True Self Counseling Articles
Sharing Insights, Stories, and Resources
Navigating Holiday Stress in the Heart of Leawood
The twinkling lights are up along Town Center Drive, the Park Place tree is glowing, and the scent of cinnamon and pine seems to follow you everywhere. Leawood in December is undeniably magical; but for many of us, that magic comes with a side of exhaustion, anxiety,...
Helping Your Teen Manage Stress & Anxiety
If you’re a parent in Leawood, Overland Park, or the greater Kansas City area, you’ve probably noticed your teen feeling more overwhelmed than ever. School pressure, social media, college prep, and the lingering effects of the pandemic have turned normal stress into...
Introduction to Depression: defining it, diagnosing it, & managing it
Depression is a mental health condition that goes beyond mere feelings of sadness. It would be better described as a persistent and overwhelming sense of despair that can linger for weeks, months, and even years. Depression affects millions of people worldwide,...
Tips for Managing Mood During Seasonal Change
As the seasons change and holidays approach, managing mental health becomes crucial. For many, these transitions can bring a mix of emotions, including excitement, stress, sadness, and more. Here are some strategies to navigate the potential impact on mental...
Go Like Yourself!
Founders of Go Like Yourself -- Cindy Martin & Bruce Coffman -- believe in writing one's own unique story, regardless of outside pressures or judgment. Their goal is to get their message into the minds and hearts of people of all ages so they simply feel better...
Pain is Inevitable; Suffering is Optional
The goal of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is to create a rich, full, and meaningful life while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it. This is done by changing one’s relationship to their symptoms in order to live a more value-driven life. Further,...
How to Dispute Irrational Beliefs
Albert Ellis is known as the grandfather of Cognitive Behavior Therapy. He combined humanistic, philosophical, and behavioral therapy to form Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) in 1955. A main assumption of REBT is that people contribute to their psychological...
3 Core Conditions for Therapeutic Change
The person-centered counseling approach was established in the 1940's by humanistic psychologist, Carl Rogers. The goal of a person-centered therapy is to create the necessary conditions for clients to engage in meaningful self-exploration of their feelings, beliefs,...
Mental Attitude
I recently came across Elbert Hubbard's essay on "Mental Attitude" in a book I was reading, and I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share it with others. For me, it speaks an optimistic message of how having the right combination of self-confidence, courage, and...