Nikki Stillo, PhD

02/25/2023

Great Life Counseling Center clinicians enjoyed celebrating Black History and spreading the word about mental health counseling and awareness at RL Turner this weekend!

09/09/2022

Mental Health Tips for World Su***de Prevention Day - Addison Guide

World Su***de Prevention Day is Saturday, September 10. Here's to making every day an effort towards su***de prevention... (and stumbling across your name in an article on mental health tips!) Take good care of yourselves and your loved ones, and let's keep an especially close eye on our kiddos as they transition back to school this year.

If you or a loved one are in an emergency, please call the new su***de hotline at (988).

World Su***de Prevention Day is September Tenth, so what better time than now to check in on the mental health of yourself and your loved ones. The prevalence

07/16/2022

Starting July 16th, 988 will be a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the U.S., you can easily access 24/7 emotional support.

In the meantime, please continue to share 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to be connected with a trained, caring counselor.

We're here for you.

05/01/2022

Timeline photos

Today is International Bereaved Mother's Day, started in 2010 in Australia by Carlie Marie Dudley after the stillbirth of their son Christian.

Today we honor you as a courageous and warrior mother to your most beautiful and beloved child. We see you and the deep love you carry for your child in your heart. As long as you love, you will never stop grieving your baby's death.

Be gentle with yourself.

With love,
Kiley & the RTZ HOPE Team

08/23/2021

Identifying signs of stress in your children and teens

“Back-to-school season is stressful for many kids, even without the uncertainty of a global pandemic. Here's how parents can identify signs of stress and support children and teens through a challenging transition.”

Young people experience stress from a variety of sources. Some stress can be positive, but too much stress is overwhelming. Tuning into emotional or behavioral cues is important in identifying potential problems.

08/19/2021

06/02/2021

❤️‍🩹 You deserve the same kindness, forgiveness, and empathy you give everyone around you.

You are not the only person who loses their patience. You may have gotten irritable, maybe even yelled or gotten angry. Maybe you cried or had to walk away, or maybe today is one of those impossible days and it’s only noon.

You think to yourself, “Will this baby ever stop crying, and why can’t my partner just ____??”

I need you to remember this — save this post, write it down, do whatever you need to do to remember:

⚡️ Feeling irritable, or angry, or frustrated is common. These are feelings we feel when our own needs aren’t being met, when we feel invalidated (by ourselves or others), and are basically NATURAL reactions to a huge life transition and very little sleep.
⚡️ You are not going crazy. You are not alone. You are not a bad mom. This isn’t the “new you.” These things are temporary, and won’t last forever.
⚡️ BUT that doesn’t mean you have to put your head down and endure them!! You *can* get help and feel better. Therapy helps, support groups help, sleep helps, moving your body helps, medication can help, and talking to a trusted friend/adult helps!!

Asking for help is scary, but worth it.

A good place to start? Forgive yourself for doing the best you know how. Forgive yourself for being a human. Offer yourself the same kindness you offer everyone else.

👉 To find help in Utah, visit: maternalmentalhealth.utah.gov — you’ll find a whole map of people who can help.

03/26/2021

Hello All! Please help us to welcome Zhawantae GriffinPhd back to the Great Life Counseling Center team! Dr. Griffin stepped away years ago but she has kept in touch and she's now returning as a more experienced clinician and supervisor. We are thrilled to have her back!
Feel free to visit her website page at GreatLifeConsults.com/Dr-Griffin to learn more about the valuable services she will be offering the North Dallas community and call her today to book your intial appointment.

01/11/2021

These are trying times in so many ways, on so many levels. In my work and personal life, I'm noticing how important it is to have a variety of quick and easy ways to help calm myself. So I made this graphic as a way to offer resources that are useful,
evidence-based, and even...dare I say it? Fun!

01/03/2021

The impactful wounds from childhood can result in complex trauma. These wounds most often have long-term effects and require a devoted journey of self-discovery and recovery. ⁣
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Even if we can identify the behaviors of our parents and how those behaviors affected us, it can take time to process the feelings of hurt and loss that accompany the realization that we were never given the care we as children deserved. ⁣
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Sometimes we have to grieve never having been given a safe childhood in which we could be ourselves, make messes, and play irresponsibly. ⁣
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Sometimes we have to accept our anger and forgive our parents for not providing the stable foundation we so desperately needed. ⁣
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Working through the effects of parentification may take time, but in doing so we can take the first step of breaking the cycle.⁣
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What can help you in your process: ⁣
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Tell your story free of shame. You have spent so long hiding your story and feeling like it is your fault for how you were treated as a child. But remember not everyone has the emotional capacity or understanding to validate your experience, when you do tell your story, choose wisely. ⁣
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Acknowledge the reality of the childhood you never had and validate how that has impacted you into your adult life. ⁣
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Recognize that this is not your fault. Say it with me now: “This is not my fault.” Recognize that your parent(s) did not love you the way you needed, but now it is time to heal from these wounds.⁣
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Work on setting boundaries with others, especially your parent(s). This can be an arduous process, and your parent will likely be resistant for a while. But boundaries are necessary to grow into the healthy adult you deserve to be. ⁣
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Apologize to your inner child. Let them know that you are committed to healing the trauma of the past and that you love who they are, despite it all. ⁣
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Most of your healing will require others. Having reparative experiences that begin to change our inner scrips and core beliefs will be essential. ⁣
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Find a trauma-informed therapist that understands complex PTSD. Please reach out if you need help on your journey. This journey is not meant to be done alone. ⁣
⁣

Two books I usually recommend:

The Inner Child Workbook: What to Do With Your Past When It Just Won’t Go Away by Cathryn L. Taylor

Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving: A Guide and Map for Recovering from Childhood Trauma
by Pete Walker

Thank you for being here ❤️

12/21/2020

Timeline photos

12/15/2020

Childhood trauma impacts millions of Americans, and it’s having devastating consequences

Childhood trauma impacts millions of Americans, and it’s having devastating consequences

Childhood trauma impacts millions of Americans, and its consequences can be devastating. Those experiencing high levels of trauma can see dramatically lower ...

09/25/2020

Hello again Great Life friends and family! Here is the flyer for our upcoming teacher support group! Please share with anyone you feel would be interested!

09/15/2020

Group Therapy Preferences

Hello friends and family of Great Life! Great Life Counseling Center would like to offer group therapy to the Dallas community. Because of this, we have designed a quick, 3 minute survey to get a better idea of people's preferences for group therapy. We greatly appreciate any feedback, and feel free to pass this along! 😊

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

08/21/2020

Photos from Great Life Counseling Center's post

06/30/2020

How to cope with COVID-19 quarantine fatigue

How to cope with COVID-19 quarantine fatigue

How can you counteract your COVID-19 quarantine fatigue? Here are seven tips from our licensed clinical psychologist Catherine Powers-James, Ph.D.

06/05/2020

Photos from Great Life Counseling Center's post

06/04/2020

44 Mental Health Resources for Black People Trying to Survive in This Country

44 Mental Health Resources for Black People Trying to Survive in This Country

Because we need and deserve support.

04/20/2020

‘Coronavirus: A Book for Children’ Gets 100,000 Downloads in 1 Day

‘Coronavirus: A Book for Children’ Gets 100,000 Downloads in 1 Day

This free resource helps parents and other caregivers explain coronavirus to children.

03/19/2020

03/17/2020

Perspective | A psychologist’s science-based tips for emotional resilience during the coronavirus crisis

"Studies show that people who go through very difficult life experiences can emerge from it with a stronger sense of psychological resilience, rekindled relationships and a renewed appreciation of life. Some describe starting to live more fully and purposefully. With care and planning, we, too, can stay psychologically strong during the pandemic and perhaps even grow from this transformative experience."

Accept negative emotions, create new routines, be kind to yourself and see opportunities for connection and reflection.

12/16/2019

There is no timeline for healing. Be kind to yourself. ❤️

08/28/2019

So thrilled to add these workshops to our practice's lineup this Fall!

Great Life Counseling Center team will be 'Strengthening Relationships, Enhancing Lives' by launching the Great Life Workshop Series! We are providing 4 life changing workshop series starting as early as next week!
Go to our website - https://www.greatlifeconsults.com/glcc-workshop-series.html - to learn more and reserve your spot today!

10/09/2018

Timeline photos

A necessary reminder from Brené Brown.

07/23/2018

A lovely local resource for new moms.

06/08/2018

05/11/2018

On Mother's Day, remember those who are grieving

"If Sunday is a hard day for you, know you are not alone... We grieve because of the love we share. And love? Love always carries on."

Mother's Day for many is a celebration full of great joy. For others, it is one of the hardest days of the year.Advertisers deem that the day be...

03/08/2018

Everyone Is Going Through Something | By Kevin Love

“Everyone is going through something that we can’t see.

The thing is, because we can’t see it, we don’t know who’s going through what and we don’t know when and we don’t always know why. Mental health is an invisible thing, but it touches all of us at some point or another.”

Mental health isn’t just an athlete thing. What you do for a living doesn’t have to define who you are. This is an everyone thing.

12/09/2017

Tips for coping with holiday stress

For many, the holidays aren't always a "happy" time. Planning ahead and leaning on supports are just a couple ways to get through this (sometimes) stressful season.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20047544

Stress and depression can ruin your holidays. Here's how to keep the joy alive.

10/04/2017

9 Mental Health Reminders You Might Need After A Tragedy

9 Mental Health Reminders You Might Need After A Tragedy

You’re not a bad person for needing to turn off the news.

08/18/2017

Great Life Counseling Center - Relationship Counseling, Christian Counseling, Counseling Psychology

Great Life Counseling Center - Relationship Counseling, Christian Counseling, Counseling Psychology

Great Life psychologists collaborate to provide a variety of psychological services, such as relationship counseling, individual counsel, & psychological evaluation.

09/27/2016

Emotional Wellness Workshop Video

Check out this exciting workshop being offered at Great Life Counseling Center! It would be a great fit for adults interested in expanding skills to manage distress, tolerate difficult emotions, and improve relationships. Contact Blair Kenney Psy.D. or Deborah Galindo, PsyD for more information.

07/11/2016

Coping With Grief After Community Violence|SAMHSA

"SAMHSA’s Coping With Grief After Community Violence offers information on common distress reactions following community violence + resources for coping, including for parents and caregivers of children & youth."

Offers tips for coping with grief after an incident of community violence. Introduces some of the signs of grief and anger, provides useful information about how to cope with grief, and offers tips for helping children deal with grief.

07/11/2016

Self Care For People of Color After Psychological Trauma

Excellent article: Self Care For People of Color After Psychological Trauma
"Say 200 people lined up to press their thumb firmly into your bicep. After the 20th person you may feel a little sore, but your body isn’t sending signals that you should stop. Each time the next person presses their thumb into your muscle you might flex to resist the pressure. By the 50th person your muscle is communicating signs of pain and fatigue, but there are still people in line to press their thumb into your bicep. You realize that what you are about to experience will hurt."

I love Black people. I love us so much. I have so many friends who work in the anti-racist space. I worry for our…

07/08/2016

Top 5 tips for talking to kids about Thursday's tragic killings in Dallas

Top 5 tips for talking to kids about Thursday's tragic killings in Dallas

Even children who don't say anything about the tragic events of Thursday night when five police officers and one suspect were killed and some were wounded, may be filled with anxiety about their safety and that of their families and friends. Dr. Nicholas J. Westers, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist a...

12/30/2015

Disaster Mental Health|CDC

As the shock from the violent storms and tornadoes subsides and feelings of sadness, anxiety, anger, and fear emerge, it's important to know how to care for yourself, children, and partners.

The attached link is an excellent resource for support in recovery during the wake of natural disaster, including tips on how to talk to your children, coping with stress, and keeping relationships healthy.

Know when to seek help and where to find help:

Information on mental health and public health. Provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).