Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch
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By: Rachel Fowler, MS, LPC Everyone, including children, have habits that make anxiety worse—for example, staying up late one night to finish a movie or skipping a meal because we lost track of time in the day. Those examples might have little to no effect at first, but once they become habits, they have significant […]
Everyone, including children, have habits that make anxiety worse—for example, staying up late one night to finish a movie or skipping a meal because we lost track of time in the day. Those examples might have little to no effect at first, but once they become habits, they have significant consequences on your body. Unhealthy habits can increase stress levels in the body and cause chemical imbalances making anxiety worsen. Anxiety can quickly spiral out of control for anyone, especially in children, when paired with unhealthy habits.
Anxiety can present itself in multiple ways in children. Each child’s experience with anxiety is different, and so are the symptoms. Anxiety’s common physical symptoms are shaking/trembling, increased heart rate, stomach pains, rapid breathing, and headaches. Mood-related anxiety symptoms are feeling irritable, tired, and an overall sense of panic or fear.
Dehydration causes increased cortisol levels, the stress hormone, throughout the body. Prolonged levels of cortisol in the body can mimic symptoms of anxiety. High Cortisol levels cause fatigue, increase irritability, and make it difficult to concentrate.
Healthy blood sugar levels are essential to mood stabilization. Like adults, when children skip meals, there is an increased chance of their blood sugar levels dropping. In addition, low blood sugar levels cause irritability, dizziness, shaking, and increased heart rate.
Lack of sleep affects children the same way it affects adults. Not getting enough sleep causes irritability, moodiness, and decreased concentration. All these symptoms are common when discussing anxiety.
These habits and many others make anxiety worse by exaggerating the symptoms commonly related to anxiety. The child’s window of stress tolerance will get smaller. This leads children to feel higher levels of stress and nervousness. Therefore, the child is more likely to act out, show unwanted behaviors, and experience anxiety.
The child and families can benefit from understanding how seemly harmless habits can increase their stress and worsen their anxiety. Therefore, these habits make it more difficult for children to manage their anxiety and complete daily activities. Creating and establishing healthy habits early in life is essential to managing and coping with stress.
Have you noticed your child struggling with habits that make their anxiety worse? If you feel like your child could benefit from counseling and help improve their mental health. Let one of the therapists at The Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide mental health counseling, as well as other mental health services.
If you are ready to lessen your child’s anxiety, one of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide counseling and mental health services. To begin counseling in Katy, TX follow these three steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!
By: Margie Frisco, MA, LPC-Associate Supervised by Melissa Barton MA, LPC-S Having self-confidence as a kid can be tricky! Remember back when you were a kid. Did you experience a situation where another classmate was mean to you? Or remember the old saying of sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never […]
Having self-confidence as a kid can be tricky! Remember back when you were a kid. Did you experience a situation where another classmate was mean to you? Or remember the old saying of sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me…..really? Words can hurt significantly if a child listens to the mean comments and starts to believe them. This blog will go over how you, as a parent, can help your child build confidence.
Daily affirmations have become more popular over the years. But, let us start with defining what a daily affirmation is. It is a statement that someone can say to themselves. It can be helpful for a person to feel better about themselves. Additionally, it can help that person learn how to use positive self-talk. Think of positive self-talk and daily affirmations as a hopeful and “good” expression about yourself TO yourself. See an example below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJs7_rrPaEI
Teaching your children to say nice things to themselves early will help grow that confidence. They learn how to make eye contact, explore their facial expressions, get experience with direct conversations, and most importantly, how to say nice things to themselves. I know it can seem silly, but telling the affirmations in the mirror is helpful. Depending on their age, you can create these affirmations, work together to make them, or check the link below to see some printable cards for your kids.
As parents, we have one of the biggest influences on our child’s life. We can demonstrate or model a specific behavior. Many child therapists agree that children learn by seeing. To help your child grow their confidence, you can show them how. You can model behavior by celebrating a victory in front of them. For example, if you got the promotion you have been working hard to get, do a happy dance and have them join in. Furthermore, if your child has been struggling with school and does well, have them choose (within reason) how to celebrate.
Another way you can model having healthy confidence is using a positive affirmation when you are not feeling your best. For instance, if
someone says something mean about how you look or act, say, “that is ok. I know I am worthy of love.” Or if someone blames you for something you had no control over, say, “I tried my best.” Showing your child how to react when others are not nice can show them how to respond if they experience the same thing.
Now, I know it is easy for me to sit here and say, “oh, just say or do this.” I realize that it can be hard not to react. I completely get it. Emotions, right!?! Even if you respond in a not-so-great way, it is ok. You have the opportunity to have another conversation with your child when you are calm. And then you can both practice what could be a better response. This will help your child learn how to reflect on their behaviors and actions to find ways to improve.
Reflecting on the action shows your child that they can make mistakes. Also, it allows your child to see what actions they can take. And you are there to help them critically think. Most kids under twelve do not have analytical thinking completely working. You can step in, help them think through the options, and find which action is best for them.
I understand that sometimes the best option might be something new. As the parent, you can feed their confidence by saying they can do it. Moreover, you can practice or try new things with them.
For instance, if you reflect and the new action is talking to someone new. You can set up their stuffed toy animals and practice how to introduce themselves. This might feel silly, but it can be a helpful teaching aid with your children, create a fun memory, and teach them to come to you with difficult situations.
If you are ready to help build confidence in your child or children, one of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide counseling and mental health services. To begin counseling in Katy, TX follow these three steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!
By: Julie Sekachev, M, Ed., LPC Associate Do you struggle with getting organized for back to school? Does going back to school or college seem overwhelming? Do you struggle to stay organized and have a hard time finishing tasks? Clutter can leave you drained. Being organized is a skill that is developed through healthy habits. […]
Do you struggle with getting organized for back to school? Does going back to school or college seem overwhelming? Do you struggle to stay organized and have a hard time finishing tasks? Clutter can leave you drained.
Being organized is a skill that is developed through healthy habits. However, the most important thing to keep in mind when organizing your environment is effort and commitment. Read below for ways to get rid of the overwhelm and organize your space.
First and foremost, start with a clean slate. Clean off your desk and begin to add items that you actually use. Same with your closet or any other area in your room. Having fewer things means you will enjoy the things you own. Donate, sell, or recycle items that are no longer serving you.
Also, when studying or doing any task that requires concentration keep your desk clean and clutter-free. Keep only the assignment or task on your desk you are currently working on to stay focused and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Third, label makers are great tools that can help you organize binders or different drawers in your dorm or room. You are more likely to put an item back in its place if it has a name.
Additionally, If you need to get your homework assignments and project deadlines organized invest in a bullet journal or a time block planner. You can get a free PDF here. Time blocking helps you decide your priorities of the day and get more accomplished vs. to-do lists that do not have time-bound deadlines.
To make things easier, create a list of things that need to be done in each room. Then, commit to cleaning one room at a time, and when you’re finished, close the door and move on to the next space. Closing the door to a cleaned room will psychologically give you a sense of accomplishment and motivation for the next room.
Also, you can set a timer and see how much you can clean in 15 minutes.
Create a friendly competition with family members or roommates to see who can clean the fastest.
Put in the effort to put things back in their place- doing this will save you time and energy next time you are looking for missing assignments, homework, or keys.
Additionally, if you are looking for a system, check out the KonMari method which features a minimalist approach to tackle organizing by category versus room by room. Check out her method here.
Organization can help you gain a sense of control, accomplishment, and pride over your work and environment. More often than not, organization leads to higher efficiency in accomplishing day-to-day chores and projects. As a result, if you can create a system to stay organized, whether decluttering regularly or committing to finishing assignments the day you intended, you will actually gain more time to spend with friends or doing other things you enjoy. For this reason, I want to encourage you this coming school year to make a commitment to yourself and begin! Your future self will thank you.
If you are having trouble getting organized and would like to feel less overwhelmed, the therapists at The Center at Cinco Ranch can help! To begin counseling in Katy, TX follow these steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!
By: Margie Frisco MA, LPC Associate Supervised by Melissa Barton MA, LPC-S A child might need therapy. Why will therapy help the child? What are the benefits of treatment versus letting the child figure it out? Here we will discuss the why. Kids can benefit from therapy in so many ways. They can learn about […]
A child might need therapy. Why will therapy help the child? What are the benefits of treatment versus letting the child figure it out? Here we will discuss the why.
Kids can benefit from therapy in so many ways. They can learn about emotions, what they are, how to recognize them, and what to do with them. Furthermore, they can learn to maintain relationships and advocate for themselves early. Therapy is a safe space for your child to explore their emotions healthily. Many of us parents wish we could have had more practice at those before we got to the real world.
Children can learn new things every day! Children learn mainly by what they see. So since emotions are not something we can see sometimes, they can be hard to understand.
When learning emotions, therapy helps understand that emotions can look different in different people. For example, some cry when they are sad while others do not talk. Anger is another emotion that can look so different for each person. Some yell, while others shut down. Giving your child the tools to better recognize emotions in others can be extremely helpful in their development.
Therapy also teaches children what an emotion feels like in our bodies. For instance, does the emotion give us a headache or a funny feeling in our tummy? Once we recognize the feeling, therapy helps children decide what to do with their feelings. At the Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer printable options to help your child learn healthy ways to handle their emotions.
Therapy can help teach children to express their feelings healthily. Healthy feelings expression means we review why holding onto the emotion can be hurtful. Also, we talk about what could stop them from communicating how they feel. It can be scary, even for adults, to say how we feel. Defining why we have difficulty speaking up can help address how to make it easier.
We teach them through games and even practicing how to describe how we feel. Some parents might remember a saying, “It is not what you say. It is how you say it.” We practice what to say, how to say it, and even body language. Practicing what to say can help the child be more open about their feelings and needs.
For some children, making new friends or keeping friendships can be tricky. We discuss what stops the child from talking to new people in therapy. We address those reasons and thought processes to help them see past the barrier.
Furthermore, we talk about what makes a friend a good friend and what makes a not-so-good friend a not-so-good friend. Letting the child decide if they want to keep a friend or if they want to find a new friend can be empowering!
If you want more help with your child, one of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! To begin counseling in Katy, Texas, follow these three steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. Please reach out to the Counseling Center today to learn more about our therapists and counseling services!
By: Julie Sekachev, M.Ed, LPC Associate Supervised by Melissa Barton, MA, LPC-S Do you have a child that struggles with separation anxiety? Do you have a partner that is out of town frequently? Are you planning to be away from your child for some time? Are you not sure how to prepare them for the […]
By: Julie Sekachev, M.Ed, LPC AssociateDo you have a child that struggles with separation anxiety? Do you have a partner that is out of town frequently? Are you planning to be away from your child for some time? Are you not sure how to prepare them for the separation? Whether you are in a military family, where separation is frequent, or travel for work, this blog can help you navigate the stress of separation. Separation anxiety is normal for young children. We are hard-wired to depend on attachment figures for survival. Separation anxiety can look like excessive fear or worry that the attachment figure may not return or feel anxious or afraid that an unexpected adverse event may happen. A child may cling to their parents excessively, refuse to go to sleep without the attachment figure, and can experience physical symptoms such as headaches, vomiting, and nausea.
If you are traveling for work, change how you define the event. Instead of looking at a time away as an adverse event, for example, saying, “My work is making me go out of town,” changing it to “I get to help others, learn a new skill, solve a hard problem, etc.” Talk to your child about the meaning behind your work if you are going on a work trip. You can learn more with your child about the food, culture, or what kids like to do for fun in that location, and even find videos online to watch together.
There are many fun ways to countdown the days for the parent’s return. You could make a DIY count-down calendar until the day the parents return or make a collage of the places they have traveled, even have a candy jar for the days they are gone, and eat one a day until the reunion.
You can get more ideas here.
Make a routine for when you will talk to your child while away and keep it consistent. Creating structure adds a degree of predictability for your child and allows them to know what to expect. Many apps for traveling parents can ease separation anxiety and help share pictures and updates.
There are many different books available with a recording option. That way, they can read it while you’re away with your voice, or you can make a video of you cooking or making their favorite dish together. The idea is something that they can replay that can help them feel connected to you.
Practice breathing exercises with your child together. Depending on your child’s age, you can practice blowing bubbles, having the child pretend to blow out candles on their fingertips, or practice deep breathing by breathing in through the nose, holding 3 seconds, and breathing out through the mouth for 3 seconds.
If you are ready to help your child find ways to cope with separation anxiety, the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide individual and family counseling and other mental health services. To begin counseling in Katy, TX, follow these three steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, Counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!
By: Julie Sekachev, M.Ed, LPC Associate Supervised by Melissa Barton, MA, LPC-S Have you ever wondered if you would benefit from meditation or being more mindful, but don’t know where to start? Do you ever have racing thoughts that won’t go away? Maybe you finally settled in for the night, and suddenly visions of dread […]
Have you ever wondered if you would benefit from meditation or being more mindful, but don’t know where to start? Do you ever have racing thoughts that won’t go away? Maybe you finally settled in for the night, and suddenly visions of dread about the day ahead or past events creep in. You try your best to redirect your thoughts, but you can’t seem to find peace no matter how hard you try. Maybe you’ve heard of meditation or mindfulness before but had little success with it. Perhaps meditation worked for a while, but you found it hard to stick with it. This blog will look at five easy ways to get started with mindfulness meditation to help you deal with anxious thoughts and regain peace of mind.
Mindfulness means being present and aware of our recent experiences. When we are mindful, we fully pay attention to the present moment. Usually, when we are anxious, we think about the future or the past, therefore escaping the present moment. Being mindful means, we are willing to allow experiences to come as they are, without the urge to judge or change them. We can change our responses to the situation through mindfulness meditation instead of changing the events.
Find a quiet spot where you can be undisturbed for 20 minutes. Close your eyes, find a comfortable position, and do a quick body scan. Check to see if you feel any discomfort or tightness in the body. If you are feeling anxious or worried, acknowledge those feelings as well. Be present with the feelings and sensations that arise and let them be. Let go of the urge to figure out why you feel them.
Bring your attention to your breath. Where do you feel your breath the most? In your chest, your nose, your stomach? You can count the breaths as they come in and out. If you find your mind wandering, gently bring it back to your breath. Practice deep, diaphragm breathing. You can start by breathing in for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 4 seconds, and breathing out for 8 seconds.
Riding the wave is a technique you can use as your anxious feelings arise. The idea is that you do not need to banish or change your negative feelings but instead practice “surfing your emotions.” Like a surfer does not fight the ocean wave but moves with it, you can proceed with a wave of emotion to its natural conclusion. As thoughts or feelings of anxiety arise, practice fully accepting them. Our natural inclination may be to distract ourselves, control, or escape this unpleasant state. Part of mindfulness meditation is to allow emotions to rise and fall and observe. Remember that this feeling is temporary, and just like a wave, it will peak and decline.
This mindfulness technique can help you calm your mind when you are stressed out or overthinking. This technique grounds you in the present moment by engaging your senses and breathing. To practice this, take deep breaths and name five things you can see nearby; four things you can touch; three you can hear; two you can smell; and one you can taste. By practicing engaging with our senses, we can be more grounded in the present moment.
A warm bath or shower can be a perfect place to practice meditation. Bring your attention to your breath, and visualize the water washing away stress or anxiety. To enhance the experience, you can add essential oils such as lavender or eucalyptus to a diffuser or use scented candles to remind you to engage your senses. You can combine all the other techniques as you are doing this one as part of your night or morning routine, or pick your favorite one and begin there.
The key is to practice meditation regularly or incorporate it as part of your morning or evening routine. With regular practice, you can start to reduce stress and anxiety. To learn more about the benefits of meditation, click here.
If you would like more help getting started with mindfulness, meditation, or anxiety therapy, one of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! To begin counseling in Katy Texas, follow these three steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!
By: Carey Robey, MS, LPC, NCC Would you like to know how to challenge and change your negative thinking patterns? Learning how to challenge your negative thoughts is a skill that can help you decrease anxiety and have lasting effects on your overall mental health. How you can change negative thinking patterns: Changing negative thinking […]
By: Carey Robey, MS, LPC, NCCWould you like to know how to challenge and change your negative thinking patterns? Learning how to challenge your negative thoughts is a skill that can help you decrease anxiety and have lasting effects on your overall mental health.
Changing negative thinking patterns can be done by using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Many of my clients know of CBT but are new to the idea of cognitive distortions. Cognitive distortions are exaggerated ways of thinking that are not based on fact, leading us to have a much more negative perception of things than what is reality. Cognitive distortions tend to be worse when feeling down, stressed, or already struggling with depression or anxiety. In therapy, we work on identifying these negative or intrusive thoughts and learn how to counter and change them.
Because our thoughts dictate our mood and our actions, it is essential that we do not stay in a place where ideas are irrationally negative or not consistent with reality. Working on reversing cognitive distortions is a vast part of CBT. One can learn to master the skills of challenging thoughts so much so that eventually, it becomes like second nature. Though everyone engages in distorted thinking habits, individuals might have developed more particular patterns that they engage in often. Some common distortions are jumping to conclusions, mind reading, catastrophizing, and filtering. Once you can identify such negative thinking patterns, the easier it will be to work on engaging in more constructive thinking habits.
Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, you will learn to recognize and identify thoughts so you may begin engaging in questioning them. Questioning can be helpful in several ways depending on your thinking habits; you will learn how to look for evidence for and against your thought, consider different perspectives, and analyze how you came to the assumption, to begin with.
This is a tool a therapist can help you develop, so you may use this as a coping skill on your own in the hopes of one day changing those distorted patterns into healthier ones. If you are seeking help in turning around negative thinking, consider therapy to learn skills on challenging thoughts so you may have long-term benefits on your mental well-being.
If you are ready to find out more information regarding changing your negative thinking patterns, the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! To begin counseling in Katy Texas, follow these three steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!
By: Ally Hoffman MA, LPC Associate Supervised by Melissa Barton MA, LPC-S Looking to find anxiety and stress relief during these times? Have you been procrastinating on doing your spring cleaning? If you have not already partaken in this annual purge, now may be a good time! It seems like many people have taken advantage […]
By: Ally Hoffman MA, LPC AssociateLooking to find anxiety and stress relief during these times? Have you been procrastinating on doing your spring cleaning? If you have not already partaken in this annual purge, now may be a good time! It seems like many people have taken advantage of their extra time at home working on organizing and cleaning out. If you haven’t, keep reading about how this can help you ease stress and increase self-care and healthy habits. Taking some time to tend to the clutter in your life is a great way to ease some unnecessary anxiety.
There are many benefits to cleaning out your home. Our living spaces should be our own personal oasis; having a clean home can reduce stress, improve sleep, and make us more productive! The physical act of cleaning can be a great way to de-stress and turn your mind off for a bit. We can distract ourselves for a little while by focusing on mindless tasks such as cleaning dishes or wiping down counters or distract ourselves by cleaning out a junk drawer, closet, or pantry.
Cleaning can also be good for your physical health; for example, regularly cleaning and tidying your home can reduce dust and other triggers for your allergies. Cleaning can also lead to feelings of accomplishment; though you might not always enjoy actually completing the task of de-cluttering or cleaning, that feeling of satisfaction afterward makes the chore totally worth it. Keeping things cleaner can also encourage you to engage in other positive habits, such as better sleep hygiene, healthy eating, and self-care.
It may be a good time to consider cleaning out some of that internal clutter while you’re at it. Often, we need to let go of other things that are affecting our mental health. Consider reevaluating toxic relationships, unhealthy coping skills, and negative thinking patterns. Many times, we get stuck in our bad habits and forget that there is something we can do about it. Take some time for yourself and consider what other things may need moving on with.
Are you still talking to that person in your life who always brings you down or engaging in activities that may provide short-term relief, but in actuality, are not really alleviating your stress and anxiety? This is a great time to check those habits and chuck them if necessary. So, pick up something new and healthy instead. Spring cleaning does not have to be just about the items in your closet or garage. Make sure that you are doing away with negativity in all aspects of your life. Do some weeding so that you can blossom! Tree blossoming in the springtime represents clear mental health and new healthy habits.
Though we often hear about “Spring” cleaning, it is important that we are consistently checking with ourselves if there are things we can weed out, whether it be those clothes you haven’t worn in five years, or that one coping skill that you know is not good for you – don’t be afraid to let go. This is a huge part of self-care and you deserve to have a clutter-free life. I hope that you find this will reduce your stress and anxiety and provide a tranquil space and peace of mind. Stay safe and happy cleaning!
If you are ready to talk about your anxiety, and ways to cope, one of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide counseling and mental health services. To begin counseling in Katy, TX follow these three steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!
By: Margie Frisco, MA Supervised by Melissa Barton, MA, LPC-S If you have a child in Middle School, a therapy group can be an impactful way for your child to learn various skills. For instance, do you remember what it was like to be a middle schooler? It was the time in most of our […]
By: Margie Frisco, MA
Supervised by Melissa Barton, MA, LPC-S
If you have a child in Middle School, a therapy group can be an impactful way for your child to learn various skills. For instance, do you remember what it was like to be a middle schooler? It was the time in most of our lives that our friend’s opinions and behaviors began to influence us the most. We start to transition to connect more with our peers. The transition from fifth grade to middle school is one of the kids’ most challenging transitions.
If we can make it a little easier, it can make the parents’ lives easier. Group therapy can be a way to help. It gives our kids a space to feel and express their emotions with their peers. Expression at the Center is encouraged in a room that does not feel like school. Therefore, expressoin is inspired by acting out situations, drawing/coloring, talking, and playing games. Below is a list of common topics discussed within the Middle School therapy group.
Undoubtedly, healthy communication skills are imperative. Furthermore, some forms of communication are better and more beneficial than others. For example, you cannot communicate effectively with another person while feeling outraged. Moreover, we would practice different ways to display depending on the situation. This week we will review various forms of communication.
It is a natural event for individuals to have random thoughts. How many times have we thought we knew what others were thinking? For instance, what if you caught someone looking at you. Could they just be looking in your direction? Or could they be thinking something nice about you? The reality is we genuinely do not know what others are thinking. It can be easier to assume we know what they are thinking.
Everyone experiences stress. We begin by noticing how anxiety manifests for each person to address it. For some individuals, anxiety can display in the body as headaches, stomach aches, or body pains. Keep in mind some individuals are better at managing their symptoms than others.
It is essential to discover where the pressure starts when trying to understand anxiety. Understanding the increase, why it occurs, and recognizing it allows us to address it before it becomes overwhelming. Identifying the lowest form of tension in the body can help pinpoint pressure.
Recognizing emotions can benefit middle schoolers by teaching them to identify the feeling, ask if they are unsure, and react appropriately. Emotions can look different for each person. For instance, some people cry when they are sad. Others might become very quiet when low. Neither action is “wrong,” but noticing that both individuals are unhappy can be helpful.
Emotion regulation means being able to help bring heightened emotions back down to an average level. This can be done by adding healthy coping skills. We focus on helping you recognize your feelings, learn to calm down, and return to a regulated place.
Coping skills can help make an overwhelming feeling more manageable. Keep in mind there are healthy and unhealthy coping skills. To differentiate, healthy versus unhealthy coping skills are covered during this week. Furthermore, how and when to implement the skills.
The relationship does not have to be just romantic. Identifying the impact of relationships can help recognize healthy and beneficial friendships to keep. This week, we look at the closest relationships in our lives and recognize abusive tendencies within a relationship.
If you would like to talk more about Middle School Group therapy, one of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help!
We provide couple’s counseling, as well as other mental health services. To begin
couples counseling in Katy, TX, follow these three steps:
Other Therapy Services We Offer:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!
How social media affects your mental health is a question we should all be asking ourselves. Checking my social media has become as important as checking my emails. It’s a daily thing, and it is useful. But is there a point where social media is unhelpful, or even harmful? Increasingly, research is saying that there […]
How social media affects your mental health is a question we should all be asking ourselves. Checking my social media has become as important as checking my emails. It’s a daily thing, and it is useful. But is there a point where social media is unhelpful, or even harmful? Increasingly, research is saying that there is a destructive side to social media use that can impact our mental health.
Our mood and style of thinking work together. Sometimes for our benefit, and sometimes against us. One key hallmark of depression is hopelessness. There is no point, even to things that once made us happy. This style of thinking is thought to be influenced by neurobiological states that are commonly observed in depressed individuals. For instance, when thoughts are heavily biased towards negative, hopeless themes, people report feeling less able to work, engage in healthy relationships and take care of their physical needs.
Social media encourages comparison. However, not always healthy, realistic comparisons. All we see are people looking happy, doing great stuff or seeming very successful. It can feel like this is reality. That everyone is happy and finding success easily.
What we don’t see are the hidden truths. The photoshop edits, the failures, the crippling self doubt. But what if we did? People may experience less depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. A 2015 study found that 67% of young people questioned felt worse about their lives because of social media. Read more on the study here https://www.healio.com/news/psychiatry/20201005/social-media-use-may-play-important-role-in-youth-suicide-expert-says
In anxiety, the thought patterns activate the threat centers of our brain. This threat kicks off a chain reaction of physical and psychological events that we experience as anxiety or panic. Anxiety is often linked to the idea that something bad will happen. The feelings it creates in our bodies are the same kinds of feelings we would get if we were being chased by a tiger in the jungle. Only now there is no tiger. Instead, the threat is that we are not enough, we are not liked, we might fail, we might be rejected.
Moreover, social media provides a ready source for lots of things to worry about. As well as a trigger for the kinds of perfectionistic tendencies that regularly mess with our mental health. Read more about perfectionism here https://cincoranchcounseling.com/the-price-of-perfectionism-and-4-ways-to-set-yourself-free/ Social media is also a way to escape, avoid and numb feelings. Getting drawn into endless scrolling can be a way to temporarily calm the anxiety. Unfortunately, this escape strategy only makes the anxiety worse in the long run (see the last section of this blog for more on this topic).
Eating Disorders and Body ImageSocial media is a prime platform for diet culture to infiltrate your mind. From being sold quick fixes like diet teas, detox plans and supplements to workout routines from so-called professionals that promise the impossible. It is very challenging to remember while scrolling that much of what we see is contrived with lighting and angles, digital perfected, filtered or even flat-out fake. It’s no surprise that people struggling with an eating disorder are likely to be negatively affected by the information flowing to them through their feed. Read more on how social media influences eating disorders here https://clementineprograms.com/social-media-trigger-eating-disorder/
However, our friends with eating disorders are not the only ones suffering. A study by FHE Health found that 87% of women and 65% of men compare their bodies to the bodies they see on social media. And of those, 50% of women and 36% of men rated their bodies less favorably than the social media bodies. Read more on this study here https://fherehab.com/news/bodypositive/
All this comparison is unhealthy. It is unfair to what our bodies really are and how real bodies look. Many people are drawn into the diet culture and compare. The result? Often poor eating habits, mood problems, unhealthy relationships with food and weight gain.
Technology AddictionThe world can be a tough and confusing place. Our phones and social media provide an escape. When we feel anxious, our bodies will drive us to things that help numb, distract and escape. For example, some might escape through alcohol, food or shopping. Things that give a quick hit of nice feelings. We want to feel better, but without dealing with the anxiety itself, we become hooked on the quick hit of nice feelings.
Furthermore, social media, technology and smartphones can work in this same way. Rather than talk to others, be alone with our thoughts or deal with a difficult issue we’re facing we can scroll away, get drawn into the pictures, sounds and excitement of someone else, something else. In the long run, the quick hit of nice feelings becomes a problem in itself to overcome.
Is social media not the fun thing it use to be? Try these 3 approaches to rebalance your relationship with it:
Firstly, is seeing the stranger you follow with the impossibly thin waist and perfect round glutes making you feel better or worse? It’s not inspiration if it doesn’t leave you feeling hopeful, alive and worthy. Be brave enough to mute or unfollow. Good news is that not every page or influencer is about shaming and unrealistic standards. So, seek out the pages of people who are giving healthy messages. Not the quick fixes, body shame or starvation.
Secondly, take some time to be in the world, without a screen between you and everything. Leave the phone in your bag, pocket or even at home sometimes. It’s usually a healthy step to limit the amount of time spent on social media, particularly if your mood is struggling. Set yourself time limits. Use your phone’s timer to introduce balance.
Finally, ask yourself why! Understanding why you scroll is a valuable skill and a great step to a healthier relationship with social media. Are you bored? Procrastinating? Lonely? Is there something you’re looking for? Are you feeling relaxed or tense? Be more in tune with your motivations for scrolling. This will help you set new intentions leading to better mental health and wellness.
Are you ready to feel like your best self? The therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide counseling for kids, adults, couples, and groups. To begin counseling in Katy, TX, follow these three steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch we offer counseling services in areas including: counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to regularly post blogs. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and our counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!