The Mindset Counseling Group

03/27/2026

Episode 5: Dr. Kelly and Dr. John talk about ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) vs other options and John shares his own personal journey with ketamine

In this episode of the Unfiltered Counseling Podcast, Dr. John and Dr. Kelly Avritt tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in mental health: ketamine-as...

03/24/2026

🎶 Mindset Music Appreciation Day - "Orange County"by Gorillaz🎶

This week, we’re diving into the latest album by our favorite animated band! With their album "The Mountain", we were introduced to a song that sits right in that uncomfortable, honest space of feeling a little… lost.

Not lost in a dramatic, everything-is-falling-apart kind of way....but in that quieter sense, when you lose someone or something you care about. The kind where things don’t feel as clear as they used to. Where you’re moving forward, but not totally sure where you’re headed. Where you are presented with the confusing conflict of how to reconcile who you were before and who you are now.

Here’s the truth: that confusing feeling isn’t failure or despair.... it’s TRANSITION.

We see this all the time in counseling, where "loss" leads to FEELING lost . When we lose the ones we love or who we used to be, we have to live on in the world, to be changed and made strange by it.

However this change and transition is the precursor to growth. It’s what happens when old versions of you no longer fit, but the new version hasn’t fully formed yet.

That space can be uncomfortable. It can feel uncertain. Even lonely at times. As the song says, "it's the hardest thing".

But it’s also where some of the most important growth happens. Remember:
✨ You’re not behind
✨ You’re not off track
✨ You’re in the middle of becoming

So if this song resonates with you, take it as a reminder that, sometimes, being lost just means you’re finally moving in a new direction.

03/11/2026

🎶 Mindset Weekly Song Shout-out: 20 Years Later by Kenny Rogers 🎶

This week’s, were shouting out a reflective country classic all about looking back on the places, people, and moments that helped shape who we are!

In this track, the narrator returns to his hometown and reflects on how life has changed over the years. Some things are different, some people are gone, and the world doesn’t quite feel the same as it once did. But through those reflections, there’s a powerful realization: our past experiences, both good and difficult, become part of the story that makes us who we are today.

In counseling, we often look back in our past to explain how we act in the now. The key is understanding that looking back isn’t about getting stuck in the past , it’s gaining context. Our memories can help us recognize patterns, process old emotions, and appreciate how much we’ve grown over time. Sometimes, revisiting those chapters allows us to see just how far we’ve come.

As Carl Jung once said, "I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become".

At The Mindset Counseling Group, we believe reflection can be one of the most powerful tools for growth. When we acknowledge where we’ve been, we gain clarity about where we’re going.

✨ So this week, take a few minutes with this song and think about your own journey. Five, Ten, or even Twenty years ago might feel like another lifetime , but every step along the way helped shape the person you are today.

02/27/2026

02/26/2026

Great insight from the creator of IFS, worth a watch

02/25/2026

🎵 Mindset Weekly Song Shout-Out: “Candle of Life” by The Moody Blues 🕯️

This week’s spotlight goes to a timeless classic that reminds us of something we often forget in the middle of busy, stressful live: our inner light matters.

“Candle of Life” speaks to the idea that each person carries a unique spark, even during moments when hope feels distant or difficult to see. The song reflects on growth, aging, purpose, and the emotional journey we all share as human beings.

In therapy, we often explore how life experiences like grief, change, uncertainty, or burnout, can make people feel dimmed or disconnected from themselves. But healing isn’t about becoming someone new; it’s about protecting and strengthening the light that has always been there.

Like a candle🕯️ , resilience doesn’t mean NEVER struggling, it means continuing to glow despite the winds around us!

✨ Mental Health Reflection:
Take a moment this week to ask yourself:
- What helps rekindle my energy when I feel drained?
- Who or what helps protect my “candle” during hard seasons?
- How can I show myself the same patience I offer others?

02/12/2026

🎶 Mindset Music Wednesday - "Golden" by Jill Scott💛

This Valentine’s season (consider this a reminder if you've forgotten), we’re taking a slightly different approach to love... SELF LOVE. That's right, instead of focusing only on romantic love, we’re celebrating the foundation of all healthy love: self-love!

This week’s track is a joyful, soul-filled reminder that are free to live your life to the fullest, expressing that freedom to be who you truly are without worrying about others. You are allowed to take up space, to choose yourself, and to live in your own light!

“Golden” isn’t about waiting for someone else to validate your worth. It’s about recognizing that your growth, your healing, your resilience is already priceless! It’s about freedom. EMOTIONAL freedom. The kind that comes from doing the work, setting boundaries, healing old wounds, and deciding that you deserve peace.

We often talk about how the relationship you have with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship in your life. When you understand your worth, when you treat yourself with compassion, when you choose growth, you shine like gold.

✨ This Valentine’s Day, let this be your reminder:
You are not waiting to be chosen. You are already Golden. (Bars)

Celebrate yourself! 💛

02/06/2026

📱✨ New Free Support Group: Disconnect to Reconnect ✨📱

Lets face it, parenting in the digital age is HARD. With how technology seems to be progressing, becoming more ingrained into our society with each passing day, it can feel were losing touch with ourselves and the children that rely on us. The good thing is that you don’t have to do it alone!

The Mindset Counseling Group is excited to offer a FREE 10-week virtual support group titled “Disconnect to Reconnect,” designed specifically for parents whose children are struggling with technology overuse or addiction.

This group will be led by our intern Lacy Johnson and will provide a supportive, judgment-free space to:

🌟Better understand technology addiction and its impact on kids and teens

🌟Learn healthy boundaries around screens and devices

🌟Strengthen parent-child connection and communication

🌟Share experiences with other parents who get it

🌟Build practical tools you can use right away

🖥 Format: Virtual (via ZOOM)
📅 Length: 10 weeks
💬 Cost: FREE

If screens have started to feel like the third parent in your home, this group is for you. Small changes can make a big difference, and reconnecting starts with support.

📩 Interested or want more information? Reach out to learn more and sign up!
Phone Number: 254-218-5525
Email: Frontoffice@mindsetcounselingtx.com

Let’s disconnect from the screens… and reconnect with each other. 💙

02/04/2026

🎶 Mindset Music Appreciation Day - "Right Now" by Van Halen 🎶

😅After a brief two-week break, we’re back, and honestly, there was no better way to jump back in than with “Right Now” by Van Halen.

If you know this song, you know the message hits immediately. Right now is about the present moment and pushing forward regardless if its the "perfect" moment! Its about getting things DONE...NOW! Not next week. Not when everything lines up. Right. Now.

And YES, there is a twinge of irony saying that. Life got busy, schedules filled up, and before we knew it, two Wednesdays flew by. But that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? This song reminds us that even when we fall out of rhythm, we can always step back in. Progress isn’t canceled just because there was a pause.

In counseling, we talk a lot about meeting yourself where you are , not where you planned to be. Whether you’re restarting a routine, revisiting a goal, or simply choosing to re-engage, what matters most is showing up in the moment you’re in.

✨ So here’s your reminder (and ours):
You don’t need a perfect streak.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You just need right now.

Welcome back. Let’s keep going. 🎸

01/16/2026

🎉 And the good news keeps on coming!
We’re excited to share that Grace, our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), is now IN-NETWORK with not only AETNA, but OPTUM/UHC as well! 🥳
I know we JUST put out an update for this, but we want to share all of the new and exciting opportunities we offer so YOU can get the care you need!
We’re ready and excited to help!
Reach out to The Mindset Counseling Group today to learn more or schedule an appointment!

01/15/2026

🎶 Mindset Music Appreciation Day - "Move Along" by All American Rejects 🎶

This week’s pick takes us straight back to the early 2000s, when rock radio was full of emotional chords, crunchy guitars, and songs that spoke to the punk in all of us.
“Move Along” by The All-American Rejects is one of those tracks that didn’t just soundtrack a generation or toy line (Bionicle anyone?), it carried a message that STILL holds up today!

On the surface, it’s an energetic, sing-at-the-top-of-your-lungs rock song. The type that you can fire up to get YOU fired up. However, the lyrics are a lesson on about resilience.
The core message is simple: you’re allowed to struggle, but you don’t have to stay stuck there. Keep moving. Keep going. MOVE ALONG...One step at a time.

At The Mindset Counseling Group, this aligns closely with the work we do every day. Healing isn’t about pretending things DON'T hurt. We're not trying to make actors here! Healing is about acknowledging the pain, learning from it, and still CHOOSING to move forward, even when progress is slow and the end is far off.

✨ You just have to move along.

01/12/2026

Our hearts are heavy as we acknowledge the recent loss of Officer Garretson in our community. A tragedy like this sends ripples far beyond one family or department, it affects the community as a whole. We want to take a moment to name something important: whatever you’re feeling right now is valid.

Grief doesn’t follow a script. It can look like sadness, anger, numbness, confusion, exhaustion, or even guilt. All of these responses are normal. Grief is not weakness, it’s how we respond to loss. It is nonlinear, messy, changes sporadically, and shifts not only how we operate mentally, but physically as well.
More so, it often intensifies after the initial shock wears off, when support fades and reality settles in.

That said, there are times when grief needs more support. Here are some red flags to be aware of:

- Persistent sleep disruption or nightmares

- Increased irritability or anger that feels out of control

- Withdrawal from others or loss of interest in things you once enjoyed

- Use of substances to cope

- Hopelessness or thoughts of harming yourself

If things ramp up, you are not a failure. These are your signal to get support.

To those affected, the officer’s family, their colleagues, and all those impacted, we are here for you. You do not have to carry this burden alone.

Many in our community have asked how they can show their support and honor Officer Garretson. His patrol unit is now parked in front of the police department for those who wish to stop by and pay their respects.

We appreciate the outpouring of support. 💙