support, therapy, mental health, counseling
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Beyond World Cancer Day: Where Personal ...

Beyond World Cancer Day: Where Personal Connection Meets Professional Passion

Written by: Becky Morales, LCSW-S, Licensed Therapist

World Cancer Day is held every year on February 4th. This international day is focused on raising awareness and education, in addition to calling on individuals and governments worldwide to promote health equity. By the time you’re reading this, it’ll be well after February 4th - and yet, I’m honored to have the opportunity to share a little bit about the impact of cancer on my life and why I choose to focus on supporting others impacted by cancer in my work.

Beyond World Cancer Day: Where Personal Connection Meets Professional Passion
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Thriving in Diversity: The Power of ...

THRIVING IN DIVERSITY: THE POWER OF MINORITY-MAJORITY ORGANIZATIONS IN MENTAL HEALTH

Written by Kayla Childs, Marketing & Digital Communications Manager at Colors of Austin Counseling

In an industry, culture (and nation) that is primarily ran by the majority, Colors of Austin Counseling stands as a testament to the power of the minority and how organizations like us can have a lasting impact in the mental health landscape. Here’s what it’s like working in a minority-majority organization…

Thriving in Diversity: The Power of Minority-Majority Organizations in Mental Health
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Executive (Dys)function: Demystifying ...

EXECUTIVE (DYS)FUNCTION: DEMYSTIFYING DECISION-MAKING AND FOCUS CHALLENGES

Written by Kim Jenkins, LMSW, Licensed Therapist

Sometimes it’s really hard to do things!

With the winter holiday season upon us as I write this, it feels to me like we’re at a perfect moment to think about executive (dys)function. This particular stretch of weeks can be extremely demanding and overstimulating, not to mention charged with complex emotions, memories, and relationship dynamics. Facing down tasks like visiting with family members you don’t often see, navigating various social expectations, buying groceries during the busiest retail season of all, and generally tying up the loose ends of the year can be utterly exhausting. For these reasons and more, maybe it’s become fairly socially acceptable to voice feelings of overwhelm and burnout during this time of year.

Executive (Dys)function: Demystifying Decision-Making and Focus Challenges
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The Healing Power of Nature: An Introduction to ...

THE HEALING POWER OF NATURE: AN INTRODUCTION TO NATURE-BASED THERAPY

Written by Alyssa Ray, LMSW, LCSW-Associate, Licensed Therapist

The holidays are quickly approaching which can be a stressful time for many of us. It can be easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Holiday season and forget to give ourselves the self-care we need. When we are in busy seasons it can be difficult to prioritize self-care or feel like we don’t have the resources available to us to practice our usual self-care but there is one thing we always have access to: nature.

Nature-based therapy is a holistic approach that incorporates components of the natural environment to provide relief for mental and physical health issues. It incorporates talk therapy and elements of nature to help individuals work through their feelings. It is versatile and can be used in many different settings; virtually or in person, individually or with groups, inside or outside. It can involve activities such as hiking, gardening, sitting outside, or using nature-based metaphors to provide emotional relief.

The Healing Power of Nature: An Introduction to Nature-Based Therapy
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Rewriting the Narrative: Lessons for My Younger ...

REWRITING THE NARRATIVE: LESSONS FOR MY YOUNGER SELF ON EATING DISORDERS

Written by Marissa Lecaros, LMFT-Associate, Licensed Therapist

As we approach the Holiday season, it is important to be mindful of language used towards food and body as there could be someone you love struggling with disordered eating or body image issues. Holidays can bring up this eating disorder “part” or “voice” in some individuals that will be hyper aware of comments made, and then yell at this individual to resort back to disordered eating behaviors to protect them from sadness, judgment, shame, fear, etc.

As a Latinx woman, I can understand how culture plays a role in language used and how at times it might not be intentional to make shameful comments towards someone, and yet I challenge you to consider breaking the norm for yourself or for someone else who may be struggling. When I was young my body was often commented on, and I remember being told right before college by many “don’t get the freshman 15”. Although I am aware of my body privilege, those comments led to me believing I had to keep up and continue being as thin as I could be to receive love and be worthy of affection and care… Which then led to restrictive eating, compulsive exercise, labeling foods as “good” and “bad”, yo-yo dieting, etc. People did not have to straight up tell me “when you are smaller I like you more”, it is just what my brain and society created me to believe. Eating Disorders & Body Image issues can show up for any one - there is no weight or body requirement, no specific race or ethnicity, no specific gender… It can happen to any human being. Which is why it is so important to be mindful of the actual behaviors and not body size or weight.

Rewriting the Narrative: Lessons for My Younger Self on Eating Disorders

sustainability

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Mindful Living: Prioritizing Your Needs in Busy Seasons

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Mindful Living: Prioritizing Your Needs in Busy Seasons

Written by: Alyssa Ray, LCSW

As the summer months have been in full swing, I have felt the weight of nonstop plans, summer projects, vacations, and time with family. The summer months can be full of fun and exciting adventures, but can also lead to a sense of overwhelment and exhaustion. So how do we balance all of our summer plans while keeping ourselves grounded and centered? This is where the idea of mindful living can be crucial. For me, mindful living consists of four main components: awareness, intentionality, gratitude, and sustainability. 

When thinking about awareness in the terms of mindful living, I like to think about it in two ways: awareness of the here and now and self-awareness. Awareness of the here and now is all about being present in the moment you are in. It can be hard when we are busy to not think about the next thing we have planned or the tasks we want to accomplish and that is where self-awareness is important. When we are able to practice self-awareness we can get a sense of what our minds and bodies need in that moment in order to stay present. Practicing compassionate self-awareness is allowing yourself to tune into your thinking patterns and body sensations in a nonjudgmental way. It allows you to meet yourself with curiosity and self-acceptance. The more aware we are of our environments and ourselves the more we are able to recognize when we are feeling centered versus dysregulated.

Once we are able to recognize when our minds and bodies are no longer centered, we can incorporate daily practices to help us become grounded. When we are intentional with how we spend our time and give our energy, we can live in a way that fosters calmness and connection. When thinking about mindful living, we need both awareness and intentionality. Intentionality without awareness can lead us to frustration if we are not attuned to what our bodies and minds need in a given moment. Intentionality moves us from awareness to action. It empowers us to use the information we gleaned from tuning into ourselves and our environments to make deliberate decisions about how to spend our time in a way that will honor our mind and body’s needs. When thinking about mindful living, intentionality is about creating balance in your life. During busy seasons it can feel very difficult to incorporate intentional slowness in your time because there can be a pull to “go, go, go.” I know for myself I have to be very intentional about planning moments of stillness into my day in order to keep myself centered during the busy summer months. 

One way I am intentional about keeping myself centered is by practicing gratitude. Practicing gratitude as a part of mindful living has many benefits. A daily gratitude practice has been shown to decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, help build deeper connections, and lead to more positive outlooks on life. Gratitude can also help us to be more present and increase our awareness. A daily gratitude practice can look as simple as naming five things you are thankful for each morning. Just this small act can lead to a more mindful life and help us stay grounded among the business of our summers.

The last component of mindful living is sustainability. Sustainability is the reason we practice awareness, intentionality, and gratitude. It can be helpful to think in terms of sustainability when we are tuning into ourselves and practicing self-awareness. When we think about the busy summer months it helps to be mindful of our capacity. I know for myself it can be easy to start planning all these activities and I don’t stop to think about how filling my schedule with activities is not sustainable for me. The more self-aware I am, the more I will be able to know at that moment that I do not have capacity for what I may have planned. I can then be intentional about giving my mind and body what it needs in order to sustain my lifestyle. It can be helpful to think about what you are going to intentionally incorporate in your life to sustain you during busy seasons. 

Mindful living is all about knowing your needs and prioritizing them in the midst of business. I know that in some seasons it can feel nearly impossible to prioritize your needs. Whether it is because you have kids who are out of school during the summer and you now are responsible for entertaining them, you are working a demanding job, you’re being pulled multiple directions by different summer plans, or a different stressful situation; prioritizing your needs will allow you to be more grounded and centered. Prioritizing mindful living will allow you to be more connected to those around you and to yourself. As it is about time to transition into the new school year, I hope we can encourage each other in our journeys of mindful living.