Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch
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By: Ally Hoffman, MA, LPC Associate Supervised by Melissa Barton, MA, LPC-S Spring Cleaning in the mental health world takes on a whole new meaning. Typically, spring is when we all start checking in to see if we have followed through with our new year’s resolutions and begin reminding ourselves that it is okay to […]
Spring Cleaning in the mental health world takes on a whole new meaning. Typically, spring is when we all start checking in to see if we have followed through with our new year’s resolutions and begin reminding ourselves that it is okay to begin anew by cleaning our homes! This spring, we encourage you to shift your perspective by turning inward, focusing on cleansing your mind, body, and soul! This can include scrubbing the baseboards, washing drapes, cleaning windows, etc.
Beginning with a clean slate can seem somewhat intimidating! Contrary to popular belief, cleansing does NOT require a complete overhaul of all you have known. The spring cleaning we are talking about includes making minor edits that create BIG change – like a ripple effect. If there is one thing that we have all learned along the way, we rarely find significant shifts happen overnight. I tell my clients it is crucial to work with ourselves instead of against ourselves throughout the therapeutic process. For instance, if we know that we work better off based on receiving rewards, why do we continue to reinforce ourselves with punishments? That being the case, it is essential to adjust our expectations and show ourselves grace along the way!
Specifically, clients will ask me, “where do I start?” when they begin their healing journeys. My first point of reference often describes that our physical space is very representative of our mental space. In suggesting this, clients take a moment to reflect on the visuals that they see most frequently: their cars, their workspaces, their bedrooms, etcetera. By reducing the amount of clutter in your immediate space, you can reduce the chaos in your mind. Further, finding a practice that allows you to let go of unwanted troubles in your life. For example, we spend a lot of time and energy online, and considering the source, tone, and content involved in the accounts we follow can significantly impact our mental health. Unfollowing or unsubscribing to media that disrupts our peace can dramatically affect our mental space.
Further, it is equally as essential to check in on the status of our physical health! This can include anything from our nutrition, physical activity levels, time spent indoors or outdoors, and more! We must reflect on how we spend our time and where we are spending our energy. How we fuel our bodies can also have huge repercussions on our overall well being.
Many studies have been conducted supporting suggestions of a food-mood connection. Try finding whole foods in season and incorporating them into your meals for an added brain boost! Also, consider challenging yourself by developing more of a routine: skincare, workout, morning, self-care, whatever you can dream up! Habits can offer us opportunities to welcome change as they are not as rigid as schedules. They provide structure without the strict nature of hour-by-hour planning. Further, just taking a little time to get outdoors or getting up and moving can significantly improve our mood!
Well, what the heck is a soul? According to Google, a Soul is “the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.” Extending far beyond color, creed, race, or religion, we as humans can ask ourselves if we are living
authentically and honestly according to our unique belief systems. Ultimately, this can be used to reevaluate your priorities, create space for things you need more of, and dust off your old ways of thinking and approaching life. There is no “right” time to do all of these things, but there is no time like the present to start!
Do you want to jumpstart your spring cleaning and give it extra meaning this season? One of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide individual, couples, 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!