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 Have you ever faced a crossroads? You know a decision must be met, but you stare at your options without movement. You want to make a choice. You can make a choice. You know your options. You’ve weighed the pros and cons. But, still, the decision is tough to commit to, to finalize, to put into action. Does this sound familiar to you? It sure resonates with me!
Why are decisions so difficult to make?
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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  Contact Bree today to schedule your initial session!
By Bree Winkler, EdS, LPC, CAMSTherapy 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.
 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:  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!
By Bree Winkler, EdS, LPC, CAMS How can you cope with Life’s curveball?
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  I recently attended a conference on child sexual abuse (at CHOA). The information was well presented, but the topic and content was disheartening. Current statistics show that 1 in 10 children will experience child sexual abuse before their 18th birthday. (www.D2L.org) However, one amazing fact was shared: due to media awareness, prevention, and legal actions, child sexual abuse has decreased significantly for this generation (from 1 in 3 children in previous generations).
Child Sexual Abuse is defined as any sexual act between an adult and a minor or between two minors when one exerts power over the other; forcing, coercing, or persuading a child to engage in any type of sexual act, including non-contact acts such as exhibitionism, exposure to pornography, voyeurism, and communicating in a sexual manner by phone or Internet. The physical act of being abused is painful and scary. No one wants to be exposed to this kind of crisis. However, the emotional component of sexual abuse causes the lasting and ongoing trauma.  Crisis strikes when you least expect it! It is never convenient. It causes a range of intense emotions, including anger, fear, shock, motivation, and worry. Being prepared to respond to a crisis is key to handling the situation effectively. Without proper preparation, you can create more problems, which will exasperate an already stressful situation.   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. |
Bree Winkler, LPC, Ed.SMy goal is to help you use coping skills, change thoughts, and manage behaviors in order to decrease anxiety and depression symptoms. Archives
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