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Denver Therapists

Thinking about Trying Therapy for the First Time? Here’s What to Expect

Amelia Elkins, LCSW, CAS Why Go to Therapy? Slowly but surely, going to therapy is starting to become more normalized. Everyone knows someone who has sought out support for reasons ranging from anxiety and depression to relationship struggles.  There are a variety of reasons to seek out support and things don’t need to be an utter disaster to seek out counseling. Many begin going to therapy for life transitions, feeling stuck, or even wanting to develop better life goals or practices. Interested in reasons to attend therapy? More on that here.   Finding a Therapist Can Be Overwhelming Finding a therapist can be a daunting job. Utilizing resources such as psychology today, social media, and google or yelp can be a great place to start. Some therapists accept insurance and some are private pay which is a factor to consider. I recommend folks who’ve never been to therapy to meet with at least three therapists to compare and see what feels like the best fit. After all, you may be spending a good amount of time with this person so you want to feel mutual trust, respect, and confidence in their skillset, training, and professionalism. At Thrive Counseling Denver, we value professionalism, continual training, and goal-oriented treatment. Sessions are always 50 minutes, we have a 24-hour cancellation policy, and you’ll get a text reminder 48 hours in advance. Here’s what a first session with us looks like.   What to Expect >Step One: Woohoo you’re scheduled! At this time, you’ll receive a virtual intake packet which will include a disclosure statement, payment information, three mental health screenings, and an intake questionnaire. A disclosure statement includes licensing info for each therapist, reporting information, and confidentiality. The mental health screenings are a series of questions which help us as therapists to better understand what you’re struggling with. Lastly, the intake questionnaire is a list of questions exploring your symptoms, what brings you in for therapy, what you’re looking for, and your familial history.   >Step Two: It’s time to attend the first session in person or via telehealth. If your first session is via telehealth, you’ll be emailed a link the day before the session, which you will click on at the time of your appointment. If you attend in person, you’re welcome to come a few minutes early to enjoy a complimentary sparkling water, Nespresso, water, or tea. We have sound machines going in the lobby to ensure confidentiality from those in session.   >Step Three: Regardless of whether it is over telehealth or in person, here are some important things to know about your first session. The intake session will include reviewing the disclosure statement, processing your intake questionnaire you completed online, and establishing goals for treatment. It’s important to remember that it is completely normal to feel nervous during the first session and it’s your clinician’s job to help you feel comfortable. Our first priority is emotional safety, acceptance, and creating a space of nonjudgment. It’s also okay to come to the first session and not feel clear on your goals. Your therapist can help you get clarity and define goals for treatment. Some questions you may want to ask at the first session include: >How often do I need to attend? >Does your skillset match the goals I would like to work on? >What is the layout of an average session? >Do you provide homework or assignments outside of session?   >Step Four: Time to decide which therapist feels right for you and to get started with working on your treatment plan. Therapy isn’t for everyone, but is has helped countless individuals feel not only supported and validated, but also re-energized about their life direction. More on that here.   If you have any other questions, reach out to us today!  

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Is Working from Home Making You Feel Depressed? Here’s How to Cope.

Amelia Elkins, LCSW, CAS “We are not working from home. We are working with home” -Esther Perel Why is Working From Home Taking a Toll?  With all the changes over the past two years, working remotely has become much more popular. There are so many advantages to working from home including the flexibility to travel, attend appointments, and take care of household items. Even the stress of a daily commute is eliminated. However, with these benefits comes unexpected setbacks. Just to name a few: not being able to separate from work, working more than you would in an office, and feeling isolated.  And we know what feeling isolated from others can lead to–depression. I recently had a client disclose that she feels she gets the most support and connection out of her day from going to a workout class.  Not from her work colleagues, with whom she spends most of her day. Just as we value relationships with the people in our life, our work relationship should be given the same attention.   How to Cope if Working From Home is Negatively Impacting Your Mental Health If you feel that working from home these last few years has been taking a toll on you, here are some tips to improve your relationship with work: Create Separation. This seems to be one of the most helpful tools for folks working from home. Having a separate space. Even if it’s a tiny desk in front of a window where you’re able to work daily; this can help the ritual of easing in and out of work to feel more manageable. Easing into your day by having a warm beverage and closing the day by shutting down your laptop or even cleaning your space can feel like a “mini commute.” While it can be tempting to work in pajamas from the couch, getting somewhat ready or cleaned up in the mornings followed by working at the same space can help reduce stress and create distance between home and work. More on this here: https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/5-remote-work-practices-for-better-work-life-balance.html. Take Breaks. Research states taking breaks every 60-90 minutes is beneficial for productivity (https://medium.com/mind-cafe/the-science-of-taking-breaks-at-work-to-help-boost-your-productivity-ec3e1f47c818). Scheduling in a ten-minute break to walk around the block, 30 minutes for lunch outside, or even five minutes for stretching is important and necessary. Previously, a lot of folks would engage in small talk or go find a snack in the office but working from home can make it easy to work more because there aren’t other coworkers around. Being intentional about breaks is necessary for reduced stress, higher energy levels, and level of focus. Increase Communication. What is and isn’t working for you while working remotely? Depending on if you work for a large company or just have one other co-worker, check in with each other. Here are some important questions to ask: How can we support each other working remotely? Can we create in person meetups to increase connection? What incentives were provided in office that could be switched remotely? Interested in learning more tools for communication at work? Check out these tips: https://zenkit.com/en/blog/workplace-communication-tips-and-tools-for-good-communication/.

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Men: Are You Using Alcohol to Cope? Here’s Why That Might Be Hurting More Than Helping

By: Bobby Dunham, MA, LPCC Is Your Use of Alcohol Hurting or Helping? Many of us remember the intoxicating loss of inhibitions the first time we drank alcohol. That feeling of “taking the edge off” may have allowed you to feel more comfortable in your own skin while in social settings. Using alcohol to reduce the stress of social situations is completely normal, but when does it begin to ultimately lower our confidence rather than heighten it? In my experience working with my clients as a mental health counselor, here are some typical warning signs that might mean your use of alcohol is starting to negatively impact your functioning. You regret your behavior the next day Okay, so you wake up the morning after a great night out.  If you are looking back and cringing, thinking about something you may have said or done, then this a good sign that the alcohol is actually hurting your self-confidence. When we feel that our behavior with alcohol is no longer up-to-par with our own standards for ourselves, then it might be time to reevaluate what alcohol is really doing for us. You don’t feel as confident as you used to without alcohol If someone becomes so used to, and dare I say, reliant on alcohol to feel comfortable in social settings then this could suggest avoidant or maladaptive behaviors to stress or social anxiety. Alcohol can boost a specific type of confidence, but it should never become a requirement. Alcohol is distracting you from your goals One of the ways we build self-confidence is to achieve specific goals we have set for ourselves. We all know the feeling of disappointment when we have failed to accomplish (or even begin) a goal we have set. If alcohol use has become a common barrier or hinderance to achieving your goals, then it is going to also hurt your long-term self-worth and should maybe be cut out or limited. Your physical and/or mental health is being damaged Beer bellies are a real thing and, for most of us, they don’t make us feel more confident. Alcohol is full of empty calories and adds to anxiety and depression, so if you have found that you have gained weight, feel more anxious, or are just feeling lousy from the amount of alcohol you consume, then it might be time to make changes in your relationship with alcohol. You Might Be Asking Yourself: Now What? Get clarity.  These are just some of the signs that I have heard from clients that their relationship with alcohol isn’t what it used to be and just isn’t adding to their confidence anymore. Luckily, identifying the cause of the problem is a huge step for change and with support, (and maybe some virgin cocktails at those happy hours), behaviors and self-confidence can be rebuilt. If you are still unsure if you might need to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol, here is a link for a quiz about your use to hopefully stimulate some deeper insight. https://www.verywellmind.com/could-you-have-an-alcohol-abuse-problem-3894213 Ask for help.  Finally, if you feel that you need help decreasing your dependence on alcohol and learning some replacement behaviors, reach out for help.  Starting the process of changing your relationship with alcohol can be overwhelming.  There is no shame in asking for support from a professional.

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