Taking this assessment has no doubt brought some issues to light that you will want to begin to address.  But where to begin..  The last year has made us all lean into our home lives and pay more attention to our relationships and interactions.  Having a young child, you are more aware than ever of the impact the world has on them and the importance of advocating for their mental health.

By what you have identified, it is clear that there are probably some issues that you have been hoping would get better on their own or would sort themselves out eventually.  hy wait on eventually?  A few hours with a counselor who will listen to you, get insight into your life, and then give you tools to make life better.  Why wait on that?  Why not create that for yourself right now?  

Professional support is different because it is your time with an unbiased person that is listening to understand your struggles and help you to help your child.  Counseling is a chance for you to speak freely to someone who will not judge what you did or didn’t do as a parent/guardian.  Instead, they will take all of your perspective and add some of their tools to your tool box so you may be better able to lead, guide, support, and encourage your child through their difficult times.  You don’t have to do this alone; they are there to support you.

Mental health is more important than ever.  We are seeing so many side effects and long term changes in people as a result of living through the first airborne pandemic in many of our lifetimes.  We are seeing more national and international studies that are expressing concerns about areas within our lives getting better and other areas getting worse.  What’s important right now is advocating for the mental well-being of you and your community.  We can’t start creating change and large scale support without starting in our own homes.

As the pandemic began to sink in during the spring of 2020, many people started to report increases in anxiety, trouble sleeping, substance use, and poor ability to cope.  It makes sense that these numbers have not been able to restabilize.  We are still watching and waiting to see what life looks like on the other side of this international catastrophe.

As mental health professionals right here in Northeast Louisiana, we are recognizing a need for mental health support like never before.  We are all so used to living with a need of survival and feelings of helplessness that we aren’t as easily able to identify when something is within our control to improve.  The mental health community, leadership individuals, and partners within Finding Solace Counseling, are coming together in order to advocate for each of you to to know how to advocate for your own mental health.

If you were struggling with your physical health, you would not (or at least should not) wait to seek help from a professional.  There is no reason for your mental health to be any different.  Whether it is a sore throat or body aches, depressed mood or feeling anxious, there are professionals there to help.