Behavioral Health Clinic

  Have you ever wondered if you would benefit from therapy? Has anyone ever suggested to you that “perhaps you should see a therapist…..”. As a therapist , there are certain concepts I believe are important for an individual seeking out a therapist needs to consider so they can make a good decision and choose a therapist who is a “good fit”. Where do you begin? Though it might take some time to find a therapist who matches your individual needs, a few important steps can point you in the right direction. Certain types of therapy may be a better fit for you than others. It typically depends on the issue(s) you want to address and your personal preference. Many therapists use more than one approach. Some of the more “common” approaches include: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ( CBT) , which is especially effective for anxiety as well as depression. It Is based on the idea that you can change the thought patterns that shape your feelings and behavior. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ( ...

  I recently found myself feeling as though I was living life on autopilot. There are so many wonderful things happening day-to-day but was I working to create the life I want? I decided it was time to take a step back, evaluate what needed to change, and take some action. Luckily, with the small changes I’ve been making, I’ve been feeling both excited and at peace about life. Since I’ve seen some success, I thought I’d share some of the insight I’ve gathered. Firstly, ask yourself what you want your life to look like. By having a finish line in mind you can more easily find the steps needed to get there. One key factor to this being helpful is being able to recognize when you’ve set goals for yourself that aren’t reasonable or can’t be met. If you find that’s the case, don’t hesitate to simply take another step back and alter your plans to include goals you can succeed at. Ensure your environment matches how you want to feel. Our environment impacts our mental and emotional health...

  The Behavioral Health Clinic provides counseling for couples who are concerned with their relationship functioning in the state of Wisconsin. We have counselors who can help you navigate many relationship stressors including differences in parenting, difficult personality and value clashes, repairing trust in the wake of infidelity, and unsatisfying or mismatched sexual relationships. We also work with individuals who are struggling with making decisions about his, her, of their relationship. Our counselors use evidence based couples interventions such as Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy, Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy, Behavioral Sex Therapy, and Gottman-informed techniques to promote the health and well-being of relationships and the individuals in them. LEARN MORE TODAY

  Things can become chaotic in our lives, or at the very least, overwhelming at times and in those moments, we search for a sense of power and control. When we focus on what we have control over in times of distress we are better able to manage our mood, our thinking, and our actions. When we have power and control, we feel safe. This is no different for children. Children often attempt to control their environment which, when they are unsuccessful, can lead to them displaying negative moods and behaviors. A helpful way to guide your child through difficult moments is to share power with them when you feel it is appropriate. Continuing to use this technique even when the child is not in distress can also prevent negative situations from occurring. When I talk about sharing power and control, I mean giving your child some say over what occurs in their day-to-day life. You are the parent or caregiver, so you remain “the boss” in the situation however you can give the child control in...

  There are many reasons that can help explain why someone of any age is forgetful. I wish I could pin point it exactly and say “this is why,” but the truth is it is a little different for each person. There are some common difficulties that can contribute to forgetting things. These include symptoms of ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, bereavement… the list goes on. Working Memory is also known as short-term memory. These are things you hold in memory to complete a task. For example, you are packing up your child for school and need to send them with snowpants, boots, hat, gloves, and a lunch and mid-way through your list, your child reminds you that it is their snack day. They end up going to school with the snack, but you forgot to pack their gloves. Or you’re on the way out the door and you cannot recall where you left your keys. After all, they were right here, right? ADDitudemag.com says that research demonstrates that young children can only hold one or two items in memory....

Hanging up on the wall of my office are 3 picture frames and next to them on a shelf is another. Across the room is a certificate and a professional license. There are also books, books, and more books. These framed, fancy pieces of paper signify years of education, education that came about from a couple of different factors. The first being that education was never optional in my family. It was an unspoken expectation that after high school, you do something. In order to do that something, finishing high school was mandatory. It didn’t matter what decision was made after high school, options included a 4-year degree, a 2-year degree, a technical certificate or diploma, or a job. The options were endless as long as it was something. The second factor is a love for absorbing knowledge that I developed early. When I was growing up my dad called me a “sponge” because I would pull in any information I could. The library was one of my favorite places. I got my first library card when I was...

  The transition to motherhood brings with it many changes. This can be a very difficult time for many. Mothers are expected to be happy. Joyful. Ecstatic. Immediately ready to be a mother and care for their child. When a mother does not feel this way, it can be scary and confusing. According to Babycenter.com, 40 to 80 percent of new mothers will experience what is called the “baby blues.” This is when during the first few days after delivery, a mother feels tearful, unhappy, is worried, experiences self-doubt, and is fatigued. This can be explained by many different factors; hormones, adjustment, lack of sleep, lack of self-care, and others. The “baby blues” will typically go away within a few weeks. When these blues persist, increase in severity, lead to feelings of despair or hopelessness, significant behavioral changes, intense worry, feelings of inadequacy, and/or thoughts of harming oneself and/or the infant, it indicates that the mother may be experiencing Postpartum Depres...

  Facebook photo lives are unrealistic, yet so many of us strive to obtain them. So, what is a “Facebook photo life?” By now many of us have come to understand that magazine covers, ads, billboards, the “click bait” material online, and so much more; are not just a picture of an individual holding a product. They are societies expectation of what is beautiful/handsome that has been digitally enhanced after the work of professional make-up artists and hair stylists and taken by a professional photographer. This leads people to desperately seek to obtain a form of beauty that is not obtainable which can cause low self-esteem, depression, and much more. Unfortunately, we took this phenomenon and added a new layer in our own social media. What picture do you have on your social accounts? Why did you choose it? Odds are your answers are the same as others. We chose the best picture we had of ourselves or our family, so as a person scrolls through with the lives of others on full display...

  I have a long standing history working with children in a variety of different contexts; I’ve always known my future career would involve helping children. It all started back in Bessemer, Michigan where I spent a lot of time hanging out with my “little” sister and the other kids in the neighborhood. They were all younger than me, but I enjoyed my time with them and I certainly enjoyed being the oldest (and in my mind, the smartest, obviously). My first job was working at a local church watching children during the service (if you don’t count babysitting) and this transitioned to a handful of jobs teaching infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and at the elementary school level. In recent years I have started to transition from teaching to providing therapy. Therapy brought forth my first experiences with adolescents, who I also fell in love with helping. Throughout the years in both career fields, I have been honored and blessed to meet many different children and their families and ...