Page 14 - AreaNewsletters "Mar 2021" issue

You can’t always count on LUCK
Sometimes you just need help.
By Dawn Gabriel, MA, LPC, Founder, Owner of Authentic Connections Counseling Center
Although I enjoy the fun celebration of St Patrick’s Day in March, I often don’t put stock in “luck”. I tend to be a choice theorist and a “make things happen” type of person.... So, all that to say is there are times we just need to be brutally honest with what is going on in our lives and ask for help. With looking back a year ago in March, we probably all have had some rough times over the past 12 months. At our counseling center, this past year, we have seen a major increase in stress, anxiety and depression and marital con ict. So know that you are not alone! I would like to take some time to dispel some myths about counseling or therapy in case you decide your “luck” has run out and it is time to get a professional to join you in your journey.
Common MYTHS about Therapy The FACTS About Therapy
1. I have to be mentally ill to seek 1. counseling.
2. We have to be in a crisis to go to couples counseling.
3. I can just talk to my good friends
or family. 2.
4. I don’t need therapy... just give me a pill
5. If I focus on my past, I’ll get stuck there.
6. Others will think less of me if I admit I am struggling.
7. I should be able to gure this out on my own.
Every person, at some point in life will struggle with one or more of the following: bouts of anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and signi cant life transitions. It is normal to struggle and to feel like you don’t have it all together.
Unprocessed emotions can lead to addictions, sickness, unhealthy relationships, impulsive decisions and general unhappiness. So don’t wait until you are in “crisis” mode!
March 2021 • Castle Rock “AreaNewsletters” 14
conversations. Continued...
3. Medication is often used as a Band-Aid. Research shows that medication alone is not as e ective as talk therapy.
4. Therapy is a safe and confidential place to have necessary and vulnerable
HEALTH • WELLNESS • LIFESTYLE