Mental Health Therapy and Counseling | Blog | What's New in Therapy | Atlanta, GA | 30092 - Private Counseling

www.PrivateCounselingGA.com Private Counseling provides mental health therapy and counseling services to adults and adolescents in Atlanta, GA.

Telemental Health (Virtual) Counseling Sessions

8/29/2020

Proud to announce:

Private Counseling and Bree Winkler continue to offer virtual, HIPAA-compliant counseling sessions for your convenience! Here's a brief introduction --

Author

Bree Winkler is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients (virtually or in-person) manage depression, anxiety, anger, and relationship issues.

Telemental Health Benefits

4/17/2020

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Author

Bree Winkler is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree helps clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues. Contact today for more information and virtual support!

The Value of Sleep

9/10/2019

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for proper sleep include:

Teenagers: 8-10 hours per night
Adults: 7-9 hours per night

A “good night’s sleep” requires consistent sleep hygiene. Effective sleep hygiene recommendations are:

Consistent bedtime each night
Consistent wake time each morning
Reserve time in bed for sleep or sex only
No phone or TV time in bed
No “screens” at least an hour before bedtime (if falling/staying asleep is difficult)
Don’t hit the “snooze” button
Journal any barriers to sleep (i.e. racing thoughts, fears, worries, difficult situations to solve, etc.)

Physical Benefits of Sleep:

Decrease Inflammation in the Body – Getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night is associated with increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, stroke, and premature aging.
Muscle Relief -- During REM sleep, muscles are relaxed, which can help relieve tension and reduce symptoms of certain types of chronic pain. Just like you couldn't mentally focus for 24-hours straight at your day job, your body needs a break to chill out so it can conquer the next day with gusto.
Weight Management -- Sleep and metabolism are controlled by the same sectors of the brain, so when you are sleepy, certain hormones go up in your blood, and those same hormones drive appetite.
Athletic Performance – 8+ hours of sleep per night improves athletic stamina, decreases fatigue, and improves muscle recovery.

Mental Benefits of Sleep:

Memory – Sleep allows you to marinate on what you learned during the day and “practice” those skills subconsciously. Positive experiences can be relived productively at while asleep.
Attention – Lack of sleep in children can mimic symptoms of ADHD (hyperactivity, lack of focus, easily distracted, and impulsivity).
Learning – Consistently receiving 8-10 hours of sleep each night promotes brain activity and improves brain functioning at school and work.
Safety while Driving – Proper sleep improves your reaction time and decision-making ability.
Creativity – Quality sleep allows the brain to process emotions and spur creativity.

Emotional Benefits of Sleep:

Stress Relief – Sleep gives you a break from triggers, lowers your blood pressure, and decreases your heart rate so you can relax.
Mental Health – Manage depression and anxiety with effective sleep. Sleep decreases irritability, mood swings, nervousness, and irrational thoughts. More sleep = improved mood and daily outlook on life.
Rejuvenation – Your brain is busy restoring itself while you sleep. While you're awake, certain neurons in the brain are actively producing a chemical called adenosine, which is a by-product of cell activities. When this chemical builds up, it causes you to feel sleepy. While you’re busy catching up on zzz’s, though, your body clears itself of adenosine, which allows you to awaken feeling alert and refreshed, rather than tired.
Quality of Life – You can “live your best life” and avoid “FOMO” (fear of missing out) by being well-rested and ready to embrace each day with renewed energy.

Disclaimer: Those individuals living with clinical depression, anxiety, or other mental health diagnoses will benefit from proper sleep hygiene; however, it will not “cure” an individual from their diagnosis. Instead, it is part of a healthy lifestyle (which includes therapy, exercise, supportive relationships, proper diet, coping skills, and sometimes medication) to manage their mental health symptoms and daily functioning.

Sources:
www.Health.com
www.Sleep.org
www.CDC.gov

Author

Bree Winkler is a Licensed Professional Counselor near Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues.

Daily Help for Managing Depression

8/3/2019

Millions of people live with depression everyday. It can feel, among other things, lonely and isolating. It can be overwhelming to determine how or where to receive help. It is helpful to have a plan for each day to work towards, so you don't have to spend too much energy trying to think about what to do. Start with this daily checklist to manage your accomplishments and see your progress.

You can start with this checklist or use it as a template for yourself. As your symptoms decrease and you have improved ability to manage your illness, you can modify the checklist to fit your needs. Depression management and self-care is an ongoing process, but it is possible!

If you need help with your depression (or anxiety, anger, and/or relationship issues), contact Bree today to schedule your initial session. Quality help IS available!

Mental Health Check-In

7/10/2019

Being cognizant of your mental health daily, preferably each moment, is mental health awareness (#mentalhealthawareness).

Pause.

Assess by asking yourself:

How do I feel right now?
How am I speaking to myself?
What am I doing that is good for myself?
What can I do differently to feel better/healthier right now?
Who can I lean on for support?

The answers to these questions give you the opportunity to be completely in tune with how you are feeling and how that is impacting your actions and choices.

Reflect on these questions:

When am I most likely to make poor decisions?
What situations cause me to experience negative thoughts?
How do I handle emotional pain?
Do I need help making different choices or responding differently (especially to stressful situations)?

Often, clients tell me they don’t want to burden their family or friends with their issues. Therefore, they keep their pain inside. When we bury our pain, it grows in our minds but manifests externally in destructive ways (such as over/under eating, isolation, excessive sleeping, lack of participation in enjoyable hobbies, yelling or arguing with others, violence, excessive drinking, drug usage, suicidal ideation – just to name a few examples).

It can be difficult to ask for help (from a professional counselor or from family/friends), but people are not supposed to live in isolation! Most people want to help other. Surrounding yourself with quality help and support is a necessary part of a healthy mental health journey. If you need help with anxiety, depression, anger, and/or relationship issues, contact Bree today for your free phone consultation before we schedule your initial session.

Mindful Blog – Be Balanced

4/5/2019

Welcome back to the weekly blog from Private Counseling dedicated to Mindfulness!

-- Quick Recap --
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
Myth: Mindfulness = completely clearing your mind of any thoughts, breathing calmly, and being peaceful.
Truth: There are MANY ways to be mindful! I hope it is a relief for you to realize that you don’t have to empty your mind (because that can be almost impossible). We will focus on 6 categories of Mindfulness (created by Dr. Elisha Goldstein) – 1) Being Calm 2) Being in the Here and Now 3) Being Good to Yourself 4) Being Happy 5) Being Kind 6) Being Balanced

This week’s goal is to Be Balanced: by
Acknowledging your Wise Self

Imagine yourself many years from now. Imagine you are looking back at your present self.
What advice might your older (and maybe wiser) self give you?
Perhaps your wise self would point out that you have important and precious things in the present that you are currently ignoring?
What is here in the present that may not be here later on?
Examples: Perhaps you are stressed about work; however, your future (wise) self might tell you to release the tension and focus on what’s going well. Or, perhaps your future (wise) self would remind you that your children are going to grow up quickly and encourage you to savor your time with them now.
Write down what your wise self is telling you to focus on now.
Practice paying attention to this sage advice daily.

Author

Bree Winkler is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues. Contact Bree today to schedule your initial session.

Mindful Blog – Be Good to Yourself

3/16/2019

Welcome to the beginning of a weekly blog dedicated to Mindfulness!

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.

Myth: Mindfulness = completely clearing your mind of any thoughts, breathing calmly, and being peaceful.

Truth: There are MANY ways to be mindful! I hope it is a relief for you to realize that you don’t have to empty your mind (because that can be almost impossible). We will focus on 6 categories of Mindfulness (created by Dr. Elisha Goldstein) – 1) Being Calm 2) Being in the Here and Now 3) Being Good to Yourself 4) Being Happy 5) Being Kind 6) Being Balanced

This week’s goal is to Be Good to Yourself:

During a difficult experience, give yourself a chance to feel SAFE

Soften into what you’re feeling. Breathing in, open to the feeling. Breathing out, soften around it. Softening includes relaxing your muscles, releasing tension, calming your breathing, acknowledging all thoughts and feelings to occur.

Allow the feeling to be as it is, without resisting or clinging to it. Don’t try to rationalize, justify, or correct the thought or feeling. (continue breathing in/out with awareness slowly)

Feel into the emotion with kind attention. Ask yourself, “What do I need right now?” If you know what you need, send it to yourself. For example, say, “May I know that I am loved.” If you don’t know what you need, continue to breathe and be open to new ideas.

Expand awareness to all the people around the world who are feeling the same way right now. Take what you need and send it outward, saying, “May we all know that we are loved.” Repeat this mantra each time you need a helpful reminder.

During this process, you will feel begin to feel calmer, in both your mind and body. Repeat regularly.

Author

Bree Winkler is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues. Contact Bree today to schedule your initial session.

Am I crazy? Or are You trying to make me think I’m crazy??

3/10/2019

I believe we’ve all had moments where we question our own sanity. Maybe it is when you make a big purchase impulsively. Maybe it is when you decide to have your first (or fifth) child. Perhaps it is when you decide to make a career change and/or move to another city. It can feel “crazy” to fall in love, to try skydiving or bungy-jumping, sing karaoke, dance like no one is watching, or hundreds of other small or big scary, exciting, risky, new things. Your sanity is probably also challenged when you continue to make the same decision over and over again, even though you are experiencing disastrous results.

Life needs some “crazy” to feel alive, purposeful, energized; to feel like you are truly living!

The negative stereotype of crazy is: foolish, stupid, bizarre, weird, irrational, ridiculous, eccentric, or odd. Most people don’t want to be judged or insulted. Sometimes, this makes a person conform to societal norms; sometimes it allows someone to choose to limit their time around the types of people who are mean and/or manipulative. As a counselor, I encourage clients to be the best version of themselves and also to set boundaries so clients are not pulled into unhealthy relationships.

Unhealthy relationships can occur in a variety of ways. If your relationship is healthy, you are able to be self-aware and possibly ask yourself “I’m I crazy for pursuing this passion project (despite having the resources)?” If your relationship is unhealthy, you may find yourself asking “I told my boy/girlfriend about my new project idea but he/she said they are happy for me, but then asked if I think I can really follow this through and be successful. I’m so confused.”

gas·light (verb): to attempt to make (someone) believe that he or she is going insane (as by subjecting that person to a series of experiences that have no rational explanation) [or] To manipulate events and situations in order to make a person believe that he or she is crazy.

Gaslighting, which is a type of manipulation, occurs over time. The manipulator wants to gain your trust before he/she knocks you down. If you miss the early warning signs, you may be sucked in too deep to believe you can get out of the relationship as things get worse.

Recently, I caught someone in a lie, so I asked him about it. He responded aggressively and defensively. He never took responsibility or admitted fault. He insulted me by stating “I guess I now know your type of crazy!” The statement was meant to make me realize I was wrong for questioning his poor behavior and character. His goal was for me to apologize. Even as a therapist with healthy boundaries, this accusation hurt my feelings. I needed a few moments to digest and process. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that (in this situation) that he was “trying to make me think I’m crazy” *not* “I am crazy.”

Here are the main differences:

Acting Crazy = need for more self-awareness, accepting responsibility, showing kindness and care, implementing humility, showing empathy, utilizing healthy coping skills, applying constructive decision-making skills

Tricked into feeling Crazy = realization that this is about the other person, not you! You cannot communicate with a manipulator the same way you can with a rational, reasonable person. Protect yourself first and avoid falling for their harmful tricks.

Additional signs you may be being gaslighted:

1. Withholding: Your partner pretends not to understand you or flat out refuses to listen to you. He or she might say things like “I don’t want to hear this again.”
2. Countering: Your partner questions your memory, even if you’re sure you know what happened. They say “You’re wrong, you never remember things correctly,” or “You’re imagining things, that never happened.”
3. Blocking/Diverting: Your partner changes the subject to silence you or questions how you’re feeling, saying things like “Is that another crazy idea you got from your (friend/family member)?”
4. Trivializing: Your partner makes your needs or feelings seem unimportant, constantly telling you that you’re too sensitive, or that “You’re going to get angry over a little thing like that?”
5. Forgetting/Denying: Your partner pretends to have forgotten what really happened, or flat out denies promises he or she made to you. He/she will say things like, “I don’t know what you’re talking about” or “You’re just making things up.”

If these statements resonate with you, seek help from a professional and your trusted family/friends.

Are constantly second-guessing yourself.
Start to question if you are too sensitive.
Often feel confused and have a hard time making simple decisions.
Find yourself constantly apologizing.
Can’t understand why you’re so unhappy.
Often make excuses for your partner’s behavior.
Feel like you can’t do anything right.
Often feel like you aren’t good enough for others.
Have the sense that you used to be a more confident, relaxed and happy person.
Withhold information from friends and family so you don’t have to explain things.

Addressing the Problem/Tips

Remember, your opinions, feelings and perceptions matter. You have a voice and you have a right to be heard, without ridicule.

Stand your ground, no matter what. The manipulator wants you to give in and give up.

Don’t doubt yourself or your ability to correctly remember what has occurred. If it helps, keep a journal of events. Documenting helps, especially if you need to prove your case before a judge.

Your feelings matter! Your feelings should be validated. If your partner repeatedly dismisses or trivializes your feelings, they are, in essence, treating you like a child.

Do NOT second-guess yourself. Recognize that the problem is with them, not with you.

Author

Bree Winkler LPC is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues. Contact Bree today to determine if she is the best fit for your mental health needs.

Mental Health Awareness -- Tip #1

2/9/2019

Shift from Negative Self-Talk to Positive Self-Talk

Do you ever talk to yourself in a mean way?

This is called negative self-talk. When you speak harshly to yourself, you feel angry, isolated, rejected, hurt.

Examples of negative self-talk include: “That was stupid!” “I can never get it right.” “I should have done better.”

Changing negative statements to positive statements shows kindness to yourself.

When you talk nicely to yourself, you feel better and you handle life with more energy and confidence.

Here is a technique to change your internal words to positive self-talk:

TIP – When you catch yourself speaking negatively to yourself, pause, write down the negative statement. Re-read the statement. (Would you speak to your friends/coworkers/loved ones with those words? Probably not! Would your friends or family speak to you that way? Not if you have healthy relationships!) Now, re-write the negative statement to a positive statement that is realistic. Let the new, positive statement be the new, improved way you speak to yourself!

Examples of positive self-talk include:
“I am capable of doing this.”
“I will figure this out.”
“I did my best.”
“I will learn from this and improve next time.” “I am lovable.”
“This situation was tough, but it doesn’t define me.”
“I am okay.”
“I am strong.”
“It is normal to feel sad (worried, angry, confused, hurt, etc.) and I will let myself feel this feeling and then let myself move onto other feelings without getting stuck.”

Can you stop criticizing yourself?
Can you start using this technique?
Can you start being kind to yourself?

If you need help with negative self-talk, depression, anxiety, or overall mental health awareness and improvement, contact Bree today for help and support.

Author

Bree Winkler is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship issues. Follow Bree on Instagram: www.instagram.com/therapywithbree/ or visit www.PrivateCounselingGA.com for more information.

I’ve Never Met a Feeling I Didn’t Want to Change.

1/27/2019

Whoa! I can relate! Can you?? I was recently listening to a podcast where someone shared this concept: “I’ve never met a feeling I didn’t want to change.”
While you are pondering this, I’ll elaborate. The speaker shared individuals who feel happy seek to feel happier. Whereas, an individual who is experiencing a negative emotion (such a sadness, hurt, fear, disappointment, rejection, guilt, or a variety of other negative emotions), has a deep desire to feel better; to change that feeling.

I find this to be so profound. This simple statement stopped me in my tracks. First, I thought was, “Well, I agree with this, so it feels true.” My second thought was, “Wow! Human nature is not comfortable being in the moment with how they feel.” Thoughts?
So, if an individual (YOU?) are uncomfortable with experiencing your feelings as they happen, what does that mean? Many things!

You are normal!
You crave joy.
You want to experience the joy/happiness regularly.
You want to avoid discomfort.

Here is what is missing: Feelings have a PURPOSE.

You process, interpret, and react to situations differently based on how you feel.
You learn to differentiate between ‘fight or flight.’
When you accept your feelings as-is, you learn resilience.
Discomfort and vulnerability are good things!
Feelings are temporary!

I hope you find both humor and education (through these reminders). I believe both are necessary each day.

Take home message: Feelings have a purpose. Embrace the moment and the associated feeling. Feelings will change. Don’t run away from how you feel!

Author

If this seems like a foreign concept and/or extremely hard for you. Please ask for help. Bree Winkler is a trained licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Bree specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, and/or relationship issues. Contact Bree today for a free phone consultation.

www.PrivateCounselingGA.com Private Counseling provides mental health therapy and counseling services to adults and adolescents in Atlanta, GA.