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How to Support Your Mental Health Between Therapy Sessions

Therapy is a wonderful way to explore your inner world, process your feelings, and inspire transformation. But what my clients often tell me is that a day or so after our session, they begin to feel a little lost and anxious again.

It’s important to support the progress you’ve made with your therapist in between your sessions. Here is what I advise my own clients to do in between our sessions:

Keep Your A-ha Moments in Mind

Therapy is a space for profound A-ha moments. It’s important to hold onto those in the days after your session. Think more deeply about what was uncovered and see if any other pieces of information come to the surface. It’s a great idea to have a dedicated notebook to jot down anything that may come to you. Bring this with you to your next session so you can share your additional insights with your therapist.

Read

Ask your therapist to recommend some helpful books, blogs, or articles that may offer deeper insights into your issue. While reading about your issue will not resolve it on its own, it’s a great way to supplement your therapy sessions.

Journal

I have been an advocate for journaling for quite some time, so I was thrilled when research in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated that journaling has both mental and physical benefits. Journaling not only helps to manage stress and reduce anxiety, but it also can alleviate the symptoms of depression.

If you did just these three things, you would find your time in between sessions would be more enjoyable and help to facilitate further positive change.

SOURCES:

https://www.foundationscounselingllc.com/blog/what-to-do-between-therapy-sessions.php

https://themighty.com/topic/mental-health/mental-health-support-tools-to-use-between-therapy-sessions/

4 Things to Do Between Therapy Sessions

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Beginner’s Guide to Focusing on Mental Health

These days, many people focus on their physical health. But few give much attention, if any, to their mental health.

What does mental health refer to? Mental health describes a person’s overall psychological health and well-being. It has much to do with the way you feel about yourself, your ability to manage your emotions, how you deal with challenges and the relationships you nurture.

While most people will experience mental health challenges at some point in their life, those who give no attention to their mental health could experience anxiety and depression. If focusing on mental health is a new topic for you, here are some tips to help you along:

Don’t Isolate

Nothing keeps our mood elevated like the feeling of being connected – truly connected – to other people. While texting and social media have their place, be sure to spend quality face-to-face time with friends and loved ones.

Make R&R a Priority

Are you someone that burns the candle at both ends? Most people are. Good mental health requires you to get enough leisure time so you can rest and contemplate. If you’re guilty of being “too busy,” start spending more time relaxing.

Eat Healthy

Have you ever noticed when you eat processed comfort foods, you tend to feel unwell physically and mentally? Sugary foods are bad for our mental health. That’s why it’s so important to eat wholesome, nutritious foods like grassfed meats and organic fruits and veggies!

Stay Active 

Physical activity is as important for your mental health as it is for your physical health. Regular exercise can relieve stress, elevate mood, and even help you get a better night’s sleep.

These are just some of the ways you can ensure your mental health is optimized. You may also want to speak with a licensed mental health therapist who can provide tools and a safe space to work through what’s troubling you.

If you’d like to explore treatment options, please give my office a call.

SOURCES:

http://www.bcmhsus.ca/about/news-stories/stories/10-tips-to-boost-your-mental-health

https://www.mhanational.org/31-tips-boost-your-mental-health

https://www.verywellmind.com/things-you-can-do-to-improve-your-mental-focus-4115389

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The Different Types of Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy can be a powerful vehicle for personal transformation. By speaking with a trained therapist in a safe and confidential environment, a person has the opportunity to explore their inner world and gain an understanding of their behaviors.

Research has now shown that individual psychotherapy can be highly effective at improving the symptoms of a wide range of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and OCD. It can also be beneficial for families, couples and groups.

More and more people are embracing the potential of psychotherapy in their life, but many are confused which is the right type for them. The following are some of the most common types of psychotherapy to give you a better idea of your options:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most used modalities in therapy. CBT is effective because it looks at the relationship between an individual’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors. It is a very empowering form of psychotherapy and works on a variety of issues such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and schizophrenia. 

Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) has been used successfully for decades to treat PTSD. EMDR works by reducing the emotional distress that has been stored away in the brain from past traumas. 

In each EMDR session, a trained therapist assists their client in performing a series of back and forth repetitive eye movements that essentially find the lingering traumatic emotions and disarm them.

Interpersonal Therapy

Interpersonal therapy focuses on improving the relationships an individual has with others. In these sessions the trained therapist helps their client evaluate their social interactions to recognize any negative patterns. Patterns can include social isolation and aggression. The goal is for the person to learn strategies for interacting positively with others.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of types of psychotherapy. But if you are interested in learning more about psychotherapy and would like to explore treatment options, I would be happy to speak with you. Please feel free to give my office a call.

SOURCES:

https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Treatments/Psychotherapy

https://psychcentral.com/lib/types-of-psychotherapy

https://positivepsychology.com/types-of-therapies/

Filed Under: cbt

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Parenting Tips for your ‘Out of Control’ Child

At one time or another, all parents feel like their child is acting “out of control.” But eventually this feeling passes as the event passes. But for some parents, an out-of-control child is not a fleeting phenomena but a 24/7 reality. These children constantly push the limits and seem to care very little (if at all) about the consequences.

If you are the parent of an out of control child, you must take steps to maintain your authority, not only for your child’s well-being, but for your own mental health. With this in mind, here are some tips for parenting an out of control child:

Set Boundaries and Stick to Them

Do you know why many kids test their parents and their boundaries? Because they have a strong need to feel safe and secure. If they test you and you don’t bend, your child will feel safe and secure knowing YOU are in control and they don’t have to be. When you make a rule and set boundaries, be sure to always follow through with consequences.

Be Very Clear

Kids don’t hear or process information like adults do. How you speak with colleagues or employees at work will not work with your kids. You have got to be 100% crystal clear. And it’s a really good idea to write down all household rules so they know EXACTLY what will be tolerated and what won’t.

Use Positive Language

No one – especially an out of control 8-year-old – likes to be told what they can’t do. Your kid will simply focus on that negative word CAN’T. Instead, always use positive language that describes what they CAN do once they have completed a chore. 

For instance, instead of saying, “No video games until you fold the laundry,” say, “You can watch video games once the laundry is folded.” It may seem like a subtle difference to your ears, but it will land much differently in theirs.

If you’ve tried these tips and others but are still having a hard time parenting your child, it may be time for family therapy. A trained therapist can help you and your child communicate and help your child discover why they are acting out, offering tools to change their behavior.

If you’d like to explore treatment options, please get in touch with me.

SOURCES:

https://www.verywellfamily.com/help-my-kids-are-out-of-control-1094959

https://www.clevguard.com/parental-control/deal-with-out-of-control-kids/

Out of Control Kids – How to Deal With Out of Control Child

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