Positive Self-Talk
Working on a classroom assignment, my friend looked over at me. He asked, “Did you ask me something?” I peered back confused, “No, why?” “I heard you saying something.” “Oh, I was talking to myself.” […]
How to Save A Life
Sitting in my kitchen, it was a little after one in the morning. I was hopped up on three cups of caffeine from my nightly Starbucks visit. I would not usually drink that much caffeine […]
Thoughts and Prayers
There was a time when saying that you had someone in your “thoughts and prayers” was meaningful and appreciated. When someone says that it nowadays, it often feels like apathetic. The phrase gets bashed all […]
It’s Worry Time!
Nobody in their right mind enjoys feeling nervous. It is an icky emotion. The word “anxiety” evokes feelings of, well, anxiety. Of all emotions, anxiety and worry are among the most closely tied to our […]
The Padded Room Hypothesis
You wake up one morning. You are not feeling quite like yourself. Something is off. Your neurons fire in multiple directions, or you are hearing colors. You throw open your front door in what feels […]
Third Place Policy
The counseling profession emphasizes the importance of understanding the individual. I always was open to other points of view though to open up my horizons. I wanted subject matter that would complement this “individual” perspective […]
Exterminate Those ANTs
Living out in the woods as a child, I encountered critters. This included multiple infestations inside my own home. I had battles with eight foot snakes. An entire colony of bats lived in my chimney […]
Adaptability of Self-Care
You really think you have seen it all when you work in the mental health field. Once in a while, your clients like to remind you that you have not. The client of interest this […]
War of Self
The first half of 2018 was not kind to me. I lost my childhood home to foreclosure. I broke my ankle. I was in a pretty serious car accident in a vehicle I owned for […]
Overcoming Suicide
It often takes a lot to push an individual to the ledge. Their toes curl around the edge gripping to one last bit of humanity. Looking downward at what seems to be the sole resolution […]