Has your car ever made a funny noise. A noise that causes concern even though the car is still drivable? You can wait for the car to strand you alongside the road or you can get the car in for service before the inevitable breakdown occurs. Starting counseling at the first sign of difficulty can … Read more
Fear is a natural emotion, one that when present in healthy amounts can function to keep us safe and well. Without any sense of fear, we might causally stroll across the street in front of traffic or take other such risks that might have severe consequences. Or an over abundance of fear can paralyze us … Read more
There are many laws in physics. The Law of Conservation of Energy is one; are you familiar with it? Here’s a quick physics lesson: The law of conservation of energy is an empirical law of physics. It states that the total amount of energy in an isolated system remains constant over time (is said to be conserved over time). A consequence of this … Read more
In graduate school, we studied many psychological theoretical models. The one that most resonated with me is called Interpersonal Theory. Dr. Irvin Yalom describes what this theory is about: Briefly put, the theory of interpersonal relationships posits that all psychological disorders (which are not caused by some physical insult to the brain) stem from disturbances … Read more
A few thoughts on how to maximize your therapy experience. Prior to first session: Complete the required paperwork prior to the session. Note any questions you have about information presented in the paperwork Spend some time and write down what your specific therapy goals are. Here are a few questions to consider when writing your … Read more
Redeeming Stories, came into existence ten years ago this June. Ten years! Wow! Where does the time go?! Ten years of helping people redeem their life stories, which so often get corrupted by abuse, neglect, addiction, trauma, and all sorts of other challenges. Ten years of helping people tear down their walls and live into … Read more
If you are intending to use your health insurance to help cover the costs of your therapy, you may want to check into the specifics of your coverage before you begin. Every insurance company and plan is different. Some will exclude certain types of sessions (e.g. couples counseling) and even certain diagnoses. Some may restrict … Read more
Destin (Smarter Every Day) created this short video to demonstrate how changing a simple behavior, like riding a bicycle, is not so easy. Once a person has learned a behavior, like riding a bicycle, unlearning part of that technique and replacing it with something different is easier said than done. Maybe the same is true for changing other … Read more
New research is being done on the value of healthcare providers asking their patients about their pets. This is very exciting to see, as it’s something I’ve found great value in. “If primary care practitioners – physicians, nurse practitioners, and social workers – just ask patients about pets in their families, a whole new world of … Read more
I love being around courageous people who are willing to lean into challenge in hopes of finding a different way. People who might be terrified of taking the next step but somehow muster up the courage to do so. These people inspire me. One of the things I love about my calling as a counselor is that I get … Read more