https://www.brightleaftherapy.com/providers.htm, http://www.hilliscounseling.com/

Hillis Counseling, Hillis Counseling 105 W Washington Street , Suite 103A, Rockwall, TX (2026)

02/21/2026

Progress vs. Perfection

When you’re starting something new — a work project, school assignment, relationship repair, creative idea, or personal goal — it’s easy to believe you have to get it exactly right before taking the first step.

But perfection can quietly become the thing that keeps you stuck.

Perfectionism often sounds productive on the surface:
“I just need to plan a little more.”
“I’ll start when I feel ready.”
“It has to be done the right way.”

In reality, this mindset can turn into procrastination — sometimes intentional, sometimes not. When the goal becomes “perfect,” starting feels overwhelming, mistakes feel unacceptable, and progress slows or stops entirely.

Over time, perfectionism can contribute to:
➡️ Increased stress and anxiety
➡️ Rumination and self-criticism
➡️ Difficulty with time mgmt and completing tasks
➡️ Feelings of depression or burnout
➡️ Strain in relationships and communication

Progress doesn’t happen in perfect moments — it happens through small, imperfect steps forward.

Progress looks like:
✅ Starting before you feel ready
✅ Breaking big goals into smaller actions
✅ Allowing mistakes to be part of learning
✅ Focusing on consistency instead of flawlessness
✅ Celebrating movement, not just outcomes

You don’t need perfect conditions to begin — just the willingness to move forward.

Counseling and therapy can help you understand the roots of perfectionism, reduce anxiety around performance and expectations, build healthier thinking patterns, and develop practical strategies for follow-through, confidence, and balance.

Because meaningful change doesn’t come from being perfect — it comes from making progress.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

Complimentary Phone Consultation
In Person & Virtual Appointments
Sliding Scale & Financial Aid Available

Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United
Oscar
Oxford
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087

02/13/2026

Sometimes the way we see ourselves isn’t the full picture.

Negative self-perception can quietly shape our emotions, decisions, and confidence — even when it doesn’t match reality.

When we view ourselves through a negative lens, it often brings difficult emotions like anxiety, sadness, shame, or self-doubt. Over time, these feelings can contribute to depression, low self-esteem, relationship strain, a persistent negative self-view and more.

In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), we talk about core beliefs — deeply held ideas we develop about ourselves, others, and the world.

Examples of negative core beliefs might sound like:
➡️ “I’m not good enough.”
➡️ “I always fail.”
➡️ “People don’t really care about me.”
➡️ “I’m unworthy of success or love.”

Core beliefs act like mental filters, shaping how we interpret everyday situations. When core beliefs are negative, they can cause us to:
➡️ Focus on mistakes instead of growth
➡️ Discount compliments or successes
➡️ Expect rejection or failure
➡️ Interpret neutral situations as negative

But here’s the encouraging part — core beliefs can be challenged and changed.

Through intentional reflection and practicing new ways of thinking, people can begin to:
✅ Question automatic negative thoughts
✅ Replace self-criticism with self-compassion
✅ Recognize strengths and progress
✅ Develop a more balanced and realistic self-view

Changing core beliefs doesn’t mean pretending everything is perfect — it means seeing yourself more accurately.

The reflection in the glass isn’t always the truth. Sometimes it’s just an old story your mind learned to tell — that you don’t have to keep believing.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

Complimentary Phone Consultation
In Person & Virtual Appointments
Sliding Scale & Financial Aid Available

Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United
Oscar
Oxford
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087

02/08/2026

Your nervous system reacts faster than your logic. Slow it down.

Here are 10 proven ways to calm down FAST:
1) Take an Immediate Time-Out
⏸️ Walk away before you explode
🗣️ Say: “I need a minute. I’m coming back.”
✅ Prevents regret

2) Long-Exhale Breathing
🫁 Inhale 4 seconds
😮‍💨 Exhale 6–8 seconds
🔁 Repeat 10 times
✅ Longer exhales tell your body: “We’re safe.”

3) Cold Water / Cold Object Reset
💦 Splash cold water on your face OR
🧊 Hold a cold bottle/ice
✅ Helps your brain “reset” quickly

4) Use the Anger Scale (0–10 or 0-100)
🚨 Rate it quickly
🔟 If you’re more than 7/10 or 70/100 = less talking, more calming
🧩 Don’t solve conflict while emotionally flooded
✅ Helps you monitor emotional intensity

5) Grounding: 5-4-3-2-1
👀 5 things you see
✋ 4 things you feel
👂 3 things you hear
👃 2 things you smell
👅 1 thing you taste
✅ Pulls you out of “anger tunnel vision”

6) Intense Safe Movement (1–2 minutes)
💪 10 pushups
🏋️ 20 squats
🚶 Fast walk
🧱 Wall push
⚡ Anger = adrenaline
✅ Movement helps you calm down faster

7) Tense & Release (Muscle Reset)
✊ Clench fists/shoulders 5 seconds
😮‍💨 Release 10 seconds
🔁 Repeat 3–5 times
✅ Reduces body tension that fuels anger

8) Use a Mental Pattern Interrupt
Say to self:
🛑 “PAUSE. Don’t make it worse. Not worth it.”
⚡ Think of the consequences
✅ One phrase can stop an explosion

9) One-Sentence Boundary
Keep it short. Don’t debate.
🚫 “I’m not okay to talk right now.”
⏳ “Give me space, let’s talk later.”
✅ Communicates your needs clearly without escalating the situation

10) Lower Your Voice
Speak softer to force your body to calm down.
🗣️ “I got too heated. I’m sorry. I’m ready to talk respectfully.”
✅ Builds maturity, trust, and stronger relationships

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com

Complimentary Phone Consultation
In Person & Virtual Appointments
Sliding Scale & Financial Aid Available

Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United
Oscar
Oxford
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087

02/05/2026

When screens take over, other areas of life end up paying the price.

Before long, it can seem like a lot of things are starting to fall apart.

If your teen or young adult is spending excessive time on gaming, scrolling, or watching videos — you might have also noticed or be concerned with their:
📚 schoolwork slipping
🧼 health and hygiene being ignored
🛏️ isolation from/spending less time with family
🧠 low motivation & lacking in follow-through
😤 overreactions to small problems
😔 heightened anxiety, depression, stress

As a parent, it can be difficult to know exactly how to help. You might feel a constant mix of worry, frustration, confusion, guilt, or fear about the future. If so, you are not alone — and you are not overreacting.

At Hillis Counseling, we provide a place where teens and young adults can:
🗣️ express what they can’t explain at home
😌 learn to regulate frustration and anger
🧠 understand what’s driving the behavior
📅 improve time management and organization
🛠️ build coping skills that actually work in daily life
🤝 develop social confidence and communication
📱 create healthier boundaries with technology

We also help parents:
✅ understand what’s really going on
✅ learn effective communication strategies
✅ reduce constant power struggles
✅ rebuild structure, routines, and connection
✅ feel confident supporting their teen or young adult

If you or someone in your family could benefit from our services, please reach out today to schedule a complimentary phone consultation.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

🌟Sliding Scale and Financial Aid Available🌟
🌿In Person and Virtual Appointments🌿

Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United (Optum)
Oscar (Optum)
Oxford (Optum)
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087

01/31/2026

Sometimes the hardest part isn’t making a decision— it’s not even knowing what the “right” decision is.

➡️ Are you unsure which direction you’re supposed to be going?

➡️ Experiencing difficulty with decisions, overthinking, second-guessing, or paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong choice?

➡️ Emotionally lost about what you feel, what you need, or what you even want anymore?

Counseling and therapy is a dedicated time set aside for you to slow things down, sort through what’s going on, and identify what is holding you back.

At Hillis Counseling, we help you:
🧩 Understand what’s really driving feelings of being stuck
🧭 Reconnect with your values and direction
🛠 Build skills to make confident decisions
🗣 Improve communication, boundaries, social skills
💪 Strengthen emotional regulation and self-trust

When life feels like a crossroads, counseling and therapy give you something that’s hard to find in the chaos of everyday life:

SPACE. CLARITY. DIRECTION.

Times of uncertainty are some of the most important moments to get support — not something you “wait out.”

If you or someone in your family could benefit from talking further, please reach out to schedule a complimentary phone consultation.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

🌟Sliding Scale and Financial Aid Available🌟
🌿In Person and Virtual Appointments🌿

Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United (Optum)
Oscar (Optum)
Oxford (Optum)
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087
Downtown Rockwall Texas

01/25/2026

When people think of counseling and therapy, breathing techniques often come to mind—and sometimes they’re brushed off, joked about, or seen as overly simple.

But in reality, breathing is one of the most researched, widely used, and physiologically powerful tools in mental health care.

Across cultures and across the world, people have developed hundreds of structured breathing approaches—used in clinical psychology, medicine, mindfulness traditions, athletics, military training, trauma recovery and much more.

Here are 20 different evidence-based breathing approaches:
🫁 Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing–Slow, deep breaths, expanding belly
📦 Box Breathing (4–4–4–4) Inhale→Hold→Exhale →Hold
⬇️ Extended Exhale Breathing–Longer exhale than inhale
⏱ 4-7-8 Breathing–Inhale 4 • Hold 7 • Exhale 8
🎵 Paced Breathing–Steady, rhythmic
🔁 5-Breath Reset–Five intentional, focused breaths
⚖️ Resonance Breathing – ~5–6 breaths per minute
😮‍💨 Physiological Sigh–Two short inhales + long exhale
⬜ Square Breathing (Alternate)–Visualizing sides of a square
👃 Nasal Breathing–Breathing through nose only
🥤 Straw Breathing–Slow, controlled exhale
🔄 Coherent Breathing–Equal inhale and exhale
🔢 Counted Breathing–Counting each breath cycle
🔺 Triangle Breathing–Inhale→ Exhale→Pause
🌊 Ocean (Ujjayi) Breathing–Smooth, nasal
🎶 Humming Exhale Breathing–Humming on exhale
❄️ Cooling Breath (Sitali)–Cooling inhale, nasal exhale
🧘 Progressive Relaxation Breathing–Breath + muscle release
🌄 Visualization-Guided Breathing–Calm imagery paired with breath
⚓ Anchor Breathing–Focus on one physical breath sensation

Ready for the next step? Schedule a complimentary phone consultation to learn how we can help you use breathing techniques—and other evidence-based strategies—to feel calmer and more in control.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

🌟Sliding Scale and Financial Aid Available🌟
🌿In Person and Virtual Appointments🌿

Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United (Optum)
Oscar (Optum)
Oxford (Optum)
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087
Downtown Rockwall Texas

01/20/2026

Challenges and difficulties in school do not mean your child, teenager, or young adult lacks ability or effort.

More often, they just need the right kind of support to succeed. Reframing the question from “Why aren’t they trying?” to “What skills are missing or overloaded?” can lead to more effective support and better outcomes.

Even when they’re working hard, students aren’t always protected from feeling overwhelmed by:
📚 Organization & time management
⏰ Keeping up with assignments, deadlines, and exams
🧠 Planning, prioritizing, and follow-through
⚡ Impulsivity or difficulty slowing down
😕 Low motivation, burnout, or shutdown
🧩 ADHD-related challenges
👥 Social relationships, peer interactions, and group work
💬 Communication at school, at home, and with professors

When these struggles pile up, students can feel frustrated, discouraged, or misunderstood—and parents are often left wondering how to help without creating more stress or conflict.

At Hillis Counseling, we work with middle school, high school, and college students to help:
✔ Build practical organization, planning, and study skills
✔ Improve focus, task initiation, and follow-through
✔ Strengthen emotional regulation and impulse control
✔ Address ADHD-related challenges in a supportive, strengths-based way
✔ Improve communication, confidence, and social functioning

Just as important, we support parents, too.
We help you understand why your son or daughter is struggling—and offer guidance on effective, realistic ways to support them, whether they’re living at home, commuting to college, or navigating independence.

Please reach out today to schedule your complimentary phone consultation and talk more about how we can help.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

🌟Sliding Scale and Financial Aid Available🌟
🌿In Person and Virtual Appointments Offered🌿

Select Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United (Optum)
Oscar (Optum)
Oxford (Optum)
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087
Downtown Rockwall Texas

01/18/2026

Understanding your emotions is a strength, not a weakness.

Many people are taught to push feelings aside, “stay strong,” or move on quickly. But ignoring emotions doesn’t make them disappear—it often makes them louder. Learning how to understand and work with your emotions is one of the most powerful skills you can build.

At Hillis Counseling, we support teens, young adults, and adults in developing emotional intelligence (EQ). And no matter your age, EQ plays a meaningful role in your mental health and daily life—but what exactly is it?

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to:
➡️ Recognize what you’re feeling
➡️ Understand the reasons behind/what causes different emotions
➡️ Manage emotional and behavioral responses in healthy, effective ways
➡️ Becoming more aware of—and responsive to—the emotions of others

Emotional understanding isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. And it’s a skill that can be learned, practiced, and strengthened over time.

When you build emotional intelligence, you increase your ability to:
✅ Regulate emotions instead of feeling controlled by them
✅ Communicate needs clearly and assertively
✅ Navigate stress, conflict, and change with greater confidence
✅ Improve relationships at home, school, and work
✅ Make thoughtful decisions—even during intense emotions

If you’re ready to better understand yourself and build healthier emotional patterns, we’re here to help. Contact us today for your complimentary phone consultation.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

🌟Sliding Scale and Financial Aid Available🌟
🌿In Person and Virtual Appointments Offered🌿

Select Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United (Optum)
Oscar (Optum)
Oxford (Optum)
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087

01/08/2026

When your teenager or young adult is struggling, they don’t have to do it alone.

Neither do you.

Parenting can feel overwhelming—especially when you notice signs that your son or daughter is going through difficult times or feeling lost.

They might be facing challenges such as:
😟 Ongoing stress, anxiety, or depressive symptoms
📚 Difficulty with school organization, planning, time management, or task completion
⏳ Feeling overwhelmed by expectations, time constraints, setbacks, or perfectionism
😔 Low confidence or self-doubt
🤝 Social stress, peer interactions, problems making connections or developing friendships
🔥 Anger outbursts or difficulty managing emotions
📱 Overuse of phones, gaming, or screens
🗣️ Trouble communicating with family, classmates, or new people

At Hillis Counseling, we help build skills for:
✔️ Emotional regulation and stress management
✔️ Confidence, self-awareness, and healthy coping
✔️ Communication and social connection
✔️ Balance with technology and daily responsibilities

And just as importantly, we support parents in learning how to:
✔️ Communicate more effectively
✔️ Reduce power struggles and conflict
✔️ Respond instead of react
✔️ Strengthen trust and family relationships

If your teen or young adult needs extra support—and you’re unsure what the next steps should be—we’re here to help. Contact us today for a complimentary phone consultation.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

🌟Sliding Scale and Financial Aid Available🌟
🌿In Person and Virtual Appointments Offered🌿

Select Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United (Optum)
Oscar (Optum)
Oxford (Optum)
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087

01/04/2026

Mental Health Matters.

Mental health is just as important as physical health, yet it’s often the part of our well-being that gets overlooked.

🚨 Why Mental Health Deserves Attention 🚨
• It influences how you think, feel, and make decisions each day.
• It shapes how you manage stress, regulate emotions, and build resilience.
• It impacts communication, connection, and the quality of your relationships.
• It affects energy, focus, motivation, problem-solving, and productivity.
• It plays an important role in physical health and overall well-being.

⚠️ When Mental Health Is Neglected ⚠️
• Stress can feel overwhelming instead of manageable.
• Small challenges may begin to feel much bigger.
• Sleep, appetite, motivation, and focus can decline.
• Relationships may suffer due to miscommunication, withdrawal, or conflict.
• Anxiety, depression, trauma, or other symptoms can become harder to manage over time.
• Physical health concerns (such as cardiovascular, digestive, pain, musculoskeletal, respiratory, immune and energy) may worsen.

💫 THE GOOD NEWS 💫
Paying attention to your mental health—whether through self-care, support, or counseling and therapy—can make a meaningful and lasting difference.

Prioritizing mental health is an investment in yourself, your relationships, and your quality of life. Even small steps can lead to greater clarity, balance, and emotional well-being.

Don’t wait until things feel overwhelming to seek support. If you’re ready to learn more, contact us today for a complimentary phone consultation to talk about how we can help.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

🌟Sliding Scale and Financial Aid Available🌟
🌿In Person and Virtual Appointments Offered🌿

Select Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United (Optum)
Oscar (Optum)
Oxford (Optum)
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087

12/23/2025

Find peace in the chaos.

The holidays often come with joy and pressure — gatherings, traditions, expectations, deadlines, and memories can all collide at once.

It’s easy to feel stretched thin or overloaded by:
🎄 Family obligations and social events
🛍️ Financial and gift-giving stress
✈️ Travel plans and packed calendars
💬 Relationship dynamics and expectations
🕯️ End-of-year reflections and emotional weight

During the holidays, peace isn’t created by doing everything perfectly, but by intentional self-care, realistic expectations, and healthy boundaries.

Even small moments of intention can help:
🧘‍♀️ Pause for a few deep breaths between activities
📵 Take breaks from constant stimulation and screens
📝 Focus on what truly matters this season — not what’s expected
🚶‍♂️ Ground your body with movement or fresh air
🤍 Offer yourself grace when emotions run high

If the holidays bring stress, worry, anxiety, sadness, relational strain, exhaustion, irritability or more, counseling and therapy can help you process, reset, and move through it all with greater clarity and calm.

Contact us for a complimentary phone consultation to talk about how we can help.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

-Sliding Scale and Financial Aid Available-
-Select Insurance Plans Accepted-

Select Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield
Aetna
Cigna
United (Optum)
Oscar (Optum)
Oxford (Optum)
Ascension

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087

12/16/2025

It’s okay to walk your own path.

When everyone around you seems to be moving in a different direction, it’s easy to question yourself and where you’re heading.

Your trajectory may feel quieter, slower, or less obvious than others’. You might pause while others progress. You might turn when others keep going straight.

Whether you’re navigating anxiety, depression, conflict in relationships, self-doubt, difficult life changes, or simply trying to understand who you are and where you’re going—your journey doesn’t have to match anyone else’s to be meaningful.

🔹You’re allowed to move at your own pace.
🔹You’re allowed to choose a different direction.
🔹You’re allowed to walk your own path.

Finding your own way forward isn’t a flaw—it’s a form of clarity. And when you need support along the way, you don’t have to face it alone.

Contact us for a free phone consultation to talk about how we can help you or a member of your family.

Hillis Counseling
Individual || Couples & Marriage || Family
☎️ (945) 344-8763
📧admin@hilliscounseling.com
💻 HillisCounseling.com
Instagram:

-In Person and Virtual Appointments Offered-
-Sliding Scale and Financial Aid Available-

Select Insurance Plans Accepted:
BlueCross and BlueShield, United (Optum), Aetna, Cigna, Oxford (Optum), Ascension, Oscar (Optum)

📍105 W Washington St
Suite 103A
Rockwall, TX 75087

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