If you are going to look for a therapist, you are naturally going to want to find someone who is a good fit for you.  What you may not realize is that this is actually REALLY important.  Studies show that having a good working relationship with your therapist is one of the most important predictors of success in therapy.  In fact, having a positive therapeutic relationship with your mental health provider has been shown to be even more important than the treatment modality that your provider uses. And, this makes sense. If you don’t feel understood, respected, or cared for, it will be difficult for you to trust your provider and to share with them. 

If you have never had to look for a mental health provider before, you may be at a loss for how to get started. In this short and sweet article, we’ll give you some super easy options for finding a therapist. After all, we want you to be able to access counseling services as quickly and seamlessly as possible. 

Brainspotting is definitely not talk therapy as usual.  For this reason, people are often unsure of what to expect.  I find that it’s helpful to be as clear as possible about what to expect during a Brainspotting session.  For many, knowing what to expect can alleviate any nervousness or uncertainty.  At the same time, it’s important to know that the content that arises in each Brainspotting session will be unique.  

If you’re looking for different coping strategies to add to your tool box, we’ve got options you can try.  Read below for 5 quick and easy coping strategies offered by our Maryland-based counselors.  You can try them all out, or simply make use of the ones that resonate with you the most. Here it goes!

Prior to starting telehealth, you and your provider will review and sign a Telemental Health Informed Consent document.  This document will cover important information about: the risks and benefits of telehealth, confidentiality and its limits, payment of services, the platform you will be using, steps to follow before and during your telehealth session, etc.. This way, you’ll know what to expect, and you’ll be prepared to make the most out of your session. 

This past September, LifeSpring Counseling Services facilitated our 2nd cultural immersion workshop in Mexico for mental health providers. Providing culturally-informed counseling services is required by our code of ethics, but many times mental health providers are left to learn about cultural competence in the classroom. Melissa Wesner, LCPC and Owner of LifeSpring Counseling Services decided it was time to take providers outside of the classroom to achieve these goals with first-hand experience.

Sometimes we crave creature comforts, and often this means comfort foods because they provide psychological comfort and are often associated with positive memories from our life. It got me thinking about chicken pot pie. I know you must be wondering “why on earth chicken pot pie?”. Simple....because who among us doesn’t need to feel encapsulated or protected at times by a thick shell? I often use this analogy with my clients when we talk about trauma and grief, anxiety and depression.