Humans are bio-psycho-social-spiritual beings. I learned this as I attended graduate school online from a Christian university to get my professional counseling degree. Problems and misunderstandings about how to respond to mental health issues often occur when people focus solely on one of the components of biopsychosocialspiritual. My journey towards becoming a therapist began when I was a junior in...[ read more ]

I've worked with people of all ages in my time as a therapist but I especially enjoy working with adolescents and young adults. I am passionate about working with these age groups because 1) I was an adolescent not too long ago 2) those were some of the most difficult years of my life and 3) being a young adult...[ read more ]

There are so many mental health benefits of meditation. Today, I'd like to share about two meditation apps that I've used both personally and in sessions at Panoramic Counseling. Both apps, Calm and Headspace, are user-friendly and can be downloaded for Android and Apple devices. They both offer a limited free version and have comparably-priced subscription plans. Calm Pros: Has...[ read more ]

We all know that mistakes are a normal part of life; however, believing this is often easier said than done. We live in a hyper-competitive world and social media can often create the illusion that we are expected to have flawless lives. In reality, life is messy and it can’t be filtered. My challenge for you (and for myself) throughout...[ read more ]

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 ]

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 ]

I’ve been reading a lot of blogs lately on the topic of minimalism. The definition of minimalism may vary from person-to-person. From my understanding, minimalism is focusing on what is most important and useful to you and getting rid of the excess. This can be applied to the amount of stuff you have, the number of commitments you make, what...[ read more ]