Wit + Wisdom Psychotherapy

07/17/2023

You can like and accept yourself exactly as you are today AND seek out personal growth for tomorrow.

Despite how far we’ve come as a society concerning mental health awareness, there’s still a stigma attached to seeking therapy for many. “What will people think of me? There must be something wrong with me if I’m seeing a therapist.” Going to therapy does not mean there’s something “wrong” or broken about you. Therapy is about moving the roadblocks and paving the way to growing into the best version of yourself and the life you envision.

I’m here for the journey! 🛣️🚙

07/12/2023

07/10/2023

“I don’t do therapy, but I watch a lot of TikToks…” -Trixie Mattel & most of my first-timers 😂
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If TikTok is your current, therapist it’s time to fire her. ⏳

I’m of two minds when it comes to TikTok and mental health content…(*The actual impact of TikTok ON our mental health is a whole other conversation!)

Pros:
▫️ Education about mental health is more accessible than ever which helps us to understand ourselves better (*when the source is credible)
▫️ Sharing stories about lived experiences with mental health struggles and mental illness decreases the stigma - Yasss!
▫️ People are talking openly about the benefits of going to therapy which normalizes it - Yasss!

Cons:
▪️ The algorithm floods your FYP with repetitive, overgeneralized, oversimplified content that convinces you of your existing beliefs (e.g., I guess we all have ADHD now 🤷🏻‍♀️)
▪️ You deal with overwhelming information overload without the necessary tools or adequate support to actually process and apply it IRL (⚠️there does come a point when too much self-help becomes unhelpful)
▪️ Not all sources are credible (I.e., does the creator have relevant education, training, credentials) and it’s hard to discern the “good” from the catchy but misinformed content

What are your thoughts on the world of mental health on TikTok?

07/05/2023

What’s a boundary? 🤷🏻‍♀️ (see comments)

07/04/2023

Many therapists offer a free “consultation”call before booking your first session with them; I like to think of it as a ✨vibe check✨.

A consultation call is:
☎️a brief informal conversation introducing you to someone you’ll potentially be developing a therapeutic relationship with
☎️a no-risk and no-commitment way to see if the therapist’s vibe fits with yours
☎️an opportunity to ask questions about the therapist’s qualifications, professional style, booking and fees, the process of therapy

A consultation call is NOT:
📵a mini therapy session
📵a sales pitch

I’ve personally taken advantage of the free consultation call as a client and it made me feel more comfortable about the process before starting therapy. Luckily, I’ve also realized within 15 minutes that a therapist was definitely not a good fit for me—the vibes were way off—and saved myself some time and money.

The relationship you develop with your therapist is an essential component to effective therapy, so it can be a process to find the right therapist for you. I hope our free call helps to make that process easier for you.

Do I pass the vibe check?

📩 DM or email kayla@witandwisdompsychotherapy.ca to request a free consultation call.

06/29/2023

To cope with something (an event, situation, problem) is to effectively deal with or try to overcome difficult circumstances. Kind of like psychological version of the ways you might deal with the symptoms of an illness or infection in your body to get yourself back to health (rest, fluids, herbs, antibiotics, etc.)

The ability to cope effectively with stress and other unpleasant emotions that arise in difficult situations is a significant part of maintaining good mental health.

Coping mechanisms (aka. strategies, skills) are like tools in toolbox. 🧰🛠️ Different problems call for different tools, and if all you have in there is a hammer, that’s not going to be much help in some situations and overusing it can cause some serious damage.

“New coping strategies” is one of the most common goals that new clients identify when starting therapy. I say “new” strategies because we all have existing coping mechanisms in place that we return to when we need them, but clearly some of those aren’t cutting it anymore.

Swipe through to learn more about coping mechanisms in theory, and consider booking a session to learn more about implementing adaptive coping mechanisms in practice.

06/27/2023

What is ‘wit + wisdom’ all about? 👉🏻

It’s the personal style that I bring to the room as a therapist. I also believe that every client I sit across from has these qualities and can use of them to make progress in therapy.
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06/26/2023

Creating lasting behavioural change is a multi-stage process that you have to be mentally ready for. Even making the decision to start going to therapy can be a process. If you’ve ever booked a first therapy session and then no-showed or ghosted, you might have still been in the contemplation or preparation stages and needed a bit more time or information to get to the action stage.

Whether it’s a bad habit like smoking or an unhealthy pattern like withdrawing from people or binge eating when you’re overwhelmed, healthy changes take time and practice to take root in your life.

Meaningful change is hard work, so lapses are to be expected when you get worn out or lose motivation and return to familiar old ways; but these slips are just temporary and your progress will still be there for you to build on—when you’re ready.

06/21/2023

Are you thriving or just existing right now?

Imagine yourself as a houseplant in a shady corner, you’re alive and kicking but your leaves are a dull green, limp and curling with leggy stems. 🪴 What would it mean for you to thrive and what would it take? What are the circumstances that may help make that happen or get in the way?

Definition # 3 aligns perfectly with the focus of therapy as I see it, though you may experience some vigorous *emotional* growth too. Go ahead and ignore # 2, mo’ money mo’ problems!

To thrive in your own life is to be making progress toward the goals that matter to you, or to achieve them, whether by learning to harness supportive circumstances or develop resilience in the face of sh*tty ones. For me, thriving is a process of intentionally moving toward what’s meaningful to me and away from what isn’t.

What are the goals that line your path from existing 🔜 thriving?

06/16/2023

• This is Box Breathing •

Ever notice that you forget to breathe when you’re feeling anxious? Or maybe your breaths get faster and more shallow when you’re feeling stressed? Meanwhile your mind is racing, any information coming at you feels chaotic, and it gets harder to focus on what’s going on around you.

“Box Breathing” is a simple and effective relaxation technique that I recommend to…pretty much everyone.

Give it try right now:

INHALE & count 4, 3, 2, 1
HOLD your breath & count 4, 3, 2, 1
EXHALE & count 4, 3, 2, 1
HOLD your breath & count 4, 3, 2, 1

Repeat 4 times (or more if you need it).

You should feel calmer, less tense, more alert, and be breathing at a normal rhythm now. It’s like using your body to let your brain know, “Chill, we’re OK.”

You can, and should, practice box breathing multiple times throughout your day to help regulate your nervous system. Research shows this technique can reduce stress, anxiety, blood pressure and hypertension, and increase focus and improve mood. Navy SEALs use this technique to stay calm and focused in high pressure tactical situations, why not give it a try between meetings?

In addition to managing stress, box breathing is a form of practicing mindfulness—being connected and aware in the present moment. You can also incorporate visualization, like picturing in your mind that each breath is drawing a different colour line connecting one dot to the next creating a 🔲. If you extend this practice for longer periods of time, now you’re into meditation territory (just when you thought you’d never get there!).

Can you see yourself adding box breathing to your stress management toolbox?

06/15/2023

Growth is painful;
Change is scary;
Therapy is hard;

…but these are temporary struggles. Staying stuck is far worse, and permanent.