Sisu Balanced Healing

09/26/2024

Oh, hi! I'm still here... again, just terrible at anything social media related.

I am excited to announce that I will be accepting Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plans very soon!

I also accept most plans under Aetna, Cigna, and Optum! Please keep in mind that not all plans cover mental health services or are considered in network with me. It's easy to find out what your copay would be or if it's covered though!

09/26/2024

We have signs!!! I am obsessed with how they turned out.

Shout out to Ascending Alignment for getting these ordered and putting them up!

05/03/2024

I have been having a plant moment and taking full advantage of the huge windows in my office. 🪴

04/25/2024

Pssst.... do you feel "crazy" around your period (like legit question everything and maybe even feel some suicidal ideation)? Birth control ruined your emotional life? Or maybe you are to the stage of life where you are trying to figure out if it's your period or this is just how you are now (perimenopause/menopause).

Hormones are ridiculous and carry SO much weight on them.

Fluctuations in hormones happen all of the time and can leave us completely hopeless with symptoms we can't quite explain (rage, irritability, depression, severe anxiety, walking around in a fog feeling...).

There is even research showing some psychotropic medications aren't quite as effective during hormone fluctuations (disclaimer - I'm no doctor, but I do read research and have hormones and can confirm this feels accurate).

It's also very tough to find medical providers who will test hormone levels on younger women or sometimes even consider that an imbalance might be causing some of their mental health symptoms.

What can you do?

- If you are seeking therapy, find someone familiar with the symptoms associated with hormonal imbalances.

- ADVOCATE for yourself with your medical team! If they won't listen, find a provider who will (with help if you need it).

- Know the symptoms and know your symptoms. Journal your symptoms to keep track (the Flo app is amazing for this).

04/18/2024

Spring hit me a season late … I had some extra time today so I decided to re-arrange my office!

03/25/2024

Professional boundaries. This is a foreign concept to most of us in a helping profession, especially within the agency setting.

Self-care is so important and something we've all heard of. But it's almost a mythical creature of sorts.

What exactly is self-care? - I think a lot of us see it as being something specific like meditating, doing yoga, journaling, etc. The thing is - a lot of us don't really enjoy doing this type of suggested stuff because it's out of our comfort zone and knowledge base. (I mean, I'm sitting in silence on the floor with a candle and my brain is going 1,000 miles an hour...this is meditating, right?)

The fact is - self-care is whatever makes you feel good and not think about your stressors. Lunch with friends? Yes. Doing your favorite exercise in your favorite place? Yes. Going for a drive with the music blaring? Absolutely. Random dance party with the kids? Yes! It's whatever you want it to be and chances are you do it more than you give yourself credit for.

Self-care when done with intention and ongoing not only helps social workers through particularly stressful moments in their career but also adds to their wellness overall—in times of low and high stress. Read the Social Work Advocates article, https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Social-Work-Advocates/2024-Winter-Issue/Beyond-the-Gimmick-Aware-of-the-Importance-of-Self-Care-Social-Workers-Struggle-to-Practice-It

03/23/2024

I haven't posted in a while because ....

I'm just not great at social media!

But, Spring is FINALLY here and I couldn't be more excited!

Even though our winter was fairly mild, it seems like the weather shifting back and forth caused a lot of problems with emotional regulation for a lot of us. How could it not? One day it was beautiful and everything was great and the next day it was snowy and cold and we were all having an existential crisis. Hopefully we have exited this pattern.

BUT - have you been feeling a little down again even though the weather is leveling out? This seems pretty normal to me. It's almost like we're not sure what to do with the left over feelings we'd been storing or battling with during winter.

Give your brain some time to adjust. Always keep in mind - as I am borrowing from my friends in 12 step programs - feelings aren't facts.

If you can't seem to adjust, find a trusted friend or think about seeking out some extra support from a professional.

02/12/2024

Anyone else wake up this morning and feel this in their bones?

These shifts in the weather are ROUGH.

02/06/2024

We are SO excited about the warm weather. We are also so excited that our office is so close to the Greenway!