All Things New Counseling Services, LLC

01/26/2026

It may be cold and there may be snow outside, but my therapy room is warm and cozy (just ask Dewey!) and the coffee and cocoa are hot! It’s a great day for some some great therapy!

01/26/2026

I AM in office tomorrow and all week for appointments! Dewey is bored and needs to get out of the house and see his people! 😂🐶❤️ Main roads in Nixa are clear, my parking lot is clear, and I have plenty of warm drinks and my fireplace to share! I am also able to switch anyone who prefers it to telehealth. I have had a couple of cancellations, so if any of my clients are wanting an appointment, check the portal for my calendar and feel free to request what works for you! ❄️ ⛄️

01/12/2026

Seems like the words “trauma” and “triggered” have been hijacked by popular culture and tend to get over used to the point that we don’t know what we are talking about anymore; we are just saying stuff. Let’s pause long enough to understand what these words really mean.

A really good working definition of “trauma” would be “the effects of experiencing something that exceeded our available resources to manage- either too much of something damaging that we couldn’t escape (physical, emotional, s*xual violence, for example), or the chronic absence of something we something we desperately needed that we couldn’t get (this could be material, like food or shelter, or it could be emotional attunement from a consistently present caregiver).”

When we lack adequate resources to manage these experiences, they cannot metabolize in our system and fragments of them get stored in our “memory”- much of it gets stored in our implicit memory, which is largely “right brain” territory where we experience emotions and body sensations.

When something happens that evokes a connection to one of these fragments, we are “triggered;” we find ourselves sensing or feeling (right brain processing) the way we felt when the original thing happened.

Traditional talk therapy on its own is a largely left brain or “top down” intervention. But to resolve trauma, we also need to use right brain or “bottom up” interventions in order to access the places where the trauma fragments are stored.

If you need help resolving “stuck” trauma, be sure to find a therapist who is trained and skilled beyond traditional talk therapy in right brain (bottom up interventions) like Ego States work, somatic processing, and EMDR certification to help reach those implicit places.

01/01/2026

I feel a great deal of gratitude as I wish you all a Happy New Year!

If you’ve visited Dewey and I in our beautiful new therapy haven, you have experienced our biggest highlight of 2025. This was an amazing way to wrap up 2025 as we ended 2024 on a very sad and discouraged note. We almost didn’t get to have this beautiful space to share with you all. We had just broke ground near the end of 2024 when the project was upended a few weeks later by some extremely bad business practices from a company we mistakenly thought we could trust, and even worse, the betrayal of friends we thought we could trust. It took a hard minute, but we managed to find a more reliable contractor and were able to put the pieces back together and start again.

In all honestly, I didn’t take many pictures along the way because I didn’t fully trust that the project wouldn’t somehow fall apart again. I plodded through the build process with a fair amount of indifference and denial until we were about 30 days from move in. Finally, I had to tell my current clients that my office was moving- I didn’t want to, because I still feared it would get yanked out from under us again.

The final weeks were a blur of activity- shoveling rock, planting trees and shrubs, sowing grass seed, staining wood…. I can’t even remember it all, but I do remember a long stream of endless 16 hour days and working until my body hurt so bad that I could hardly move, but pushing through because there seenes to endlessly be still more to do.

But we made it 🙌🏼 and I feel so grateful every time I walk through the doors, and you all have expressed that you love it, too!

In addition to this project filling up so much space in 2025, my end of year stats tell us that in 2025 Dewey and I also provided 1,456 appointments to 149 clients!

YOU GUYS are the reason that I love what I do! I’m so thankful that you trust me to share a part of your journey with you- and that I get a front row seat to all your growth and healing! You inspire me daily, and you are my “why” in this work I love so much!

All Things New Counseling is fast approaching 17 years of serving Nixa and surrounding communities!

Bring on 2026- we got this!

11/26/2025

Yes! If you’ve been to my therapy room, you are familiar with the bowl of Jolly Ranchers that lives there!

Also, I’ve conducted an accidental social experiment over my bowl of Jolly Ranchers. It seems that most people have a preference for the cherry flavored ones. Sour apple is next favorite. Grape and watermelon and blue raspberry are kinda just hanging out as the afterthoughts.

I personally prefer blue raspberry the most and cherry the least.

What’s your favorite Jolly Rancher flavor?

Sour candy can literally help stop a panic attack.

According to mental health experts, the intense flavor acts as a grounding technique—its sharp, jarring taste pulls attention away from overwhelming thoughts and into the immediate physical sensation.

This redirection can help interrupt the cycle of spiraling anxiety, bringing individuals back to the present moment. Additionally, the act of chewing and the surge in saliva production may support the body's calming response, offering a sense of control during distress.

While not a cure or replacement for therapy, this sensory-based strategy can serve as a quick, practical tool in moments of high anxiety. As noted by experts cited by Utah State University, sour candy can be particularly helpful in grounding exercises used during panic attacks. However, they caution that frequent or intense anxiety should always be assessed by a healthcare professional to ensure appropriate long-term care.

Source: Utah State University Extension. (2023). Managing Anxiety with Grounding Techniques.

Al-Ghaili O

UPDATE-
We are so grateful to everyone's reaction to this post. Please give us feedback if you have tried it and how it worked for you! And if you are able please follow us! Please donate and help us in our mission to continue to raise awareness and support parents and caregivers raising children with Complex Trauma! 💚
💚 Donation Options 💚

Venmo: -Families

CashApp: $AttachFamilies

Zelle, PayPal, GooglePay: Donations.attachfamilies@gmail.com

Mailing Address
Attach Families Inc.
9805 Statesville Road Suite 6156
Charlotte, NC 28269
United States

EIN-83-2090828

11/20/2025

As Dewey and I settle into our new therapeutic haven, we breathe in the peace instilled by all the things we intentionally planned for this space to help anchor nervous systems and soothe souls.

We feel the warmth of the natural light that streams through the large windows, and, because right now November thinks it’s Spring, we open up these windows and enjoy the fresh air that filters in with the songs of the birds.

The view outside reveals bright green baby blades of grass beginning to fill the yard like a soft carpet. Won’t it feel wonderful to run your toes through it next May? Grounding with the earth is one of the best ways to re-set the soul.

Our people arrive and depart one by one throughout the morning. Dewey greets each one with full body wiggles of delight - whoever is present at the moment is his most favorite human in all the world.

Our people express their love of the peaceful calm of the space. They feel soothed by soft pillows and cozy throws, the warm cup of tea cradled in their hands, or a sour Jolly Rancher that fills their senses with something safe to be fully aware of right now, in this very moment.

Hard things we speak of are made a little less hard by the safety, softness, and serenity of our surroundings.

Later, Dewey and I take our lunch break on the patio. He intermittently begs for pieces of my lunch and chases squirrels down the fence line in utter euphoria —floppy ears flying wildly about his head, galloping like a goofy puppy.

As Dewey plays, I imagine the future flower beds, bird bath and bird feeder that will bring even more natural living beauty to our outdoor space next spring. For now, leaves crinkle in the breeze and drift lazily to the earth as if not a care exists anywhere.

I linger, taking it full in, as Dewey watches me with curiosity. I solemnly reflect on the barriers we faced that threatened to destroy this dream of a healing space, and I’m simultaneously overcome with gratitude for the goodness of God that prevails as He whispers, “Do you see it? Do you see how I’m STILL making all things new?”

11/19/2025

It’s one of those weird days where it’s fall, so hot chocolate seems right, but it’s also great patio weather. So I’m doing the only thing that makes sense. I’m having lunch followed by hot chocolate for dessert all on the patio today. It’s a great space for those who would like to try “patio therapy!”

11/13/2025

I had barely placed this new rug between the offices and turned my back for a moment before turning back around to find Dewey like this—refusing to move 😂. The rugs are soft! 😊

We are loving our new building and outdoor spaces! I planted the lilac shrub in the backyard over the weekend (the blossoms are going to smell amazing one day soon!) and the grass really is starting to grow!

Be sure you are scheduled to come see us- we are confident you will love it, too! ❤️

11/06/2025

The not knowing can feel pretty horrible sometimes and sometimes when I’m anxious about something I remind myself, one step at a time. One foot in front of the other. And before you know it, you’re where you need to be. 💛

11/06/2025

My colleague, Jennifer Stidham (Sacred Path Counseling), with whom it is a blessing to share my new office building, is hosting a grief group. Check it out and pass it along!

I'm hosting a grief support group this coming Tuesday, November 11 at my new office in Nixa. This group is for anyone struggling with feeling the heaviness of grief.

Grief can show up as:
-lack of interest in doing pleasure-filled activities
-excessive sleep
-moodiness or irritability
-unexplainable sadness or crying at random times
-anger at everyone and everything

How do you know if this group is for you? Maybe you...
😓 Feel the loss of someone's presence, especially at holiday times
😥 Are not "where you wanted to be by now"
😢 Feel out of sorts in your new home or new location after a recent move
😟 Can't catch your breath as you assimilate new information about your diagnosis or your loved one's diagnosis

Grief is not always optional, but suffering alone is. You may not be able to do anything about your circumstances, but you do not have to endure them without the support of fellow travelers.

Most of the time, knowing you are not alone on your journey is just the right amount of support needed to take the next step. 🥾

In addition, I am a professional counselor and will provide some psychoeducation about grief so you can better recognize it when it presents itself. 🧠

Whatever your grief journey looks like, I'm ready to walk it with you. See you at group.