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By Casey Gibbs, MS, APCC #8899
I was talking to Jessica Wilkerson, my supervisor and group practice owner, about topics for blogs. One of the subjects she suggested was “What types of clients do you like?” My first reaction to the question when I thought about it was “What do you mean favorite? I want to help everybody!” Now I didn’t say that out loud but it definitely went through my head.
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by Casey Gibbs, MS, APCC
Teen suicide is a tough subject to talk about. It is complex in its development and it is never caused by just one thing. As a former flight paramedic, I have had to treat this type emergency in a medical environment. As a therapist, I have kind of a different pulse on the community. These unintended consequences of the pandemic have had a dramatic effect on the mental health of our children and teens At the end of last year, not only was I hearing there was an increase in teen suicide in Butte county I was seeng the effects of pandemic restrictions on one of our most vulnerable populations. 5/25/2021 0 Comments May 25th, 2021Sometimes I think we let the word no be our bully.
Somewhere along the line we learned that there would be negative consequences if we wielded the power of no. That it’s a bad word, selfish. That we’re bad, selfish people if we don’t use no as sparingly as possible. That’s simply not true. We are not called to sacrifice ourselves to avoid feeling bad due to each person’s ever changing definition of an adverb/noun. Some people think no keeps them safe from over-committing or accidentally finding themselves in a pickle from saying yes too freely. Others think if they say no then the person who’s asking for a favor will be hurt or offended, and that their pain is greater suffering and therefore should be avoided. Either way, the word no has more power than it should. This is where healthy boundaries come into effect. 5/9/2021 0 Comments Words Have Powerby Jessica Wilkerson, LMFT
Have you ever found yourself mumbling under your breath, “get it together, man! What’s wrong with you?” or “Of course you didn’t get that good thing, your life stinks.” It’s human nature to try to use an inner voice to encourage ourselves to do better or to coach ourselves not to experience upset. Somewhere along the way some of us learned that by admonishing ourselves it softens the blow of disappointment, frustration, or feelings of powerlessness. There’s a false sense of empowerment that comes from negative or chastising inner dialogue, and it feels like those statements keep us on our feet and alert. Without the inner coach saying, “There’s no such thing as second place!” or “You already know you’re unlovable, don’t bother putting yourself out there.” We can feel like we would accidentally make fools of ourselves. Our perception is that the way we are talking to ourselves is keeping us safe. by Jessica Wilkerson, MA, LMFT
It has officially been a year since our world turned upside down with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Layoffs, reduced hours at work, working from home, masks, illness, loss of friends and loved ones, and the constant reminders of it all over the news and social media. Even if you haven’t suffered directly from the illness, you’ve been affected by it in multiple ways. It feels as though everyone is working overtime with higher expectations of themselves and it’s wearing us thin. Anxiety, stress, fatigue, and burnout affect the ways we interact with others and with our inner selves. The way we beat ourselves up for not being able to navigate life as effectively as we once did is truly toxic. We hold ourselves to the same standards as we’ve always been able to accomplish, while we're living in a world that has shifted and changed. Somewhere along the way many people came to the conclusion that inner negativity is a good motivator to achieve their goals, and if they can whip themselves into shape then they’ll be able to achieve their dreams. By Jeremy Gregory, MSW, ASW
College Students. What's up with online therapy? Is it like coaching? Is it like venting to someone? Are you going to make me cry? How would I even know if I need a therapist? Maybe I'm just stressed because college is stressful? 12/18/2020 0 Comments EMDR & TelehealthBy Jessica Wilkerson, MA, LMFT
"Can a person really get any sort of benefit from trying to do EMDR online?" "How will they do it if they can't use the vibrating paddles or wear the headphones?" "This seems sketchy!" I have been providing EMDR through telehealth and I've been seeing amazing results! 12/18/2020 0 Comments Do Online Sessions REALLY help????by Jessica Wilkerson, MA, LMFT
The short answer: Yes! But isn't in-person therapy better? Mehhhhhh... yes and no. 10/16/2020 0 Comments Walking AloneBy Jessica Wilkerson, MA, LMFT
In 1 Corinthians 7:7-9 the Apostle Paul lays it out that if a person can do it, then they should remain single and celibate; and if not, then it is better to marry. Many people feel a sense of aloneness when they do not have a romantic partner, and then that still, small voice in the back of their mind reminds them of scripts they've heard in the past: "You're not good enough," and "no one will love you." They begin to focus on the need for a romantic partner and the longing and lonely feeling begins to grow. 4/9/2020 1 Comment Who Can I Change?By Jessica Wilkerson, MA, LMFT
If asked, many of us might be able to rattle off things that others need to change, ways they have wronged us or thoughts on how they can do things better. We can probably even come up with some things about ourselves that need changing, but few of us respond positively when someone else provides the laundry list of things that they think we need to change. However, our interconnected relationships with family, friends, co-workers and even the driver next to us on the freeway, can cause us to have interactions, or observe people and internalized things others need to do or things that need changing. 3/31/2020 0 Comments Parenting in Covid19By Jessica Wilkerson, MA, LMFT
It's been a few weeks of social distancing. We've been balancing parenting 100%. Typically our kids are in school for a few hours of the day, we're at work where we can interact with people our own age who don't really need anything from us. Adulting with other adults... 3/16/2020 1 Comment Mental Health During COVID-19By Jessica Wilkerson, LMFT
So many people are feeling helpless and scared right now. They might still be getting up and going to work, they may be at home social distancing themselves, and they could also be trying to use the time to improve their social lives by having small get-togethers and "taking the risk" (that no one will get someone else infected). Regardless, there's still this undercurrent of worry. 2/17/2020 0 Comments The Path of EmpathyBy Jessica Wilkerson, MA, LMFT
So much of the inner pain that plagues us is actually a sense of guilt and shame for something we've done, said, or a promise made and not kept. Our hearts go around and around, reminding us of the shameful thing in an effort to keep us from repeating the behavior. Instead of walking towards good things because they are healthy for us and will make us happy, we walk toward the good things in an effort to avoid the repeated experience of guilt and shame. But in doing so, we bring that guilt along with us. We are going toward positive things while carrying the weight of our wrongdoings, and when we arrive at the destination it seems to pale in comparison with our expectations or with the way others are experiencing it. We wonder, "Why is this less bright? Why is it less joyful? Why can't I enjoy myself the way everyone else is enjoying themselves?" And you're disappointed. And frustrated. And feel hopeless. It's not fair. By Jessica Wilkerson, MA, LMFT
There's a piece in all of us that can feel disappointed. That piece feels disappointed in ourselves - disappointed for many different reasons, but they all add up to a sense that you did or you are something wrong or flawed, and that sense of wrongness becomes this golden thread weaving it's way through the rest of your experiences or self-concept. You might be able to truly be happy at times or genuinely be proud of yourself, but then there are other times where that disspointed feeling says, "yeah, but..." and it finds the way you could have been better. It discredits your joy. 2/10/2020 0 Comments Blog coming soon!Inspired Life Counseling is primarily a place where people show up for one-on-one conversations to heal their hearts, lives, and relationships. However, sometimes a short "conversation" between an author and a reader can launch a person's healing journey. In this blog space we hope to provide unique content about our perspectives on various life events and issues.
In the meantime, Jessica Wilkerson, LMFT has her own blog on her personal website. Please feel free to jump over and read things she has written over the course of the years. Then, come back and request an appointment to work with her in person! Click here: Jessica's Blog |
AuthorThe various therapists at Inspired Life Counseling contribute to this blog. Please look for the author of each individual blog to be listed at the bottom of the page for each post. Thank you. Archives
June 2021
CategoriesAll Alone Anxiety Christianity College & University Coronavirus Covid Depression EMDR Emotional Growth Fear God Healing Heartache Inner Pain Longing Mental Health Moving Forward Online Pandemic Parenting Relationships Self-concept Stress Students Suicide Teens Telehealth Video |
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Inspired Life Counseling is not a crisis center and is not equipt with the necessary tools to help in an emergency. Please click below for more information if you or your loved one is in crisis: Crisis Information.
Inspired Life Counseling
Inspired Life Counseling is owned and directed by Jessica Wilkerson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #104464.
Office Hours: By Appointment Contact us!
Inspired Life Counseling is owned and directed by Jessica Wilkerson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #104464.
Office Hours: By Appointment Contact us!
MISSION: To provide a tranquil and healing space in which people in our community can find calmness internally through the relaxing atmosphere along with respectful and engaging therapy conversations. To contribute to happier and more secure families by helping individuals, couples, and teens heal within and thereby creating different ways of engaging with themselves, the world, and those they love.
VISION: Creating a new kind of therapy experience in the Chico area in which therapists have smaller caseloads, giving them the flexibility to spend more time with clients as needed - longer sessions, phone calls, client centered advocacy. Creating a space in our community where clients can go between sessions just to sit, linger, and re-center themselves when they're having difficult days. A place to belong while they heal their hearts and relationships. A therapy office that embodies the unconditional love of Christ no matter what a person's gender identity, romantic disposition, or previous life hardships, experiences, or actions might have been. To be a safe place.
VISION: Creating a new kind of therapy experience in the Chico area in which therapists have smaller caseloads, giving them the flexibility to spend more time with clients as needed - longer sessions, phone calls, client centered advocacy. Creating a space in our community where clients can go between sessions just to sit, linger, and re-center themselves when they're having difficult days. A place to belong while they heal their hearts and relationships. A therapy office that embodies the unconditional love of Christ no matter what a person's gender identity, romantic disposition, or previous life hardships, experiences, or actions might have been. To be a safe place.
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