make their failures disappear.

Help Them Manage Stress

High achievers tend to put a lot of pressure on themselves. Some can even be perfectionists. So, it’s important to make sure your child knows how to manage their stress effectively.

Encouraging self-care practices is one of the best ways to help them with stress. Things like getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, and regularly exercising can make stress management a part of their everyday routine.

Teaching them the importance of mental self-care can also make a big difference. Journaling, mindfulness and meditation, and simply speaking up about their mental health can also help with stress.

Most importantly, encourage them to find a healthy balance between the work they want to accomplish and taking care of themselves. It can be a learning curve for both you and your child, but once they’re able to find that balance, it will be harder for stress to overwhelm them.

If you notice that your child is struggling to find a balance or their stress is becoming too much for them to handle, consider reaching out to a mental health professional. If your child takes advantage of therapy now, they’ll learn how to manage their mental well-being as adults while still reaching for their goals. Reach out us to learn more about family therapy.

People Pleasing Might Be Fueling Depression: Here's How

Most people don’t see it as a negative thing to be a people-pleaser. After all, what’s wrong with helping others or going out of your way to make sure the people in your life are happy? There's usually nothing wrong with that, but people-pleasing often goes far beyond simply helping people out or wanting to make the lives of others easier.

Multiple studies have shown that people-pleasing is often linked to depression. So, while you’re busy making other people feel happy, it could be damaging your mental well-being. Let’s take a closer look at the connection and what you can do to take charge of your mental health.

Overlooking Your Own Needs

When you prioritize the needs and wants of others over your own, you could be missing out on essential self-care practices.

People-pleasing can cause you to not have the time, energy, or resources to focus on your own needs because you’re giving everything you have to others. While helping people can be rewarding, it can’t be done at the expense of your well-being. As the old saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Eventually, you’ll be completely burned out. Not only will that impact your physical well-being, but mentally it can leave you feeling helpless, hopeless, and depressed.

Validation and Approval

It’s not uncommon for people-pleasers to struggle with insecurity or self-esteem issues. You might go out of your way for others in an attempt to get approval or to feel validated. Sometimes, people-pleasers can go so far as to view their self-worth based on the approval of others.

Additionally, people-pleasers tend to put their own dreams, desires, and interests aside in favor of doing what others might want. When you don’t give the things you love enough time and attention, you’re going to feel like you have nothing to look forward to. That, too, can lead to depression and feel incredibly isolating and unfulfilling.

Living in Fear

The need for validation often comes with a sense of fear or anxiety. People-pleasing and social anxiety can often be linked because they both stem from a fear of judgment. You might worry that if you don’t go out of your way to do things for people, they will think poorly of you. They might see you in a negative light or even talk about you behind your back.

Of course, these fears are rarely based on reality. But they can seem very real and overwhelming when you’re struggling with them. Fear, on its own, can trigger anxiety and depression, and when you add in the exhausting task of ignoring your needs for others, your depression is likely to become worse.

What Can You Do? 

It’s easy to think that you can just stop being a people-pleaser overnight. But you likely didn’t build this mindset quickly, and it’s going to take some time to change it — and your habits.

So, how can you stop being a people-pleaser and take charge of your mental health? Recognizing that it’s becoming a problem is the first step. When you see that your people-pleasing tendencies are negatively impacting you, it will be easier to start refraining from them.

Instead of giving in to the needs of others, try to spend more time focusing on what you need, especially if you’re dealing with depression. Make self-care a priority in your life, including activities like exercising, journaling, and practicing mindfulness. Self-care can help you recognize your worth, so you’re more likely to start taking care of your needs before worrying about the needs of others.

It can also be helpful to reach out to a mental health professional. There could be a deeper underlying cause when it comes to your people-pleasing, and learning where it stems from can be a great first step toward managing your depression and changing the way you act around others. If you feel like you need to reach out to someone, don't hesitate to contact us for an anxiety therapy appointment!

My Partner Has Alexithymia! 5 Ways You Can Help

Most people understand the importance of communication in a relationship. But, for someone with alexithymia, communication can be difficult, because they aren’t fully aware of their own emotions — or their partner’s emotions. 

Alexithymia is a condition in which a person has a hard time identifying their emotions or expressing them. It can create discomfort in and out of relationships, and cause that person to seem apathetic. Obviously, in a relationship, that isn’t what you want. 

Alexithymia can make it difficult for your partner to connect with your emotions, so you might think they’re somehow cold or that they don’t care. That couldn’t be further from the truth. People with alexithymia feel all of the same emotions as everyone else. They just have a harder time expressing them. 

So, what can you do to help?

1. Be Clear and Concise

Again, communication is a key component of a healthy relationship. Don’t give up on it just because of this condition. Instead, double down on your efforts and be clear and direct about your needs and wants. 

By directly telling your partner how you feel about something, there is less room for miscommunication or negative assumptions. Don’t assume that non-verbal cues will be effective, because they’re not likely to understand how you’re really feeling through subtle hints. 

2. Educate Yourself

Your partner might not know that they have alexithymia, especially if they’ve been feeling the same way most of their life. 

If you’ve noticed some of the signs of the condition, educate yourself further. Take a look at more of the common symptoms, causes, and effects. The more you educate yourself, the easier it will be to pass that knowledge onto your partner, so they can develop a better understanding of what they’re dealing with. Awareness doesn’t automatically fix everything, but it certainly helps. 

3. Help Them With Their Feelings

You have a unique opportunity to serve as your partner’s guide for feelings. While you have to tread lightly in “telling” them how they might be feeling, you can certainly guide them based on your observations to help them understand the name of an emotion. 

For example, it’s usually fairly easy to see when someone is angry or sad. Point those instances out to your partner. When you do, they’ll be able to identify the right emotion as it relates to what they’re feeling internally. 

4. Practice Self-Care

Taking care of yourself can actually make a big difference in your relationship. It can sometimes be challenging, being in a relationship with someone who has difficulty understanding and expressing their emotions. 

If you truly want to support and help them, you have to put yourself first. You can’t pour from an empty cup. 

Take the time to incorporate relaxation efforts into your day. That could include mindfulness, meditation, or journaling. The less stressed you are, the more you’ll be able to help your partner work through this condition. 

5. Encourage Therapy

Therapy is a great way for your partner to learn more about their condition in a safe and judgment-free environment. 

Working with a therapist can also help them better understand where their alexithymia might have stemmed from, so they can start working on it from the ground up. They’ll learn better communication skills, and eventually be able to feel more in tune with their own emotions. 

Alexithymia can be difficult for both people in a relationship to deal with. But, it doesn’t have to create lasting turmoil or communication problems. Encourage your partner to contact me for couples counseling, and continue to support them however you can by being patient and helping them understand what they’re feeling.

How Is The Teen Brain Different?

Have you ever wondered what’s going on inside your teen’s mind? No, that’s not a rhetorical question. Teenagers tend to get stereotyped for the way they think and the actions they take. But, if you’ve ever thought that your teen isn’t thinking things through — you’re right. 

But, it’s not because they don’t want to. 

The teen brain is actually quite different from a full-fledged adult mind. Understanding those differences can help you better understand your teenager. It will also set you up to guide them in the right direction and foster healthy and effective growth as they get older. 

Let’s take a closer look at some of those differences, and how they impact the way your teen thinks. 

The Teen Brain Isn’t Fully Developed

It’s easy to assume that by the time your child hits their teenage years, their brain is fully formed. But, an area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex doesn’t fully develop until around the age of 25. 

This area of the brain is responsible for things like setting prioritizing, planning ahead, and decision-making. If your teen seems impulsive or finds temptation in new ideas easily, it could be because of the prefrontal cortex. 

You can help them by encouraging them to plan ahead and think things through as often as possible. While it won’t necessarily speed up the development of the brain, it will set them up for success as the prefrontal cortex continues to grow. They’ll be more likely to make smart, thought-out decisions as they enter adulthood. 

The Teen Brain is Adaptable

Because the teenage brain isn’t fully formed, it can be somewhat malleable. It’s influenced by social situations, personal experiences, and even challenging situations. 

One of the best things you can do for your teenager is to challenge them with new experiences that will help them grow. Creative endeavors, like playing music or participating in art, can help the brain to mature faster and respond positively to new or challenging situations in the future. 

The Teen Brain Handles Stress Differently

When you think back on your teenage years, you might remember them as the best time of your life. But, you undoubtedly dealt with stress, and your teenager is dealing with it right now. 

Unfortunately, teens don’t typically handle stress as well as adults. It can have a direct impact on their mental well-being, making them more susceptible to issues like depression or anxiety. 

As a parent, make sure you’re consistently checking in on your teen’s mental health. Make sure mental wellness is a frequent topic at home, so you can get rid of any stigma your teen might have exposure to. When they learn the importance of mental wellness early on, they’ll be more likely to take those skills with them into adulthood. 

Understanding the Teenage Brain

One of the greatest aspects of the teenage brain is that it’s quite resilient. So, even if your teen does struggle with mental health issues or has a hard time dealing with stress, don’t assume the worst. 

There are things you can do to help them work through those issues and prioritize their mental health. Take comfort in the fact that their resiliency can help them bounce back from symptoms of extreme sadness, fear, or even hopelessness. While you can’t change things for them, you can serve as a support system along the way. 

So, the next time you wonder what might be going on in your teenager’s head, understand that their brain doesn’t work the same way yours does, but it’s changing and adapting all the time. When you recognize how those differences impact your teen, you can support their learning journey and take pride in watching them grow. 

Reach out to us to learn more about family therapy.

How Does Brainspotting Work and What Are the Benefits?

There are a variety of therapies and modalities designed to help with the lasting effects of trauma. However, many of them involve a lot of talking, which can be difficult for trauma survivors or those dealing with setbacks. 

One of the most unique forms of therapies that can help with these issues is brainspotting. If you’ve ever heard of eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing, the two therapies have similarities. However, key differences are important to note if you’re trying to find the right treatment option. 

Let’s take a closer look at brainspotting, how it works, and some of the greatest benefits, so you can determine if it’s the right type of therapy for you. 

What Is Brainspotting?

Like EMDR, brainspotting utilizes bilateral stimulation to help you heal from trauma or other types of emotional stress. It focuses on the idea that different “spots” within the brain must be focused on to heal from those painful memories. 

These spots are within the visual field, so your therapist might use their finger or an object to guide your eyes back and forth until they notice any changes (such as eye fluttering). These spots are connected to certain memories and emotions. Brainspotting is identifying those spots and unlocking memories that have otherwise been tucked away so your body can start to heal itself naturally. 

Over time, once those memories are reprocessed, brainspotting can help develop new neuropathways. That doesn’t mean you forget about the memories. You can look at them from a different perspective without fear or pain. 

How Does it Work? 

So, how can someone identify where a brainspot actually is? During a typical session, your therapist will ask you to focus on a specific traumatic event or memory. In contrast, your therapist guides your eye movement with their finger or an object. 

Your therapist will watch your eyes move from left to right to notice any changes in your movements or actions. If you blink rapidly or your eyes flutter, they’ll look closer at that spot and your stored memory. 

When a brainspot activates, your therapist can work with you to dive into that memory and learn how to reprocess it into something healthier and less overwhelming. Stored trauma can negatively impact your mind and body. Brainspotting is an effective way to release it. 

Brainspotting isn’t some kind of magic solution. Once you discover a traumatic memory, it can be difficult or even scary to feel like you’re reliving it. But knowing you’re in a safe location with someone who can help you work through it can make a big difference. You can finally start to heal with strength and support. 

What Are the Benefits?

So, what can you expect from brainspotting? Why might it be a better choice than other forms of talk therapy? 

The strongest benefit is the research that shows its success. It’s been found over and over again to successfully help people struggling with trauma, including complex trauma. It also helps people deal with anxiety, depression, and even OCD. 

Another great benefit is that brainspotting isn’t something you’ll have to continue doing for the rest of your life. Once your neuropathways are open to new ideas and you’ve been able to process and let go of stored trauma, you can start the next chapter of your life without continuing therapy. 

Interested in learning more about brainspotting and whether it can help you deal with unprocessed stored trauma? Feel free to contact us to set up an appointment for trauma therapy.

Can Grief Counseling Help Families?

We often think of grief as a very personal and private thing. In many ways, it is. But, when you lose a loved one, you’re not the only one impacted. 

Everyone grieves in their own way, but when you lose a family member, the whole family is likely to feel the same way. So, while you might go at your own pace through the grief process, now is the time to lean on your family for support and reach out for help as a unit, if necessary. 

Grief counseling can help families process the trauma of losing someone together. It can bring you closer together in a time of sadness and overwhelming emotions and provide you with benefits you might not expect. 

So, whether you’re mourning the loss of a loved one or your family has been through something traumatic together, grief counseling could be the answer. Let’s look at some of the benefits and what to expect. 

The Right Environment

When you’re dealing with grief on your own, it can be tempting to isolate yourself and withdraw from the people and things you love. 

You might think no one really understands what you’re going through. Or, maybe you simply can’t find the motivation to get some help on your own. Grief counseling with your family allows you to work through your emotions in a safe environment. 

You will be able to speak freely about your feelings and listen to how your family is dealing with everything. Everyone’s emotions will be validated, and you might find that you share more emotions with family members than you initially thought. 

Working Through Stages

You’ve probably heard that there are different stages of grief. Working through them as a family can help you feel supported along the way. 

A grief counselor can encourage healthy processing for every family member. That includes accepting that the loss did occur and learning how to move forward. That’s not always easy to do on your own, so having family members who are experiencing the same thing to support you can make a big difference. 

A Stronger Family Connection

As you reach the final stages of grief, you can also take comfort in the fact that you’ve undoubtedly built a stronger connection with your family. Unfortunately, sometimes, it’s the hardest situation that brings us together. But grief counseling can help you realize that you have a support system. You’ll cherish that connection and always have someone who understands the grief you’re experiencing right now. 

What to Expect

Family grief counseling is very similar to individual counseling. Everyone gets a chance to express themselves, and sometimes, hearing how other people feel can give you the confidence to open up. 

As you and your family go through the different stages of grief, seeing how some members are coping and handling things can also motivate you. You can find a light at the end of the tunnel as you see a weight lift away from other members, knowing you can feel that way, too. 

It’s important to feel heard when you’re going through counseling. Having a dedicated time and space for everyone to share and process emotions can make the grieving process feel less overwhelming and isolating. 

By the time you finish counseling, you and your family should be able to move forward with meaning. You don’t have to forget what you lost. But, you’ll have gained the skills necessary to start the next chapter of your lives, knowing you can lean on each other every step of the way. 

Reach out to us to learn more about grief counseling and how it can help you and your family.

Is It Possible to Manage Depression Without Medication?

Depression affects millions of people across the globe. While it can come with different symptoms and severities, feeling a sense of deep sadness and hopelessness is something no one should have to live with forever. 

If there’s a silver lining to the commonality of depression, it’s that there are a variety of treatment options. 

However, one of the most common treatment solutions involves taking medication. While medications can often work well for people with depression, some people can’t take them for various medical reasons. Others simply don’t want to. 

Thankfully, it’s possible to manage your depression without medication. While you should always talk to your doctor first, consider trying some of these strategies for symptom management. 

Find a Routine

We often think of how important routines are for children. But they’re just as essential and beneficial for adults—especially when they’re struggling with mental wellness. 

When you’re dealing with depression, you might feel like your life doesn’t have any structure. Some days, you might want to stay in bed until late afternoon. Or, you might be tossing and turning all night, so you’re exhausted all day. 

Establishing a healthy routine will give you the stability and structure we naturally crave as humans. Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. Make breakfast, exercise, or write in a journal before work. Your routine is up to you, so find a structure that fits your needs and keeps you motivated to move forward. 

Practice Self-Care

Speaking of eating healthy meals, exercising, and journaling — they are all wonderful forms of self-care. Self-care is something everyone should be practicing. But it’s especially important when you’re dealing with depression. 

Self-care practices can boost your mood, give you a sense of purpose, and even improve your energy. Exercise, for example, is scientifically proven to reduce stress and can even make you feel happier. 

Self-care doesn’t have to take up a lot of time, and it doesn’t require much effort. Find small things to incorporate into your day specifically meant to promote your well-being. 

Prioritize Sleep

Another self-care practice is sleep, but it’s important enough to deserve its own section. Sleep and depression can create problems for each other. 

When you’re depressed, it can be difficult to get healthy sleep at night. Unfortunately, the less sleep you get, the more likely it is for your symptoms of depression to become worse. It creates a vicious cycle that’s hard to escape from — but not impossible. 

Develop better sleep hygiene by starting with a sleep routine. Once you have that in place, avoid electronics for at least an hour before bed. Make sure you have an ideal sleep environment without any distractions. If you’re tired but can’t seem to fall asleep in bed right away, don’t stay there tossing and turning. Get up and go to a different room for a while. Try reading a book or journaling until you feel like you’re ready to close your eyes, then go back to bed. 

Talk to Someone

One of the best ways to combat depression is by talking about your struggles. Leaning on family and friends for support can be a big help. But, working with a therapist to manage your symptoms is even better. 

Therapy can help you uncover the root cause(s) of your depression. While that’s not always easy, it’s the first step toward understanding why you feel so down so you can create a plan of action not only to manage your symptoms but to overcome depression completely. 

Medication isn’t the only option for depression management. If you’re ready to give therapy a try or you’re interested in other ways to manage your symptoms, don’t hesitate to contact us for depression treatment.

Why You Aren't Alone If You're Nervous About What's Next After High School

Graduating high school is a huge milestone. It’s something you’re likely to remember for the rest of your life, as it signifies one chapter ending and a new one starting. 

But, as exciting as graduating can be, it can also feel overwhelming, and even a bit scary. You’ve spent all of this time working up to this moment, and…now what?

Even if you have plans after high school — whether it’s going to college or starting a career — it can still feel like you’re stepping into foreign territory. 

If you’re feeling nervous about what’s next, you’re not alone. It’s normal to experience some anxiety as you approach graduation and even after you graduate. Let’s take a closer look at why that is, and what you can do about it. 

Worrying About the Future

Anxiety thrives on the unknown and the “what ifs” of life. You’ve been in high school for four years and probably in elementary and middle school with the same people before that. Even if you moved and changed schools at some point, there’s still a comfort and familiarity surrounding you. 

After graduating, that all changes. 

Even worse, you’re not exactly sure how much it will change until it happens. There are some people you might never see again. Your responsibilities will grow. Your daily routine will never be the same. Those are comfort issues that are immediately swept away. On top of it, you’re immediately thrust into an uncertain future, even if you have concrete plans in place. There are plenty of “what ifs” to consider, and it can make it easier for your nerves to take over. 

Changing Relationships

Whether you’ve been with the same classmates since kindergarten or just for a couple of years, there’s a sense of familiarity with the people you’re involved with. You don’t have to be the most popular person in school to have a strong, stable friend group. 

Graduation doesn’t mean all of your friendships will fizzle. But, as things change, so will your relationships. Some people might move away. Others will start jobs and their schedules will change. Some will go to college. You’re not going to see each other every day anymore, and while that’s hard enough, the idea of forming new friendships elsewhere can be even more overwhelming. 

Societal Pressures

Whether you know what you want to do with your future or not, it can feel like there’s a lot of pressure after graduation. Your family might have specific plans for you. People in the community might ask what you want to do. 

It’s okay if you don’t know right away. It’s okay if you want to take a break to figure things out. But, that doesn’t always make the pressure from others disappear, and it can cause you to feel nervous about the path you’re taking. 

What Can You Do?

First, recognize that it’s perfectly normal to feel nervous right now, whether you’re about to graduate or you recently have. No matter how exciting the next chapter will be, it comes with a lot of uncertainties. Acknowledge your feelings instead of trying to push them down or brush them off. 

Next, make a plan for yourself. You don’t necessarily need to know what you want to do right away. But, having some kind of plan or goal in place can help you feel more grounded and less uncertain. 

Finally, don’t hesitate to talk to someone if you’re struggling. Leaning on your support system can help you feel more secure and confident. If you’re really having a hard time with nerves and anxiety, consider reaching out for anxiety treatment. You’re not alone, and it’s important to be reminded of that as you prepare for the future.