Four Lessons Learned While Working for a Mental Health Counseling Practice
I do not have a background in mental health.
I don’t have a degree or am educated in the subject whatsoever, however I have been working for a mental health counseling practice for about a year now and want to share some things I have learned. Let me reiterate one last time, that I am no expert, but wanted to share my own personal experience–I have learned so much about the Polyvagal Theory, the vagus nerve, and my nervous system and how it all affects my mental health.
1) There are scientific reasons to feel safe or unsafe in everyday life situations.
Feeling safe can happen in small moments–like when you hug a close friend or snuggled on the couch with your favorite pup. The same can happen when you feel unsafe–maybe it is an uncomfortable conversation you have with someone or being in the presence of someone who causes you stress. The authors of the Polyvagal Theory have coined a term called neuroception when describing these type of bodily reactions. “Neuroception is how neural circuits decide in the moment whether a person or situation is safe, dangerous or a major threat.” (Unyte).
2) Glimmers are a real thing.
According to Deb Dana they are “small moments when our biology is in a place of connection or regulation, which cues our nervous system to feel safe or calm” (Moniuszko).
3) Trauma is experienced in a lot of different ways–it doesn’t always happen in a big and intense way.
There can be little moments when you have experienced some sort of trauma that stays in your body. It isn’t just your mind that experiences trauma, it is experienced throughout your entire body.
4) Your nervous system reacts to experiences before your brain does. This one was a bit mind boggling to me.
Before coming to work for Rooted Compassion Counseling I would have never even thought about this but now I notice my heart rate increasing and my hands starting to sweat way before even recognizing the emotion I am feeling. For example, back in the fall, I had a really uncomfortable situation happen between a friend of mine and our children. As I felt my body start to feel the discomfort, I noticed that my heart started beating faster and my hands started sweating. Since I was able to take notice, I was also able to start to calm myself and handle the situation with care and not just freak out. It was a really enlightening moment for me.
Our nervous systems are designed to sense danger. They are designed to assess situations and determine if they are safe or unsafe. Now that I have this understanding, I can work with my nervous system and understand what is going on in my own body when I am in situations when I feel unsafe and how I can quickly return myself to a sense of felt safety.
As we all know, “knowledge is power” and I feel as though the knowledge I have gained while working for Rooted Compassion Counseling has allowed me to better know and understand my own mind and body so that I can be a better version of myself.
REFERENCES:
Moniuszko, S. M. (2022, March 29). 'glimmers' are the opposite of triggers. here's how to embrace them. USA Today. Retrieved May 18, 2022, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2022/03/23/glimmers-opposite-triggers-mental-health-benefits/7121353001/
Unyte. (2022, May 13). Infographic: The organizing principles of polyvagal theory. Unyte Integrated Listening. Retrieved May 18, 2022, from https://integratedlistening.com/polyvagal-theory-a-primer/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=sharpspring&sslid=M7cwMzOxNDUyMDQ2BAA&sseid=MzIxMjE2MjGwtAQA&jobid=bb36c745-ac05-44d7-bc9d-24ea0b7786ea
Jordan serves as our Marketing & Public Relations Specialist. She is responsible for Rooted Compassion’s marketing and communication methods including, the Rooted Reflections blog, our social media presence and our Rooted Musings newsletter.
The Rooted Compassion team is made up of a group of counselors who have a variety of specialties in order to best serve our clients. We recognize that every person has his/her own personal and unique life experiences and that one modality will not work for every client. Listed below is a summary of our counselors’ specialties at Rooted Compassion:
Emotional Freedom Techniques
Grief Counseling
Somatic Focused Counseling
EMDR
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Practices
Trauma Responsive Care Techniques
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Motivational Interviewing
Gottman Couples Counseling
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Rooted Compassion Counseling is Ohio’s leading practice for trauma therapy through the lens of the nervous system. Our focus is to walk alongside clients as they heal from depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and/or loss. If you or someone you know are seeking to explore and build an inner sense of calm and safety, please contact us today. We would love to help you to find a counselor and counseling techniques that will guide you on your mental health journey to healing.
