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Shining the Light
Bright Light Counseling Center's Blog on all things Mental Health
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Living with Chronic Pain and Fatigue? How Counseling Can Help
Counseling does not take away pain or erase fatigue, but it changes how people respond to them. By working with a therapist, individuals can learn to separate their sense of identity from their illness. This distinction is important because it allows room for growth, joy, and meaning outside of the limitations of symptoms.
3 min read


Is It Burnout or Depression? Understanding the Difference and Finding Your Way Forward
Burnout and depression rarely show up out of nowhere. They often grow out of a web of stressors that pile up. Untangling what’s fueling your distress can help you begin to name it—and eventually, reshape it. Understanding the difference matters because while burnout and depression share similar symptoms, they come from different places and may need different approaches to healing.
4 min read


Chronic Illness and Dating: Finding Love While Managing Your Health
Dating while managing a chronic illness will never be easy, but by being honest, setting boundaries, taking care of your emotional well-being, and seeking professional support, you can build strong relationships that honor both your health and your desire for love.
3 min read


Quarter-Life Crisis: What It Is and How to Survive It
A quarter-life crisis refers to a period of anxiety, self-doubt, and confusion that usually occurs in your mid-20s to early 30s. It is a time when you may feel unsure about your career, relationships, or life goals.
3 min read


Perfectionism and Anxiety: What’s the Connection?
Perfectionism is often seen as a positive trait. However, it can become a major source of anxiety. Perfectionists often set unrealistically high standards for themselves, believing that anything less than perfect is a failure. This mindset can lead to intense anxiety, self-doubt, and a constant fear of disappointing others.
4 min read


ADHD at Work: How to Thrive in a Professional Setting
ADHD can affect many aspects of a person’s life, and the workplace is no exception. From maintaining focus during long meetings to keeping track of multiple tasks, planning and organizing projects, managing ADHD at work can present unique challenges. However, with the right strategies in place, people with ADHD can not only succeed in the workplace but thrive.
3 min read


Life With Chronic Illness: How It Affects Your Mental Health and Well-Being
Chronic illnesses, visible or invisible, affect every aspect of life. Dealing with pain, fatigue, and the uncertainty of symptoms can lead to feelings of frustration, sadness, and even hopelessness.
3 min read


Moving Back in with Parents as an Adult: How to Navigate the Shift
Moving back in with your parents as an adult is a life transition that can stir up a variety of emotions. You might feel a sense of loss over your independence or struggle with being treated like a child again.
3 min read


Chronic Illness and Mental Health: Exploring the Connection
Living with a chronic illness can be physically draining, but it also affects mental health in ways that are often overlooked. Constant physical discomfort and limitations can lead to feelings of frustration, sadness, and even hopelessness. The stress of managing symptoms, appointments, and treatment can also be overwhelming, further exacerbating anxiety and depression.
3 min read


A Closer Look at What Depression Does to Your Brain
Depression is a complex condition that affects mood and brain function. It can cause chemical imbalances, structural changes, and cognitive impairments that make it harder to manage emotions and complete daily tasks. Therapy provides essential tools and strategies that help rewire the brain's neural pathways, offering long-term skills for managing depression that extend far beyond symptom relief to create lasting emotional resilience and personal growth.
4 min read


Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD: What It Is and How It Works
Exposure and Response Prevention is a powerful tool for managing OCD, and while it may feel difficult at first, with time and persistence, it can lead to lasting change.
3 min read


Understanding and Managing ADHD in Adulthood
ADHD in adulthood makes mundane tasks difficult to navigate. With the right strategies, such as establishing routines, setting achievable goals, and seeking professional support, adults with ADHD can live a more successful life. Whether you were diagnosed with ADHD in childhood or if you are getting diagnosed now as an adult, ADHD therapy for adults will make a difference in managing symptoms and improving your mental health.
3 min read


A Guide to BIPOC Mental Health Support and Services
For BIPOC individuals, it is essential to work with a therapist who understands their experiences. Historical trauma, discrimination, and cultural differences often shape mental health, and these factors should be acknowledged in therapy.
3 min read


5 Mindfulness Practices That Help Anxiety
Anxiety can make moments feel incredibly overwhelming, but mindfulness practices offer ways to regain control. Mindfulness helps you tune into the present moment instead of getting lost in your thoughts.
3 min read


The Duration of Depression Explained: Factors, Types, and Timelines
Depression is a common mental health condition. People experience sadness or low mood, irritability, and low self-esteem. Individuals also may notice changes in how they think, sleep, eat and engage with partners, friends, and at work. There are several different types of depressive disorders. The important piece to remember is that depression is treatable.
5 min read


What Is Intergenerational Trauma? Understanding Its Impact and How to Heal
The effects of generational trauma are not always apparent. They can show up as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, emotional distance, or even physical ailments that are linked to emotional stress. These signs often go unnoticed because they may seem like normal reactions to everyday life, not realizing they stem from long-standing family or cultural wounds.
3 min read


Common Anxiety Symptoms and Why They May Look Different in Men
Recognizing the signs of anxiety in teens and providing early intervention can help prevent more mental health challenges down the road.
3 min read


Beyond the Clinical: A Look at Our Therapists In and Out of Session: Teal
Teal is a clinical social worker in our Austin, TX office. She provides therapy in person as well as online to residents of Texas, Colorado, and Wisconsin.
8 min read


Coping with Depression After Losing Your Job
It is normal to feel a range of emotions after a job loss. Shock, sadness, frustration, and even anger are common reactions. If you are experiencing feelings of depression after losing your job, it is important to acknowledge these emotions and take steps to regain your balance.
3 min read


EMDR Therapy: Is There a Typical Timeline?
EMDR is a therapy designed to help people process and heal from past trauma. It stimulates both brain hemispheres. One common question that people have when considering EMDR therapy is: how long does it take? While the timeline can vary depending on the individual, the nature of the trauma, and the goals of therapy, there are general stages to expect that can help guide your expectations.
3 min read


How to Be a BIPOC Ally: A Guide to Learning and Advocacy
Being an ally of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) involves taking active steps to listen, learn, and advocate for change. Being a BIPOC ally is a lifelong commitment to learning and advocating for justice.
3 min read


How Long Does Depression Last? Breaking Down the Healing Process and Contributing Factors
The length of depression and its symptoms can vary greatly from person to person. However, understanding the healing process and the factors that affect recovery can offer clarity and help manage expectations.
3 min read


The Art of Disagreeing Well: Powerful Lessons from Non-Violent Communication (NVC)
Non-Violent Communication focus on maintaining connection while honestly expressing ourselves, a foundation in conflict resolution.
5 min read


What Is Culturally Responsible Therapy and Why Is It Important?
Culturally responsible therapy focuses on understanding and respecting differences in therapy sessions.
3 min read
Let's rediscover your Bright Light.
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