Mindful Changes Counseling

😀 Every one of us is different. From our fingerprints to our personalities, talents, opinions, abilities, lived experiences and much more. Yet, we often form groups based on similarities. As we do, some people get left behind, overlooked, excluded or worse. But what could happen if, instead, we celebrate the differences each of us brings? And we work together to create safe spaces where all people feel welcome? On a personal level, we each might feel more like we fit in and belong. On a more holistic level, diversity and inclusion breed creativity and innovation that benefit us all. Think about the foods we eat, the technologies we use, the entertainment we enjoy and the ideas that shape our lives and opportunities. What inclusion looks like Inclusivity means making sure everyone, regardless of their differences, feels safe, accepted and welcomed. “Regardless of their differences” refers to the differences you can see, like appearances. It also includes the broad spectrum of what may be invisible to you: Relative health and wellness, including any physical disabilities or those related to learning, attention, mental health and chronic pain Education, including their access to it and the quality of it Environmental conditions they live in Financial status and stability Gender identity and sexual orientation Lived experiences, including being marginalized, discriminated against or harassed Cultural background And so much more. #inclusion #diversity #celebratingdifferences

Benefits of brains that work differently 🧠 Neurodiversity can bring fresh ideas. And new perspectives that benefit our workplaces, communities and the world. These unique thinking processes can be helpful across a variety of specialized skill sets. For example, some neurodivergent people can recognize systems and patterns faster than most others. These are helpful skills for engineering, mathematics and computer science. Understanding the potential differences 🧠 It’s important to note, their unique brain functions can also lead them to struggle in ways neurotypical people might not. Neurodivergence and neurodiversity are nonmedical umbrella terms. They cover a broad range of neurological differences. These include dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism and ADHD. As such, learning abilities depend on the condition and person. It may be hard for some to learn how to read or do math. Some may get sensory overload. This can happen from bright lights and loud noises. And they may shut down or wind up. Or they may cover their eyes or ears. Some may find it difficult to sit still and focus for long periods of time. Support neurodiversity 🧠 Each of us can help create understanding, supportive and welcoming spaces. For neurodivergent people — and everyone. Here are some ways to get started: Be an ally – Encourage respect and dignity for all people. If you hear or see someone saying or doing something offensive or harmful, speak up and address it. Remember that advocacy is an ongoing need and process. Change takes time and repetition. Communicate clearly – Be polite but direct. Avoid sarcasm and euphemisms. And avoid implied messages that can be hard to understand. Separate facts from fiction – Many myths and misconceptions exist about neurodivergent people. And they are reinforced in TV shows and movies with stereotypes. Neurodivergence represents a very broad spectrum of thinking processes, behaviors and expressions that can vary widely. Just as no two brains are the same, neither are people — even if they share a condition or diagnosis. #neurodiversity

Happy 4th of July! 🎇🎇🎇 As we celebrate our nation’s freedom, we honor the courageous men and women dedicated to preserving it. #HappyFourthOfJuly #RedWhiteBlue

Uncovering your blind spots 😊 A first step is to learn to see our blind spots. Here are 7 ways to get started. Admit you have biases. Then try to uncover what they may be. Think about how you react to certain situations, people or types of information. Do you have an immediate impulse that steers you away from some people, places and things, and toward others? Why? Challenge yourself. Ask yourself why you believe what you believe, think what you think and act how you act. Are your beliefs, thoughts and behaviors serving yourself, but potentially underestimating, limiting or harming someone else? For example, consider how you interact with and describe people, places and situations. Are you being fair? Can you believe, think and act in ways that show more kindness and compassion? Can you patiently listen to another person or consider another way of doing something? Expand your sense of empathy. Listen to understand other people’s views and feelings without judgment. Think about any given situation from another person’s perspective. How would it feel to be them? Would you want to trade places — why or why not? Assess your body language. Is it saying what you want it to? Are you showing respect for others around you? For example, consider the different perspectives on personal space, touch, expressions, gestures and eye contact. What’s appropriate, respectful and comfortable varies culturally and from person to person. Seek new experiences. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Regularly look for opportunities to interact with people who are different from you. For example, you could join an employee resource group at your organization, visit a part of town you’ve never been to, try recipes from other regions, read opinion editorials by authors who don’t share your views, watch foreign movies, listen to podcasts and music from different places, or invite a neighbor or co-worker you don’t know to lunch. Keep learning. Take the time to educate yourself about the current views and perspectives, as well as the histories, cultures and heritages different from your own. As you do, also think about the hardships, setbacks and other experiences others are facing today and historically. This can help you better understand where they’re coming from and gain some insight into why. Keep trying. Uncovering your blind spots doesn’t happen overnight. It takes honest self-examination, time and practice to unlearn what is deeply ingrained in our thought patterns, behaviors and actions. It also takes a willingness to compromise and to even laugh at yourself once in a while.

Wherever you are, there’s likely a word to describe the people who provide unpaid, long-term care to loved ones in need of support, such as caregiver, family caregiver or carer. There’s also probably a term, like “sandwich generation,” for those caregivers who are caring for two different generations at once. But what those terms don’t explain is the delicate and difficult emotional mental and financial balancing act many caregivers face. This balancing act becomes even harder when a caregiver is caring for multiple generations at once. Commonly called “the sandwich generation,” more and more adults around the world are at once taking care of their own little ones along with aging parents. And many of these individuals also are working part-time or full-time to help offset costs. It’s a lot for anyone to handle. And it can bring a lot of different emotions. As a caregiver, you may feel good you can be there for the people you love and appreciate the time together. And at the same time, you may feel overwhelmed, stressed out and exhausted by the responsibility. Showing yourself compassion 🥰 Showing yourself compassion means being kind to yourself, giving yourself grace and striving to find a balance. By showing yourself compassion, you acknowledge you can only control so much. You understand you may make mistakes, but you can focus on learning from them rather than criticizing yourself. For example, let’s say you feel guilty because you grew impatient with your toddler and snapped at your elderly father. You cannot change what’s already happened. But you can reflect on what led you to that point of frustration and what could be done differently to prevent it from happening again. If you were irritable from hunger, and can you make sure to have nutritious snacks at the ready? Did you need a break and could you arrange for a relative or friend to come by to give you one in the future? Sometimes even taking a few deep breaths and counting to 10 can help ease tension. Being compassionate toward yourself also helps you be more resilient, so you can bounce back from challenges more easily. 😉

“Being able to be your true self is one of the strongest components of good mental health.” -Lauren Fogel Mersy, n.d. 😀 #MentalHealthQuotes

Do you spend some of your weekend worrying about or dreading your return to work? Try these strategies to manage your thoughts, so you can enjoy your time off and start your week with a positive mindset. Use the space to write down ways to use the strategy in your own life. Use this worksheet to help plan your week: http://spr.ly/6047gpw2D #WorkWeekHelp

"You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom." — Malcolm X #Juneteenth

Consider what you need — and prefer 😉 ✏️ Before you start your search for a therapist, consider what type of therapist may best serve your needs. There are different many types of mental health professionals. They have a range of education and licensing requirements, which also can vary depending on where they live and work. They usually specialize in different areas — such as children/adolescents, family and relationships, specific types of mental health or behavioral health disorders, and substance use disorder — and work with individuals in different ways. Some, but not all, can prescribe medication. Below is a list of some types of therapists, as outlined by Mental Health America.1 Generally speaking: For counseling and therapy, you could see a: ⭐ Clinical social worker – A counselor with a master’s degree in social work from an accredited graduate program. Trained to make diagnoses, provide individual and group counseling, and provide case management and advocacy; usually found in the hospital setting. ⭐Mental health counselor – A counselor with a master’s degree and several years of supervised clinical work experience. Trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling. ⭐Clinical psychologist – A psychologist with a doctoral degree in psychology from an accredited/designated program in psychology. Psychologists are trained to make diagnoses and provide individual and group therapy. If you have a condition that will likely benefit from therapy, medical evaluation and medication management, including certain substance use disorder, you could see a: ⭐Psychiatrist – A medical doctor with special training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional illnesses. A psychiatrist can prescribe medication, but they often do not counsel patients. ⭐Psychiatric or mental health nurse practitioner – A registered nurse practitioner with a graduate degree and specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional illness. Source: 1. Mental Health America, “Types of Mental Health Professionals.”

To the fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers, godfathers step-fathers, father figures, and fathers-to-be: we celebrate you today and thank you for the mentorship, love, and guidance you’ve provided. 😇 #HappyFathersDay