Generations Counseling Services, LLC

We are sad to let you know that on Friday, May 31st, we lost Lucky, a beloved member of our therapy team. 

Lucky has been a therapy dog at Generations since July 2022. He loved every minute he got to be a part of people’s lives and would eagerly greet clients and lead them to their room.

During sessions, he would know when someone needed his comfort  and seek out their love.

He touched many people’s lives, and his presence will be greatly missed.

Please feel free to share your memories and condolences, especially with Kristin Butler, Lucky’s dear friend and companion.

Two causes to support:

Paws & Think (therapy dog program)
https://www.pawsandthink.org/give-today/make-a-donation/ (https://www.pawsandthink.org/give-today/make-a-donation/)

Association
for Pet Loss and Bereavement 

https://www.aplb.org/donate/ (https://www.aplb.org/donate/)

Links in bio as well.

October 10th is recognized as World Mental Health day. A day for global mental health education, awareness, and advocacy.

Mental health is health and each and every persons mental health matters.

Take a minute to read these 6 facts about mental health, and make sure to check out the last slide for some great informational mental health resources.
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This week, we’re taking a deeper look into the trauma intervention known as EMDR therapy.

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is trauma therapy that was developed in the late 1980’s by Francine Shapiro, PhD.

It has been used by mental health professionals ever since to treat individuals with complex traumas.

Interested in EMDR? Several of our clinicians are trained in EMDR and can help you decide if EMDR is right for you.

Stay tuned for our blog post later this week!
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Do you know about the ACE study? This was a huge study conducted in the mid-90s by Kaiser Permanente and the CDC.

This study continues to give us incredibly valuable information about the long-term effects of childhood trauma.

For more about the ACE study check out today's blogpost. Link in bio! 🔗
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Trauma. These days it’s a word we hear a lot, and unfortunately many of us know at least a little bit about it from first hand experience.

However, “trauma” is a very general term, and from a psychological perspective, can be a very complicated concept. Over the next few weeks we will be taking a closer look at trauma, including definitions, symptoms, complications, treatments and resources.

Today we’re defining some commonly used terms related to trauma.

Check out our blog post later this week for more!
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It’s Feature Friday, and today we are celebrating one of our first employees, Kirsten Donaldson! Kirsten recently obtained her full licensure as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). This is an enormous career milestone, and we would love for you to join us in wishing her congratulations.

In Indiana, in order to be a fully licensed counselor eligible to practice independently, a person must complete 60 hours of graduate level coursework, a 1,000 hour internship (usually unpaid!), and obtain 3,000 hours of post master’s clinical work under supervision. Finally, they must pass a rigorous clinical exam.

Kirsten, like all of our fully licensed clinicans, has worked extremely hard to accomplish this and we are so grateful to have her as a part of our team.

Congratulations Kirsten!

Have a great weekend⛅️

While symptoms of OCD can be unbearable for many people, help is available.

Check out today’s blog post for more information and some helpful resources.

Link in bio🔗
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Anyone who suffers from OCD will tell you that it is a battle to keep the obsessions and compulsions at bay.

Giving in to the compulsions only make it a more formidable opponent. Winning this battle requires knowing how and when to use the correct techniques and skills. It takes commitment, patience and practice.

But it is a battle that can be won.

Check out our blog post later this week for more about how to effectively fight OCD.
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Happy Friday!
For this weeks Feature Friday we have 🌟John Marker🌟 John has been with us for a few years now, and we are grateful for all of his hard work!

Don’t forget to swipe ➡️ to read John’s bio and check out his answers to our questions below.⬇️

How long have you been with Generations?
I started at Generations in July of 2020.

What motivates you to work hard?
I am most motivated professionally when I see people I'm working with doing well-- pursuing their goals. .

What is one of your favorite books?
One of my favorite books is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Something I'm more likely to recommend/assign to clients is Wherever You Go, There You Are  by Jon Kabat-Zinn.  

What always makes you smile?
Hearing someone laugh (almost always) makes me smile.   

What is something you often say to your clients?
"In my office we don't talk about crazy-- we talk about stress..."
My clients will often say, (something) "makes me crazy." It's not crazy-- it's life-- life is often stressful. I believe many of the "disorders" I work with are the result of the stressful/distressing events in life exceeding one's strategies to cope.

Have a great weekend!
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OCD affects approximately 2.5 million Americans. More than just an anxiety disorder, OCD is a sometimes debilitating condition that can significantly interfere with a person's quality of life.

For more about OCD, check out our latest blog post. Link in bio!
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an often misunderstood disorder that affects 1.2% of the U.S. population over a 12 month period. People sometimes say “I wish I had OCD,” thinking it would help them be more orderly or organized, but in reality, OCD can be debilitating for individuals who actually have it.

Far more than causing a person to be organized, OCD causes a significant amount of distress and impairment for those who suffer from it. Obsessive or intrusive thoughts can be very disturbing, and compulsions can take up a great deal of time.

Fortunately, there is hope, and very effective medications and treatments do exist for OCD. Check out our blog post later this week for more information.
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Happy Friday! For this weeks Feature Friday we have the wonderful 🌟Tanya Thompson🌟

Swipe ➡️ to read her bio and check out her answers to our questions below⬇️

How long have you been with Generations?
I've been with Generations since November 2021.

What motivates you to work hard?
I'm motivated to work hard because I know that other people are depending on me.  

What is one of your favorite books?
It's hard to choose a favorite book, but if I had to, I would say it's The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis. I read most genres, but typically enjoy mysteries or adventure thrillers.

What always makes you smile?
My son's enthusiastic joy when he accomplishes something always makes me smile. So does seeing a client have a breakthrough in insight and behavior change.  

What is something you often say to your clients?
Happiness is measured in moments, not years.

Give us a call at 317-743-8202 to make an appointment with Tanya today.
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Going to therapy is cool…don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!!😎

Have a wonderful weekend! What are you doing this weekend to recharge? Share below!⬇️
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As we continue to talk about Borderline Personality Disorder, this weeks blog dives deeper into Dialectical Behavior Therapy: an empirically tested therapy for BPD.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, was developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan and has been used since the 1980’s to help individuals cope with intense emotions and behaviors.

Read this weeks blog to lean more about DBT and it’s many functions. Link in bio!
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It’s time for Feature Friday! Introducing another amazing Generations clinician…🌟Vinnie Butler!🌟

Swipe ➡️ to read Vinnie’s bio and check out her answers to the feature Friday questions below ⬇️

How long have you been with Generations?
I have been with Generations since October, 2021.

What motivates you to work hard?
I am motivated to work hard because I enjoy working with people and assisting them with getting their needs and wants met. I enjoy watching people succeed in life.

What is one of your favorite books?
My favorite book that I enjoy reading is the Bible. I do have other books that I enjoy reading. My favorite authors are Nora Roberts and James Patterson.

What always makes you smile?
My family makes me smile. I have five adult children who are married. I have seven grandchildren who are funny and make me laugh. We are a close family.

What is something you often say to your clients?
I often say to my clients that they have to put themselves first in order to know what it really means to love and care for someone. If they know how to love and care for themselves first, then they prepare themselves to love and care for others.

Give us a call today at 317-743-8202 to set up an appointment with Vinnie.

Have a great weekend!
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If you or someone you know suffers from the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), you know what it is like to feel hopeless.

However, there is help for this condition and our next two blog posts discuss what can be done.

Check out this weeks blog post by clicking the link in our bio!
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Borderline Personality Disorder is a serious mental health diagnosis that affects about 14 million Americans over their lifetimes.

It is a frequently misunderstood and misdiagnosed condition, and individuals who have symptoms need to be evaluated and treated by qualified mental health professionals. It is not a hopeless condition, and although medication typically does not improve symptoms, there are treatments that do.

For more about BPD and hopeful treatments, check out our blog post later this week.
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Happy Friday!☀️ we’re back with another Feature Friday! Introducing the lovely 🌟Ashley Jones🌟

Swipe ➡️ to read Ashley’s bio and don’t forget to read her answers to our questions below.⬇️

How long have you been with Generations?
I have been with Generations just over 2 years.

What motivates you to work hard?
It is so rewarding for me to witness clients recognizing their own growth in treatment. I love being a part of their journey and helping them see their own worth and progress. Something I love about Generation's is the ability to work with clients of all ages. It is so rewarding to see people through their journey's in different phases of life.

What is one of your favorite books?
When working with children, one of my favorite author's is Julia Cook. She has so many amazing books that children easily relate to. Some of my favorite's that she has written is "Wilma Jean the Worry Machine", "A Flicker of Hope" and "My Mouth is a Volcano". Children respond really well to the characters in these stories.

What always makes you smile?
I am a lover of sunshine. It can make any day better.

What is something you often say to your clients?
Something that I always say is "What is in your control"? I think it's so important to give the power back to my client's by focusing on what they can control.

Have a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend!!
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⭐️5 Local Mental Health Resources⭐️

For this weeks blog, we’ve curated a list of local, and national mental health resources that help families and individuals in a variety of ways from depression and anxiety to grief support and crisis intervention training.

Check out the post above for 5 of these resources, and don’t forget to click the link in our bio to read the full list!
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Happy Friday!☀️ We’re back with another Feature Friday and this week we have the lovely 🌟Nicole Holland🌟

Nicole has been with us for a few years now and we are grateful to have her! Make sure to swipe ➡️ to read Nicole’s bio and check out her answers to our questions below. ⬇️

How long have you been with Generations?
I joined the Generations team in April 2021.

What motivates you to work hard?
Having the opportunity to effect positive change in the life of another human being motivates me to work hard.

What is one of your favorite books?
All Things by Brené Brown

What always makes you smile?
My kiddo’s witty humor always makes me smile.

What is something you often say to your clients?
Practice giving yourself grace.

Have a safe, fun weekend and don’t forget to do something for yourself! 🤎
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As we continue our discussion on depression, make sure to check out this week’s blog post: “Creating a Depression-Fighting Plan.”

Link in bio! 🔗
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Did you know that depression is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder in the US? With 8 possible diagnosis for depression, chances are we all know at least one person who’s been diagnosed.

“Depressed” is a widely used term, but do you know the facts? Swipe through to learn more about depression and stay tuned for this week’s blog post that will take a deeper dive into depression and how to cope with it.
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Happy Friday!!☀️ We hope everyone has had a great week as summer starts winding down.

We’re back with another feature Friday! Introducing the amazing 🌟Adrienne Brown🌟

Adrienne has been with us a for a few years now, and we are thankful for all she does! Swipe ➡️ to read Adrienne’s bio and don’t forget to check out her answers to our questions below.⬇️

How long have you been with Generations?
I have been with Generations for 3.5 years.

What motivates you to work hard?
My motivation to work hard is innate. I come from a family that demonstrated hard work, service, and entrepreneurship all of my life. Dedication to serving others is a definite motivator for me in my therapeutic work.

What is one of your favorite books?
My favorite author is Stephen King. Not for the scary aspect but for the humor he uses in the scary genre. My favorite book by him is Dead Zone if I had to pick one.

What always makes you smile?
A good joke or my family enjoying themselves makes me smile.

What is something you often say to your clients?
I always say to my clients: "Make it a great day" because we can not control things that happen to us but how we react. Making it a great day is our control of the uncontrollable on any given day. 

Have a safe and happy weekend!💚
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Do you ever find yourself having a strong emotional reaction to an ordinary situation? If so, you may be in a chronic state of fight or flight.

Check out this week’s blog post for practical ways to calm your body, change your thinking, and behave differently. https://generationsindy.com/post/how-to-react-to-life-stressors-more-effectively/
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Anxiety - lots of people have it. If you are one of them, you don’t have to suffer.

In case you missed our blog post last week, we covered 3 strategies to manage anxiety more effectively.

Stay tuned for our post this Wednesday where we will share dozens of practical ways to use these strategies.
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Happy Friday!! ☀️ This weeks feature Friday looks a bit different….for this weeks feature we have an inside look into the Generations Offices!

Generations has a total of 14 offices across our Greenwood and Indianapolis locations, 5 of which are designated children’s offices.

Each office has been carefully set up with intentions of creating a sense of comfort, safety, and peace for each of our clients.

We are so proud of the hard work that our team has poured into each space, and we hope that it is a space where all feel welcome.

What’s the most important thing for you to see in a therapists office? Share below! 👇

Questions about our offices? Send us a message here or via email at [email protected].
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If you struggle with anxiety, you know what it’s like to feel like nothing is in your control with “what if” questions consuming your mind.

What would happen if we shifted that focus onto things that are in our control?

Joanna talks about exactly that in this weeks blog: working on what we can change, not worrying about what we cannot.

Eager to learn more? Click the link below to read the blog or head to the link in our bio.

https://generationsindy.com/post/a-three-step-strategy-for-managing-anxiety/

You are not alone, and you can do hard things!
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Raise your hand if you struggle with anxiety🙋‍♀️😅

Did you know that around 30% of people in the US are affected by anxiety disorders?

That’s a lot of people! So, what does this anxiety look and feel like for those that deal with it? Swipe through this post to learn more and stay tuned for a blog later this week as we continue our discussion on anxiety.

Ready to talk to someone? Give us a call at 317-743-8202.
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Happy Friday! ☀️

As we head into the weekend, don’t forget to do something good for your mental health! Whether it be lounging by the pool or catching up with a friend over brunch, there are lots of little ways that we can use the weekend to nourish our hearts, and minds before tackling the next week.

What will you do for your mental health this weekend? Share in the comments below! 👇
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