The Mindset Counseling Group

04/29/2026

🎶 Mindset Music Appreciation Day - "The Lighthouse" by Stevie Nicks🎶

This week, we’re shining a light (😉) on a pensive, powerful, and deeply relevant track by Stevie Nicks.

At its core, this song is about direction, safety, and holding onto something steady when life feels overwhelming. We are given the imagery of a lighthouse as that calls to this primary theme. The lighthouse does not stop the storm or calm the waves. It acts as a guiding light in the tumultuous storms that makes life so difficult.

Its about finding clarity in the dark, and realizing that the light your searching for is not as far away as you think. She lays it out all in the lyrics, which are JAM PACKED with meaning.

Stevie starts off by giving us a dose of reality:
“Don’t close your eyes and hope for the best, the dark is out there.”

Like we called out last week, avoidance doesn’t make things go away. In fact, in counseling, we often talk about how facing things head-on, even when it’s uncomfortable, is what helps us solve our problems!

You have to "stand up and take it back". Empower yourself! You decide when your story is over and you decide how it goes empowerment. That’s growth. That’s the moment where you decide that your story isn’t over, and that you still have a say in how it goes.

However, its not all sunshine and rainbows. There's URGENCY in her message:
“It’s slippin’ through your fingers… you don’t have much time to get it back.”

It's not as bad as it sounds, but remember that change does not happen by waiting. It happens when you choose to step in, speak up, and take action! Waiting gets you nowhere.... FAST.

The greatest message we can advocate for is the most powerful image in the song:
“I wanna be the lighthouse.”

In counseling, this comes up all the time. People often come in feeling lost, stuck, or unsure of what’s next. And while therapy doesn’t “fix” everything overnight, it helps you find or become your own lighthouse:
✨ A sense of direction
✨ A way to navigate emotional storms
✨ A steady point when everything else feels unstable

Sometimes that lighthouse is a person. Sometimes it’s a skill you’ve learned.
And sometimes… it’s you, learning to trust your own voice again.

✨ So this week, let this be your reminder:
Your story isn’t over.
Your power isn’t gone.
And when you’re ready… you can stand up and take it back. 💛

04/22/2026

🎶 Mindset Music Appreciation Day - "Humility" by Gorillaz🎶

This week, we’re riding with another classic from the band Gorillaz. We're not trying to play favorites here, but this week we felt we needed to share a smooth, reflective song that hits on something we see all the time in counseling: the balance between stepping AWAY and stepping BACK IN.

There’s a line in the song that really stands out:
“Reset myself and get back on track.....I don't want this isolation”

At first glance, it sounds simple. But there’s a lot packed into it.

Sometimes, we need to pull back. Take a breath. Get some space. A good way to describe it is surviving the distress of a situation and giving yourself time to compartmentalize and think!
That alone time can be healthy! It gives us a chance to consider, process, and regroup. But here’s the important part we talk about often at The Mindset Counseling Group: you can’t stay there forever.

It’s easy for isolation to turn into AVOIDANCE. To convince yourself you’re “recharging,” when really you’re just putting off what needs to be faced. And that’s where this message hits home. Taking time for yourself is good. Necessary, even. But eventually, there comes a moment where you have to reset, re-engage, and move forward.

That’s what growth looks like.
Not perfection. Not having everything figured out.
Just the willingness to step back in.

✨ So this week, check in with yourself.
Do you need a break… or is it time to get back on track?

Either way, give yourself some grace in the process.

04/15/2026

🎶 Mindset Music Appreciation Day - "This Is It" by Kenny Loggins 🎶

This week, we’re throwing it back with a powerful classic from the man raised in the danger zone, Kenny Loggins.

Right from the start, this song hits with a message that feels so relevant to the work we do in counseling! Its that moment where you realize something has to change… and it’s up to you to take that step.

“This Is It” is all about decision points. Those crossroads where you can keep doing what you’ve always done, or you can choose something different.... something BETTER for your growth, your peace, and your future.

We often can get stuck in a waiting game,expecting for a decision to be made for us or a solution to fall in our laps. We expect miracles, but the truth is, YOU have to make these miracles happen. To quote the Kenny, "Stand up and Fight!" and finally do what you need to do, whether it be:

✨ Finally setting a boundary
✨ Asking for help
✨ Letting go of something (or someone) that isn’t serving you
✨ Deciding you deserve more

If your looking for a sign to say its time, well THIS IS IT! You don’t have to have it all figured out, you just have to be willing to BEGIN.

At The Mindset Counseling Group, we see those moments every day. Change, like we say every week, starts with a choice and is full of small steps toward your goal. A decision to show up, reflect, and take even one small step forward is all we ask and all you need. 💛

04/08/2026

🎶 Mindset Music Appreciation Day - "Good Life" by One Republic 🎶

This week, we’re highlighting a feel-good favorite, one that captures the spirit of living in the moment!

Released in 2009 on their album Waking Up, “Good Life” quickly became a hit! From movies and TV shows to commercials and travel montages, it built a reputation as THE “pause and appreciate life” song.
What makes this song stand out is its message: it’s not about a perfect life, it’s about recognizing the good WITHIN your life, even when things aren’t ideal. There is a concept in counseling called "Hunting the Good Stuff", and songs like this take the time to point out its importance. Lines about feeling far from home, chasing dreams, and looking back on the journey remind us that growth often comes with uncertainty.

At The Mindset Counseling Group, this aligns closely with what we talk about in session. Gratitude isn’t about ignoring challenges, it’s about creating space to acknowledge what’s still going right. It’s about grounding yourself in the present while appreciating how far you’ve come.

✨ So this week, let this song be your reminder:
Take a breath. Look around.
There’s more “good” in your life than you might realize.

04/06/2026

🥳Important Announcement! 🥳

We’re excited to share that Grace, our Licensed Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (LMHNP), is now in-network with even more insurance plans!

Grace is officially accepting:
✅ Baylor Scott & White
✅ UnitedHealthcare (UHC)
✅ Aetna
✅ Cigna
✅ Magellan Health

This means greater access, more flexibility, and more support for those seeking medication management and psychiatric care.

As a reminder, Grace can help with:
💊 Medication management for anxiety, depression, ADHD, mood disorders, and more
🧠 Psychiatric evaluations
📋 Ongoing medication monitoring and adjustments
🤝 Collaboration with your therapist for a well-rounded, team-based approach

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to explore medication support, this could be it. Having access to both therapy and medication management under one roof can make a powerful difference in your mental health journey.

Reach out to The Mindset Counseling Group today to schedule or learn more
Start the onboarding process here: https://valant.io/prospectivepatient/TheMindsetCounseling

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! 💛