Am I Addicted to Social Media?
Social Media can be addicting, and can be a cause of anxiety, depression and loneliness. Learn if social media may be a problem for you, and how to fight back.
Blog Archives
The Surprising Ways Therapy Helps with Depression
We see a lot of clients at Thrive Counseling that experience depression. Here are the surprising ways therapy can help with depression.
Does Denver Have a Drinking Problem?
A new report says Denver has a drinking problem. But how do you know if you have a drinking problem?
A Letter to My (Someday) Non-Depressed Self
What does it look like to come out on the other side of depression?
Do You Ever Feel Like a Fraud? Yeah, me too.
Ever feel like a fraud at work or with friends? Yeah, me too. That’s called Imposter Syndrome and it’s really common.
Twelve Sneaky Signs of Anxiety
Sneaky signs of Anxiety We all know what anxiety feels like, or worse, what flat-out panic feels like. But there are other uncommon signs of anxiety that people often overlook.
How to Find the Best Therapist for you in Denver
When you really want to make changes, meet your goals, improve your relationships or resolve nagging issues, research shows that the most important thing to make therapy or counseling effective is something call “goodness of fit.” That’s a Psychology term for how well you and your therapist ‘click’ together. You know what it feels like when you ‘click’ with someone. Like when you first met your best friend, or your future spouse. It’s this amazing moment of things “oh, here’s my person!” Another to put this is that if you feel that your therapist “gets” you and you feel safe opening up to them and comfortable being vulnerable (which is essential to make changes and meet goals in counseling). So how do you find this magical person? The good news is that there are a plethora of great therapists in Denver. The bad news is that there are a plethora of therapists in Denver, and that can be overwhelming. It can be really, really difficult to find a great fit, but here’s some tips to make the process easier: Narrow Down your Criteria It’s more than okay to have preferences (and ‘must-haves’) for a therapist you are considering working with. You may prefer someone older (or younger), or a man versus a woman. You may look for someone with a particular background (like someone that’s a parent, or is trained in a specific type of therapy). Make a small list of your preferences as a jumping-off point. Make it easy on yourself Counseling is hard enough; you’re sitting in a room with a stranger, baring your secrets and really getting into the nitty-gritty of your ‘stuff.’ So you want to make it easy on yourself in terms of logistics. Check to see if the therapist you’re eyeing has time slots that work for you in an ongoing way. Check their office location to make sure you can easily get there (and park! as we all know, parking can be a nightmare in Denver). Does the office look comfortable and relaxing? There’s lots of great office space available all over Denver, no need to sit in a dark, cramped office. Probably most importantly; can you afford it or does this therapist work with your insurance plan? If you’re going to be stressed about the investment of the counseling in the first place, it doesn’t set you up well to reach your goals. Therapist’s fees should be very clearly stated on their website (if they aren’t, then give it a pass), as well as clear language about whether they take insurance or not. If they don’t take your insurance, ask the therapist about how they can assist you in being reimbursed by your insurance company by submitting paperwork on your behalf (most insurance plans do cover counseling in one way or another, and your therapist should help you navigate this). We do this at Thrive Counseling as a service to our clients, and they say it’s been incredibly helpful in budgeting and making sure that the investment in therapy counts towards their deductible (if they have one). Ask The Right Questions Make The First Move
16 Crucial Questions to Ask Yourself before Giving Up
When everything is awful and you are not okay, you probably feel like giving up. That’s normal, that’s human, and we’ve all been there. But before you give up (whatever that means for you) here are 16 questions to ask yourself: Are you hydrated? If not, have a glass of water. Have you eaten in the past three hours? If not, get some food — something with protein, not just simple carbs. Perhaps some nuts or hummus? Have you showered in the past day? If not, take a shower right now. If daytime: are you dressed? If not, put on clean clothes that aren’t pajamas. Give yourself permission to wear something special, whether it’s a funny t-shirt or a pretty dress. If nighttime: are you sleepy and fatigued but resisting going to sleep? Put on pajamas, make yourself cozy in bed with a teddy bear and the sound of falling rain, and close your eyes for fifteen minutes — no electronic screens allowed. If you’re still awake after that, you can get up again; no pressure. Have you stretched your legs in the past day? If not, do so right now. If you don’t have the spoons for a run or trip to the gym, just walk around the block, then keep walking as long as you please. If the weather’s crap, drive to a big box store (e.g. Target) and go on a brisk walk through the aisles you normally skip. Have you said something nice to someone in the past day? Do so, whether online or in person. Make it genuine; wait until you see something really wonderful about someone, and tell them about it. Have you moved your body to music in the past day? If not, do so — jog for the length of an EDM song at your favorite BPM, or just dance around the room for the length of an upbeat song. Have you cuddled a living being in the past two days? If not, do so. Don’t be afraid to ask for hugs from friends or friends’ pets. Most of them will enjoy the cuddles too; you’re not imposing on them. Do you feel ineffective? Pause right now and get something small completed, whether it’s responding to an e-mail, loading up the dishwasher, or packing your gym bag for your next trip. Good job! Do you feel unattractive? Take a goddamn selfie. Your friends will remind you how great you look, and you’ll fight society’s restrictions on what beauty can look like. Do you feel paralyzed by indecision? Give yourself ten minutes to sit back and figure out a game plan for the day. If a particular decision or problem is still being a roadblock, simply set it aside for now, and pick something else that seems doable. Right now, the important part is to break through that stasis, even if it means doing something trivial. Have you seen a therapist in the past few days? If not, hang on until your next therapy visit and talk through things then. Have you been over-exerting yourself lately — physically, emotionally, socially, or intellectually? That can take a toll that lingers for days. Give yourself a break in that area, whether it’s physical rest, taking time alone, or relaxing with some silly entertainment. Have you changed any of your medications in the past couple of weeks, including skipped doses or a change in generic prescription brand? That may be screwing with your head. Give things a few days, then talk to your doctor if it doesn’t settle down. Have you waited a week? Sometimes our perception of life is skewed, and we can’t even tell that we’re not thinking clearly, and there’s no obvious external cause. It happens. Keep yourself going for a full week, whatever it takes, and see if you still feel the same way then. You’ve made it this far, and you will make it through. You are stronger than you think. This post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: alteration and redistribution are welcome
Here’s What a Healthy Relationship with Food Looks Like
We all want a healthy and balanced relationship with food and our diet. But what does that look like exactly? It’s hard to see what balance looks like among fad diets and the latest food trends. Here’s some markers of a healthy relationship with food. A healthy relationship with food should be balanced and flexible. We all aim for a healthy diet, and a healthy diet encompasses many different foods and every treats from time to time. Your body is resilient, and having a doughnut or some chips once in a while will not ruin a diet or harm your health over the long-term. Try to avoid thinking about foods as good or bad (or clean vs. dirty). Foods are foods. Nourish your body and treat it once in a while to an indulgence. Your thoughts about food should not take up too much ‘mind-space.’ Your thoughts should not center only on food or exercise. This could be a sign of obsessiveness, or a sign that food is being a placeholder for other, larger, anxieties. You should be able to plan your meal, and then move on to think about other things. You should not berate yourself for food choices. Talk to yourself like you would a friend or loved one. You wouldn’t call them names for what they ate over the lunch break, and neither should you. If you really feel like you need to improve your diet, talk to yourself with compassion and support, and get some great advice from a Dietician. If you find yourself with very negative self-talk, seek out a therapist to change these habits. Your chosen diet should not interfere with other valued activities, or get in the way of relationships. If you find yourself skipping social outings, or stressing over thanksgiving with your family, this is a sign of being too focused on food. Relationships and having fun are crucial to your mental health. They are nourishment for your mind (and your soul). Don’t let the aim of a perfect or ‘pure’ diet take away from your mental health. You should not pin your self-worth on your diet, or feel superior to others because your diet is more ‘pure’ or ‘clean.’ You are not your diet. If you find yourself thinking of yourself (and others) in terms of how good or bad their food choices are, take a step back and perhaps talk to a therapist about this. It’s important to cultivate your self-worth based on your character, relationships, valued work, and personal goals rather than how strictly you can stick to the diet of the moment. If you feel like you are out of balance with food, or want to talk with someone further about how you feel, you can always contact us for a free consultation.