Have you ever wondered about trying counseling? 

If you have been to a counselor then you know what to expect. If not, let me help explain it a little.

At first, there are in-take papers that you would need to fill out and sign. This is to give the counselor your consent for counseling. Other papers needed might be personal information about yourself, how you plan to pay, and the reason(s) that had brought you to counseling.

For me, after the ‘business’ part of the intake, I would begin a counseling session with trying right away to build a positive rapport with my client.

I would do this by making some kind of small talk with my client. I would then try and make my client feel safe with me by the way that I approached them and with being warm and genuine when I spoke to them.

I explain to my clients that what they discuss with me is confidential except for a few exceptions. They are: if they were a minor, if they said that they wanted to harm themselves or someone else, any abuse or neglect of a minor, person with a disability or an elderly person is suspected, or if information was ordered by a judge.

If I didn’t already know, I would ask a new client what brought them in. Then I would ask some in-take questions to help me to be able to help them better. 

Remember that talking to others when you are hurting can be very helpful!

If there is something that you do not understand at your first counseling session, ask your counselor questions about what is not clear to you.

A counselor can help you and provide you with coping skills so that you can help yourself better through difficult times. 

Seeking mental health help is honorable and admirable. 

                       By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

  Follow: 
Living With Hope Counseling   

Emotional First Aid- What You Can Do When You Start To Feel Bad






Step outside or open a window.

Monitor your moods on a daily basis and rate ‘feeling bad’ on a scale from 1 to 10. Take notice when you feel worse than other times and process the reasons why. Make plans to change how you react to these mood patterns.

Do not allow yourself to go on an emotional downward spiral. When you start to feel bad, do not let it have snowball effect. Recognize it for what it is and do not let your thoughts take you further down. Tell yourself that you are having a difficult time but that it will not keep you down and that you will overcome it.

Implement a positive and / or productive distraction when you start to feel low in spirits.

Find meaning in loss or hard times. Learn from them and use them to help others and to grow stronger.

Demonstrate self- care. Get sunshine and fresh air. Brisk walk outside. Read scripture. Rest. Eat healthy. Drink water. Think of a peaceful place in your mind. Take slow deep breaths.

Talk to someone who cares and who you trust.

Re-visit in your mind--your passions and purpose in life.

Count your blessings.

Pray. God cares about every detail of your life. 

Take a bath by candle light.

Listen to Christian / Worship music.  

Journal about why / where you believe your sadness is coming from.

Remember that emotional pain is temporary.

Demonstrate positive self-talk about yourself and your situation. 

Let go of what you do not have control over.

Forgive yourself and others. 

Let go of guilt and shame.

Choose JOY!

                  Seek counseling and/ or a support group.

  
                          By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

  Follow: 
Living With Hope Counseling   

     Free Support Groups
    For Adults of All Ages 
  (Registration is required)

This Saturday at 2pm is a Support Group For Abuse Recovery (Mental, Emotional, Verbal, Physical, Sexual, and Neglect)

We meet every month

When: Every 1st Saturday of Each Month

Time: 2:00pm - 3:15 am

Support groups are also for loved ones and family members

     Groups are on-going every month and open-group

Where: Michael Loftis LCSW Counseling

2670 Memorial Blvd, Suite E., Murfreesboro, TN 37129

Groups are led by Diane Gammon MS

Diane is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW

Contact Diane by calling or texting (615) 556-8406 or email her at Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com to register or for more information 
                           Registration is Required


                                  By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

  Follow: 
Living With Hope Counseling   

Free Support Groups for Adults of All Ages

Depression/ Hopelessness/ Anxiety/ Panic, Etc.

When: Every 1st Saturday Morning of Each Month

Time: 10:00am - 11:30 am

     Groups are on-going every month and open-group

Where: Michael Loftis LCSW Counseling

2670 Memorial Blvd, Suite E., Murfreesboro, TN 37129

Groups are led by Diane Gammon MS

Diane is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW

Contact Diane by calling or texting (615) 556-8406 or email her at Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com to register 
or for more information 

By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

  Follow: 
Living With Hope Counseling   

Many people ask the question of why they need to forgive others. 

When we choose to forgive someone, it is actually an act of self-preservation. 

We need to forgive others even if if the persons who hurt us never say that they are sorry.

Why you ask? 

Because it helps us to let go of what is hurting us so we no longer carry it around. 

The Lord didn't create us to carry around hurtful negative emotions that linger. 
He doesn't want you to store up and keep your hurt feelings! 

It is import to realize that forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a choice. When you choose to forgive someone, you might not feel all warm and fuzzy about it! It is a choice to release someone’s act of injuring you in some way.

  You will eventually feel better when you release your pain to God and forgive the person and wrong doing. However, it may take awhile for your heart to catch up with your decision to forgive.

You do not need the unnecessary and unwanted emotional baggage! 

 

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, 

brawling and slander, along with every 

form of malice. Be kind and 

compassionate to one another, forgiving 

each other, just as in Christ God forgave 

you.  Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV


                                By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

  Follow: 
Living With Hope Counseling   

Depressive Disorders are experienced by millions of individuals.  






There are many options to choose from to help treat depression. 

There is of course anti-depressant medications. 

There are also holistic natural ways to treat depression.

Consuming tumeric is a healthy and natural way to treat depression. 

Researchers have found that depression is responsive to treatment with natural supplements such as tumeric. The active ingredient that helps with depression is curcumin.
 
Researchers believe that the effectiveness of curcumin comes from the idea that it can inhibit monoamine oxidase which is an enzyme that is corrleated to depression if found in the brain in high levels. 

Tumeric can also help to raise the levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain which can produce a calming effect.

Reference Natural News

 http://www.naturalnews.com/049868_turmeric_depression_remedy_curcumin.html#ixzz4AFPCvqPB

Tumeric also has other health benefits such as it can prevent many diseases like cancer. 

You can buy it whole is its natural form, powder form, or in capsules. I buy it in powder form from a health food store and put it in my fresh vegetable juice daily. 

Here's to your health! 

                        By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

  Follow: 
Living With Hope Counseling   

It has been said that some people work best in a cluttered desk area. 







Now while I do believe that someone else should not organize for someone else because we all know where our "stuff" is, I believe that it helps our minds to live clutter free.

It just makes us feel better first of all when we are not living in a messy home. It is the same for our work environment. It is beneficial to our health for it to be clean and clutter free as well. 

It actually helps our minds to be able to think and concentrate more clearly when we keep things cleaned up and organized. 

It can also reduce stress and depression when we are are organized!

It helps us to be in a better mood in which aids in us speaking to others in such a way that can improve our relationships!

It also helps us to eat healthier! When our kitchen is clean, we are more likely to eat something that is healthier for us!

We also rest and sleep better!

Mostly, being organized helps us to be more productive! 

Living in a clean and organized home can help you feel better both mentally and physically!


                             By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

Living With Hope Counseling   

Cutting on oneself is a topic that I have researched extensively.



I have also treated several clients who cut on themselves.   

When most people think of cutting, they think that those who cut are just doing it for attention. This is not true. It may be one small reason for some cutters but it is not the main reason for most cutters. 

I work at a treatment facility and have seen first hand that individuals cut themselves when no one is watching and when no one will find out...at least for a while. I have also had many clients tell me that they do not do it "for attention" but rather they try and hide their cutting from others. 

So, if you believe that people cut on themselves for attention or to be dramatic, please know that this is not true. 

People cut for many reasons but it is for reasons such as the following (but not limited to):

To be able to feel something because they feel flat or numb.

To feel something other than their emotional pain.

To be able to physically demonstrate a release.

It might be a way of expressing themselves when they do not have the words for some people.

Individuals who cut are overwhelmed with their life and / or in such emotional pain that it is an escape from reality and from their pain for them. 

It is a relief from pent up emotions.

It helps people express themselves and also to feel like they are in control of something.


Cutting on oneself is dangerous and to self- harm in anyway is not safe for your body.

If you or someone that you know cuts on themselves - then seek professional help from a mental health counselor who treats cutting. Thus- there IS HELP!  


                                By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

Living With Hope Counseling   

 

The Checklist of Love—

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
 
 
 "Love is........ patient, 

love is kind and is not jealous; 

love does not brag and is not arrogant, 

does not act unbecomingly; 

it does not seek its own, 

is not provoked, 

does not take into account a wrong suffered,

does not rejoice in unrighteousness, 

but rejoices with the truth; 

bears all things, 

believes all things, 

hopes all things, 

endures all things."


                      By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

Living With Hope Counseling