Justin’s Blog: “The Jog”

The Beatles were on to something. It turns out that holding your romantic partner’s hand is good for you.  New research reveals that if you do so during emotional distress, it actually lessens emotional pain in recall later.  (Sahi et al., 2021). The study defines emotional pain as “an unpleasant feeling (or suffering) associated with […]

The power of habit is a currently popular topic, no doubt through the lens of James Clear, Harvard Business Review, and similar ilk.  Social media influencers give us all sorts of ‘hacks’ to make a habit in 30 days, get a flat belly, and more. While there’s a mix of good and a lot of […]

Mark* was generally confident in his therapy, but bringing up sex….well, he got a little sheepish.  He had these small avoidances that he never realized were behavioral and cognitive avoidances.  For example, he would never have sex with his wife when the kids weren’t away from home.  He intentionally steered conversation away from topics with […]

“I feel like I really love my baby, but, I just don’t know. I have these terrible thoughts that pop into my mind. Thoughts of harming my baby. I actually vomited last night it made me so upset. I don’t know why I’m having these” “Everyone around me, including my pastor, seems to think I […]

As a faith leader, you are the real front door to mental health. Despite the fact that doctors and hospitals may be attributed this designation, many people feel most comfortable talking about mental health issues with you first, and even at times exclusively.  You are as a whole sought out 50% more than doctors or psychiatrists to help alleviate mental and emotional problems- this puts you on the front lines.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a mental health psychological treatment, or psychotherapy. The range of problems it treats is broad, from anxiety and depression to substance abuse and relationship problems.  It is considered gold standard treatment. Let’s nerd out and understand a bit more about where it comes from and ideas on how it works!

Despite how great food at Chick-fil-A is, there is a significant correlation between consuming chicken and oil being imported to the U.S.  Does this mean anything?  Probably not. If you have ever dug into statistics- in the news, in school, or even through your own research- you may have learned an important principle: “Correlation does not equal causation;” […]

A common question I get is, “What if I get overwhelmed before we meet next?”  If we have ruled out serious risks dealing with safety, usually there’s a simple tool that can seriously help (while working the treatment plan).  Through the study of the brain, human behavior, and feedback from clients, here is a ripcord to pull in […]

How much do you charge? This is a very loaded question, indeed.  I’m going to give you straight answers to how much therapy actually costs, and why.  If you are a consumer of health services, you’ve likely asked it many times between doctors, dentists, and insurance plans.  Therapy is no different, yet it is unique […]

Experiment:  Look at the picture above.  What do you feel?  Those feelings are real.  However, how you interpret what you feel makes all the difference (whether you think cats are cute, a nuisance, practical, fun, allergic fur balls, or pure joy).   I see a common phrase that goes around: “Feelings are not facts.”  While I […]

America today sees one of the highest levels of anxiety of any place in the world.[1] We are clamoring for attention online, wanting to be seen, to be loved.  Suicides by teens and young adults appear to be higher than they’ve been in years.[2]  We are the wealthiest nation on the face of the planet,[3] and we can’t […]

Imagine intentionally telling yourself- again and again- “Maybe I’ll get sick and die.”  Or, “I’ll have a sudden urge to kill someone.” Or, “Maybe I blasphemed God and will go to hell.”  What if your therapist asked you to repeat these things to yourself?  Does that sound like negative self-talk?  A cause for grave concern?  […]