Family Therapy – personal balance counseling

Resources to Support your Recovery

At Personal Balance Counseling we have a diverse group of therapists that support clients that are going through different stages of recovery. Whether that be from alcohol, substances, self-injury, eating disorders, or other process addictions, having multiple resources available as a support team is beneficial for recovery.

In addition to individual therapy, there are many resources within the community to provide support for recovery. Some of the free community resources are: 12-step meetings, SMART Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and NAMI.

How do you pick the right fit for you? Everyone has their preference on structure of meetings, group of people in attendance, and availability of meetings.

Difficult conversations with difficult people: Use the DEARMAN approach.

Posted by Bridgeton March 9, 2023in Family Therapy, Individual Therapy

Have you ever felt strongly about how someone’s behavior affects you and then find it hard to discuss it with the other person? Are you non-confrontational or passive with your communication? Worried about how the other person might respond or if you can communicate it the way that you want?

I find these are common difficulties for individuals in their personal and professional lives. Trying to convey what we want, or need can be difficult when there are emotions attached to it. When using the DBT interpersonal effectiveness skill, DEARMAN, we can practice assertive communication.

Nutrition for Anxiety Management

Posted by Tarah Hoffmann, RDNon April 28, 2019June 4, 2019in Family Therapy, Individual Therapy

For those who suffer from anxiety know the symptoms can be quite overwhelming. Along with Cognitive Behavior Therapy and possible pharmacologic interventions, nutrition can play an important role in anxiety management.

First and foremost, try and consume the right amount of calories. Too many or too little calories can increase anxiety symptoms. Practice mindfulness along with becoming in tune with hunger and fullness ques to work towards finding your calorie zone.

New Year, new focus on Diet and Nutrition

Posted by Tarah Hoffmann, RDNon January 20, 2019April 28, 2019in Family Therapy, Individual Therapy

As the New Year rolls around all you see is “New Year, New You” all over advertisements. But it’s not as easy as adding a supplement, getting a gym membership or restricting a specific type of food. I like to think of the New Year as a fresh start to transform your mindset, diet and lifestyle to a healthier and happier you.

Communication is Key

Posted by Michelle Conrad, LCPC, DBTCon January 20, 2019April 6, 2019in Family Therapy, Group Therapy, Individual Therapy

How often have you wondered what someone else was thinking? Do you ever think someone hasn’t heard what you said? Were they hearing you, but not really listening? Are you communicating what you want and what you need?

The truth is, we are not mind readers, we don’t know if people heard us, and sometimes, (alright fine, most times) we don’t say what we mean despite our best intentions.

The Uphill Battle of Mental Illness

Posted by Michelle Conrad, LCPC, DBTCon October 17, 2017January 20, 2019in Family Therapy

More than several times, I’ve had people walk into my office and ask me why this is happening to their brother, sister, daughter, uncle, mother, again when they have had a good week/month/year.

Mental health is a constant uphill battle. People are allowed to have good days mixed in with their bad day. Those individuals battling mental health issues work incredibly hard to hang on to good days. However, it is difficult for our loved ones to understand the harsh realities of constantly struggling with mood disorders and mental illness.