Tag: mental health

3 Reasons EMDR Therapy May Be for You

Written by dev on November 2, 2021. Posted in Blog.

What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and is a form of psychotherapy commonly used on patients with previous trauma. Only certified therapists may practice EMDR therapy on patients. During an EMDR therapy session, patients are stimulated bilaterally. Bilateral stimulation is typically conducted with eye movements, tapping or vibrations. For example, a therapist may ask a patient to follow an object with their eyes from left to right, or hold hand vibrators in each hand with alternating pulses.

Can EMDR therapy be done in one session?

Although patients can experience significant changes after one session, EMDR usually takes a few sessions to for patients to reap the most benefits. EMDR therapy is actually conducted in eight phases from assessment to stimulation to closure. In phase one, therapists usually assess the patient to ensure EMDR is right for them and then works with the patient to develop a treatment plan. In phase two, certified EMDR therapists make sure the patient has multiple, effective techniques to conduct on their own when feeling triggered outside of counseling sessions. Because EMDR can be intense and cause rapid change in a person’s brain, it’s important patients to identify these feelings and know how to handle them as they occur. In stages three to six, the traumatizing memories are recalled and identified.

Once a patient has identified the visual memory and the thoughts and feelings surrounding that memory, the EMDR therapist can begin stimulation and direct the client to identify a positive emotion in place of the negative ones. For instance, a rape victim may originally associate their trauma with disgust, humiliation or weakness. Once the negative feelings have surfaced, the patient will bring forth a positive feeling like “I am strong” or “I am a survivor.” Phases three through six focus on associating these new, positive thoughts with the old trauma thus reworking the memory and encouraging healing.

Phases seven and eight are “closure” stages for the patient. Typically, patients are re-examined to determine their current mental health state or to see if the EMDR therapy was successful. The eight total phases can sometimes be done in one long session for those with a single traumatic event, but usually take several sessions over a span of time.

Would EMDR work for me?

Not everyone benefits from traditional therapy, and EMDR therapy can be most beneficial to those struggling with PTSD or trauma. EMDR does not require patients to recall the distressing event in detail, but rather just the visual memory and associated feelings. EMDR also tends to be quicker than traditional therapy because of its intensity. Those looking for a treatment plan with rapid outcomes and a high level of effectiveness may be a good fit for EMDR therapy.

Ultimately, you and your counselor will determine if this type of psychotherapy is right for you.

Does EMDR therapy actually work?

EMDR therapy has a high success rate. According to the Permanente Journal, “seven of 10 studies reported EMDR therapy to be more rapid and/or more effective than trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy.” Additionally, 12 more studies showed that patients were experiencing a rapid decrease in negative thoughts and emotions associated with distressing events.

Nearly 90% of patients with a single trauma can be processed within 3 sessions while patients with prolonged trauma may take several more sessions. PTSD is common in military veterans and EMDR is frequently used on these patients. In fact, a study reported that after 12 sessions 77% no longer had post-traumatic stress disorder.

It’s important to note that there can be some unpleasant side effects when going through EMDR therapy. The most common side effect is resurfaced, painful memories during, between or after treatments. The human brain sometimes suppresses painful memories (which is why EMDR works best to surface and re-process them) and these memories are likely to come to mind and cause distress. Certified therapists will work with patients experiencing these type of painful memories and provide techniques to manage them.

How do I schedule an EMDR appointment?

On Demand Counseling has several EMDR certified therapists across Mahoning, Columbiana and Trumbull counties. If you are looking to begin EMDR therapy, or if you simply want to learn more, you can ask your counselor or call your nearest On Demand Counseling location.

There are many resources for people looking for more about EMDR:

EMDR Institute, Inc.

EMDR International Association

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

VEN EMDR

treatment resistant mental illness, depression, man, counseling

4 Things You Didn’t Know About Treatment Resistance in Mental Illness

Written by dev on September 15, 2021. Posted in Blog.

What is Treatment Resistance in Mental Illness?

As we work to break the stigma surrounding mental health, it is important to recognize a mental illness that is rarely talked about: chronic treatment resistance. Chronic treatment resistance in mental health is essentially when a patient does not respond to proper dosage and duration of prescribed medication at least two times. For example, if a client with depression is prescribed a common medication such as sertraline and sees no difference in symptoms for an extended amount of time, then tries another medication such as citalopram for another extended amount of time and still fails to see improvement, that patient may have chronic treatment resistance.

1. Treatment Resistant Depression Is Common

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reported that one third of depression patients experience treatment resistance. Millions of people suffer from depression every year and billions of dollars are spent by the United States on depression treatment and research. Those who do have treatment resistant depression are more likely to succumb to the mental illness as they are not able to respond to treatment. Therefore, that one third of patients have increased disability, cost, suffering and suicide rates.

2. You May Not Actually Have Chronic Treatment Resistance

Clinicians may not be able to diagnose a patient 100% accurately given every person’s unique genetic make-up and response to medication. According to NCBI, “Patients with TRD are not so much treatment-‘resistant,’ but rather, the heterogeneity of the condition ‘depression’ implies that patients are not receiving treatments that are matched to their individual diathesis.” In simpler terms, because depression is so unique to every person that struggles with it, it can be hard to pinpoint the exact medication, dosage and duration that will cure the patient’s symptoms. However, this does not mean that those with treatment resistant depression are falsely diagnosed, the above information is just a theory in scientific research studies.

3. There is a Scale Clinicians Use to Determine Treatment Resistance

The “scale” is essentially a threshold or percentage of severity or improvement in which a clinician determines if a patient has chronic treatment resistant mental illness. Since research of treatment resistance began, several models have emerged as a way to determine a patient’s treatment resistance. More recently, the trial and failure of two adequate medication routes is what determines a patient is treatment resistant.

How to Determine Treatment Resistance in Mental Illness

If a person is experiencing the same or higher percentage of depression symptoms after the trials, it is likely they have treatment-resistant depression. If a person experiences lower rates of symptoms with higher improvement levels, that person likely has found the right treatment plan for them and would not be categorized as treatment resistant, even after the second medication trial. NCBI states “In major depression and in generalized anxiety disorder, response is usually defined as a 50% decrease in symptom severity (but it has also been defined as a 25% decrease in patient selection for trials focusing on treatment resistant depression).” Other mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and OCD have lower symptom severity percentages.

4. There’s Plenty of Ways to Help Someone With Treatment Resistant Mental Illness

The most common and also simplest way to help manage symptoms in those with treatment resistant mental illness is therapy with a certified mental health professional. Counselors are trained to get to the root of the problem and make patients feel safe, heard and valued. For those that feel isolated or alone in their depression can find great benefit in having a constant (like a counselor) in their corner. Additional medications can also help those who have treatment resistant mental illness by addressing other, maybe milder symptoms; this is called augmentation. Augmentation usually does not include adding another antidepressant to a patient’s routine. Instead, it can be specific medications for bodily issues such as thyroid hormone levels which can affect a person’s mood. Other methods can be a bit more intense.

Electroconvulsive therapy, or shock therapy, can sound scary to some people based on previously established stigmas from pop culture. However, over half of electroconvulsive therapy patients benefited or saw immediate improvement using this method, according to the Consortium for Research in ECT.

What’s Next?

If you or someone you know is not responding to proper medication trials, or have been diagnosed already with treatment resistant mental illness, On Demand Counseling can help. Our licensed mental health professionals will work with you to feel happy and healthy again. With locations across Northeast Ohio, ODC is easily accessible and provides a multitude of programs and services for every individual’s needs.

On Demand Counseling Welcomes Rob Parsons as PMHNP

Written by dev on September 13, 2021. Posted in Blog.

On Demand Counseling is excited to announce the addition of Rob Parsons, PMHNP, ANP to the Austintown, Ohio location. Rob is an experienced medical professional with history in mental health practices both inpatient and outpatient.

Rob will be seeing patients beginning Monday, Sept. 13, 2021 at ODC Austintown. He is accepting previous clients as well as new clients looking to get established with a mental health provider. With over 20 years of professional experience providing mental health services, Rob is an asset to the ODC clinical team.

Rob has an impressive education history; a BSN and MSN from Case Western Reserve University and BA in Biology from Denison University. But his credentials don’t end there. Later, Rob went on to earn a dual certification in mental health and adult medicine, establishing him as both an Adult Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Rob specializes in chronic treatment resistant mental illness, or in other words, patients who fail to respond to two or more trials of proper medication and dosage. He also can help treat those with bipolar disorder, early onset schizophrenia, post-partum depression, those who are pregnant with a mental illness and co-occurring mental health and substance abuse treatment.

On Demand Counseling operates in three counties: Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, ODC has programs to incorporate all individuals. Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) with licensed counselors create an inclusive atmosphere and allow individuals to receive the care they need and deserve. Call now to schedule an appointment or visit our locations page.

3 Ways to Get Rid of Negative Self-Talk

Written by dev on March 25, 2021. Posted in Blog.

What is Self-talk?

Self-talk, also known as your internal dialogue, is influenced by your subconscious and can reveal your thoughts, beliefs, questions and ideas. When your self-talk is negative, it can affect your mental health entirely. Self-talk begins at a young age and can be influenced by our social environment. Friends, family and teachers can all influence the way you think abut yourself— both good and bad.

Become Self-Aware

Sometimes it’s hard to recognize when you’re talking down on yourself, but the first step to getting rid of any negative self-talk is to become aware of when you’re doing it. For example, you try on an article of clothing, look at yourself in the mirror and think “Wow, I look awful. I’m so fat that I can no longer look right in my clothing.” That’s negative self-talk. When you find yourself doing this, try saying something like, “I’ve gained a little weight. But that’s O.K., my body is always changing. I am healthy.” Rephrasing your negative thoughts has a huge impact on eliminating negative self-talk. You’ll feel uncomfortable when you first try rephrasing yourself, and that’s because you’re so accustomed to talking poorly to yourself and about yourself. Give it time, and eventually you’ll feel comfortable enough in your skin to rephrase and improve positive self-talk.

Journal in 3rd Person

Journaling is a practice that many counselors suggest to their clients to keep a clear head space and reflect on their moods. Journaling can also be a way to practice positive self-talk. Instead of journaling in a first-person point of view, you can try writing in third-person— meaning you will write from the perspective of an outsider. “Caroline had a bad day today. But, she had the right to. She’s allowed to have bad days when things upset her.” Weird, right? That’s O.K.! Just like we discussed previously, you’re going to feel uncomfortable doing all of these things. If you feel too strange writing about yourself, try starting out with shorter sentences or bullet points rather than full pages.

Identify

The Mayo Clinic identifies four common types of negative self-talk: filtering, personalizing, catastrophizing and polarizing. Let’s break it down.

Filtering: magnifying the negative aspects of a situation and filtering out all of the positive ones

Example: You paint a picture for your friend, who loves it and raves about how good of an artist you are. You then realize a small detail you missed and can’t stop thinking about how awful it looks, rather than accepting the compliments.

Personalizing: automatically blaming yourself when something bad happens

Example: Your friends cancel their weekend plans with you because they’re busy, but you take it upon yourself to assume they don’t want to spend time with you.

Catastrophizing: Automatically anticipating the worst

Example: You’re on your way to work and you slip and fall causing you to rip a hole in the knee of your pants. This is the worst! Your whole day is now ruined!

Polarizing: Only seeing things as good or bad

Example: There’s only two things you can be: perfect or a failure.

All four of these types are damaging to your mental health, and cause extra stress on your every day life.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, give us a call at 330-270-8610 or visit us at ondemandcounseling.com.

3 Basic Need-to-Know Facts about the Enneagram

Written by dev on February 18, 2021. Posted in Blog.

What is the Enneagram?

The Enneagram of Personality is backed by research as a model of personalities broken down into nine types. The Enneagram links each of the nine personality types to one another within a circular diagram. Originally created in 1915 by philosopher George Gurdjieff, it wasn’t until the late 1960s when the nine specific personality types were placed within the Enneagram diagram. Since its creation and development, the overall goal of the Enneagram is to use it as a human development system and incorporate it into modern psychology studies.

What are the 9 Enneagram types?

The nine Enneagram types include:

The Reformer
The Helper
The Achiever
The Individualist
The Investigator
The Loyalist
The Enthusiast
The Challenger
The Peacemaker

Enneagram theory states that people are born with dominant personality types and then those types can be molded by the environment and experiences in someone’s life. If you take the Enneagram test and receive your dominant type, but resonate with other types as well, it is natural. However, Enneagram theory also suggests that your dominant type is the most important to your personality.

For instance, you may test as a 7, or the Enthusiast, but also have a high score in a 6, the Loyalist. This is called a “wing.” Your wing is an adjacent number on the diagram that influences your dominant type. Although you have majority characteristics of an Enthusiast, your traits that tie into the Loyalist don’t change your personality.

Although the Enneagram model can be confusing to understand, here are three things to make your understanding a little easier:

The numbers on the Enneagram model are neutral

These numbers may seem like they are ranked from highest to lowest with one being the most strong and nine being the weakest, or vice versa. But, that’s not the case. Numbers were chosen to represent the model because they are neutral and do not specify feminine or masculine types, as all types are gender-neutral and universal. The number you are simply specifies which type you are, and nothing else.

2. There are 3 “centers” within the Enneagram model

The three Enneagram centers are Instinctive, Feeling and Thinking. Each center hosts three personality types. For instance, the Thinking Center hosts 5, 6 and 7; Feeling hosts 2, 3 and 4 and Instinctive hosts 8, 9 and 1. The Enneagram centers are also tied with a main emotion when dealing with hardship. Anger and rage are associated with the Instinctive Center while shame is associated with Feeling and fear with the Thinking Center.

3. Just like the number of Enneagram types, there are 9 Levels of Development

Humans are always changing due to internal and external experiences, so it is natural to not always be in one stage of your personality. For this reason, the nine Levels of Development were created to allow people to reflect on where they are in their lives correlating with their Enneagram type. According to the Enneagram Institute, “One of the most profound ways of understanding the Levels is as a measure of our capacity to be present.” Meaning, the further down we go on the Level scale, the more ego-centric we are (and not in a good way!) The goal is to move up the ladder of Levels and eventually reach Level1 “The Level of Liberation.”

How Counseling Ties in with Enneagrams:

Although Enneagrams may not be discussed in your counseling appointments, On Demand Counseling is dedicated to helping you find peace and clarity within yourself. Our mental health professionals are trained in many aspects of mental health including trauma and substance use.

3 Ways to Set Realistic New Year’s Resolutions

Written by dev on January 6, 2021. Posted in Blog.

New years can mean a lot of things to different people, but a common theme in America is that a new year brings a new self. However, just because the calendar has flipped, doesn’t mean we automatically change. We must make the change.

Setting goals to “lose 50 pounds” or “stop being stressed all the time” are not realistic new year’s resolutions and can have a negative effect on your mental health when you don’t meet your expectations. Keep reading to find out 3 ways to set healthy new year’s resolutions while maintaining a positive state of mind.

Be prepared for obstacles

Feeling beaten down or discouraged is most likely to happen when you can’t reach your goals. It’s important to be prepared for any obstacles that may come your way in your journey to fulfilling your new year’s resolutions.

Try setting smaller goals inside your new year’s resolutions to make sure you are achieving things one step at a time without overwhelming yourself. There are bound to be hardships that will stand in your way, no matter what the goal. When these hardships arise, try to think of why you set the goal in the first place. For example, if you set a goal to eat healthy and end up spending a weekend eating junk food, don’t give up. One blip in your journey doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

Those who struggle with mental health know how easy it is for our conditions to consume us, especially when we’re feeling low. Self-loathing and self-hate can take a toll on the success of your new year’s resolutions. When these depressive thoughts occur, try to distinguish feelings from facts.

2. Take your own advice

Think of it as you were talking to a friend. If your friend says “I want to lose 50 pounds in 6 months,” you wouldn’t encourage them to do it, you’d probably tell them that is unrealistic and to set a more reasonable goal.

Instead of setting a specific weightloss goal, try creating a new year’s resolution that centers around a healthy lifestyle, such as eating a full serving of vegetables each day. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) suggests aiming for a diet low in refined sugar. According to NAMI, a diet high in refined sugar results in worsening symptoms in those struggling with mental health conditions.

Whenever a new idea for a resolution comes across you, try to take a step back and analyze it first. Is it realistic? Would you allow a friend to pursue this goal? If not, alter it to be more attainable. If you set your expectations too high, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment and even harsher self-image.

3. Compare and contrast your mental health habits

When you take time to reflect on your old habits, it makes it easier to develop new ones. Every new goal should come from a habit you wish to change, or else it will be difficult to measure improvement or success. For instance, to say “I want to stress less this year” won’t be specific enough. Instead, try reflecting on how you showed your stress. Did you lash out at loved ones? Did you shut down when others tried to help you? Change your new year’s resolution to “let people in more” or “practice 20 minutes of meditation when I’m feeling like lashing out.”

Reflective practice is a great way to start developing your new year’s resolutions to benefit your mental health. Reflective practice can help increase self awareness and empathy for others. So, what exactly is reflective practice? It’s simple: reflective practice is a tool for improving your learning both as a student and in relation to your work and life experiences.

What is SAD? And 3 Effective Ways to Combat It

Written by dev on December 14, 2020. Posted in Blog.

Depression can affect anyone and everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, social and economic status or gender. But a form of depression that is not talked about enough is seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as SAD.

What is SAD?

SAD is a form of depression where people are affected negatively by shorter, darker days due to seasonal changes. For example, summer days in Ohio are longer and warmer, while winter days end with the sun setting around 5 p.m. and the weather turning colder.

Who does SAD affect?

SAD can affect nearly anyone, but especially those who live in parts of the world where seasonal changes are more extreme. According to HelpGuide, women and younger people are affected the most out of any other group of people.

What are the symptoms of SAD?

Fatigue and mild depression are very common in people experiencing SAD. Other symptoms can include:

Sleeping too little or too much
Change in appetite
Weight gain
Feeling hopeless or guilty
Depression
Stress and irritability
Decreased interest in usual activities

How does SAD affect me?

SAD can affect your body due to many factors, with circadian rhythm being one of them. So, what is a circadian rhythm? A circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock. Once established, your body will know when it’s time for bed versus time to wake up, and it will know when it’s time to eat. For instance, if you are someone who wakes up at 8 a.m. every day, eats lunch at noon and goes to sleep by 10 p.m., your body will get into the habit of adjusting to those patterns. Because of the established routine, extreme changes in weather or daylight will interrupt your body’s circadian rhythm and throw your body out of sorts thus causing changes in temperament and other bodily functions.

Other causes of SAD can include the production of melatonin and serotonin. Melatonin is the hormone that triggers sleep and serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates your mood. When the balance of melatonin or serotonin is off, your body can begin to feel drowsy or lacking energy. Reduced sunlight causes lower levels of serotonin making it more likely to become depressed and lose interest in normal activities while an increase in melatonin will cause you to become sleepier.

How can I avoid SAD?

It’s not easy to avoid SAD as it is your body’s go-to state when it is thrown off by seasonal changes. It’s also difficult for a doctor to diagnose patients with SAD, which is why it is important to ensure you are taking care of yourself year-round to help ease the symptoms of SAD. Read the below tips to help lessen the symptoms of SAD and improve self-care.

Get some exercise

Exercising has many benefits on your body and mind. If you have any built-up stress or tension, exercising can help release negative thoughts or feelings. If you do not have exercise equipment or belong to a gym, try taking a walk outside. The fresh air and natural light from the sun can also help to improve your mood, regardless of temperature.

Read a book

If you haven’t picked up reading, now is the time! SAD can make you feel disconnected from the world, and diving into a good book can help make you feel a part of something and pique your interest again. You may feel motivated by a storyline or connect with the characters in the book.

Journal

At times when it feels like no one is listening, journaling can be beneficial. Journaling helps you put your feelings together and write down whatever is bothering you. There are many forms of journaling such as guided journaling, bullet journaling, etc. Guided journals can be bought online through companies like Amazon and bullet journaling is as easy as writing short sentences of fragments in a notebook.

Pick up a hobby

Colder weather can affect your usual outdoor activities or daily routine, so picking up a new hobby can help ease your boredom or anxiety levels. There are plenty of fun and engaging hobbies to dive into while staying indoors. If you’re crafty, try knitting or scrap-booking. If you’re not-so crafty, try learning a new language or cooking.

How can On Demand Counseling benefit me?

On Demand Counseling offers mental health services in Mahoning, Columbiana and Trumbull counties. Counseling can be beneficial when you are wondering how to avoid SAD. Counseling and mental health services can help in the prevention and treatment of mental illnesses. Call us today at 330-270-8610 or visit our website for more information.