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Assertiveness
Many people struggle with their ability to be assertive. Assertiveness is simply communicating your wants/needs in a direct and respectful way. It’s standing up for what you need and taking appropriate steps to see that those needs are met. However, we tend to get...
Treating Fears with Exposure Therapy
Since Halloween is this month, I thought the topic of treating fear would be appropriate. We as humans are hard wired to experience fear. It’s a survival mechanism that helps keep us alive (i.e., We should be afraid of what would happen if we skydive without a...
Back to School
It’s that time already. Students are heading back to class. For many, heading back to school is unpleasant. The experience can increase depression or anxiety and leave students feeling terrible about the start of the semester. The good news is that there are things...
Perfectionism
“I can’t make a mistake!” It’s a statement we hear quite a bit in our practice. Many people struggle with the intense pressure of perfectionism. They attempt to live their lives avoiding mistakes at all costs and striving for outcomes that are unachievable. Needless...
Worst-Case Thinking
When we are faced with a stressor, it’s really common for our brains to assume that the worst-case scenario is going to happen. This assumption is a type of cognitive distortion called catastrophizing (see our blog from March 2020 to learn more about cognitive...
Career Selection: Have we been doing it wrong all this time?
For decades we have either chosen or been recommended work based on our interests. Many career assessments attempt to assign a specific job or field of work based on individual preferences. There can be some wisdom to working within your personal tendencies. However,...
Behavior Activation
Behavior activation is a concept that comes from Cognitive-Behavior Therapy and is well supported by research. We implement behavior activation when depression is present. Essentially, depression likes to create an environment where it can thrive. What that looks like...
The Error of Thinking in Black and White Terms
We are all prone to making the mistake of thinking in either-or terms, but this trap becomes especially likely if we are dealing with depression and/or anxiety. Thinking in black and white terms is a cognitive distortion (see our blog from March 2020 for an...
Mindfulness Practices
Mindfulness continues to gain popularity as an effective tactic to treat depression and anxiety. In this month’s blog, I outline some specific exercises you can do to engage in mindfulness. In short, mindfulness is consciously choosing to attend to the present moment...
Security in Relationships
In honor of Valentine’s day, I wanted this blog to cover an important concept regarding romantic relationships: Adult Attachment. There is a growing body of research that examines how we as adults attach or bond to our significant others. There are 4 attachment styles...
Why Resolutions Don’t Work and How to Make Sure Yours are Successful
Do an internet search for New Year’s Resolution memes and you’ll be met with a bevy of cynicism, lambasting people for failing to keep their personal commitments. The data doesn’t look much better. A Forbes survey found that only 25% of people show any ongoing...
The Problem With Venting
Often times, when people think of the benefits of seeing a therapist they assume that the purpose is to work through emotion or, in psycho-babble terms, experience emotional catharsis. We hear the adages about not bottling up our feelings to avoid them from...
“The Missing Tile Syndrome” The element of gratitude you probably haven’t considered
When thinking about gratitude, many would define it as appreciating what you have. This is a valuable concept that I can readily appreciate. However it does tell the entire story. Let’s take a deeper look into the role of gratitude on one’s mental health and well...
Is what you think correct? What the Mandela Effect has to teach us.
In addressing depression and anxiety, it has been consistently shown that how we think and what we believe can highly influence our emotions and behavior (see our August 2019 blog on CBT). Many times people will find that what they think is fraught with inaccuracies...
Dialectical Behavior Therapy: The Basics
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a counseling framework that is being utilized more and more by clinicians to treat a variety of mental health concerns. In my practice, I use DBT as a compliment to Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (see Aug 2019 for an overview of CBT)....
Telehealth
Telehealth is getting a lot of attention right now as Coronavirus has affected how medical services are provided. This blog will focus on the concept of telehealth as it pertains to mental health therapy sessions. There are various terms used to describe the concept...
Coronavirus and On-going Loss
It’s a strange time we’re living in. For most of 2020, we’ve been dealing with Coronavirus and the adverse effects it’s been causing. Most people still feel a certain level of stress, overwhelm, uncertainty, or depression as a result of Coronavirus. Why? We’ve had...
How to Find a Good Therapist
The process of starting therapy can be daunting, and a major part of the stress is selecting a good therapist. It can be difficult to know with whom you will have a positive experience. The tips below are intended to help guide your search. Tips: Take the time to...
Mindful Breathing
“Just breathe.” We hear this expression a lot, especially when we’re worked up. But why do we encourage breathing to calm down? Turns out there is a physiological process that happens when we focus on our breath that can truly calm our emotions and bodies. A Crash...
Coronavirus and Mental Health
“Unprecedented,” “Scary,” “Overwhelming,” “Surreal,” “Uncertain,” and “Stressful.” These are the words used most commonly by my clients to describe the impact of Coronavirus. Everyone has been affected by Coronavirus in some way, and some people have been impacted...
Cognitive Distortions
The main therapeutic approach we use at Evolve Counseling Services is Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT). If you need a quick introduction to this modality, check out our blog from August 2019 titled “Cognitive Behavior Therapy.” In CBT, clients examine their...