Shreveport Counseling & Restoration Center

Giving to others is beautiful, but we do not need to forget to give to ourselves as well. Finding ways to fill your own cup will help you to give to others because you can't give from an empty cup.

We want to congratulate our therapists Jennifer and Peri!!

Jennifer has completed all requirements, hours, and supervision and is now a Licensed Professional Counselor!

Along with seeing her clients, Peri has accepted a teaching position at Liberty University and will be teaching on Ethics and Integrating Spirituality into Counseling!

We are so proud of their hard work and contributions to the mental health field!

It’s okay to hold the good and the bad. One does not forgo the other. We can hold space for both.

Strength and courage is not determined by how perfect you try to be. Strength and courage are developed by walking through the muck and mire of life choosing to continue to put one foot in front of the other, no matter how small the step!

No one else determines your worth, value, or significance. You belong simply because you do!

Forgiveness is not an easy task no matter whom we are trying to forgive, even if it is God. It is often not a one-and-done either. Like grieving, it is a process and, often, anger is a part of the process. Giving ourselves an opporutnity to explore that anger is not sinful; rather, it allows us space to heal.

Our society thrives on technology. And while it does benefit us, unplugging from our phones, computers, etc. also offers benefits!

Talking kind to yourself is some of the hardest yet best work we can do. Print these truths out and read them everyday to start the process of a healthier dialogue with yourself!

Sometiems we focus on the regrets of yesterday that we miss out on the mercy, hope, and newness of today. Releasing what was and refocusing to what is will give us the opportunity to experience the joy set before us.

Many of us have learned only certain feelings are acceptable (i.e. joy, happiness, peace, etc.), while others are a sign of a lack of faith. However, all feelings are acceptable. We can be both sad and have faith that God will see us through the sadness. We can both be angry and have faith that God will heal our wounds. We can both be scared and have faith that God will be with us in the valley, our darkest moments. Faith and feelings can co-exist.

If we never acknowledge the scar, we cannot address the wounding that caused it. If we never address the wounding, then we delay the healing available to us.

Your boundaries cannot be made up of other people's opinions or made in form of a question. If we allow them to be up for debate, we give ourselves opportunity to be taken advantage of. Your boundaries are yours and do not need explanation.

When we feel safe in relationships, we are able to be vulnerable and be our authentic selves. Without that safety, we could remain in a fight, flight, or freeze state.

Knowing what spiritual bypass is will help you identify when it is happening to you. When you can identify it and name it, you have a chance to put boundaries in place to keep it from happening.

We are not called to be an island unto ourselves. We need connection, but we also need healthy connection. You want people around you that can offer you grace and truth along with a safe space to explore what you need to.

We blur boundaries when we make ourselves, or others, make us responsible for feelings that are not ours to be responsible for. However, when we remain firm in what is ours and what are others feelings, we live in freedom within and outside of the relationship.

We are excited to share Peri’s podcast with Bodies Behind the Bus where she discusses Spiritual Bypass. You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the link below.

‎Bodies Behind The Bus: ATBS “Defining & Spotting Spiritual Bypassing” w/ Dr. Peridot Reed on Apple Podcasts ‎Show Bodies Behind The Bus, Ep ATBS “Defining & Spotting Spiritual Bypassing” w/ Dr. Peridot Reed - Jun 19, 2024

Narcissists are good at building up others because they want the power to also knock them down.

When we place our worth and value based on what others think of us, we often will find disappointment and discouragement. But when we know our value and worth, we become our biggest cheerleader and others’ opinions can’t be heard above our own cheers and roars!

In order to have the consequences, we have to first establish our boundaries. This allows us to clearly and concisely communicate consequences. When the other person knows these, they cannot make excuses to avoid the consequences.

Don’t wait for others to speak life into you. Speak life into yourself!

We are so excited for Kelsey Petty!! Officially a Registered Play Therapist! Congrats on your hard work!

Kelsey Petty, MSW, LCSW, RPT, Shreveport, LA

Look who applied for her LPC today! Congrats Jennifer! Whoop, whoop!

Love the inner child in you as you deserved when you were younger. We heal by being real, even with the child inside of us.

Trauma not only impacts our thoughts and feelings, but also our bodies. Our bodies are a story teller, and we need to listen closely to the story it is telling us to know the healing we need.

Sometimes we question receiving another person's love, kindness, and more because we perceive oursleves as unworthy of it. It will be hard for that thought to shift if we do not shift how we view ourselves. When we view ourselves as worth, significant, valuable, we are more able to receive the love others want to give us.

Self-care is serious business! Be sure to love you as much as you love others.

Progress in mental health does not always happen in leaps and bounds. Sometimes the smallest steps can be the greatest wins!