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Despite advances in mental health, the term “Nervous Breakdown” is still a term commonly used in our culture. In the past, the term was used frequently and covered a variety of mental disorders. While the term is a metaphor and is not a clinical or medical term, or indicates a specific mental illness, the description of symptoms can indicate an underlying mental disorder such as depression or anxiety. A nervous breakdown could occur after a prolonged period of feeling emotionally or physically overwhelmed, or exhausted with the demands of life or an external stressor, and to the point a person is unable to function in day-to-day life or feeling as if they are not able to cope with life at all. In the past, treatment for nervous breakdowns usually involved hospitalization, heavy medication, and even lobotomy. Thinking of a person as weak or unable to “fix” their own problems perpetuates the negative stigma of mental illness. Life today can be complex and stressful. Many people do not know effective coping strategies and are still hesitant to seek professional help. If you think you may be having a nervous “breakdown” or had one in the past, consult with us at Pinnacle Counseling.

Before you spend tens of thousands on residential treatment…..

……Talk with an Addiction Expert Right Here in NW Arkansas

• Outpatient Treatment Works! — For a Fraction of the Cost —
• 3 to 8 Month Programs: Evidence-Based, with Proven Results
• Very Private. Flexible Scheduling. We will fit your needs.
• Experience with: Alcohol, Opiates (Painkillers), Marijuana

Gary Nelson, CCDP

• Family Inquiries Welcome
• Referrals to Quality Detox Available
• Referrals to Quality Residential Programs Available

Appointments Available — Call Now!

479-685-7223

A therapist is someone trained to help you understand yourself — your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors — in a way that is beneficial to you. A good one can help you find meaningful answers to life’s persistent questions. If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of behaviors, a good therapist can help you become unstuck. But how do you find a good therapist? Here’s a brief how to:

1. Therapists are mental health professionals who listen and talk. You can discover if a potential therapist is gifted in listening and talking from the comfort of your own home. Pick up the phone give their office a call.

2. Can you talk to a therapist over the phone? If the answer is no, try another number. Your personal connection to your therapist is important. This personal connection begins with that first phone call. Trust your instincts.

3. Don’t be afraid to call a bunch of different offices. This is an important decision.

4. Remember that positive therapeutic outcomes are based on genuine human interaction. Listening. Talking. Caring. Pick up the phone as see where your a conversation with a potential therapist takes you.

Here is a link to the Psychology Today listing of local therapists. It’s a good place to start: Rogers, Arkansas — Therapists.

Welcome to our new website. We’ve expanded our offices in an effort to continue to serve all of Northwest Arkansas with superior family counseling and addiction treatment. We’re still located in the Pinnacle Hills area of Rogers, near I-540 and New Hope Road. Our new name reflects our continued commitment to excellence.

Is your plan is place? An earlier post gave a few what not to’s for your resolutions this year (NY Resolutions: A Counselor’s Perspective). Here are a couple of suggestions for resolutions that work for you. Don’t worry if you haven’t developed a well-defined resolution or set of resolutions. Now is the perfect time.

Be specific. Broad generalizations are not your friends. Set specific, measurable goals with a specific verifiable, objectives along the way. If today is day one of your new program, you should do something today toward your goal and feel good about it.

Give yourself two months. What you are trying to do is replace a disorganized, unfocused, or unhealthy habit with the habit of your choice. Research indicates that you need to practice a new behavior about 60 times before it becomes a habit. If you are talking about an everyday discipline, that means you’ll need about two months to turn a new behavior (cleaning the kitchen every night before bed, walking every morning, not smoking on the way to work, not placing clothing on the floor of your closet) into an established habit.

Reward yourself along the way. Feel good starting day one. Recognize that the change you are seeking is already underway. Imagine how good you’ll feel at day 60. Think about it. How you get there starts on day one and continues for every day thereafter. Think about spreading that good feeling of accomplishment out, from day one to day sixty and every day in between.