In Balance Counseling, Author at In Balance Counseling

How To Feel Comfortable Opening Up in Therapy

Written by In Balance Counseling on June 30, 2024. Posted in General.

Opening up causes many people to panic. After all, not everyone feels comfortable displaying emotional vulnerability. However, if you want to change your life via therapy, opening up is crucial to your success with individual counseling in Tucson, AZ. The following tips explain how to overcome the worry and get the counseling you need.

Opening Up in Therapy

These pointers will help you open up in therapy.

Don’t Worry About the First Session

Some people starting therapy wonder how they’ll ever feel comfortable opening up. They think they must have it all figured out before starting the work.

Therapists work with many people who don’t know what to expect from the first session and who dread discussing their lives with anyone, anywhere. A therapist won’t expect you to show up and understand the process. Showing up for that first session takes a lot of courage, so commit to that right now.

You are there to construct a course of action that helps you achieve goals that set you on a preferred course. However, the first session is the first step. The more you open up with time, the more your therapist will understand what you want to achieve. Focus on taking baby steps to reach your long-term objectives, including your goal of opening up.

Write What You Want To Discuss

In your first session, you might find that writing what you want to achieve works better than talking about it. You can do that before the session, and it will still count as therapeutic communication.

Give your writing to the therapist and explain that you wrote your thoughts and goals because you have problems vocally expressing feelings in therapy. You can also email your words if sitting there while someone reads them makes you cringe. Remember those baby steps when you are worried about overcoming barriers in therapy.

Look at Therapy as a Choice You Made

Began building trust in therapy by viewing it as a choice you made. Next, consider that choice an opportunity to strategize actions to gain relief from habits that inhibit your well-being. In therapy, that means you have to open up.

Adopting this viewpoint gives you a sense of control over the process. After all, you know that when you open up, it is good for you. And just like a child learning to eat vegetables, time and patience will show you that you can appreciate the essential elements you are receiving from the process. This approach teaches you a gentle, manageable way of participating in therapy that won’t stress you out.

If You Are Looking for Therapy in Tucson, Contact In Balance Counseling

In Balance Counseling is an established reputable counseling service in Tucson. We work with many clients who have expressed fear about therapy session openness. Our gentle yet direct approach has proven successful with clients who don’t like the idea of opening up yet want to attain goals through significant behavior and thought modifications.

Contact us at 520-772-9631 for more information about what to expect from first therapy session and to book your first appointment.

Does ADHD Affect Memory?

Written by In Balance Counseling on May 30, 2024. Posted in General.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is more than just a short attention span. Adults and children may live with many ADHD symptoms that affect their behavior, mood, and ability to learn.

Here, we’ll explore the question, “Does ADHD affect memory?” and discuss some strategies you can use to improve your memory. With a few powerful techniques and individual counseling in Tucson, AZ, from In Balance Counseling for support, it’s possible to improve your memory and manage some of the daily challenges you face. Make an appointment by calling (520) 722-9631.

The Connection Between ADHD and Memory Deficits

Everyone has the occasional absent-minded or forgetful moment, but for people with ADHD, memory issues are often a daily occurrence. So, how does ADHD affect memory?

ADHD can affect all three types of memory: working, short-term, and long-term.

Working memory is your active memory, which supports executive functioning. In theory, it’s how you process, store, and retain information to complete tasks. In practice, it’s remembering how to follow multi-step directions or stay focused during complex cognitive tasks.

Short-term memory involves how well you remember things a few seconds or minutes after they happen. ADHD can create short-term memory deficits by causing you to lose vital information, like instructions, soon after you hear them.

Finally, long-term memory is your ability to retain information indefinitely. In addition to storing experiences, long-term memory preserves your skills, knowledge, and more.

It’s important to recognize that ADHD does not cause memory loss. Instead, the disorder leads to distractibility and a loss of focus that prevents memories from ever being stored.

Also, not everyone with ADHD experiences memory issues to the same extent. Research suggests that about 85% of children with ADHD have working memory issues, which can extend into adulthood. There’s also evidence that the more severe your ADHD symptoms, the more severe your memory issues will be.

How Memory Problems Affect People With ADHD

ADHD-related memory issues can manifest in multiple ways throughout your life.

The effect on working memory can make it difficult to complete tasks or require frequent reminders of the necessary steps. Planning and organization can also be more difficult because of executive function impairment.

It’s common for people with ADHD in adulthood to have difficulty remembering names, for example, or to require multiple reminders to avoid missing appointments. Issues with lateness and challenges doing work efficiently can also arise from ADHD-related memory issues.

Improving Memory With ADHD

ADHD is incurable, but you can strengthen and improve your skills with in-depth therapies and training. The tools counselors use to help people with ADHD improve their memories include:

Memory games and exercises, like puzzles and brain-training apps
Memorization techniques
Assistive technology, like smartphone alarms
Mindfulness and meditation exercises
Visual aids

Get Help Managing ADHD at In Balance Counseling

Does ADHD affect memory and your ability to work and live a fulfilling life? Schedule your first therapy session at In Balance Counseling in Tucson, AZ, by calling (520) 722-9631 and see how you can start to regain control over your life.

What to Expect From Your First Therapy Session

Written by In Balance Counseling on April 30, 2024. Posted in General.

As you may already know, accepting you have a problem, whether caused by self-destructive behavior or uncontrollable factors around you, is already half the battle. That’s because now you can take steps toward the proper solutions, which for most people begins with signing up for therapy. If you’ve already done so or plan to, how do you know what to expect from your first therapy session?

Anticipating speaking to a stranger about deep, personal concerns can evoke anxiousness, especially if you don’t understand what happens during a session. To make things a bit easier, our caring and specialized team that has been providing counseling in Tuscon, AZ, for over 25 years breaks down below what you and your therapist should bring to the table.

What Expectations Should Your Therapist Meet?

Therapists want to become acquainted with your unique situation before offering assistance. For instance, they’ll wonder what brought you to therapy, how you feel, and why. So, during your first session, they’ll ask questions rather than work toward potential solutions, making this session vastly different from future ones.

Afterward, they’ll ask about important people, times, and things in your life, like your childhood or past, loved ones, and current living situation. By delving briefly into love, life, and career, the therapist notes your attitude about certain things and where troubles lay. They’ll wait until the second session before further pinpointing symptoms or trauma.

What You Shouldn’t Expect From Your Therapist

When asking for help, expect a therapy session overview from your therapist alongside a treatment length agreement. However, first therapy session expectations shouldn’t involve them solving all your problems. A therapist isn’t there to speak ill of those who have hurt you or reprimand them for doing so, nor are they there to make the pain magically go away.

Instead, they offer a gentle voice and trained, considerate ear to listen to your troubles. Aside from obtaining a confidant, you’ll receive the appropriate tools and resources to better deal with your concerns yourself.

What Should You Expect From Yourself?

Now that you know what happens in a therapy session, what can you do when preparing for your first therapy session? First and foremost, brace yourself for emotion, especially if you’re not used to opening up to people about your concerns (even those closest to you).

Many clients keep trauma and other important information buried. However, being candid allows you to accept certain facts more easily and heal and gives your therapist the full story to work with. So, expect to show your sensitive side and feel emotionally drained after the initial therapy appointment experience.

Finding Balance In Your Mind, Body, and Soul One Step at a Time!

When preparing for your first therapy session, whether for identifying an anger problem or surviving trauma, use this as a counseling session guide to help you prepare. As a family-owned company, we see the importance of treating everyone like our own. So, to learn what to expect from your first therapy session or find recovery techniques and set goals, call In Balance Counseling at 520-722-9631!

Author: In Balance Counseling