They are Warriors...

THEY ARE WARRIORS: AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE & MENTAL HEALTH

I’ve seen this go around on social media. I wish I knew who to give the credit to. It wasn’t on the posts I read, and a quick search online was no help as I found this post had been copied, pasted, and small changes made so many times I don’t know that I found the original, so I will cite and reference a couple. The things I added are in bold, so as not to confuse them with the found posts.

They Are Warriors: Autoimmune Disease

When I read this, I reposted it. I liked it. Probably because I get a lot of it and it kind of spoke to me. Giving me permission to accept myself in a way I realized I had not been doing. 

“I just wish more people understood what an autoimmune disease is. It is not a cold or the flu, you will never get better, and even a nap will not always help. Just eating a salad and hitting the gym won’t slim your face or get the pounds off made worse by another round of steroids. Sleeping 10 hours doesn’t leave you well-rested, ever; and sometimes you can’t sleep. Last-minute changes in plans because that “just got ran over” feeling never makes appointments and just walks in whenever you aren’t ready. Achy joints and bones, dry skin, breaking hair, mood swings, unexplained lack of energy, fatigue, vertigo, headaches, tingling, numbness, overwhelm, and depression is just the tip of the iceberg. You are also prone to having multiple autoimmune diseases and have days where no matter how hard you try you just can’t smile, for anyone.

Please, in honor of someone who is fighting (insert autoimmune disease here) say a quick prayer for them. Send them positive energy, lend a hand, and give them a call. Most of their battle isn’t visible, they are warriors  (Wyant, 2018, Picuki, n.d.).”

My Perspective As A Mental Health Therapist in Bozeman

I read this post the night before my most recent infusion. In thinking about it I realized there are a lot of similarities between autoimmune disease issues and mental health issues. Or any health issue that may have changed your life to the point everything you ever knew suddenly has become foreign. Making it where you are so overwhelmed you don’t know what to do- is an understatement- but that’s another article!). 

Struggling with Mental Health is Not Contagious

I mean, if we think about it, those who suffer may wish more people understood mental health, that it is not contagious like a cold or the flu. As a therapist in Bozeman, I wish I could help everyone understand that! Sometimes a nap won’t help, and maybe the meds cause other side effects you wish you didn’t have to worry about. At times you can’t get enough sleep, and sometimes you just can’t sleep.

What about the times last-minute plans have to be made as that “just got ran over” feeling showed up unexpectedly and overwhelmingly. Maybe due to feeling down or depressed, possible worries or anxieties, that disconnected feeling from others, unexplained lack of energy, fatigue, and unexplained changes of moods. There might even be somatic symptoms like headaches, stomach aches, and body aches. Yeah. That stinks. All of it.

Give Support to People Fighting With Their Mental Health

We all know someone who is fighting a silent battle against mental health. You can’t see it. You may not even know it’s there. So be gentle. When you learn someone suffers from this, do the same as you might for an autoimmune sufferer. Send them positive energy, say a quick prayer for them, lend a hand, give them a call, or take them some dinner. Because most of their battle isn’t visible. Yet they persist. They are warriors.

About the Author: Kory Ann Rogers, LCPC, ACLC

My Experience With Mental Health in Bozeman, MT

I believe people are born good and have an innate drive to constantly do better. I also believe when things happen in our lives that prevent us from reaching that potential, we may need gentle guidance to help us reach the potential we desire.

Working together, we will strive to find the ways that will individually suit you and use your strengths. Helping you reach your personal goals. I have worked with individuals from ages 7 to 90. As well as couples and families. From my experience as a trained counselor in Bozeman, MT I know there is a need for diversity in therapy in order to reach each person where they are.

What Therapy With Me at Bridger Peaks Counseling Looks Like

As couples therapists, we resolve conflict. While improving relational satisfaction, and communication skills. Allowing you to gain an understanding of dysfunctional interactions while in marriage counseling and couples therapy.

As therapists working with families, we seek to reduce distress and conflict by improving interactions. When part of the system is cracked, broken, or just needs work, the guidance of counseling can be helpful.

Therapy at Bridger Peak Counseling can be, and is, very effective when all parties work for the desired outcome. As a counselor, I will work with you to help you reach your personal goals. My goal is to aid, support, guide, and advocate for you during this time. If you would like to schedule an appointment with me (Kory Ann), you can contact me directly at (406) 579-4370 or here online.  

Are you ready to start therapy to support your mental health in Bozeman, MT?

If you have been silently struggling with mental health you are a warrior! You deserve to have support, understanding, and guidance. Bridger Peaks Counseling can provide that for you. We understand how hard it can be. To meet your need there are many different therapy options offered by our Bozeman counselors. To get started follow these simple steps:

1. Reach out to us to schedule your appointment at Bridger Peaks Counseling.

2. Start meeting with a caring and understanding therapist.

3. Start getting thriving as the warrior that you are.

Mental Health Services We Offer in Montana

The services offered at our Bozeman, MT-based office are tailored to fit your unique needs. We offer individual therapy, anxiety counseling, depression counseling, trauma counseling, and therapy for addiction. Additionally, we provide marriage counseling, group therapy, and EMDR. Our therapists are specially trained for postpartum depression therapy, grief counseling, body image therapy, and teen counseling. Our services are available through online therapy in Montana. We look forward to hearing from you on how we can support your mental health.

References:

Wyant, P. (2018). 12 myths about autoimmune diseases that make it even harder to live with.

Picuki (n.d.).  

...Tips on Self-Care

A BOZEMAN COUNSELOR’S TIPS ON SELF-CARE

Self-care. It’s like a buzz word right now. And what does it even mean to “self-care” (buzz, buzz)? Merriam-Webster tells us that self-care is literally “care for oneself.”  That really clears things up for me. I feel fully read up on and understand what to do now.  

Sarcasm aside, as a Bozeman counselor, as a mom, as a wife, as a human, I can tell you, self-care is so very important. But honestly, why do we need it, what exactly is it, and what does it look like?

Stress Arises From An Empty Bucket

You may have heard me talk about keeping your bucket full before. Imagine yourself carrying around a bucket full of water. Our job, as humans, is to share our water. So, we give a ladle to our partner, our kids, our job, our friends, volunteering, cooking, cleaning, and providing. Basically, in anything we do in life, we are ladling out water. 

Suddenly, we realize we don’t have a lot of water left. So we start giving small amounts from our ladle, feeling like we are only doing a half-good job at everything we do. Then all of a sudden, we are anxious, stressed, and scrapping at the bottom. Because everyone is still asking for us, but we have nothing to give. Our anxiety rises as we keep scrapping, continuing to try to keep up the pace we always have, our hearts race, and we might be sweating, but we keep trying! 

What we really need to do is stop.

Reduce Stress & Anxiety With Self-care

We need to stop trying to ladle what’s not there. We cannot give what we do not have. But we do the things we need to do because we want to/have to/need to. However, we can’t just stop what we are doing! But if we don’t, we will experience burnout (a whole other topic worth looking into at another time), and that’s not good because we stop functioning in a healthy manner. Sometimes we stop functioning at all (that’s basically holes in your bucket that you can’t fix right then).

How do we avoid this? By filling our bucket!  Or (wait for it)….SELF-CARE!

We must do things that fill our buckets so that we can continue living the life we want, and need, in a healthy manner. It’s okay that we ladle out water, in fact, doing so may bring us joy and the satisfaction of accomplishment. However, we cannot keep things up that only take water. We must take time to fill the bucket back up, too.

Self-care is Filling Your Bucket

How do we fill our buckets? I wish that were a one-size-fits-all answer. If you want to get to the place that you are, as my kids say, “living your best life,” you’ve got to decide what your self-care, your bucket filling, looks like.

It might be like what we see in the movies. A spa day and no responsibilities.  I would like to say that is a regular for me, but I am failing in watering myself that way.

For you, it might be connection/community, space/time alone, enjoyed activities, seeing a therapist in Bozeman (I might be biased about this one, but it’s a great way to help fill your bucket), or a number of other things.  There are all the classroom answers: Eat right, sleep right, take a break/trip, exercise, meditate. But there are more, so many more! Do you know what yours are?

All Areas of Our Life Benefit from Self-care

Think of a car headed down the road. If one of the tires is flat, it’s not going too far, too fast.  Those tires can be your self-care tires. Emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental health. Most things fit into those categories. What things do you need to you to keep your tires full in the four areas?

Final Thoughts on Self-care From A Therapist in Bozeman

I challenge you to start a list. The list can look like things you know you like to do, and things you want to try. Then do it!  I’d love to hear about your experiences. I think the first thing on my list will be the spa/no responsibility day.  I can already hear my bucket filling!

Start Self-care With Therapy For Stress in Bozeman, MT

As a Bozman counselor, mom, friend, and wife I understand how hard it is to help others when your bucket is empty. Self-care is an important part of supporting mental health and filling our own buckets. At our Bozeman, MT-based therapy office we offer therapy for stress to help you on your self-care journey. Just follow these three steps:

1. Reach out to make a therapy appointment online

2. Meet with one of our Bozeman counselors

3. Start filling your bucket with self-care

Our Workshops, Mental Health Resources, and Therapies in Bozeman, MT

In our Bozeman, MT therapy office, we strive to support your mental health needs. Our dedicated team of therapists in Bozeman, MT is here to support you. We provide therapy for addiction, group therapy, EMDR, and trauma therapy. As well as couples counseling, postpartum support, depression treatment, rising strong workshops, and more. We look forward to hearing from you!