http://growthandgracecounseling.com/

Growth & Grace Counseling, 142 W Marengo Street, Albion, NE (2026)

02/14/2026

❤️ Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance. It’s about connection — in all the ways it shows up in our lives.

Today, we celebrate the people who hold our hands, sit with us in silence, laugh with us until we cry, and remind us who we are when we forget.
Romantic partners. Best friends. Chosen family. Coworkers who check in. The people who send the “thinking of you” texts. The ones who make us feel safe enough to be real.

And maybe most importantly…
the relationship you have with *yourself.*

The way you speak to yourself when things are hard.
The grace you give yourself when you’re learning.
The boundaries you set to protect your peace.
The courage it takes to keep growing, healing, and showing up — even when it’s messy.

Love isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Some relationships are loud and celebratory.
Some are quiet and steady.
Some are brand new.
Some are relationships you’re rebuilding — including the one with yourself.

So today, however you celebrate (or don’t)…
we hope you take a moment to honor connection in all its forms.

Send the text.
Say thank you.
Give yourself credit.
Rest if you need to.
And remember — you are worthy of love that feels safe, supportive, and real… especially from yourself. ❤️

02/12/2026

Setbacks happen. Hard seasons happen. Mistakes happen.
But those moments? They do not define who you are.

You are not the days you struggled to get out of bed.
You are not the relationship that didn’t work out.
You are not the anxiety that got loud or the habits you’re trying to change.

You are the person who kept going anyway.
You are the one who is still showing up.
You are resilience in motion — even when it doesn’t feel strong or brave.

Sometimes resilience looks like taking a deep breath instead of giving up.
Sometimes it looks like asking for help.
And sometimes it looks like walking into a therapy session and saying,
“Okay… I’m ready to try something different.”

Therapy isn’t about fixing what’s “wrong” with you — because you are not broken.
It’s about learning new tools, finding new perspective, and remembering the strength that has been inside you all along.

If you’re ready to invest in your healing and rediscover your resilience, we’re here when you’re ready.

02/10/2026

We said we weren’t going to do it… and then we absolutely did it. ✨
Yep — we officially jumped on the caricature bandwagon 😄

And honestly? Seeing ourselves as cartoons gave us a good laugh… but it also reminded us of something really special. Even though we may look a little extra polished (and possibly more caffeinated ☕ in cartoon form), what makes this team work isn’t the drawings — it’s the very real strengths each person brings to the table.

Every counselor here has their own style, personality, and way of connecting with people. Some of us are the calm listeners, some bring humor into the room, some are the gentle challengers — but all of us show up with the same goal: to care deeply for the people we serve.

We feel incredibly lucky to work alongside each other and even more grateful for the amazing clients who trust us with their stories. Truly — you’re the reason we get to do work that means so much to us every single day.

So yes… we hopped on the trend.
But behind the cartoons are real humans who are incredibly thankful for this team, this community, and the opportunity to walk alongside you.

Thanks for being part of Growth & Grace 💛

02/06/2026

When a child is melting down, they are not giving you a hard time — they are having a hard time.

From a developmental and neurological standpoint, children do not yet have the brain maturity to consistently regulate big emotions. The parts of the brain responsible for impulse control, emotional regulation, and problem-solving are still developing.

When stress, frustration, hunger, fatigue, sensory overload, or emotional overwhelm exceed a child’s coping capacity, their nervous system shifts into survival mode. In that state, behavior becomes communication.

A meltdown is often a sign of:
• emotional overload
• unmet needs
• limited language for big feelings
• an overwhelmed nervous system

This is why logic, reasoning, or consequences rarely work in the moment. A dysregulated brain cannot access learning.

What does help:
• a calm, regulated adult
• co-regulation before independence
• safety, predictability, and connection
• support naming emotions once calm returns

Meltdowns are not manipulation.
They are a signal that a child needs support, not punishment.

Teaching regulation happens after the storm passes — not during it.

02/02/2026

“It’s a no from me if I know your excuses better than I know your effort.”

Not out of anger.
Not out of punishment.
But out of self-respect.

At some point, protecting your peace means noticing patterns—
who keeps promising change,
who keeps explaining instead of showing up,
and who leaves you carrying the emotional weight.

Boundaries aren’t about cutting people off.
They’re about choosing what gets access to your time, energy, and heart.

You don’t need to argue with excuses.
You don’t need to wait for potential.
You don’t need to stay available to things that drain you.

It’s okay to say:
“I’ve listened long enough. I need consistency now.”

That’s not being harsh.
That’s being healthy.
And your peace is worth protecting. ✨

01/27/2026

Real belonging doesn’t require an audition.

You don’t have to say the right thing, act a certain way, agree with everyone, or shrink parts of yourself to earn a seat at the table.

If you have to follow a specific script to belong…
If you’re constantly monitoring yourself so you don’t “mess it up”…
If connection feels more like pressure than safety…

That’s not community. That’s a performance.

True belonging is quiet and steady. It’s being able to exhale. It’s knowing you’re allowed to show up as you are—messy, growing, unsure, human—and still be welcomed. No roles to play. No hoops to jump through. No version of yourself you have to pretend to be.

And if you’re realizing that you’ve been performing just to stay connected, that awareness matters. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you. It means you’re craving something real.

You deserve spaces where you don’t have to earn your worth.
You deserve connection that feels like home, not a stage.

01/24/2026

Sometimes, clients share privately what it’s been like to work with our counselors. And honestly? We don’t take those words lightly.

We know how big of a deal it is to trust someone with your story. To walk into therapy (or log on) and talk about things you may not even say out loud to the people closest to you. That’s why client care isn’t just something we talk about — it’s something we take to heart in every session, every interaction, every step of the process.

The best way to understand who we are isn’t through our website or a list of services. It’s through how our clients feel when they’re with us. Feeling listened to. Feeling safe. Feeling like they don’t have to have it all figured out to show up.

We want to share a few anonymously disclosed statements from clients about some of our counselors. Not to show off — but to help paint a clearer picture of what it’s actually like to sit across from us and be cared for.

If reading these helps you feel even a little more at ease about reaching out… then it’s worth sharing. You don’t have to know exactly what to say. You don’t have to be “ready.” We’re here to meet you where you are and walk alongside you from there. 💛

01/22/2026

“We all grow at different rates—and that’s okay.”

Growth isn’t a straight line, and it’s definitely not a race. If you look at plants, none of them grow the same way or on the same timeline. Some spend long seasons underground, quietly building strong roots. Others seem to sprout overnight. Both are doing exactly what they need to survive and thrive.

There are seasons when growth is loud and visible—new leaves, new flowers, new energy. And there are seasons of dormancy, where it might look like nothing is happening at all. But beneath the surface, important work is still being done.

And then there’s the hardest part: letting go. Sometimes a leaf has to fall so the plant can redirect energy into new growth. As painful as it can be to release old habits, relationships, versions of ourselves, or ways of coping, letting go often creates space for something healthier to take root.

If your growth feels slow right now, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It might just mean you’re in a season of rest, repair, or preparation. Trust that your pace is your pace—and that every season serves a purpose.🌱

01/20/2026

🧀 Happy Cheese Lovers Day! 🧀

Today we’re celebrating all things cheesy—because honestly, life is better with a little extra cheese.

Cheese reminds us of a few important things we talk about in counseling all the time:
• Comfort matters (hello, mac & cheese energy)
• It’s okay to enjoy the little things
• Balance is key—sometimes you need the salad, sometimes you need the queso

Just like your favorite cheesy snack, therapy can be comforting, grounding, and exactly what you didn’t know you needed. It’s a space where you can be your real self, work through the tough stuff, and add a little more joy and ease into your life.

So today, grab the cheese. Sprinkle it on, melt it down, enjoy it guilt-free. And if life feels a little less “gouda” than you’d like, we’re here to help you find your way back to feeling more like yourself. 💛

Stay cheesy, friends.

01/17/2026

There are moments when life isn’t falling apart… but it also doesn’t feel quite right. You’re functioning, showing up, doing the things — and still feeling tired, stuck, or disconnected from yourself.

That’s often where therapy begins.

We’re currently accepting new clients, and therapy here isn’t about fixing you. It’s about creating space to understand yourself better, unpack what’s been weighing on you, and learn new ways to care for your mental and emotional wellbeing.

Choosing therapy is a quiet, powerful decision to invest in yourself — not because things are terrible, but because you want more clarity, more ease, and more alignment in your life.

If you’ve been feeling that subtle pull to start, we’re here when you’re ready. No pressure. Just support. 🤍

01/15/2026

Okay… here’s a hard truth, said with love and maybe a gentle shoulder squeeze:

If you want to heal, at some point you have to look at the role you play in your own suffering.

Before you panic — this is NOT about blaming yourself. You didn’t cause the hard things that happened to you. You didn’t choose your trauma. You didn’t wake up one day and decide, “You know what sounds fun? Struggling.”

But… we do all have patterns.
We stay quiet when we’re hurting.
We ignore red flags because it feels safer.
We keep doing what’s familiar, even when it hurts, because change feels scary.

And realizing that can be uncomfortable. Like, “Ugh. I hate that I see this now.” 🙃
Growth has a way of calling us out before it lifts us up.

Here’s the good news though — and this is the part I really want you to hear:
If you have a role in your suffering, you also have a role in your healing.

That means you’re not stuck.
That means you’re not powerless.
That means small shifts actually matter.

This isn’t about fixing everything overnight. It’s about noticing. Getting curious. Choosing yourself a little more often than you used to.

So be gentle with yourself while you’re being honest.
You’re learning, not failing.
And the fact that you’re even open to this conversation? That already says a lot. 💛

01/13/2026

Affirmations for Anxiety: Speaking to Every Part of Your Brain

When anxiety shows up, it’s not just “in your head.” Different parts of your brain are trying to protect you — even when it doesn’t feel helpful. Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is gently talk back with compassion and truth.

Here are affirmations you can use to calm each part of the brain when anxiety takes the lead:

🧠 The Survival Brain (Amygdala)
This part is always scanning for danger.
✨ “I have survived this before, and I will survive it again.”
✨ “I am safe in this moment.”

🧠 The Control Center (Prefrontal Cortex)
This part helps you reason and make decisions — anxiety can quiet it.
✨ “I am in control of my choices, even when I feel anxious.”
✨ “I can pause, breathe, and respond with intention.”

🧠 The Inner Critic (Negative Thought Loop)
This voice often tells you that anxiety means weakness.
✨ “I am stronger than I think.”
✨ “My anxiety does not define who I am.”

🧠 The Emotional Brain (Limbic System)
This part holds feelings and memories.
✨ “My feelings are allowed to be here.”
✨ “I can feel anxious and still be okay.”

🧠 The Self-Worth Center (Core Beliefs)
Anxiety loves to attack our sense of worth.
✨ “I am enough, exactly as I am.”
✨ “I don’t need to earn rest, peace, or compassion.”

Anxiety may be loud — but it doesn’t get the final word. Keep practicing these affirmations, especially on the days you need them most. Healing isn’t about making anxiety disappear; it’s about learning how to care for yourself when it shows up. 💛

Growth & Grace Counseling

02/14/2026

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01/27/2026

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