I.C. Lightstone Counseling & Coaching: Charlotte H Gilmore, LPC, LAC, SAP

I.C. Lightstone Counseling & Coaching: Charlotte H Gilmore, LPC, LAC, SAP Hi! Don't feel your best self? Contact me and find out more about counseling and coaching.

I would recommend that you verify with your insurance provider validating that I am in-network with your plan.

01/12/2026

A poem to support overall health and encourage people to take care of physical and mental health.

Make mental health a priority this year! Your mind and your soul are a critical part to your overall health. As you ta...
01/12/2026

Make mental health a priority this year! Your mind and your soul are a critical part to your overall health. As you take to the gym, change your diet; don't forget to focus on improving your thoughts!

Truth as the TreatmentAnxiety and depression are often rooted in the quiet, insidious lies we accept as fact. Your persp...
12/08/2025

Truth as the Treatment

Anxiety and depression are often rooted in the quiet, insidious lies we accept as fact. Your perspective says you're broken, but that perspective is based on feelings, not a stable Truth.

Truth is not emotional. It’s the consistent, external reference point that gives you a fixed point to start healing from. Stop navigating by your feelings and start anchoring to reality.

The STABLE TRUTH: "You are fearfully and wonderfully made." "Your value is inherent, not earned." "Letting go of control is the beginning of peace."

For the full article see my website and more, https://iclightstone.com/weekly-dose-of-clarity

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How do you know if you are sick?It sounds like a simple question. We know the symptoms of a cold immediately. But do we ...
12/01/2025

How do you know if you are sick?
It sounds like a simple question. We know the symptoms of a cold immediately. But do we recognize when our minds are unwell?
The symptoms of secrets and lies are just as physical: unexplained fatigue, a lack of concentration, anxiousness, and constantly being "on edge." That feeling? That is your conscience attempting to fight back.
But be warned: If you let the infection go unchecked, a weak spiritual immune system can lead to the death of your peace and your relationships.
The Immune Boost: The only immune booster for secrets and lies is Transparency and Truth. Just like a shot from the doctor, the decision to be truthful brings immediate relief. But the medicine only works if you take the most important step first:
You have to recognize that you no longer want to be sick.

Like this tip, check out more at my website at www.iclightstone.com.

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We need to stop treating mental health struggles as a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for poor behavior. Here is the reality...
11/24/2025

We need to stop treating mental health struggles as a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for poor behavior.
Here is the reality:
• Your diagnosis explains why you might struggle with emotional regulation.
• Your responsibility is to do the work to manage it.
It’s like having a stomach flu. You don’t walk around getting sick on people’s shoes and say, "Well, I have a virus, deal with it." You get help. You take medicine. You protect the people around you.
Trauma is valid. Fear is real. But projecting that onto others without trying to heal? That’s a choice.
Take ownership of your healing. Go to therapy. Do the work. Don’t let your history become everyone else’s problem.

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My mom asked me, "Why counseling?" several times after I quit my day job. But I’m asking you the real question: Why NOT ...
11/17/2025

My mom asked me, "Why counseling?" several times after I quit my day job. But I’m asking you the real question: Why NOT counseling?

You know you aren’t feeling like yourself. You know those negative thought habits are there, and you wish you could figure out how to stop them.

You know you want help—help you can trust that won't worry someone, offend anyone, or put your business on blast. That help exists.

Think about this: If the pain caused by your thoughts created half as much pain in your chest, you would have seen a doctor immediately. Your mind deserves that same urgency.

A Word for My Community:
For my Christians: Christ healed in many ways—a word spoken, laying on hands, and using people. Professional health providers are a resource gifted to us. 🙏

For everyone feeling the mental mess: Get rest and relief from an unbiased health provider whose only focus is YOU.

Your mind is a battlefield. If the coping weapons you've developed are dull, or if you need new ones, get the help you need. Whether it’s a quick bootcamp or a long-term program, the time for relief is NOW.

Don't wait for the pain to become physical.

Is the idea of "I should be" making you mentally sicker than your actual life? 🤯We spend so much time battling reality i...
11/14/2025

Is the idea of "I should be" making you mentally sicker than your actual life? 🤯

We spend so much time battling reality in our minds because we are obsessed with an imaginary standard.

It goes like this: ❌ The Lie: I should have more money, a perfect job, and be... more. ➡️ The Internal Tantrum: "I am not!" 🔥 The Result: Shame, isolation, anxiety, and depression.

When we focus on what we don't have, we deny ourselves credit for what we are and what we possess. That pressure is the true destroyer.

The shift? Embracing reality is not settling, it's sanity. It gives you purpose and a place to start planning, rather than hiding in shame.

Stop focusing on where the Joneses or Kardashians are. Focus on where it is best for you to be. That’s where hope, possibility, and control live.

➡️ Read the full blog: https://iclightstone.com/weekly-dose-of-clarity

Let's challenge a common myth: Medicine for mental health is not designed to remove or numb your "bad" feelings.In fact,...
11/10/2025

Let's challenge a common myth: Medicine for mental health is not designed to remove or numb your "bad" feelings.
In fact, our feelings—even those we label "negative" like anger, sadness, grief, or anxiety—are essential guides and powerful indicators. They're meant to help us pause, process, and respond thoughtfully.
• Anger can fuel you to address injustice.
• Grief is profound evidence of love and care.
• These emotions signal whether we feel safe, valued, or if life has simply changed.
Medicine's true goal isn't to solve your problems or make you numb. It's a tool to give you the clarity and capacity to engage with your emotions effectively. It helps turn down the overwhelming volume so you can look at the emotion, determine a thoughtful course of action, and act in a way that truly represents your best self and values.
Embrace your full spectrum of emotions, and understand medicine as a tool for management, not eradication.

Read the full blog post for deeper insights:
https://iclightstone.com/weekly-dose-of-clarity

The Truth About Medicine: When Diet & Exercise Aren't EnoughI was in shape and eating well, but at 19, I got a high chol...
11/02/2025

The Truth About Medicine: When Diet & Exercise Aren't Enough

I was in shape and eating well, but at 19, I got a high cholesterol diagnosis. I tried harder—exercise, no eggs, oatmeal daily. After months? A disappointing 1-point change. For 20 years, I tried to fix a genetic problem with a lifestyle solution. I was managing it, but never getting truly healthy.
Your wellness journey is similar, whether it is physical (like cholesterol) or mental (like anxiety or depression). You can't always out-run your DNA or complex life experiences. It took seeing a specialist to finally get the right medication and a normal result.
Sometimes your Primary Care Physician or Counselor is your first step, but the Lipidologist or Psychiatrist is the one who diagnoses and treats the root cause.
The takeaway: Don't let frustration stop you. You never know how good you can feel until you get the right, specialized help that's tailored to your unique condition.

Read my full story: https://iclightstone.com/weekly-dose-of-clarity/f/the-truth-about-medicine-how-diet-and-exercise-dont-always-work

We all have a picture in our heads of who we wish would show up for us. Maybe it’s a parent who was never stable, a sibl...
10/27/2025

We all have a picture in our heads of who we wish would show up for us. Maybe it’s a parent who was never stable, a sibling who is distant, or a friend who just doesn’t get it. You may find yourself spending endless energy trying to get your needs met by people who simply can’t or won’t meet them. It's an exhausting cycle that can leave you feeling lonely and disappointed.
A powerful shift happens when you stop focusing on the people you wish would meet your needs and start leaning into the people who actually want to. You may have friends who are ready to listen, a partner who offers comfort, or a community that provides a sense of belonging. They are the people who consistently show up, and they are your real-life resources.
It’s easy to feel like a burden, but true friends want to be there for you. It's a reminder that you don't have to carry your burdens alone.
Focus your energy on the people who show up, not the people you wish would.

BREAKING THE ANXIETY TIME LOOPAnxiety is essentially mental time travel. Your brain is constantly locked into one of two...
10/20/2025

BREAKING THE ANXIETY TIME LOOP

Anxiety is essentially mental time travel. Your brain is constantly locked into one of two impossible modes:

1. Excessive Worry about the Future: Trying to control endless potential scenarios that haven't happened yet.
Relentless Pondering of the Past: Replaying things that you know, logically, you cannot change.

This creates an endless loop of mental time travel. The problem? Since we can't actually time travel, being anywhere but the present puts you in a place of total lack of control. You can't control the past, and you can't manage the endless, potential scenarios of tomorrow. It’s a losing battle your brain keeps fighting.

This is precisely why grounding techniques are your superpower. They are the fastest, most effective tool for snapping your focus back to the here and now, the one place where things are manageable and controllable.

The present is the only reality you have to deal with—not a dozen hypotheticals. If you are struggling with anxiety, make a commitment today to practice coming back to the present by using breath, physical senses or meditation.

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11949 Bricksome Avenue Suite C
Baton Rouge, LA
70816

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+12252065742

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