Mental Health Awareness Month: A Tip a Day from A Therapist
A Mental Health Tip a Day in May from A Therapist
by Tizita Seifu MA, LPCS | Therapist
1 NEW TIP BELOW MONDAY-THURSDAY IN MAY 2024
mental health Tip 11
AVAILABLE HERE TUESDAY MAY 22, 2024
mental health Tip 10
5 SIGNS SOMEONE MAY NEED THERAPY OR COUNSELING
Regular or persistent discouragement in a perceived area of need.
You notice significant changes in the person. The person does not seem like themselves. While people grow and change, sudden changes in a person can be a key indicator that therapy is needed.
To gain help with achieving personal or professional goals. Even when therapy may not be necessary to repair what is hurt or broken, therapy can still be beneficial to strengthen and equip what is already strong. Therapy is not only about healing or addressing concern. Therapy can also be for preventive care, personal development and further leveraging opportunities.
Physician recommends counseling. PCPs or Board licensed health professional are the professionals that can generally best help you determine if you may benefit from counseling. These professionals are trained to inquire of specific symptoms and indicators, to interpret the meaning of those symptoms and to make recommendations in the best interest of your mental health.
If you have noticed significant changes in mood or function over the last 2 weeks, scheduling a therapy session would generally be best practice.
mental health Tip 9
A VALUE OF THERAPY:
THERAPIST’S PERSONAL TAKE
Therapy is for Everyone
I just got out of my therapy session. Yes I am a Therapist in Therapy. I believe everyone can benefit from therapy, when they find a good Therapist. Therapy helps me in many ways, such as helping me to continue to become the healthiest and fullest version of myself.
Therapy: Bringing You Forward
Therapy can help bring the truest and fullest version of you forward. I am Therapist in therapy because I believe that whether you are doing work to heal or for personal and professional development, therapy can be very helpful.
Let us normalize going to therapy as an act of self care and personal and professional investment and growth. Let us reframe the idea that therapy is only for those who have something going wrong or for those who are experiencing mental illness.
God and Therapy
My Therapist confirmed two key things that God has been revealing to me in prayer and in journaling. Sometimes the value of therapy is not only what your Therapist teaches you but also what your Therapist helps you remember and bring your attention back to. Sometimes therapy helps affirm what is already being revealed to you and the things you already becoming aware of.
Therapy: Revelation and Confirmation
Sometimes therapy is not about revelation, new revelation, but confirmation which helps bring relief and confidence. Sometimes therapy provides revelation-a new insight, a new coping skill, a healing take. Sometimes therapy provides confirmation-heightened awareness of thoughts, ideas, or feelings, clarity about the direction you have been sensing you need to take, or clearer awareness of your passion, purpose or priorities.
Therapy: Bringing it Out of You
We are often in life trying to figure out which way should I go? What decision should I make? Sometimes therapy can help affirm and bring out the things that are already in you. Therapy may help you finally acknowledge what you have long known you needed to do. Therapy can offer many things and what we need will vary based on what we are struggling with or working toward.
Schedule Therapy Today
This is your reminder to schedule your therapy appointment today.
mental health Tip 8
MANAGING STRESS:
INTELLECTUALIZING VERSUS FEELING
As a Therapist, I hold compassion for the part of you that feels you have to quickly justify or explain your feelings. This may have taught you to relate to your feelings intellectually but not emotionally; both can offer critical value to your mental health.
You grew up being asked to explain why you were emotionally hurt first versus receiving the initial emotional soothing and security that you needed and did not know how to provide yourself. This can feel like shutting off the faucet despite the pipes continue to fill up with water. It can continue to make it hard to be familiar with feeling your feelings or to know how to manage your feelings in healthy ways. This may have taught you that you immediately have to have an answer or explanation for how you feel, either to yourself or to others.
Becoming more connected with feeling your feelings which is a key part of mental health.
mental health Tip 7
MENTAL HEALTH & PRAYER:
PRAYER FOR PEACE VERSUS ANXIETY
“God thank You that you gave us Your peace that can guard me from anxiety and worry in times of trouble. Help me do my part to experience Your peace and my mental health to live in steady peace.” -Mental Health Prayer
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” -John 14: 27
mental health Tip 6
PEACE: MENTAL & SPIRITUAL HEALTH
Have you ever considered that what you are going through may be both mental and spiritual? Have you ever considered the value of therapy with a Therapist that is trained to explore both the mental health and spiritual solutions?
Link here for more on peace as a mental and spiritual path
mental health Tip 5:
CULTURE & MENTAL HEALTH
As a Therapist, I often talk about the importance of examining which cultural beliefs you may have learned that may be helping your mental health vs hurting your mental health. Even the things that may have been normal for a long time may not be healthy.
Link here for Signs of toxic culture and Coping Skills
mental health Tip 4
GROWTH VERSUS SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
My plant recently taught a key lesson about life and health. For some reason it was focusing all its energy growing just one stem and leaf quickly, even though it is a big beautiful plant with many thriving branches. I was concerned because it was growing the one stem so fast that I wondered if she could sustain the growth, as the one stem grew long and skinny. The stem was growing tall quickly.
I woke up not long after that to find the stem had collapsed from the weight of the quick, fragile growth without the support system to sustain it. That could be us if we focus too much energy in one area of our well-being and do not focus on all key areas for mind, body and spirit health. We may not have the strength to support growth when we are over investing in one area. This was actually a helpful reminder for me as I reflect on this lesson again as I share this with you.
My name is Tizita, a Therapist in private practice. I am glad to support you both proactively either with a Mental Wellness Checkup, where you can come see me one time and see whether you have healthy practices currently to support your mental health.
Or if you know you are stressed, and you already know you are feeling like that broken stem and trying to figure out how to feel balanced and peace and motivated, you can also contact me for Therapy.
mental health Tip 3
MANAGING ANXIETY
You are feeling anxious about what is in front of you. If the opportunity in front of you is healthy and aligned, I want to encourage you to consider taking the first step. Anxiety tends to overestimate perception of risks. Take the first step because the anxiety will often subside as you start to face what you fear. This will also help you realize the challenge is rarely quite as big as it seemed in the midst of the anxiety. I encourage you to take the first step.
Peace from anxiety can come from facing your fear. Peace from God can come from taking faithful action even as you feel afraid and even when you cannot see the whole way forward.
mental health Tip 2
PERSONALITY VERSUS PRIOR COPING SKILL
Has how you once coped become a habit that no longer helps you? For better or worse, we often think of our personality as fixed. What you may think is your personality may in fact be learned behaviors that helped you cope in the past.
Are you naturally observant or did you learn to be very aware as a way to find comfort in uncomfortable circumstances? Are you naturally so analytical and responsible or is that how your mind tries to protect you from perceived risks?
How can you distinguish the difference? You may ask yourself, what parts of my personality do I enjoy? What parts of my personality add stress, anxiety, sadness, or sense of fatigue? Therapy can be a very helpful space to explore what tendencies you have that are working for you or working against you. Contact me if you I can help.
mental health Tip 1
BLACK SEED & MENTAL HEALTH
Black seed (nigella sativa) is clinically proven to improve mental health. Black seed is derived from a plant native to Africa and Asia. I first learned about Black seed from my family from Ethiopia as they told me stories about how they use it for various remedies. I then was amazed by clinical research. Several studies have shown Black seed can improve memory impairment, anxiety, depression, neurodegeneration and pain. I find Black seed so helpful that it is a staple in my home and habits. Consulting with your medical doctor is advised prior to consumption, especially if you are taking medications.
Continue visiting this page for a new mental health tip, Monday-Thursday in May.
Found this helpful? Consider sharing this article with others.
Tizita Seifu is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice providing professional counseling, coaching and speaking services locally and internationally. The Journey Inspired is an innovative multi-state professional counseling practice for adults and children navigating anxiety, depression, or career challenges. Services focus on personal and professional development through therapy, coaching, speaking, and clinical supervision.
LATEST MENTAL HEALTH TIP VIDEO
