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Monday 8am - 5:15pm Tuesday 8am - 5:15pm Wednesday 8am - 5:15pm Thursday 8am - 5:15pm Friday 8am - 12:15pm

San Juan Counseling, 735 S 200 W #1, Blanding, UT (2025)

12/15/2025

The Winter Blues

As the seasons change, the weather gets colder, and the days are shorter have you noticed that you’re just not feeling like yourself? Do you lack energy and motivation, lose interest in things you used to enjoy, feel down for no particular reason, withdraw socially, or just want to stay in bed with the covers pulled up over your head? This is common for a lot of us during the winter months, and when it starts to affect your everyday life it could be something called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. SAD is a type of depression in which people notice a significant mood change when the seasons change. It’s much more common than you think. If this sounds familiar to you, consider the following tips to help ease the symptoms:

o Let in natural light whenever possible. Take a quick walk in the sunshine during lunch, or open blinds and curtains in your house to let the light in.

o Exercise regularly. It doesn’t have to mean hours at the gym, but even a quick walk or jog, yoga in your living room, or some weightlifting can make a difference. Moving your body increases energy and motivation.

o Stick to a consistent sleep routine. Pick a bedtime and stick to it, even if you have to say no to some things. Don’t snooze your alarm, turn off electronics 30 minutes before bed, make your bedroom a sanctuary for sleeping only, meditate instead of doom scroll as a way to relax.

o Check in with yourself. How do you feel? What do you need? Sometimes it can be as simple as I feel hungry, I need a snack, or more serious like I feel sad, I need someone to talk to who can make me laugh. Figure out your need and fill it.

o Keep your space well lit. When the sun goes down at 4pm it’s easy to feel like the world is always dark. Light candles or get a cheap UV lamp to help brighten things up.

o Prioritize self-care. That doesn’t just mean taking a bubble bath and eating chocolate. Self-care is doing whatever your body is telling you that you need. For some it’s drinking more water or eating a healthy snack, for some it’s getting more rest, for some it’s organizing a room in their house. Find the thing that fills your cup and do it.

o Journal. For some people it helps to process their thoughts on paper. Consider getting a notebook and just free writing anything on your mind. You’ll be amazed that the insights you didn’t even realize you had.

o Consider speaking with a therapist. Sometimes you need a little extra help when it comes to depression. If you try these other things and just can’t shake it, or especially if you’re having thoughts of hurting or killing yourself please consider seeking professional help. Therapists are trained to help you process what you’re feeling and help you find safe coping skills to help you manage it.

12/01/2025

Holiday Stress

The holiday season is one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year. With parties, end of the year recitals and banquets, shopping, cooking, travel, family, the list goes on and on. So, how do you survive it all? You could cancel the whole thing and just stay at home in your jammies until the new year. But if that’s not an option for you, here are some tips to help cut out stress and better enjoy this magical time of year.

1. Keep at home celebrations to a minimum. It’s much easier to be a guest than a host, but if you do plan to have a crowd over keep things simple. Rather than an elaborate table setting, opt for more of a minimal approach. Instead of a fancy meal that you spend days cooking, consider a casual potluck style, or allow close friends/ family members to bring a side or dessert to take some of the load off of you.

2. Plan in advance. When possible, get things in your calendar ahead of time. That way you’re less likely to have a scheduling conflict or feel pulled in too many directions. Of course there will be last minute things that come up, but if you already have your schedule planned it’s easier to see where there’s wiggle room and where there isn’t.

3. It’s okay to say no. It doesn’t make you a grinch if you can’t make it to every single concert, dinner, event, and party. It’s okay to politely decline some offers. Set a limit for yourself and stick to it. Make time for the most important things, but don’t be afraid to say, you just can’t fit it into your schedule. Most people recognize the demands of this time of year, and will be understanding if you have to say no.

4. Make time for down time. Amid the chaos make sure you take time to slow down. It’s important to have a night off now and then to refill your cup and just enjoy a quiet, no-stress evening. It will give you time to appreciate the joy that can exist this time of year. Take a walk in the snow, breathe deeply, lay under the tree and enjoy the lights, read an inspirational Christmas story as a family.

5. Avoid family tension when possible. When family gets together there are bound to be little squabbles here and there, but you don’t have to let it ruin your holiday. You can’t control others, but you can control your reaction to them. Don’t sweat the small stuff, most people have the best of intentions even if their comments come across as offensive. Take a breath and remind yourself of that. If you see tensions getting high take a break, get some air, refill the eggnog. And plan a polite exit strategy in advance for situations where you know things could get out of hand quickly.

6. Take good care of yourself. Make time for healthy meals in between the decadent party food, stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and listen to your intuition. If you ignore what your body is telling you, you’ll be burned out before you know it.

Remember, the holidays only come around once a year. With these tips hopefully you can enjoy this time of year instead of dreading it. But if you find that you just can’t shake the stress and it is interfering with your life please reach out. Talk to a trusted friend, take time out to recover, or talk to a therapist who can help you learn skills to cope. Have a safe and happy holiday season.

11/27/2025

Our office is closed Thursday, November 27th and Friday, November 28th. If you are in a crisis or need to talk to someone, please contact the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

Happy Thanksgiving!

11/24/2025

November is Early Childhood Mental Health Awareness Month. It's a crucial time to highlight the significant role caregivers play in shaping the emotional and social growth of infants and preschoolers. The following information provides insights into creating nurturing environments that support the development of our little ones. Learn critical strategies for fostering strong, positive relationships and ensuring their mental well-being.

Social and Emotional development includes children learning to:

· Regulate and express their emotions

· Explore their surroundings

· Practice social skills through socializing with others and engaging in healthy relationships.

· Acquire life skills

· Engage in problem-solving

· Demonstrate the ability to cope effectively

11/19/2025

Finding Peace in the Process: Embracing the Journey of Mental Health.

In a world that thrives on quick fixes and overnight transformations, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind when it comes to your mental health. We're flooded with stories of sudden breakthroughs and perfect "after" moments, but real healing doesn’t usually look like that.
Mental health is a process. Often slow, sometimes messy, and rarely linear. Some days, you’ll feel like you’re making progress. Other days, it might feel like you’re stuck or going backward. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means you’re human. Healing takes time, patience, and a lot of trial and error.
The Myth of the Quick Fix: We’re conditioned to want results fast. We see curated stories and think everyone else has it figured out. But mental health rarely fits into a highlight reel. Even when you’re doing all the “right” things, it can still feel hard. That’s not a sign that it’s not working. It’s a sign that it’s real.
What Helps Along the Way
So how do you keep going when progress is slow or unclear? Here are a few gentle reminders that can help:
1. Be Honest About Where You Are
You don’t have to pretend you’re okay. Naming how you feel, even when it’s hard, is a form of strength, not weakness.
2. Focus on Your Own Path
Everyone’s journey looks different. Just because someone else seems further along doesn’t mean you’re behind. You’re moving at your own pace, and that’s valid.
3. Celebrate the Small Wins
Progress doesn’t have to be big to matter. Got out of bed? Sent a hard message? Took a breath when things got overwhelming? That counts.
4. Let Go of the Pressure to “Get Better” Fast
There’s no timeline for healing. You don’t have to rush. Taking your time isn’t failing. It’s part of the process.
5. Notice What Actually Helps
What supports you might not be what supports someone else. Pay attention to what truly makes a difference for you and lean into that.

When It Feels Easier Said Than Done

Let’s be honest. All of this is easier said than done. On tough days, even the smallest step can feel like a mountain. But you don’t have to do everything at once. You don’t have to do it perfectly. Start small. Maybe it’s just not being hard on yourself today. Maybe it’s simply noticing how you feel. That’s enough. That’s a step. Those small steps add up. Every time you choose to care for yourself, even a little, you’re building something. You're moving forward, even if it doesn’t feel like it yet.
You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out
Mental health isn’t about reaching a finish line. It’s about showing up for yourself, over and over, with what you have, even when it’s not much. That takes courage. That is progress. Finding peace in the process doesn’t mean everything feels calm. It means learning to be okay with not having all the answers yet and trusting that you’ll get there, one step at a time.

11/12/2025

Breaking the Silence: Raising Awareness About Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a sometimes obvious, sometimes not so obvious issue affecting millions of people and families in every town, county and state regardless of age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Domestic violence can be physical harm, emotional manipulation, financial control, or psychological intimidation within intimate or family relationships. Victims may live in fear, isolation, or confusion, often unsure of where to turn for help or what resources are even available to them. Raising awareness about domestic violence is not just about sharing statistics—it’s about helping each person understand the signs of abuse, how to support survivors, and promoting a culture that aids anyone who is affected by domestic violence.

Each October, Domestic Violence is a focus for communities, organizations, and individuals to engage in collaboration for resources and support in the fight against abuse. Using professions with proper education and training, alongside survivors of domestic violence, communities can help break the cycle of abuse. Resources such as shelters, counseling centers, therapy, emergency room screeners and more, domestic violence can be recognized and assessed to give victims the support they need. Raising awareness not only directly helps victims experiencing the abuse but also helps bystanders understand the importance of knowing the signs and their crucial role in helping keep others safe by intervening in the appropriate ways and having the knowledge of what resources to seek out.

San Juan County has many domestic violence resources- Gentle Ironhawk shelter, UNHS victim’s advocates, Blue Mountain Hospital and Emergency Room, local law enforcement and San Juan Counseling all provide different resources for victims of domestic violence. The national crisis line, 988, is also a valuable resource that people can call or text to get information and help accessing resources. If you or anyone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please reach out to any of the resources above so you don’t have to feel alone and hopeless.

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween!

09/10/2025

San Juan Counseling is looking to hire a Medical Assistant to work closely and under the direction of a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner/APRN in the Blanding clinic. Part-time position.

Duties include taking vital signs, inquiring about the reason for visit, assessing psychotropic medication response and side effects, coordinating lab work and other ancillary procedures (i.e. EKG's, EEG's, Nocturnal Oximetry, ECT, etc.), coordinating medication refills, submitting insurance prior authorization on medications, faxing documentation, writing letters, providing education for clients about diagnosis and treatment, etc.

Other requirements: Maturity with ability to demonstrate necessary confidentiality in the mental health field and possession of a strong professional demeanor. Basic working knowledge concerning mental illness and contemporary treatment options. Must have current Utah MA license. Must be able to pass a criminal background check.

Position open until filled.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please complete application form 305 available from San Juan Counseling or the Utah Department of Workforce Services. Submit completed application form and resume to San Juan Counseling (735 S. 200 W. Suite 1, Blanding, Utah 84511) or email to tsquires@sanjuancc.org. For additional information call 435 678-2992.

09/02/2025

The Difference Between Fear and Anxiety

Fear and anxiety can often feel similar at times, and if we are not aware of the differences, we often incorrectly and interchangeably use or misunderstand each and may struggle managing them, despite our best efforts.

Fear and anxiety are triggered by different things and below is some basic information to help you understand.

Fear is triggered by our five senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and tasting. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), our fear responses are automatic responses that at times are so overwhelming they become extremely difficult to control in healthy or rational ways.

Anxiety differs from fear and is usually a reaction to fear (or other emotions). According to NAMI, anxiety can be confusing to our bodies because we can feel anxiety from something in the past as well as in the present. This physical, cognitive, and emotional loading (past and present) can distort reality and influence our actions or lack of actions.

Fear and anxiety in and of themselves are not bad, they help protect us if we understand and learn to cope or manage them appropriately. However, research shows that extreme or prolonged exposure to fear and/or anxiety is what can impact us on a significant level, threatening everything from our physical selves to our relationships.

Being informed about emotions – like fear and anxiety – can help us understand ourselves on a deeper level, give us hope, and help us forge a path forward. Knowing about our emotional health is just as important as our physical health and well-being.

If your emotions are or have become difficult to understand, deal with, or if life is feeling overwhelming, give us a call.

435-678-2992, San Juan Counseling is here to help!

09/02/2025

San Juan Counseling is looking to hire a nurse to work closely and under the direction of a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner/APRN in the Blanding clinic. Part-time position.

Duties include taking vital signs, inquiring about the reason for visit, assessing psychotropic medication response and side effects, coordinating lab work and other ancillary procedures (i.e. EKG's, EEG's, Nocturnal Oximetry, ECT, etc.), coordinating medication refills, submitting insurance prior authorization on medications, faxing documentation, writing letters, providing education for clients about diagnosis and treatment, etc.

Other requirements: Maturity with ability to demonstrate necessary confidentiality in the mental health field and possession of a strong professional demeanor. Basic working knowledge concerning mental illness and contemporary treatment options. Must have current Utah LPN or RN license. Must be able to pass a criminal background check.

Position open until filled.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please complete application form 305 available from San Juan Counseling or the Utah Department of Workforce Services. Submit completed application form and resume to San Juan Counseling (735 S. 200 W. Suite 1, Blanding, Utah 84511) or email to tsquires@sanjuancc.org. For additional information call 435 678-2992.

08/18/2025

Transition Time- Back to School Tips for Parents

Back-to-school time can be exciting. This time of transition can also create anxiety, especially when transitioning to a new campus/school. (ElementaryàMiddle Schoolà High School). As parents this is a transition for you also.

Parents, have you ever heard the statement that “good stress is still stress”? What does it make you think of? Does it alleviate any of your anxiety or stress related to this upcoming transition?

For many of us as parents, having our children return to school is bittersweet. Summer has been great, but it has also long and has necessitated a deviation from our “normal routines”. Many of us have children that will not manage the transition back to school well, adding to our own levels of anxiety.

Dr. Bruce Perry, Principal of the Neurosequential and Professor at Northwestern University, teaches us that children who have experienced childhood stress and adversity can react strongly to any novelty introduced to them. Any new or unfamiliar experience can cause a child to move into a fight, flight or freeze response simply because their brain has been conditioned to recognize novelty as a potential threat. After a summer of being home and settling into the summer routine, transitioning back to school is a brand-new experience.

During this time, we must be vigilant to become attuned to behavioral signs of hyper- or hypo-arousal in preparation to help our children with the back-to-school transition. Children might become irritable or have more trouble concentrating. They may become sullen or easily agitated, have somatic issues (stomach aches, or headaches), or have increases or decreases in sleep or appetite. Hopefully, they make it easier on us by verbalizing how/what they are feeling.

Incorporating consistency, predictability, and familiarity are some things that help children reduce their stress, tolerate change, and learn to be more adaptable.

1. Consistency might look like incorporating a back-to-school bedtime and morning routine well before school starts so that the child is prepared with this consistent routine beforehand.

2. Helping them predict the new school environment might include showing them around the campus before the first day, introducing them to their teacher, showing them the lunch menu, or helping them identify whom they can go to if they need help.

3. Familiarity might be implemented by sending them to school with a note from home or a picture of their family. It might be letting them wear their school clothes ahead of time to be comfortable. It might be packing a lunch they are accustomed to eating at home.

We can easily overlook the stress our children might experience with new beginnings. This can be more prevalent in a small community where there is a greater sense of familiarity.

Talk with your children (not to them) about their thoughts and feelings. Do what you can at home to consistently implement some strategies to support their transition back. Get to know, understand, and utilize resources in the schools and in the community (it takes a village). It will save time and energy in the long run, help to alleviate stress and anxiety for them and yourself, and help them understand your love and appreciation for them that they will surely strive to reciprocate into the future.

08/14/2025

Feeling Less Than? You’re Not the Only One and You Don’t Have to Stay There

Why We might fall into the Comparison Trap and How to Step Out of It

If you’ve ever looked at someone else’s life and instantly felt like yours doesn’t measure up? You’re not alone.

Most of us have experienced it: a quick scroll on social media, an overheard conversation, or an update from a friend, and suddenly we are questioning our own worth. Why don’t I have that job? That body? That relationship? That lifestyle?

This is the comparison trap and can come as a surprise sometimes when we fall into it. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it has to control us.

You’re Not the Only One Who Feels This Way

What we don’t often talk about is how many people feel “behind” or “not enough.” While you are comparing yourself to someone else, chances are they’re doing the exact same thing looking at someone else’s life and wondering where they went wrong.

Comparison is sneaky. It convinces us we are the only ones who are struggling. That everyone else is doing just fine. But behind the scenes, many people are second-guessing themselves, battling self-doubt, or trying to live up to invisible standards just like you.

This shared experience can feel isolated, but in truth, it connects us. The feeling of “less than” isn’t a flaw. It is human.

Why Comparison Hits So Hard

Our brains are wired to compare. It’s how we make sense of the world. But today, we might be comparing ourselves constantly not just to our peers, but to influencers, celebrities, coworkers, and even strangers.

Most of the time, we are comparing our real life; the chaos, struggle, and doubt, to someone else’s highlight reel.

That is not a fair fight.

Over time, this can wear us down. It can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, burnout, and a sense of never being “enough,” no matter how hard we try.

How to Step Out of the Comparison Trap

You don’t have to delete every app or go live in the woods (but around San Juan County that might not be the worst idea to live in our Mountains!)

Here’s how you can step out of the trap and stay out of it with more self-awareness and more self-kindness.

Notice when it’s happening. Start by recognizing when you’re slipping into comparison. You might feel it as a pit in your stomach, a sense of urgency, or a voice in your head saying, “You should be doing more.” Awareness gives you power.

Get curious, not critical. Instead of shaming yourself, ask, “What am I feeling right now?” or “Why did that post trigger me?” Often, it points to something deeper a value, a desire, or an insecurity that needs some compassion, not criticism.

Reconnect with your lane. Your life isn’t supposed to look like anyone else’s. Take a breath and ask, “What actually matters to me?” Re-ground in your own definition of success.

Protect your peace. Mute. Unfollow. Take breaks. You’re not rude for setting boundaries with the content that drains you. You’re responsible for your mental space, treat it like sacred ground.

Celebrate without comparing. It is possible to cheer someone on and be proud of where you are. Try this: “Good for them, and I’m doing okay too.”

A Gentle Reminder

If you’re feeling “less than,” you’re not the only one. And just because you feel it doesn’t mean it’s true.

You are not behind. You are not failing. You are not missing your chance.

You’re growing even when it’s quiet. You’re becoming even when it’s messy. And your life has value, even if it doesn’t look like theirs.

We won’t always be able to stop the urge to compare. But we can remind ourselves, again and again, to come home to our own worth and let that be enough. This is resiliency, not perfection. It is the strength of returning to yourself, even after getting lost in someone else’s story.

San Juan Counseling

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Monday	8am - 5:15pm
Tuesday	8am - 5:15pm
Wednesday	8am - 5:15pm
Thursday	8am - 5:15pm
Friday	8am - 12:15pm