June 27 is PTSD Awareness Day! Understanding the aspects of PTSD can help us to feel more in control in navigating its challenges. A key concept within the understanding of PTSD is the “Window of Tolerance”. This idea contextualizes some experiences within PTSD and gives us a helpful visual to work with in treatment. The short of it is this – how much can we tolerate within this window before our symptoms are activated, we’re emotionally flooded, and we feel disregulated.
Reaching out for help following a traumatic experience is tough. There seems to be so much to consider when finding a therapist. Here are some things to focus on as you begin that search:
Creative Family Counseling offers several evidence-based trauma treatments at our practice. Being an “evidence based” approach means that the theory, protocol, or method of the counseling model used has been proven through research studies to reduce the symptoms associated with the trauma.
Creative Family Counseling is excited to announce two new specialties for clients: Divorce Counseling and Co-Parenting Counseling. Oftentimes there can be an overlap for these two services as couples navigate divorce and co-parenting dynamics at the same time but there is a clearly defined difference between these two services.
What is Divorce Counseling?
There are fewer family decisions that have such a monumental impact than deciding to divorce. This is especially so when children are included in the picture. For couples who are navigating a revision to their relationship, there are many factors involved. This can be overwhelming and difficult to discuss in a neutral and positive way with the partner in which you are un-coupling.
I recently published some articles about Depression in the Spring and How Play Therapy Helps With Depression in Children Clients. In those articles, I shared warning signs or symptoms of Depression. Urges to self harm or use self injurious behaviors and suicidal thoughts are both symptoms of severe depression.
When you notice a difference in your teen’s mood and behaviors, it can be a warning sign that emotionally they are struggling. By familiarizing yourself with the symptoms and signs of depression in teens can give parents guidance on how to support their child.
Hi there! I’m Kiki, a 3-year-old Great Dane mix. Over the past several weeks, I’ve been training for Animal Assisted Therapy with my human, Lisa Cardwell, LMFT. I will begin my work with clients in the Prospect office in mid-March and can’t wait to get started!
I love people of all ages, playing soccer and fetch outside, and tilting my head as far as I can from side to side when listening for words I understand. Lisa sometimes calls me Kikiroo because I love to do kangaroo jumps and bounce around on my hind legs.
A term you may not have heard of is “gap year.” If you have teenagers, you may want to consider putting this term on your radar for your child to consider. Taking a gap year means a high school graduate takes a year off of academic training before pursuing additional training or education. If a graduate in May of 2024 takes a gap year, they wouldn’t pursue additional education until the summer or fall of 2025.
The difference between Suicidality and Self Injury is INTENT.
Individuals engage in self-harm to feel “something” other than numb or empty. Sometimes self-harm can be a way to signal to others that they need help or the harming behavior has become a maladaptive coping skill. Individuals who express suicidality are experiencing hopelessness, despair, and thinking that the end of their life could be the solution to their problems. Although both conditions can stem from similar situations or contexts, self-harm does not always indicate that the individual wants to end their life.
By Erica R. Myers, LPCC-S, RPT-S Clinical Director Creative Family Counseling
Mental illness can begin at any age and affects everyone – regardless of socioeconomic status, background, or upbringing. It is essential to recognize that the onset of mental illness is typically during childhood and the teenage years, meaning parents must be educated on the potential signs and risks. While mental illness can be scary, it is highly treatable. Those who seek early treatment for their child can find fantastic outcomes in therapy.
Depending on the professional with whom you speak, mental health can sometimes be referred to as emotional health or behavioral health. To me, they’re all the same. It’s hard to differentiate our cognitions (mental) from our emotions and our reactions (behaviors) because they are all interconnected and influence one another. What is happening in our environment impacts the way we think about ourselves and our surroundings, influences how we feel both physically and emotionally, and therefore causes us to react in our behavior. While emotions can oftentimes be recognized through non-verbal communication, we cannot read one another’s minds, and yet, the behaviors of children are oftentimes what gets the grownup’s attention. Challenging behaviors are usually why parents call us for support.
At Creative Family Counseling, we receive a lot of inquiries for support across a wide spectrum. Since our specialty is working with children, teens, and families, many parents call us to seek out counseling and other services for their young child or teenager. At both the initial phone call and during appointments with our clinical team members, many clients pose questions about the services we offer and don’t offer, largely because there is confusion about the different kind of mental health providers: psychotherapist, psychologist, and psychiatrists. And we get it! All those different (yet similar sounding) providers of mental health care can be hard to keep straight. Let me provide some clarity for you!