After being diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder years ago, it took me a very long time to find any positives to such a condition. Nowadays, I embrace that I'm designed differently and that having anxiety doesn't mean that I'm broken. Here are some lessons that anxiety taught me. Flexibility If I had a nickname, it would probably be Mr. Routine....[ read more ]
Social media, like anything else we consume, has its pros and cons. Pros: Apps such as Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat allow us to keep up with friends, network, and promote businesses; for example, I use Facebook groups to network with other therapists and to receive referrals for new clients. These apps also help families separated by distance to stay connected....[ read more ]
Most of you have probably taken some form of personality test throughout your life. I've taken a ton; in fact, I recall a handful of job applications that had a variation of personality test on them. Personality tests are cool because they help us gain a better awareness of ourselves and how we operate in the world. My favorite of...[ read more ]
What is trauma bonding? This phenomenon is more commonly known as Stockholm Syndrome. Trauma bonding occurs when a victim caught in the abuse cycle becomes dependent on their abuser physically, psychologically, and socially, making it more difficult to escape the abuse as time goes on. As a therapist, I have done research on the abuse cycle because to me, it’s...[ read more ]
I wrote this post a year ago on Father’s Day on my personal blog. Given that it’s still relevant, I am sharing it here, as I know for many, Father’s Day carries with it a lot of pain and brokenness. I kept the post in present tense. *** Prior to getting married last year, I didn’t give much thought to...[ read more ]
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Last week, I found myself reflecting back to my earliest memories of mental illness. The first instance that came to mind probably occurred when I was around 11-years-old. My mother was dating the man that would later become her husband. Brian had a son a few years younger than me and I remember my...[ read more ]
For this last post for Counseling Awareness Month, I'm excited to share a book review of Samuel Pollen's The Year I Didn't Eat. What is the book about? Max is a 14-year old in the 9th grade. He has friends, a supportive family, and a dog. But a year ago, someone disrupted life as he knew it. Her name is...[ read more ]
For today's Counseling Awareness Month post, I am excited to share my interview with award-winning author, Laleh Chini. Laleh is the author of Climbing Over Grit, which has recently won The Canada Book Award. Before we get into the interview, I'd like to share a brief summary of the book, as I've had the pleasure of reading it. Climbing Over...[ read more ]
For today's Counseling Awareness Month post, I'm excited to share an interview that I did with Shalanda Jackson, LCSW. Shalanda is the owner of J Group Counseling Services, a private practice for psychotherapy where she offers individual counseling and group counseling. I understand that you do group therapy for anger management. Tell the readers about what that group is like...[ read more ]
For today’s Counseling Awareness Month post, I am sharing a guest post that I did for Mental Health at Home about play therapy. Check it out! https://mentalhealthathome.org/2019/04/22/emerging-blogger-series-johnzelle/ If you enjoyed this content, feel free to buy me a coffee to support the blog and podcast. Be sure to sign up for my email list, to receive new articles and podcast episodes direct to...[ read more ]