Listen Now

In this episode we revisit the concept of applying the "5,5,5 principle" to your daily life!

When you talk about your own mental health struggles, how do you "label" them? Do you call it "my anxiety" when you talk about dealing with anxiety? Have you mis-labeled other issues as something that's a bit more palatable in your mind? Learn more about how this can be harmful rather than healing in this episode, and what you can do instead!

We often think that since we can hear/process most of our inner thoughts, we are vulnerable with ourselves, right?? Unfortunately that is not always true. In this episode, learn examples of what practicing self-vulnerability might look like, or confirm if you are already practicing this important mental health skill!

Join in on round #5 of listener-submitted questions, and hear Briana's response to the following:"I have a family member that would really benefit from counseling, but I'm not sure how to tell them that without offending them. What should I do?""What can I do to make the most of my time in therapy?""Is it okay if couples don't fight? Doesn't that mean they are doing well?"Previous podcast episode mentioned: Episode 64 - "4 Things to Do Before a Counseling Session" https://www.buzzsprout.com/275153/8419743-episode-64-4-things-to-do-before-a-counseling-session.mp3?download=true *Note for the audio - my computer fan was much louder than expected, which was not noticed until after recording all audio! So if you hear a slight hum in the background, that's what it is!

Where is your "happy place?" Is it a location or view you are able to visit often? Are you aware of moments in your life that could qualify as a happy place, AKA a place you feel at ease and fully yourself? Learn more about these questions and the importance of finding a realistic "happy place" in this short and sweet episode!

"I never thought I would be an angry mom." "Why am I angry ALL the time?" In this episode, we re-visit the concept first shared way back in Episode 6 of this podcast...the acronym GIFT to help explain your anger. This time, we learn how the secondary emotion of anger shows up often in motherhood, and how you can better communicate your emotions/needs in the moment.

What does it mean to be authentic? Is oversharing part of being authentic towards others? These two concepts are often mistaken as synonyms, when in reality they are quite different. Learn more about authenticity vs. oversharing in this episode, and find out how to gauge if you've done this in your own life!

"Ugh, she has such an attitude.""He is SO selfish."When we are in a posture of judgment, it's very hard to be humble. In this short episode, learn a few phrases that can help re-center your heart in moments of judgment towards others.

How many times has a minor miscommunication in your life caused a major conflict? SO much time and energy is wasted by a misinterpreted text, not hearing a directive, or misunderstanding a conversation! In this episode, learn about the three main "categories" of miscommunication that Briana sees in therapy, as well as ways to prevent/remedy these time wasters!

Who is writing your story? Do you know what's hidden in the chapters of your life? In this episode, learn more about one of my favorite approaches to therapy, which is called Narrative Therapy!Website referenced: https://positivepsychology.com/common-therapy-questions/

Do you speak to yourself out loud? When you think something positive about yourself, does it stay inside your brain or do you verbalize it? Learn more about the power of this practice, in continuation from Episode 9 about speaking the nice words to others!

"I just don't have time to take care of my mental health." Have you said this to yourself before? I know I have in the past, until I learned how simple "micro practices" can help boost my mental health on a daily basis. In this episode, learn several ideas that you can implement easily when you only have a few minutes to spare!

"Never swim right after eating" is a well-known rule that we follow for our physical health, but are there some "nevers" that you should apply for your mental health and prevention of issues in relationships? Short answer, YES! In this episode, learn four important pieces of advice to start applying to your reactions and decision making from now on!

It's time to flip the script a little bit...instead of Briana asking the questions, her husband Ben is doing the interview on this special milestone episode!Learn more about:- what the hardest part of producing a podcast has been,- what advice Briana wishes she could have given herself as a new counselor,- how feedback from listeners impacts the show,- what's next for The Convenient Counselor, and much more - including a special intro/finale to the episode!

When stressful moments happen, how do you cope? Is that coping skill healthy or unhealthy? Sometimes negative coping skills are a part of our lives, and we don't realize that they might have been shaped in our childhood or as a result of trauma. Learn more about why you need to apply grace for some of your unhealthy coping skills, and that shame is not the answer!

It's no surprise that most of the world feels overwhelmed right now. What do you do in moments/seasons of overwhelm? In this episode, learn two principles to apply today and start moving foward.

"How are you?" Ummm....I'm good? Based on what measurement? ;)Are you aware of how you measure well-being in your everyday life? How do you know when you're happy/angry/fulfilled/drained? This episode will help you start the internal conversation of how you measure well-being, and if there might be adjustments needed!

Retreats can sound unattainable at times, but they are ESSENTIAL to our well-being and self-care. Why are they important? How can you integrate retreats more often into your life? Learn the answers to these questions and three "P's" to apply to the retreats in your life in this episode!

What do you do in moments where you COMPLETELY disagree with what another person is saying? Do you jump into battle mode or "fix it" mode right away? Learn the power of "tell me more" in this episode, and how you can start applying it to situations/relationships today!

"I can't do this.""Nobody cares.""This is the WORST."Have these thoughts ever entered your mind? How do you respond when these thoughts pop up during situations? These thoughts don't have to be dismissed or have toxic positivity applied to them...there is a different way! In this episode, learn 5 "challenges" to these negative thoughts that you can start applying right away, and hopefully move forward in moments of negativity.