Why Young Therapists Deserve A Chance

Young therapists collaborating

Countless sources identify the therapeutic relationship between therapists and clients as the primary influencing factor related to therapeutic success. In other words, the relationship you have with your therapist directly impacts the changes and outcomes you experience from therapy. Selecting a therapist is an important decision in helping you reach the growth and change you desire.  In today’s blog, I want to highlight one consideration many people have when choosing a therapist—AGE. It is common in the selection of a therapist for people to dismiss a potentially helpful therapist simply based on how young the therapist appears. Age-related assumptions often prematurely disqualify young therapists who have insight, expertise, and perspective to share.  As I uncover some common age-related assumptions about...

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Let’s Talk About Attachment Theory: Attachment Styles

Attachment styles and forming relationships

In our previous blog, we started an exploration of attachment theory. I gave a very brief overview of the origins of attachment theory and introduced the notion that attachment styles act as interpretative lenses through which we view our relationships.  Today we are going to unpack each attachment style in more depth. For each of the attachment styles, we will explore its development, core beliefs, and common characteristics.  Secure Attachment Style According to The Attachment Project, the secure attachment style is the most common type of attachment in western society—suggesting approximately 66% of the U.S. population is securely attached.  Secure attachment is the aim of healthy relationships.  Development  All infants are born with innate needs that they cannot satisfy on...

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Why Premarital Counseling Should Be In Your Wedding Budget

premarital counseling

According to a CNN report published in June of 2023, the national average wedding cost was $29,000. Wedding vendors are expected to increase their prices to meet economic demands, causing the overall cost of weddings to rise in 2024.  If you or someone you know is engaged and preparing for marriage, consider the value premarital counseling can have on the marriage beyond the wedding day. I’m not saying that the other expenses involved in planning a wedding are frivolous—my husband and I don’t regret the things we chose to invest in for our big day.  What I am saying is that allocating a portion of funds toward premarital counseling is an investment worth making during your engagement season! Premarital counseling...

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Courageous Beginnings: 10 Reasons to Start Therapy Today

New Beginnings

Do I need therapy? How can therapy help me?  If you’ve ever asked these questions, you’re not alone. Therapy is one of those words with many preconceived ideas attached to it. Some think therapy is only for people with severe mental health diagnoses. Others think therapy is only for crises or processing major life events. And some think therapy is a sign of weakness. I hope to offer some brief thoughts on the value of therapy, and some reasons to start therapy today. “There will be moments when you bloom fully and then wilt, only to bloom again. If we can learn anything from flowers it is that resilience is born even when we feel like we are dying.” These...

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What Type of Therapy Are You Looking For?

therapy

Whenever I have a potential client referral reach out, it’s important to me to screen them to ensure I am the right fit for the person.  Sometimes I will ask questions, such as “What is bringing you to therapy?”, “What style of therapy are you hoping for?”, and “What are you hoping to work on?”  These questions help me quickly see if I may or may not be a quality match for the client. Why is this so important?  There are so many different types and styles of therapy!  Sometimes what a client is looking for is not a great match for my style.  And that’s okay! Today I’m going to talk about some of the personal styles of therapy...

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How to Survive the Highs and Lows of Therapy

therapy

If you’ve ever been to therapy, you know that sometimes it can be a bit of an emotional roller coaster.  Therapy can start off really good, but it can quickly take a nosedive.  Sometimes you feel relief, and then it turns to pain and grief. If you’ve not been to therapy before, consider yourself warned.  This isn’t meant to deter you from starting, but rather to be completely transparent about what therapy is and isn’t, and to give you realistic expectations. I once had a client come in for three sessions, and leave feeling on top of the world.  She would email me, and say things like, “This is wonderful, I feel so great, and I can’t believe I didn’t...

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Why I Think You Should Start Therapy this Year

Therapy

Happy New Year from Journey to Joy Counseling! Are you one of those people that sets goals for the New Year?  I’m not talking about just making New Year's resolutions, but setting actual goals.  A resolution is only a desire to do or not do something.  Resolutions, while good in theory, don’t usually (statistically) work out.  According to Forbes, around 8% of New Year’s resolutions are actually achieved.   That means 92% fail! Setting goals can help you hone in on a specific achievement.  Goals represent ambition, and they are dreams.  They create direction and guide us to the desired outcome.  Goals often bring along permanent changes.  Goals are often more likely to be achieved than just resolutions. This New Year,...

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6 Ways We Are Perpetuating the Mental Health Stigma

Mental health

Although we’ve made a TON of progress around the stigma of mental health, we still have a lot more work to do. Today I’m going to talk about some of the most common things I hear from people who are resistant to therapy and treatment.  My hope is that if you have ever said any of these things, that you will reconsider taking care of your mental and emotional health.  It’s imperative that we stop the stigma so that those who need help can get it….without fear of condemnation, shame, or judgment. “I must be crazy to go to therapy” Contrary to popular belief, the people who walk through my door for counseling are not crazy.  In fact, many of...

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What to do When Therapy Sucks

therapy

If you’ve ever been to therapy, you probably know it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.  Sure, there are many sessions that are productive and very positive.  But oftentimes there are sessions that are painful, raw, and emotional.  Today I’m going to focus on those sessions, why they occur, and what to do if you experience one. If you’ve never been to therapy but are contemplating it, I want to be honest with you: Sometimes therapy sucks.  That’s just the plain truth.  That is not meant to discourage you in any way from starting, but rather to give you a realistic view of what to expect.  My hope is that you will understand that the investment is yourself is worth any...

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Anxiety about the First Counseling Appointment: What You Need to Know

counseling

It’s common to have anxiety and nervousness about your first counseling appointment.  Even if you’ve been to counseling before and you’re restarting again, there are still a lot of unknowns.  My goal is that this blog will help alleviate some of the anxiety, as well as answer some questions you may have. What can I expect when I walk through the door? My hope is that the moment you walk in the door, you instantly feel relaxed and can unwind.  Our waiting room is quiet, relaxing, and spa-like.  Grab a cup of coffee or tea, and find a magazine or book to read.  Your therapist will be out to greet you shortly. Please come prepared Make sure you’ve brought the...

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