First Step Counseling

03/20/2026

03/15/2026

My patients hear this all of the time!!!

Your therapist isn’t making it up—writing things down can actually help your brain process stress.

Putting thoughts and emotions into words does more than just help you reflect. Brain imaging research shows that naming and writing about emotions can change how the brain processes stress.

The amygdala acts as the brain’s threat detector. It helps you react quickly during high-risk situations—something first responders rely on every day. But after repeated exposure to intense calls, that system can stay activated longer than it should.

Research has found that labeling emotions—even briefly—can reduce activity in the amygdala while increasing activity in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for reasoning, decision-making, and emotional regulation.

In simple terms, writing about what you’re feeling can help the brain shift from automatic emotional reactions to more controlled processing.

Studies on expressive writing, including randomized controlled trials, suggest that structured writing about experiences can:
🧠 Reduce rumination and repetitive thoughts
🧠 Improve emotional processing
🧠 Support overall psychological well-being over time

For first responders, journaling doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as:
✔ Writing a few sentences after a tough call
✔ Getting thoughts out of your head after shift
✔ Reflecting on what went well or what stuck with you

Writing doesn’t erase stress or trauma—but putting experiences into words helps the brain organize them, making them easier to process rather than carrying them around unstructured.

Even short writing sessions have been linked to measurable changes in how the brain handles emotional information.

You spend your career documenting calls and reports. Sometimes it helps to document your own thoughts too. 🧠✍️

Source: Frontiers in Psychology; Mindfulness (Springer)

02/28/2026

When the other monkey slowly reaches out to touch him, look closely at Punch’s eyes. There’s no anger there — only fear. The moment that tiny hand comes near, he pulls his toy closer, holding it like a shield.

It’s not that he hates the other monkey. It’s that he doesn’t know how to trust yet. Punch’s mom abandoned him at birth and the other monkeys shunned him. After being left alone at the very beginning of his life, even a gentle touch can feel unfamiliar… even unsafe.

So he chooses the stuffed animal that the zookeeper gave him. Not because it can love him back, but because it doesn’t leave. It doesn’t reject him. It doesn’t change. It simply stays.

And honestly, how many of us do the same? After being hurt, we hold onto what feels predictable instead of risking real connection; real love. We become afraid of feelings, afraid of getting close again because close equals trust and trust can lead to pain and rejection.

Punch isn’t rejecting others. He’s protecting his heart. Maybe healing, for him and for us, begins with learning that not every touch means pain. 🤍🐒

Just like Punch, we crave acceptance and kindness… we crave the love only capable through a God who is the very definition of love. If you’ve followed the story of Punch, you likely feel a strong empathy for him because you understand and it hurts. Imagine if your heart aches for this little monkey, how much God’s heart must feel for you when He sees your pain, your hopelessness, your loneliness. Like you with Punch, He wants to take you in His loving embrace and tell you that you are His.

02/27/2026

Be careful with people who have HIGH FUNCTIONING DEPRESSION.

Let's go through this together 👇👇

1. They get up, get dressed, go to work, and cry in silence when nobody’s watching.

2. They check on everybody else, but don’t feel safe asking for help themselves.

3. Their smile is practiced, their “I’m fine” is automatic, their breakdowns are private.

4. They appear to be okay, give solid advice, and hold everybody down, but when the world gets quiet, their thoughts get loud.

5. You think they’re okay because they’re productive, but they only stay busy to avoid feeling anything.

6. High functioning depression doesn’t look like laziness, it looks like overworking, overthinking, and never resting.

7. They keep it together in public, but fall apart in the shower, in traffic, or right before bed.

8. Just because they don’t say “I’m struggling” doesn’t mean they’re not drowning inside.

9. They apologize for being “too much” when they’ve really just been holding too much in.

10. They make everyone feel better, but go home feeling empty.

So when someone says “check on your strong friends,” Don’t just repost it. Do it. Because the ones who always say “I got it” are usually the ones who don’t. They suffer in silence. They laugh through pain. And they master how to function when they’re barely holding on.

02/22/2026

02/19/2026

01/27/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GVesavP9a/

Walking back to church can feel like standing at the base of a cliff.

For many survivors of spiritual abuse, the idea of returning is not comforting. It is overwhelming. Your body remembers what your mind tries to explain away. The fear, the grief, the loss of trust, the tightness in your chest are not a lack of faith. They are signs of trauma.

If this feels daunting, that makes sense. You were hurt in a place that was supposed to be safe.

Go slowly. You do not owe anyone bravery, loyalty, or quick healing. It is normal to feel conflicted, cautious, or unsure. Be gentle with yourself. Compassion is not a setback. It is part of the healing. -- David Ruybalid

01/26/2026

First Step will be closed Monday due to weather.

01/18/2026

We have some exciting additions beginning in February!!!

01/05/2026

Join me!!!