Category: Therapist

You are sitting on a bench at your local playground. It’s sunny (despite Michigan’s temperamental weather). Your gaze begins to wander and settles on children climbing. They are climbing everywhere. It’s amazing, actually, how many things children can climb on. You further notice how they run, walk, slide down slides, play tag, squeal with delight on swings. Toddlers trundle off in a big, new-to-them world. They seem to take up space with ease; it’s their world, we’re just living in it. They are so sure that they belong wherever they go. Do you have this scene? For me, this imagined space invites lots of emotions: joy, wonder, delight, curiosity, and sadness. Yes, sadness. Because I, as an adult, have a harder time feeling so present and excited and happy and confident of belonging. I have more awareness and more to my story as to why these emotions make sense for me.

What is play, and why does it make sense for all humans of ...

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Thoughts About Thoughts

March 13, 2023

 

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) suggest that our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are interconnected, and that what we think and do impacts the way we feel.  It follows that monitoring and changing thoughts where needed can change one’s life.

 

It’s reported that the average person has more than 6,000 thoughts per day. Becoming aware of these thoughts and thought patterns is imperative to changing behaviors and emotions. We will only feel as good as our thoughts allow us to feel.

 

Think of your mind as a thought machine that’s at work during all your waking hours and sometimes even when you’re in a deep sleep.

 

Where do thoughts originate?

 ·       Experiences

·    &n ...

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The start of a new year can bring out hope, excitement, and a resolve for personal growth. Often people will enter the year with goals or resolutions. Wellness goals are some of the more popular types of goals. You may want to begin a new fitness plan, lose weight, try to eat better, or work towards mental wellness. Setting goals can inspire you to focus on your future aspirations and work towards that. An important but often overlooked aspect of wellness has to do with setting appropriate, manageable, and attainable goals.

If you are considering coming to counseling, I would encourage you to think about one or two goals for your mental health that you are hoping to achieve from the counseling process. A common goal in the counseling realm is called “emotion regulation”. This is an all encompassing term for being able to control our reactions to situations around us, to display emotions appropriately, and to effectively handle the many stres ...

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I recently read a blog written by a fellow counselor called “Dating your Therapist”. This title caught my attention and I was intrigued about what it meant as the boundaries between client and therapist are strictly professional and should never be blurred or broken. The blog went on to suggest that looking for a therapist that is a good fit is appropriate and good. As I read the blog, I realized I agree with the sentiment. Sometimes, to get the best possible outcome it may mean trying several therapists. Therapists each have their own philosophy of counseling, temperament, experiences, and training. My goal is to do my best to connect with each client and help them achieve their goals. Sometimes this may mean helping a client or potential client find a counselor who can meet their needs more effectively than I can. This is difficult to explain, I can only describe it as a feeling of connection and rapport. I went to a counselor many years ago. After ...

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