Finding the Right Therapist by Clayton Isiminger, LPC-Intern, Supervised by Shelley Zavodny, LMFT-S, LPC-S

Finding the right therapist can feel like a daunting task. For many, it's already a time of great stress, and stopping to consider relevant factors in choosing a therapist can be overwhelming when you may already have so much going on that's causing you to seek therapy to begin with. Yet, there are some important things to consider to ensure you get the help you need when searching for the right match. First and foremost, it's important to verify that your therapist is indeed licensed, which you can check by going to the first link listed below. You can also check to see if they have had any disciplinary taken against them by the state board in the second link.

https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.u... to ...

Read more

The Benefits of Creativity for Those Who Self-Harm

by Haylee Furlow, SHSU Counseling Intern Student

Hope & Harmony Therapy, LLC

           For children and adults alike, creativity can be a great way to express one’s emotions. When we don’t know the right words, we can get our feelings out through our art. Those who self-harm often do so because they feel they cannot express themselves adequately or even at all. Whether they already engage in some creative practice or not, establishing or expanding creative habits can help to express the emotions that may be the cause behind self-harm.

            Multiple articles have lobbied the benefits of creative arts for people struggling with self-harm. In “The Use of Visual Arts Activities in Counseling Clients Who Engage in Nonsuicidal Self-Injury”, research ...

Read more

Vulnerability: Strength or Weakness?

Written by Debbie Martin M.Ed., MA, LPC, LMFT 

Vulnerability is something we all struggle with most of our lives. It seems like there is a learning curve deciding when it is appropriate to show our vulnerable side and when it is not. Of course, never showing our weaknesses is easier and protects us from everything--even love.

That's right! When we put up our shields to hide our vulnerabilities, we lose opportunity to connect with others. Feeling connected to others is not only a human need, it is also a necessary component for love to blossom.

Our life experiences with emotional pain and hurt can cause us to put up walls so tall that connection with others is almost impossible. We forget how to be vulnerable. We forget how to handle our painful feelings. We become stuck in constant figh ...

Read more