Ceely Counseling

11/27/2025

The phrase "holiday family gathering" can bring up a lot of feelings, and for many, that includes stress and even dread.

This video provides a simple toolkit with three strategies for stress relief, helping you navigate tricky family moments during the holiday season.

This video was created with the help of NotebookLM from original content by Michael Ceely. Narration generated by NotebookLM.

11/26/2025

𝟯 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀

Holiday gatherings with family can be stressful, especially when interpersonal dynamics come into play. But this year can be different.

Here are three strategies that can make your holiday experience better:

1. Acceptance: Stop expecting any of your "difficult relatives" to change. If challenging behavior happened before, it likely will again. Plan on it. Accepting this reality reduces the tension of unmet expectations.

2. Boundaries - Be proactive and decide in advance how you'll respond to any potential bad behavior. Coordinate with your immediate family ahead of time. Whether it's changing the subject, having a designated spokesperson, or even having an escape plan like a hotel room, give yourself permission to protect your peace.

3. Empathy - This isn't about tolerating bad behavior. It's about recognizing that someone's annoying actions often stem from their own pain or stress. Observe them without judgment. Don't take the bait. Let them be themselves while you stay grounded.

The goal this holiday season isn't a picture-perfect family gathering. It's about having a proactive plan and healthy boundaries.

11/22/2025

Perfectionism in High Achievers: Pitfalls and Solutions

Discover the five common perfectionism traps of high achievers and learn practical strategies to overcome them.

Discover the five common perfectionism traps of high achievers and learn practical strategies to overcome them. Helpful for executives, entrepreneurs, and athletes.

07/01/2025

Are your greatest strengths also your biggest challenges?

As professionals, we often pride ourselves on our competitiveness, determination, and high standards.

But what happens when the traits that fuel our success become sources of stress?

I address this in my latest blog post, 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗔 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘀𝘁'𝘀 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗻

Key takeaways from the article:
✔️ Make competition your friend.
✔️ Sometimes "good enough" truly is good enough.
✔️ High standards work better as targets to aim for, not pass/fail ultimatums.

Read the full article here: https://www.ceelycounseling.com/mastering-ambition-therapists-guide-for-high-achieving-men

I'm curious about your experience: What's one trait you have that's a double-edged sword?

06/09/2025

😓 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 of stress, constantly sprinting from one task to the next?

I want to share with you a transformative approach called 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩.

It includes 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀:

✔️ 1. Nightly Planning: Spend 5-10 minutes reviewing and adjusting your schedule to set yourself up for success.

✔️ 2. Morning Routine: Dedicate time each weekday morning to physical activity, mindfulness, and gratitude.

✔️ 3. Boundary Setting: Practice saying no and prioritizing your time to avoid burnout and maintain focus on what matters most.

Want to learn more about these simple yet powerful strategies?

Read More Here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eVciEV2T

06/03/2025

You don't have one mind, you have two: your 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 and your 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀.

Your conscious mind 🧠 through repetition, can program your subconscious mind to automate tasks.

Tasks like... thinking positively, or negatively. 🤔

Most people's thinking defaults to negative, but... you can change that by creating habits that focus on what's already good in the world. 🌎

👉 You're in charge of your mind.

The clip is from the Run Run Live Podcast.

Listen to the full episode here: https://shows.acast.com/runrunlive/episodes/episode-5-512-michael-ceely-the-discipline-of-athletes-over-

05/30/2025

June is 𝗠𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵.

Men can benefit from therapy, but there is often resistance to go.

Here's a quote from a recent article I contributed to in the The Boca Raton Observer magazine:

“I think the best way to frame it is, instead of therapy, [to] position it more like coaching and finding a solution,” Ceely advises.

Read the article: https://bocaratonobserver.com/culture/features/the-cost-of-silence

05/28/2025

Enjoyed contributing to this article in SELF - How to Stop ‘Post-Vacation Blues’ From Ruining Your Return

Oftentimes it's the simple things that make your life better!

"Even if you’ve come to anticipate the post-vacation blues, the shift back to reality after taking time off can still hit harder than expected...

Read the full article: https://www.self.com/story/post-vacation-blues-tips

The transition from unstructured fun back to your boring workweek doesn’t have to be so depressing.

05/27/2025

Enjoyed contributing to this Newsweek article about a unique opportunity for boundary-setting.

Notice when the "tests" aka the opportunities arise.

At work, when someone asks you for a favor, but you're already overwhelmed.

When your child or teenager asks you to bend the rules.

No matter the situation, setting boundaries benefits not just you, but ultimately everyone involved.

https://www.newsweek.com/passenger-refusing-swap-middle-seat-switch-viral-reddit-2076228

Social media users criticized the woman asking to switch seats in the viral post, with one saying: "that sounds like a nightmare."

05/20/2025

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and... June is Men's Mental Awareness Health Month... so what better time for men to lean in to mental health. Try some therapy, do a retreat, or just improve your self-care.

On my latest podcast Marc Azoulay of Men's Therapy Online talks about how men can learn better ways to handle conflict.

Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ccSkoM2I19Y

05/19/2025

My latest podcast episode about men's mental health. A great interview with Marc Azoulay of Men's Therapy Online

Marc shares his journey that led him to create his company that helps so many men heal and grow.

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ccSkoM2I19Y

05/12/2025

“You can’t win every battle with your kids. You try to win the war—and the war is raising them right.”

As a therapist who supports men and fathers, this line from the upcoming film Guys Night hit me hard.

This story, based on true events, follows a single dad raising three boys in 1980s suburbia after divorce. It’s a heartfelt, raw look at fatherhood, resilience, and what it means to show up when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

I’m proud to support this project and the healing conversations it invites. The filmmakers are raising funds to bring it to life, and you can help: https://givebutter.com/guysnight

Let’s keep telling stories that break generational silence and redefine strength.

More about the movie Guys Night: https://www.guysnightmovie.com