Category: Expectations

Perspective --- Are you Closed-Minded?

9/17/2016

Have you dismissed someone's idea or opinion because you KNOW you are right? Sure, we all have. Sometimes, there is a right answer: 2 + 2 (always) = 4. But other times, more than one opinion, or perspective, can also be correct: What color is the sky? Answers vary.

Grand Canyon: See the river? See the blue dot? That is an opened umbrella between the top and the river. Looks different from distance, than holding it, right? It's still an umbrella.

So, why is it human nature to need to be right? What reward does it give the individual?

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The Cost of Therapy

11/18/2015

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A TalkSpace Blog (edited for Private Counseling):

Therapy is about as affordable as the Mercedes that cut you off on the freeway the other day. This is unfortunate for people who have looked past the stigma of therapy and committed to living happier lives but can’t afford the therapist’s rates. The average therapy session costs $75-150 an hour, and good luck if you live in a place like New York where the range jumps to $200-300.

People who rail against therapy accuse therapists of being greedy, but therapists actually have valid reasons for their high prices. Nonetheless, don’t believe you are stuck paying for therapy you can’t afford. Learning why it is expensive is the first step towards searching for alternatives and paths towards affordable therapy.

Becoming a Therapist Costs a Ton of MoneyThink about how expensive it is to hire a lawyer. Clients are hiring someone with years of schooling on the subject in which they invested hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s the same deal for a therapist — most therapists have postgraduate education and many have a Ph.D. — but misconceptions about therapy prevent people from seeing it this way. Remember, you are not paying to chat with a friend. You are hiring a mental health professional.

Therapists Don’t Get Paid for Every Hour They Work. When people work a typical 40-hour week, their company pays them for every hour they work. Therapists, on the other hand, can only bill for the time they see clients.

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Skype With Your Therapist

11/14/2015

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You are busy. Traffic is horrible. Or, you live too far away from quality therapeutic care. You need help with your anxiety or depression or relationship or anger or kids or ... all of the above! You need the help of a professional counselor who is willing and able to listen, understand, and support you with your current problems. You need solutions. You need guidance. You need help.

The modality for receiving mental health therapy is changing. You need convenient, but quality, therapy options. With Private Counseling and licensed professional counselor Bree Winkler, you will receive both! View the video for exciting new options for all GA residents!

For more information, visit www.PrivateCounselingGA.com

Guide for Online Therapy

Contact Bree today to schedule your initial session!

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Therapy is for Everyone!

10/24/2015

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By Bree Winkler, EdS, LPC, CAMS

Therapy sessions are conducted in the privacy and convenience of your home. Don't spend another minute trying to appear calm and collected when you are really struggling internally. Bree is a licensed professional counselor who provides mental health counseling in Atlanta, GA.

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TRUST and Asking for HELP

9/13/2015

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By Bree Winkler, EdS, LPC, CAMS

People confide in me every day. They share their deepest secrets, fears, worries, and embarrassments. They are seeking empathy, reassurance, and guidance. It’s my passion and my job to listen confidentially, give support, and offer help. Overall, I’ve been a great therapist (and friend). Because of this, I know that asking for help and trusting others is effective for healing.

So, why is it so difficult for me to ask for help and trust others??? One definition of TRUST is “confident expectation of something; hope.” Hope and expectations can breed fear if not met with support and commitment. I spoke to other Type-A, independent professionals and they agreed with my concerns. There are a lot of reasons why people fear asking for help:

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Premarital or Marriage Counseling

6/30/2015

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Premarital and Marriage Counseling
Introducing a new service!! Bree is now certified to administer and interpret the Prepare/Enrich relationship assessment. After completing the 8 session course, Couple will receive a certificate of completion. Certificate can be used to reduce fee for marriage license in GA.

Benefits to the Couple: ** Good Premarital preparation can reduce the divorce rate by 30%. ** Confidential and customized to be personally relevant to each couple. ** Stimulate conversation and curiosity in the relationship. ** Identify relationship strengths and potential issues. ** Couples learn useful relationship skills they can apply to current and future issues in their relationship.

Couples therapy will include: 1) Assessment (online), 2) Customized counseling sessions which will include reviewing and utilizing the assessment, and 3) Couples exercises to build and maintain relationship skills.

The Assessment measures Couples compatibility on 10 scales including Communication, Conflict Resolution, Financial Management, Family, Relationship Roles, Sexuality and Affection, Partner Habits, Leisure Activities, Spiritual Beliefs, and Idealistic Distortion.

Bree Winkler is a licensed professional counselor in Atlanta, GA. Contact Bree today to start creating your best relationship!

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Dear Therapist: Why Should I Go To Therapy? **

6/3/2015

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Someone recently asked me about why I chose to start therapy when I have a ton of friends willing to listen to my every complaint, and tell me exactly what I want to hear.- by Anonymous TalkSpace User

Dear Anonymous:

Having a strong social support system is paramount to a fulfilling life. However, as you mentioned above, often friends do not tell you what you really need to hear. Instead, they tell you what you want to hear. Friends are encouraging, supportive, funny, kind, and complimentary. These positive qualities are why you remain friends. Unfortunately, friends have difficulty: 1) Being completely honest regarding any flaws or deficits you possess 2) Communicating effectively in potential conflict situations 3) Stating anything that may be perceived as hurtful 4) Challenging you to improve your life and reach your goals 5) Listening without judgement 6) Listening without interrupting 7) Keeping information confidential 8) Scheduling regular time to really listen and connect, especially one-on-one 9) and the list goes on.

If you image your social connections (friends, family, colleagues, church, neighbors) as a puzzle, all of the pieces are valuable to put the puzzle (YOU!) together in order to see the beautiful picture. Your personal therapist is the missing piece to the puzzle. The therapist puzzle piece is essential for healthy, positive, individual growth. Your therapist will 1) Be honest 2) Communicate effectively 3) Be constructive with comments 4) Challenge you 5) Listen 6) Listen more (smile!) 7) Keep your information confidential 8) Meet with you regularly and without interruption 9) and offer many more skills.

Without a good therapist, you are like an incomplete puzzle. Utilizing therapy to grow as an individual, to resolve current and past issues, and to improve interpersonal interactions is an asset whose value cannot be quantified. Ready to complete your puzzle? Contact Bree today.

Sincerely,
Bree Winkler, EdS, LPC, CAMS
Counselor in Atlanta, GA.
** Credit: TalkSpace.com Blog

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Parent Tips - Social Media Awareness and Internet Safety

4/17/2015

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Kids are so tech-savvy these days. As concerns parents, guardians, educators, counselors, and family members, we need to be vigilant in keeping kids safe. Cyberbullying out-numbers physical bullying 10-fold. Predators are not enticing your teenager with candy from a van; they are "catfishing" in chat rooms. As a counselor, I have heard horror stories from children and parents about messages through text or apps, videos, and pictures that have been used to embarrass, bully, trick, manipulate, and harm others.

Adolescence is the 2nd fastest growth period of a person's life (after infancy). Due to all of these rapid changes, teenagers are especially prone to rely on and misuse social media.

Why?????

No matter what genetics a teen may possess, they are impressionable and adding social media to the already prevalent peer pressure only ramps that pressure up further.

Self-disclosure is strongly associated with increased activation in brain regions that form the mesolimbic dopamine system, including the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area.

The immediacy and reward associated with social media (especially through mobile avenues) can be thought of as a 'quick hit' and would be expected to result in a minority of users experiencing 'addiction-like' symptoms.

Egocentric – Its about me, me, me

Highly Curious about the "Real World"

Prefer Active Learning to Passive

Moving from Concrete to Abstract thinking

The following information is not meant to be scary. The information is provided for 1) awareness, 2) guidance, 3) tips.

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Teaching Life Skills: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

3/23/2015

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Do you ever notice how easy it is to slip into disrespect – via tone of voice, actions, and/or words? We all want respect, but what do we do to earn respect? The Golden Rule is “treat others the way you want to be treated.” However, the selfish mentality is “I’ll treat them with respect when they treat me with respect.” You Want the Respect before you Give them Respect.

Choosing the later causes several problems:

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What IF ... Today is the Best it Will Be for Me?

2/9/2015

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I was at a church service recently, listening to a powerful message by Annie Downs. She asked “what if today is the best God has for you?” The auditorium full of thousands of people went silent.

What IF today is the best it will be for me? What if all the things I hope and dream for are not in the plan, in the cards, or fate for me? I’m waiting, just as I’m sure you are too, for something. If I wait to see if A will happen before I made a choice between B and C, then I am stagnate. I’m in limbo. I’m stuck.

Where do symptoms of anxiety and depression come from? From being stagnate… being in limbo… being stuck! Life isn’t about waiting, it is about LIVING! We hope for lots of things, we dream, we wish, and we desire: love, happiness, laughter, money, fame, or fill in the blank with your dream(s). Hope is necessary for motivation and goal setting. However, lack of decision making and forward movement is a sign of depression. Worry and agitation are symptoms of anxiety. Both problems arise when you stop living for today and, instead, wait for the unfulfilled promises of tomorrow.

No one knows how their story will end. We don’t even know how today will end. No good comes from fear. A person shows fear when he or she is scared to move their life in one direction because it might prevent them from having other options. What if the original option is the path of success in reaching all your desires? BUT, you hope and pray that waiting on this other path will guide you to your dreams. If a door opens for a change, big or small, then check it out! Make a choice – to try this option or return to the previous option. Don’t stand still.

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Forward>>

What's New in Therapy?

Perspective --- Are you Closed-Minded?

The Cost of Therapy

Skype With Your Therapist

Therapy is for Everyone!

By Bree Winkler, EdS, LPC, CAMS

TRUST and Asking for HELP

Premarital or Marriage Counseling

Dear Therapist: Why Should I Go To Therapy? **

Parent Tips - Social Media Awareness and Internet Safety

Teaching Life Skills: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

What IF ... Today is the Best it Will Be for Me?

Bree Winkler, LPC, Ed.S

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Private Counseling
Your Customized Mental Health Therapy
1031 Cambridge Square, Suite E
Alpharetta, GA 30009
(470) 231-9199
[email protected]

What's New in Therapy?

By Bree Winkler, EdS, LPC, CAMS

Bree Winkler, LPC, Ed.S

Archives

Categories

Private CounselingYour Customized Mental Health Therapy1031 Cambridge Square, Suite EAlpharetta, GA 30009(470) 231-9199[email protected]

Private Counseling
Your Customized Mental Health Therapy
1031 Cambridge Square, Suite E
Alpharetta, GA 30009
(470) 231-9199
[email protected]