Sarah Pradillo, LPC - Innovative Counseling of Mississippi

06/10/2024

Do you live in an area where it’s difficult to find good mental healthcare? Do you have a job that makes it hard to find a good time for therapy during typical business hours? Does your teenage daughter need counseling but missing school is a concern? I can offer solutions to the challenges you face with getting the professional mental health counseling services that you need. My goal is to make sure that more people have access to therapy regardless of where they live or how busy their schedule is. I am a licensed therapist helping women and teenage girls 15 and older with anxiety, depression, codependency, unhealthy relationships, coping with a family member’s addiction, and more through secure face to face Telehealth services in Mississippi. I have times that are perfect for after school or work so that you can fit therapy into your busy schedule. Call or message 601-708-9558 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

*BCBS and Mississippi’s State and School Employee Insurance accepted.

06/06/2024

*Now accepting new clients*
I am a licensed therapist (LPC) helping women and teenage girls 15 and older with anxiety, depression, codependency, unhealthy relationships, struggles with communication, coping with a family member’s addiction and more through secure face to face Telehealth services in the state of Mississippi. I have times that are convenient for after school or work so that you can fit therapy into your busy schedule. Call or message 601-708-9558 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

*BCBS and Mississippi’s State and School Employee insurance accepted*

02/12/2024

*Now accepting new clients*
I have spaces open for late afternoon therapy sessions for women and teenage girls that are perfect times for after school or work. If you or someone you know has been considering therapy but are struggling to find time in your busy schedule, I would love the opportunity to help.

I am a licensed therapist working with women and teenage girls across the state of Mississippi through face to face video telehealth therapy sessions. Call 601-708-9558 if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment.

*BCBS AND Mississippi’s State and School Employee Insurance accepted*

08/30/2023

Stress is a part of everyone’s life at different times. Unlike general anxiety, stress is caused by different demands and experiences in our life. It is usually short term; but that doesn’t change how overwhelming it can feel in the moment—especially if you feel stressed by many different responsibilities and challenges regularly. So I want to talk about a few ways you can manage your stress level on a day to day basis. This does not replace therapy so if you feel like you are experiencing excessive stress that is having a negative impact on your life, therapy may be a good next step for you; but hopefully this will give you a start.

1. Deep breathing in the moment. This sounds so simple but so many don’t even think about it in the times they need it most. Close your eyes and give yourself a minute to breathe. Sometimes it’s even helpful to put one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. You want to feel your stomach moving and not your chest. Just the focus on this alone can be calming.

2. Stay active. Exercise releases chemicals in the brain that can be very calming. Go for a walk or to the gym or find an at home exercise routine and this can be very beneficial for your stress level.

3. Get outside for at least some time every day—even if it’s just 30 minutes. Being stuck inside all day is never good for anyone’s mood.

4. Find what is relaxing to you and make it a priority. Maybe it’s spending some time alone during the transition from work to family. Maybe it’s listening to calming music. Maybe it’s making sure you have that hot cup of tea or that bath before bed. Regardless of what it is, prioritize it somehow.

5.) Determine what you can change and what you can’t change about the stressful situation; and work on the things you can.

6.) Find someone to talk about day to day stressors with. Having friends who you can confide in is great. Many people also greatly benefit from talking to a therapist because they feel they can share more since this isn’t someone who is involved in any other area of their life and everything is confidential.

If you’d like to talk about the different causes of stress in your life and coping skills that are specific for you to manage stress, you can call 601-708-9558 to discuss whether scheduling a therapy session would be right for you. I am a licensed therapist and I provide secure face to face online therapy sessions to teenage girls and women 15 and older throughout the state of Mississippi at times that are perfect for after school and work.

*Please note that the information in this post is intended to inform and guide the reader to appropriate mental health care. It should not be considered a replacement or alternative for mental health treatment and does not create a therapist-client relationship between the reader and Sarah Pradillo, LPC.

08/11/2023

When working with teenage girls and women with anxiety, often I end up asking about sensory sensitivities. We hear about sensory sensitivities a lot with kids but in my experience, every single time I ask a teenager or adult if they feel their behaviors, reactions, and anxiety are sometimes the result of feeling overwhelmed by multiple sensory experiences at one time or even just one sensory experience that they are very sensitive to, they all say they never thought about that or nobody has ever asked them that. In many cases, they are able to relate to the idea that sensory experiences are contributing to their anxiety. Sensory sensitivities are not unique to children. Many adults are sensitive to one or more sensory experiences and never consider how that is increasing their anxiety. Maybe you feel overwhelmed when there are multiple sounds going on at once or you feel anxious in crowds. Bright or flickering light or certain movements or feelings of loss of balance as well as many other sensory experiences can also cause anxiety. Once we can identify these things that contribute to that overwhelmed and anxious feeling, we can work on the coping skills you need to start decreasing your anxiety.

If you’d like to discuss how sensory sensitivities may be contributing to your anxiety, you can call 601-708-9558. I provide secure face to face online therapy sessions to teenage girls and women 15 and older throughout the state of Mississippi at times that are perfect for after school or work.

*Please note that the information in this post is intended to inform and guide people to mental healthcare. It should not be considered a replacement or alternative for mental health treatment and does not create a therapist-client relationship between the reader and Sarah Pradillo, LPC.

08/06/2023

Such a major part of managing anxiety is acknowledging and accepting what we can and can’t control.

07/28/2023

One of the things I find myself saying the most to people who are looking for help with communication barriers in their marriage is “assume the best of each other”. The message sent is not always the message received and it’s easy to assume negative qualities of your spouse when you are angry or when there are communication breakdowns. Often this is because of each individual’s own insecurities or past experiences and doesn’t actually reflect the intentions of their spouse. (Note: this does not apply in abusive relationships). It’s helpful to remember that you love, respect, and value this person enough to be married to them and before you ever experienced these struggles with communication in your marriage, there was a person you met and fell in love with for a reason. That person also loves, respects, and values you enough to be married to you and work through the hard things because of the love that you have built together—even when communication breakdowns make it not feel that way. So when those moments come when you are angry and you think the worst, remind yourself that the message sent is not always the message received and choose to assume the best of each other.

If you’d like to discuss how you can communicate more effectively in your own marriage, you can call 601-708-9558 to schedule an appointment. I provide secure face to face online therapy sessions throughout the state of Mississippi at times that are perfect for after work.

*This post is intended for married couples struggling with communication and should not be considered an alternative to professional therapy. It is not intended for anyone in an abusive relationship. If you or someone you know is in an abusive situation, please seek the help you need in order to stay safe.

07/20/2023

While I am helping people explore and process the situations, events, and other underlying causes of their depression, it is important to also consider how the symptoms of their depression are making it worse. Isolating, staying in bed, not eating well, and not participating in enjoyable activities all make depression worse. The problem is that depression causes these symptoms. People who are depressed often isolate from loved ones because they don’t want to be around people while depressed. They often stop exercising—even if it is something they have always enjoyed in the past—because depression is draining and can leave you feeling like you just don’t have the energy. Sometimes they are not eating food that gives them the nutrition that their bodies need to feel functional; and often they stop doing the things they enjoy because it’s hard to enjoy these activities when depression is hanging over all of it. It’s often a crippling feeling and it helps to have someone to remind you to do the things that are so hard to do when you are depressed because it really is that hard. If you’re struggling with depression, please reach out to loved ones and consider therapy. You are not alone and there is hope. If you need help finding solutions that work and that help you find the happiness that you want in life, please seek that help. I provide online telehealth therapy at times that are convenient for after work or school. If you have any questions, you can contact me at 601-708-9558.

***Please note that the information in this post is intended to inform and guide people to mental healthcare. It should not be considered a replacement or alternative for mental health treatment and does not create a therapist-client relationship between the reader and Sarah Pradillo, LPC. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, please talk to your doctor or schedule an appointment with a licensed mental health provider. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency or is having thoughts of harm to self or others, please call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

Licensed therapist (LPC) helping teenage girls and women through secure online therapy in Mississippi

07/11/2023

Did you know that you can work during the day and still have the opportunity to see a therapist after work hours? We all know how inconvenient and difficult it is to have to miss work regularly for appointments. So we’ve eliminated the need to commute to and from a therapist’s office by providing secure face to face telehealth/online therapy and we have provided appointment times that make sense for women throughout the state of Mississippi who work. You can learn more at innovativecounselingms.com and if you have any questions or would like to discuss scheduling an appointment, you can call 601-708-9558.

07/10/2023

Going to college is such an exciting time; but often, anxiety becomes a part of daily life for college students. Maybe you’ve always had anxiety or maybe it didn’t start until you were in college. Regardless, it’s important to take care of yourself during this valuable and fun experience in your life. Here are just a few of the things that I often talk to college students about to help lower their anxiety. This is not exhaustive and does not replace therapy; but hopefully, you will find it gives you a good start.

1) Don’t become so consumed with school that you don’t stop for breaks, spend time with friends and/or family, or participate in hobbies and things you enjoy. School is important but you can be successful in school while still doing these things.

2) It can take some time to figure out what works best but don’t wait until the last minute to do the things you need to do for school. If you have a test, start studying a bit in advance or if you have a paper, don’t start it just a day or 2 before it’s due. Again, it takes time to figure out just how much time you need but a good place to start is a week or so beforehand. You may find you need more time than that and that’s good if that’s what you need. But keep in mind that studying too much for too long for a single test can also cause anxiety. It’s important to find a balance that works well for you and you will! Give yourself some grace as you figure it out.

3) Start your day off with calm. Don’t jump out of bed and run out the door 5 minutes later. Remember that part about not waiting until the last minute? That applies here too. If this is a struggle for you, start by waking up 15 minutes earlier than you usually would. Once you get used to that, maybe you can wake up another 15 minutes earlier. Many people experience morning anxiety because their bodies can feel the pressure of trying to get somewhere fast and in turn their minds respond to that pressure and then your whole day seems to be impacted by anxiety because you were off to a bad start. Another good idea once you’re waking up just a bit earlier is to start your day with some kind of calming strategy. Maybe you close your eyes and practice some deep breathing in your dorm room or your car right before class for 5 minutes just to reset after the process of getting ready that morning. There are several strategies we can discuss for this but that’s a good place to start.

4) Most importantly, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Anxiety is very common with college students. You are not alone in this experience and there is so much hope for you that you can decrease this anxiety and feel better. Don’t hide your anxiety from your loved ones and don’t be afraid to reach out for therapy. There are so many situations that trigger anxiety and so many strategies for managing it and I’d love to help you! I provide secure face to face therapy through Telehealth throughout the state of Mississippi at times that are perfect for after a day of classes. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, you can call 601-708-9558 and I would love to speak with you.

Licensed therapist (LPC) helping teenage girls and women through secure online therapy in Mississippi

07/09/2023

Going to college is such an exciting time; but often, anxiety becomes a part of daily life for college students. Maybe you’ve always had anxiety or maybe it didn’t start until you were in college. Regardless, it’s important to take care of yourself during this valuable and fun experience in your life. Here are just a few of the things that I often talk to college students about to help lower their anxiety. This is not exhaustive and does not replace therapy; but hopefully, you will find it gives you a good start.

1) Don’t become so consumed with school that you don’t stop for breaks, spend time with friends and/or family, or participate in hobbies and things you enjoy. School is important but you can be successful in school while still doing these things.

2) It can take some time to figure out what works best but don’t wait until the last minute to do the things you need to do for school. If you have a test, start studying a bit in advance or if you have a paper, don’t start it just a day or 2 before it’s due. Again, it takes time to figure out just how much time you need but a good place to start is a week or so beforehand. You may find you need more time than that and that’s good if that’s what you need. But keep in mind that studying too much for too long for a single test can also cause anxiety. It’s important to find a balance that works well for you and you will! Give yourself some grace as you figure it out.

3) Start your day off with calm. Don’t jump out of bed and run out the door 5 minutes later. Remember that part about not waiting until the last minute? That applies here too. If this is a struggle for you, start by waking up 15 minutes earlier than you usually would. Once you get used to that, maybe you can wake up another 15 minutes earlier. Many people experience morning anxiety because their bodies can feel the pressure of trying to get somewhere fast and in turn their minds respond to that pressure and then your whole day seems to be impacted by anxiety because you were off to a bad start. Another good idea once you’re waking up just a bit earlier is to start your day with some kind of calming strategy. Maybe you close your eyes and practice some deep breathing in your dorm room or your car right before class for 5 minutes just to reset after the process of getting ready that morning. There are several strategies we can discuss for this but that’s a good place to start.

4) Most importantly, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Anxiety is very common with college students. You are not alone in this experience and there is so much hope for you that you can decrease this anxiety and feel better. Don’t hide your anxiety from your loved ones and don’t be afraid to reach out for therapy. There are so many situations that trigger anxiety and so many strategies for managing it and I’d love to help you! I provide secure face to face therapy through Telehealth throughout the state of Mississippi at times that are perfect for after a day of classes. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, you can call 601-708-9558 and I would love to speak with you.