It may seem like having 5 items or less means you have it all under control but every item selected indicates something that your relationship is struggling with unnecessarily.  Whether it seems like a big deal or not, these items contribute to your overall relationship satisfaction.  Any one of these can start a chain of negative behaviors and intentions that propel you down a much more difficult path.   

While you may not need conflict resolution or to repair damage from a marital conflict, a couple visits with a professional would be a great way to proactively create change, growth, and positivity in your relationship.  Getting feedback from a professional about minor adjustments to thoughts or behaviors that can create long standing change is a simple step that can have a large impact.  Sometimes it’s not the profound things, but just being able to have an outside perspective to find ways that still fit who you both are and create major change.  It can be less of what to change and more of how to change.  Sharing a couple hours with a professional can help add the right tools to your tool box that allow you to approach life together differently and feel better equipped to face daily challenges.  

It’s important to note that this work does not have to be done together.  The work put in by each of the individuals to reinforce positive change and growth has a ripple effect throughout the relationship.  Minor changes into cycles of behavior between the two of you can create major improvements.

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.