Recently, my wife asked me if I had ever heard of PANDAS. Since I hadn’t, I began to do some research on the topic and I thought I’d share some of what I learned with you. PANDAS/PANS PANDAS stands for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infections. As the name suggests, it’s a neurocognitive condition that seems to be...[ read more ]
To continue with Counseling Awareness Month, I was excited to interview Dr. Lakesha Roney, LPC. She is currently the clinical coordinator at The Health Brigade, which is a local free clinic that offers a ton of great services to the underserved. In addition, Dr. Roney runs a group practice for psychotherapy, Inner Self Counseling & Consulting. Dr. Roney is the...[ read more ]
Today, I’m excited to share the insights that I gained from my interview with Mark Loewen, therapist and owner of Launchpad Counseling in Richmond, Virginia. Mark is a husband, father, and licensed professional counselor (LPC) who specializes in working with LGBTQIA+ adults. Mark, talk about the resurgence of homophobia and feelings of being unsafe in a post-Trump world. “The political...[ read more ]
As technology continues to evolve, so do the services that professional counselors can provide. Telehealth or online therapy can vary depending on which platform your therapist uses. There are services that offer secure video sessions similar to a Skype call (with encryption to protect your privacy, of course). Other services enable clients to text or call their therapist. But how...[ read more ]
Since April is Counseling Awareness Month, I thought this would be a great time to talk about what counseling is, how it can help, and who provides it. A few terms used to describe counselors include therapist, psychotherapist, or “shrink,” but what is counseling? In essence, counseling or therapy is a therapeutic relationship in which a mental health professional helps...[ read more ]
Today, I want to share about a product I’ve been using to help manage my anxiety disorder. It’s worth noting that I am using this product in addition to other mental health interventions. Bach Rescue Remedy is considered homeopathic, which is alternative medicine. It is all natural, vegan, and gluten-free. Ingredients/ uses My review If you keep up with my...[ read more ]
Today, I’ll share some things that I’ve been doing recently to support my mental health. I’ve been in a very transitional season of life. I was laid off at the end of December and have been going through the hectic process of starting my business. I finished my counseling residency in January and passed my state licensure exam earlier this...[ read more ]
I’m amazed at how prevalent my issues with body image and weight management continue to be… In 2019… 8 years after I lost about 100 lbs in 11 months time. Welcome to my struggle. Before the transformation I was always overweight growing up. I had very little understanding about food, calories, and how physical activity is required to offset the...[ read more ]
At the age of 26, I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve never lost a person who I’ve been close to. I was there to help my mom when her husband died suddenly of a heart attack in 2017. I’m also a therapist, so I’ve worked with many clients who are struggling with grief. It wasn’t until I suffered my own...[ read more ]
Let’s take a minute to imagine the inner workings of the anxious mind: fears, an overactive fight-or-flight response, racing thoughts, and much more. As someone living with an anxiety disorder, these are all thoughts, behaviors, and feelings that I experience on an almost daily basis. List making is a skill that I’ve used in my own life to help manage...[ read more ]