Welcome to 2023! I hope this newsletter finds you with a healthy and happy start to the new year.

Tracy Hunt, MSEd, LPCC

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Photo credit: Library of Congress

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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I’m a big fan of baby steps, so no New Year Resolutions for me. Rather, I prefer and suggest steady steps in the direction you want to go. The following steps may prove helpful in your personal goal attainment:

1. Prevent overload by eliminating as many distractions as you can.
2. You can’t do more than one thing at a time. It takes time for your brain to switch between two things, so stop trying to multitask.
3. Relieve your mental load by putting tasks and worries on paper instead of overthinking.
4. When you’re avoiding a task, think of the benefits of getting it done to stop procrastinating.
5. Zone out with exercise. Physical activity increases dopamine which drives your brain, but let your mind wander while exercising to re-charge your concentration.
6. Reduce clutter. A messy environment steals your brain’s attention making it difficult to focus.
7. Seek quiet. Research shows auditory distractions can be disruptive to a brain that’s trying to focus.
8. Sipping coffee or tea may help increase your ability to focus BUT be mindful most people need 6-10 hours to metabolize caffeine so have it early in the day.

*Adapted from “How to use science to focus at work.” wired.co.uk

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Photo credit: Artem Meletov c/o Pexels.

Upcoming Changes:

• The Spring thaw brings the return of in-person appointments in March after the time change. Of course, meeting online will remain an option.

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A little about me / my practice:
 
My clinical interests and practice focus on helping low-moderate acuity individual adults. I help people cope with anxiety, depression, adjusting to life changes, grief, stress, chronic pain, and non-complex trauma. These are all things that I’ve had experience with at some point in my life. Some of my favorite therapeutic techniques include CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CPT – Cognitive Processing Therapy, Mindfulness-Based techniques, and Creative Expression techniques. I have a Person-Centered theoretical orientation and enjoy helping people identify and reconnect with their personal strengths. A diagnosis is just a collection of adjectives to describe what you’re dealing with. People who seek out counseling to help improve their functioning by minimizing unpleasant symptoms are H E A L T H Y.  

I wish you a healthy Winter and look forward to meeting you when the time is right for you. Until then….

Tracy Hunt, MSEd, LPCC
Owner, Turning Inward LLC
“Gentle Support for Difficult Times”
937-321-9794