Here are the top 5 Reasons People Start Going to Therapy.

With the stress of the holidays it is important to know what are the things making this holiday season vastly different than the past few years. Remember we have had a rough 2 years and now all the sudden we are "back in the swing of things". This is the perfect time to practice boundary setting and making sure we are using our Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills from DBT.

Also, to COPE AHEAD we want to make sure we set good intentions for the season and Decide what YOU want this Holiday season is going to look like for you. What will it look like time, finically and who do you want to spend it with. Be sure to listen for more tips and tricks on how to survive this season.

In this episode we are joined by Bonnie Monahan, LPC, PLPC to explore the various Pros and Cons that are associated with Telehealth and In-Person therapy. Depending on the type of therapy your are doing and your type of therapist there are many pros and cons. From saving money and time by doing Telehealth to wanting to just get away to a quite place outside of your home for in-person therapy. It is important to see all sides of something to help you make a decision on what works best for you.

Want to learn more about how to work with Middle Path Counseling MO ? Visit us at www.middlepathmo.com

We are officially back! Welcome to season 2 of Finding Middle Path, a podcast that explores all things DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and the resources around it. We are excited to be back and to continue to explore resources.

The Therapeutic Relationship and Alliance is a vital part of therapy.

Music : Journey by Atch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIaZg9d6mjg

We are so honored to have Emily Keehn, LPC - Speak with us today on behalf of Timberline Knolls a treatment facility in the suburbs or Chicago. Timberline Knolls ( TK ) is a Mental Health Residential Treatment program that focuses on using DBT ( Dialectical Behavioral Therapy ) with their clients. They have many other programs that and we are thrilled to talk to Emily who has been with TK for 6years and to see the development of many of their programs. If you want to find out more about TK please visit https://www.timberlineknolls.com/. They also have a wonderful YouTube presence with helpful videos. Be sure to follow them.

Ever wonder how to get yourself to feel more in control of your emotions? It takes practice. In this resource we are practicing "Turning the Mind" and "Opposite to Emotion." With Kevin Hart it is shifting any emotion to humor. It is a distraction that helps to step away from whatever intense emotion you are having to help you self regulate. Then once you feel more in control you go back to whatever was causing you distress and you can validate and problem solve if needed.

Kevin's book "I can't make this up" is a great example of humor and vulnerability. I used Audible to listen to the book and you can find it on Amazon by clicking this affiliate link - https://www.amazon.com/shop/rachaeljulstrom?listId=31805RNWCT22&ref=idea_share_inf

Since our office has been doing Telehealth since March 2020, we havn't had anytime to discuss the benefits of Telehealth in a Mental Health Setting. It is no secret that there is a Mental Health crisis that we are still in. Many are from the original wave of COVID and a mix of the political environment. Now it is a mix of wanting to find a normal and still trying to fit in the old way of doing things. There has been so much change in the the last year alone, it has been hard for people to find a routine or a baseline.

This is why continuing to have some routine around mental health is important and making it easy for clients to get connect with their therapist weekly and bi-weekly is just as important. We have noticed the following benefits:

1. Convenience - you can meet with your therapist in much more flexible time slots
2. No commute - you dont have to drive through traffic at lunch or 5pm when it can be the most stressful
3. Cost - while the cost of Telehealth remains the same, many insurance companies have decided to cover quite a bit of the cost if not all of it.
4. Consistency - You are still able to meet with your therapist and set a routine. Even when everything else feels like it might be changing around you, you know that on Tuesday at 2PM you still will see your therapist.

Need help finding a therapist near you? Try these resources:

Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

Meet Monarch https://meetmonarch.com/

Meet Carissa Weber who is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and a clinical substance abuse counselor (CSAC). She has always been drawn to mental health, especially in ways to help others feel better. While she was in college, she studied nursing and how the brain works. She is applying this knowledge to the Finding Middle Path Podcast and teaching us about the biology of validation.

https://thatdarnamygdala.com/about-me-the-short-version/

FB/P/IG: @ThatDarnAmygdala

Twitter: @AmygdalaDarn

Book Club: https://thatdarnamygdala.com/book-club/

Carissa also has a Workbook coming out in September that is helpful for anyone in therapy or not in therapy. Be sure to follow her on Instagram and find out how to get involved.