Wilson Counseling: The Armchair Chronicles

One of my Houston clients brought in this picture of a naked woman embracing a skeleton. She told me it had moved her deeply and spoke to her in a way that words could not. For this client, it was a visual depiction of a relationship she was holding onto with a man who could never really give her what she needed. When he would call her, she experienced a rush of happiness. But when he ignored her for days or weeks, she was forlorn and hopeless. She questioned herself and wondered why she was not more attractive to him. She was sure that if she were prettier, or smarter, or better in some way, he would be more interested. And she hated herself for not being able to just move on despite knowing the relationship was broken and lifeless.  Seeing all of this depicted in this image communicated directly to her heart what was really going on. She was holding onto a man who was emotionally dead, unable to give back or love, or share in any satisfying way. She felt disgusted at t...

This is a great article from National Public Radio about how you can deal with past trauma or current feelings that are troubling you by simply editing your life story through journaling. If you can commit 15 minutes a day for four days, you can do this. The article includes a link with instructions on how to conduct the exercise. This is similar to what I do in therapy sessions when I help my Houston clients who are stuck learn to reframe their views of themselves and their life situations. It is often exactly what my clients need to get un-stuck. Are you feeling stuck? Contact one of our Houston counselors to find out how to become unstuck and find your happier ending today!

It is day two of 2014 and some of you may have already broken your new year resolutions- if you had the time or energy to make resolutions at all. With the holidays behind you, you are starting to think about work, school, kids, bills, and feeling the anxieties of your real life start to creep back in. The anxiety can start to suck the energy and enjoyment out of your life. In the Christian scriptures, there is a verse with wisdom about how to handle worry and stress, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I have also heard it said this way, "Do not borrow trouble." Think about how much time and energy you invest in worrying. How many minutes, or hours of your day are spent worrying. And then ask yourself as the scriptures do,"Who of by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" But, how can you worry less, and enjoy your life more??? Today you can start with one simple t...

http://homeklondike.com/2011/10/21/10-ideas-for-christmas-dining-room/ Need a little extra help dealing with your eating disorder this holiday season? I am reposting this from last year because I think the information is appropriate this time of year. These are helpful ideas from the  National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) about how to successfully negotiate your way through the holidays. Tips # 6 & 7 can be especially useful in talking about specific ways your support system can help you through this season. I hope you all have a wonderful, relaxing, Holiday Season. If you or someone you love are dealing with an eating disorder, please contact one of our Houston counselors to find out how we can help.

I came across this video from the makers of Special K about women using "fat talk." According to the video, 93% of women use derogatory terms, or "fat talk" to describe their bodies. For example, they might say something such as "I look like a fat cow in this outfit."  Words are powerful. When you use "fat talk," it impacts how you feel about yourself. One of women in the video equated it with bullying. Can you imagine what a lifetime of this talk has done to your self-esteem? This week, pay attention to the thoughts and words you use when thinking about your physical body. Write down any negative self-talk. Then next to the negative words, write down a rebuttal or a positive comment about your body. Sometimes it helps if you think about what you would say to a friend who was criticizing themselves. Battle your inner critic. Be vigilant about not allowing yourself to use bullying, degrading terms about your body.  By the way, my inclusio...

We lost a great hero this week at the death of president Nelson Mandela on December 5th. He suffered in prison for 27 years for his role in trying to end apartheid in South Africa. I can only imagine how I would feel if I was unjustly arrested, and forced to spend decades behind bars. I can imagine coming out bitter, broken, and revengeful. But Nelson Mandela understood that bitterness would come at a great price. Talking about his release from prison, he said, "As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison." It is sometimes hard to let go of the bitterness, anger, and scorn we feel for the people in our lives who have wounded us. Very often those people are close family or friends, and the wound is made more difficult when we have to regularly face those individuals. I think about one of my clients who was sexually abused as a child by a family frie...

http://www.ahamodernliving.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/110609moderntday.jpg Every show I heard on the radio today was about food - not surprising considering Thanksgiving is just two days away. They talked about how to cook the perfect bird, what side dishes make good accompaniments, even how to smoke tofu to give it that seasonal flavor - yuck, smoked tofu???!!   For many out there, all the talk of food and the idea of those piles of food on the Thanksgiving table can be a little bit unnerving. People often categorize food as good or bad. A lot of the food that will make an appearance on your dinner table this Thursday may be categorized as "bad" and become triggers for you to overeat, or to feel guilty - anything white and starchy or sweet often makes the naughty foods list. There is a way to prevent this, to be free to enjoy your meal, and the loved ones you share it with. There is a way you can slow things down, really taste your food and realiz...