carefulcounseling

[carefulcounseling]

OUR EMOTIONS COMMUNICATE A NEED.

Those thoughts that you walk around with. The ones that are taking up all your breath and space and energy.

Those thoughts are acting as a shroud to what you’re feeling in the moment.

Sometimes the emotions are hard...difficult...scary to feel, or to let yourself acknowledge that you’re even feeling it, but if we never allow ourselves to sink deeper into the emotions, then we never learn to sit with them.

Our emotions are begging us to befriend them, to accept them as a signal for our experience.

Sadness tells us that there has been a loss.

Anger tells us that there has been a wrong.

Joy tells us that there is good in our life.

But we will never know unless we take time to settle in and get to know our emotions.

- CarefulCounseling

#mental health #counseling #emotions #self care #self improvement #self love

[carefulcounseling]

Hi, this is the *reed weaving* anon. If that was too heavy, I'm sorry. I'm just scared and trying to find help. I didn't mean to put that on you. I realized you might not actually be a counselor and that was unfair of me. I hope you have a wonderful day. Thank you for your time.

Hi!

I should probably put a tag somewhere that I don't always closely monitor my inbox so I'm sorry I've been MIA!

I am a counselor in training, so I'm still in school but will be a master's level counselor in August of this year.

Not too heavy at all friend.

This may be late to the game, but there's a couple of things that stood out to me, you asked if it was okay to have a "breakdown." I think socially we need to move away from criminalizing having hard days or moments of really intense emotions. You're feeling these things for a reason, they're letting you know that something is distressing you. I'd actually encourage you to express those emotions outwardly in a safe way. Crying, yelling at the top of your lungs (in an appropriate setting), moving with those emotions, it helps to move them from your mind and outside to where they have less control over your body.

The reeds sound like almost a ritual approach to catharsis. For many people making something tangible to represent their emotions is an excellent way to process. It slows things down, it allows you to reflect, and it gives you a goal.

Wishing you well!

[carefulcounseling]

Taking your time isn’t the same thing as being behind. Slow isn’t the same thing as being behind. A gentler pace isn’t the same thing as being behind. Not being finished yet isn’t the same thing as being behind. Not knowing or having clarity yet isn’t the same thing as being behind. Not meeting all your life goals by the time you’re 35 isn’t the same thing as being behind. Not having the outward level of success we’ve collectively deemed to be important isn’t the same thing as being behind. When we stop comparing our timelines, our pace, and our progress to anyone else’s, “behind” no longer exists; all that exists is our own unique path. lisa olivera

[carefulcounseling]

Thought for today:

I was reflecting today on some of the goals I have set for myself in the upcoming years... graduate from my Master’s program, find a place that accepts a pre-licensed professional, start making a living wage again, move to the city I want to be in...

The list went on and on. 

I was struck for a few moments by how I wanted all of these things to come true right at this moment. The assumption being if I could just snap my fingers it would all fall directly into place and I’d be able to keep up with the requirements each of those roles placed on me. 

I realized my character would not be able to keep pace with the materialization of those goals at this moment.

We cannot simply wish for things to happen if our character has not been shaped by a deep contentment in the process and without a commitment to consistency along the journey. 

We cannot have our goals without allowing ourselves to grow as humans.

#mental health #business #goals #self care #self improvement #therapy #growth #learning

[carefulcounseling]

I’m back!  Life has been filled with a lot of ups and downs recently. I quit my job, started my internship, and was struggling for a while (self-disclosure). In all of that, the only skill I could remember to use for myself when things felt overwhelming was challenging my negative beliefs.

I would think, “You’re literally going to fail at this internship. You don’t belong here. Give up.”

And my knee jerk reaction was to cry for a moment, hold that belief to my chest, and then stop moving forward. 

That’s dangerous.

No movement at all is worse than moving backward. Because moving backwards means that you took a risk and it didn’t pan out. Stillness will lead to stagnation. 

Today I was struck by this simple formula. It isn’t bullet-proof, it may not work every time... But it’s better than being paralyzed and ceasing to chase dreams.

I hope this is helpful for you today!

- Careful Counseling

#mental health #therapy #self care #self improvement #self love #wellness #cognitions #CBT #counseling #depression #anxiety

[carefulcounseling]

It's been a long time... I have not felt like myself in nearly a year, but today I was required to find some time to rest and really take stock of my emotions and journey. Today was the first day I felt like my words were full, rather than empty. I wrote this today while meditating, and I really trust that some of you may find Hope in this.

#meditative #counseling #coping #journal #self care #self love #therapy #mental health #self improvement #positivity

[carefulcounseling]

While working on human development theories for class, I was struck by this question:

What is the best thing my parents ever taught me as an adolescent?

I know many have different experiences with parents, caregivers, guardians, parent figures and role models, but I wanted to ask you:

What was the greatest thing you learned from your positive caregivers, role models, parents, etc.?

#counseling #therapy #self care #mental health #self improvement #self love #positivity #mentalhealth #relationship #coping #parenting #teen #teenagers

[carefulcounseling]

TW: ED MENTION

Healing from an ED has been singlehandedly the most difficult journey. It's one that is continuous, and it's one that crops up every once in a while.

I often think in terms of "enough"

Am I skinny enough?

Pretty enough?

Personable enough?

Healthy enough?

And on and on.

Tonight it hit me as I was trying to put my thoughts in order:

If I were to answer honestly the question "what about my body is not 'enough'?" right now, the answer would be my heart is not tender enough or compassionate enough towards a body that has accomplished countless things.

Be kind.

Be tender.

#counseling #therapy #self care #self love #mental health #self improvement #coping #mentalhealth #positivity #selfcare #selfimprovement #selfawareness

[carefulcounseling]

DRUMROLL PLEASE!

Follow along with me in the upcoming weeks and months as I give bite-sized updates about various human development theories!

We're starting with Vygotsky vs. Piaget in the learning theories!

As a side note, the best thing/quote I've seen this week:

"we model what we see, and if we follow a model that is healthy we can eventually also address negative thoughts and behaviors by modeling our mindset after healthy patterns."

CBT and Social Learning theory interact in real time!

#counseling #self care #therapy #mental health #self improvement #positivity #relationship #coping #mentalhealth

[carefulcounseling]

I am pursuing clinical psychology next year after I get done with my high school! Can't wait! Any tips?

I am so sorry I missed this! Biggest tip would just be to study and read to actually learn, not just to pass the tests. CrashCourse on YouTube has a ton of great videos on different psychological principles and theories as well. Basically, figure out your learning style early and engage fully with the material. psychology is amazing and wonderful! You're going to do great!

[carefulcounseling]

So I started grad school a few weeks ago and have been absolutely slammed, but I wanted to share this nugget of wisdom from my multicultural counseling book:

When I say it absolutely humbled me, I tell you.

How often have we operated from a space of 'well I've been doing the work, therefore I know enough.'

Or

'well I feel like I have a good enough grasp on different cultures to provide good service to them.'

A gentle reminder today:

The work is never done. Humility is a lifestyle, not an achievement.

#counseling #therapy #self care #self love #mental health #positivity #self improvement #coping #multicultural

[carefulcounseling]

Working towards change is not a mark of weakness, it's a mark of growth. Learning how to better cope with other people and the rest of the world will always be a positive change.

#counseling #therapy #self care #self love #mental health #self improvement #positivity #relationship #mentalhealth #coping

[carefulcounseling]

Taking a step back does not mean failure 👏

Taking a step back means making room to breathe...

To live...

To focus on things you actually want to focus on....

Taking a step back means opening up time to things you really love.

#counseling #self care #therapy #mental health #self love #positivity #self improvement #mentalhealth #relationship #coping #this is how i cope

[carefulcounseling]

If someone had told me a year ago I'd be going back to school and stepping back into the counseling realm, I would have laughed. Not because it was crazy, but because I was afraid to go there.

"do it afraid."

When my boss suggested my dream could be reality, and I expressed uncertainty about it, that's what she told me .

"do it afraid."

Read it, then read it again. I had made a habit of living based off fear, thinking that to pursue something wholeheartedly meant I needed to be certain it would work out.

You don't have to be certain to take those next steps in chasing your dream, and sometimes, you gotta do it afraid and push through the fear of failure.

#counseling #self care #therapy #self love #mental health #self improvement #positivity #school #quotes

[carefulcounseling]

Yet can be a powerful statement. When we include "yet" in our mindset, we make room for the future. We make room for growth. And we make room for self development.

#mental health #counseling #self care #self love #self improvement #positivity #relationship #recovery

[carefulcounseling]

We need to do things that put our souls in a positive space. When we occupy negative or toxic spaces, that wears us down and we are no longer able to hold space for others.

#mentalhealth #counseling #self care #self love #mental health #self improvement #positivity #therapy

[carefulcounseling]

Hold up.

If someone in your life cannot respectfully take constructive feedback and GROW, and they immediately become defensive, it isn’t you. It’s them. You get to decide how you respond to feedback, take a growth mentality where you can.

#relationship #boundaries #self love #self improvement #counseling #mental health #growth