Blog Author: Amy Hamby, Intern Counselor Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) focuses on recognizing and altering automatic thoughts because these cognitions strongly influence emotions and behavior. (Wright et al., 2017, pg. 125) In other words, CBT is a practical treatment approach that helps clients acquaint themselves with negative thoughts and behaviors, which allows them to view these experiences and change how they reason and respond. Furthermore, it is vital to determine the difference in how thoughts reflect upon how we feel and act and how to respond efficiently throughout the thought process emotionally. Also, your thoughts are what is reoccurring in your outlook, what causes the feelings to occur, and assist with making sense of whatever is happening. Meanwhile, your emotions are how you feel within the moment that makes up the emotional experience Additionally, understanding how to separate one's thoughts and emotions will help the individual with the association of understanding that their thoughts and emotions can influence an emotional response. Individual thoughts make you cognizant of negative thinking and know how to respond effectively. This includes the importance of a thought record, which provides for "features such as labeling cognitive errors, examining the evidence, and generating rational alternatives is usually delayed until the patient gains experience and confidence in identifying automatic thoughts." (Wright et al., 2017, pg. 99) On the other hand, "Emotion is the royal road to cognition because thought patterns linked to significant emotional expression offer rich opportunities for drawing out some of the patient's most important automatic thoughts and schemas." (Wright et al., 2017, pg. 95) Overall, thoughts and emotions can help clients recognize and explore all the different reactions and thoughts that contribute to an individual's actions and how a therapist can assist with ruling out negative emotions, exploring automatic thoughts, and giving the alternative client perspectives on how an individual feels. Below is an example of a thought record.
Thought record - therapist aid. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2022, from https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/thought-record Wright, J. H., Brown, G. K., Thase, M. E., & Basco, M. R. (2017). (2nd edition) Learning cognitive-behavior therapy: An illustrated guide. American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc
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Blog Author: Ashley Guadalupe, MS, MFT Intern Counselor Something that we’ve begun hearing a lot more of is the idea of self-care, and it’s about time. “Self-care is the ongoing practice of self-awareness and self-regulation for the purpose of balancing psychological, physical, and spiritual needs of the individual (Carter & Barnett, 2014).” Self-care does not require spending a lot of money, or time, but it does require being intentional with the actions you are taking.
For some, self-care requires time alone to unwind, regroup, and prepare to engage with others again. For others, self-care looks like time spent with family or close friends doing an activity that they enjoy. It is important that you determine what approach to self-care works best for you. Categories of self-care:
Reference Carter, L.A., & Barnett, J. E. (2014). Self-care for clinicians in training: A guide to psychological wellness for graduate students in psychology. Oxford University Press, Incorporated. Blog Author: Brandee Sherrer, Intern Counselor There is no doubt a mental health crisis is in our country. In 2020 alone, the U.S. had one death by suicide about every 11 minutes. With a global pandemic, looming recession, and global conflict it is understandable that there is a collective suffering being felt during this historical context. While some of us may cope effectively with what is available to us, some of us may feel overwhelmed and need extra support during this time. There is no shame in reaching out for help. In fact, it takes a lot of strength and courage to acknowledge that we are not okay. Please read on to find out about a national resource that you can use 24/7 if you or someone you know is in a mental health or substance-related crisis. On July 16, 2022, the United States transitioned to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Line, this number is easy to remember and helps you reach trained crisis counselors for help with thoughts of suicide, mental health crisis, and substance-related crises. The bipartisan legislation that brought this three-digit number to fruition was passed in 2020 and federal investments were increased to support crisis centers and back-up center capacity. All telephone service and text providers were required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to activate 988 no later than the July 16 deadline. The lifeline links to the Veterans Crisis Line, an added benefit for Veterans who may be struggling and need help connecting to resources. In order to reach the Veterans Crisis Line, one can simply dial 988 and then press 1. During the first week of operation, there was an increase in call volume by 45% with counselors answering 23,000 more calls, texts and chats than the previous week. Because the network of care already exists, when you contact the 988 Lifeline you will receive the same trusted and resourceful response that has been established previously through many hours of hard work and collaboration. The line is open 24/7 and someone is always available to take your call to offer free and confidential support. You can call or text 988 or chat with a counselor at https://988lifeline.org. There are over 200 state and local call centers within the network waiting to assist. Moreover, the 10-digit Lifeline number 1-800-273-TALK (8255) will continue to be operational and route calls to 988 indefinitely. 988 is different from 911, whose focus is on dispatching emergency services as needed. 988 provides easier access to the Lifeline network and its related crisis resources. The goal is to improve access to the network and accompanying resources. The Lifeline helps thousands of people overcome crisis situations every day. There is always someone available to listen! If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 or chat https://988lifeline.org. If you wish to be a part of this work, you can visit SAMHSA’s 988 jobs page at samhsa.gov/find-help/988/jobs. All information was found on samhsa.gov. Blog Author: Niya Bush, Intern Counselor The month of June represents an abundance of essential turning points in our lives, such as the end of the school year and the beginning of summer for rest and relaxation. June is also a powerhouse month that is jam-packed with incredible things we celebrate, appreciate, and recognize to increase awareness. We celebrate Juneteenth, LGBTQI Pride, highlighting the importance of Men’s Health, National PTSD, and Safety awareness. Some honorable mentions are National Turkey lover’s Month, National DJ Month, and Adopt a Cat Month. As we celebrate the individuality and resiliency of others, let’s not forget our own needs during all the summer fun. We must practice daily mindfulness to promote personal freedom and empowerment for increased mental health. We often feel like life is too fast paced to slow down and believe we are too busy or too distractible to be mindful and in the present. Those are precisely the times when we need to pause, slow down and focus on the here and now. Mindfulness allows for building a better sense of self based on self-compassion, acceptance, and kindness and opens us up to participate fully in the stuff of life. Strengthening our ability to stay in the present moment is beneficial to our overall well-being and life satisfaction. As with anything, mindfulness takes a little patience and practice but will some effort; it can be a game-changer in our daily lives. Here are some ways to go within to ground ourselves this month. Mindfulness Cheat Sheet Pause. Take a moment to stop what you are doing. Step out of the stream of habit, repetition, and automaticity and become aware of the present moment.
Find an anchor. This could be your breath, your body, or what you see, hear, taste, touch, or smell. Wrap your attention around that anchor. What do you notice? Describe as accurately and objectively as you can what you notice in the moment. Bring mindful qualities. As you notice, see if you can let go of any struggle with what’s in the moment. Allow whatever shows up to be as it is. Breathe into the experience and soften up around it. What matters? Now ask yourself, if you were able to choose an action that was consistent with the kind of person you’d like to be, what action would that be? Mindfulness is a powerful skill that can help us become aware of our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. We can then make better choices and take actions that improve our peace of mind, health, and connections. This month, while we show honor to others, do not forget to celebrate yourself by carving out some time to be mindful and appreciate all you are. Enjoy! |
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