I.C. Lightstone Counseling & Coaching: Charlotte H Gilmore, LPC, LAC, SAP

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I.C. Lightstone Counseling & Coaching: Charlotte H Gilmore, LPC, LAC, SAP

Hi! Don't feel your best self? Contact me and find out more about counseling and coaching.

I would recommend that you verify with your insurance provider validating that I am in-network with your plan.

12/08/2025

Truth as the Treatment

Anxiety and depression are often rooted in the quiet, insidious lies we accept as fact. Your perspective says you're broken, but that perspective is based on feelings, not a stable Truth.

Truth is not emotional. It’s the consistent, external reference point that gives you a fixed point to start healing from. Stop navigating by your feelings and start anchoring to reality.

The STABLE TRUTH: "You are fearfully and wonderfully made." "Your value is inherent, not earned." "Letting go of control is the beginning of peace."

For the full article see my website and more, https://iclightstone.com/weekly-dose-of-clarity

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12/01/2025

How do you know if you are sick?
It sounds like a simple question. We know the symptoms of a cold immediately. But do we recognize when our minds are unwell?
The symptoms of secrets and lies are just as physical: unexplained fatigue, a lack of concentration, anxiousness, and constantly being "on edge." That feeling? That is your conscience attempting to fight back.
But be warned: If you let the infection go unchecked, a weak spiritual immune system can lead to the death of your peace and your relationships.
The Immune Boost: The only immune booster for secrets and lies is Transparency and Truth. Just like a shot from the doctor, the decision to be truthful brings immediate relief. But the medicine only works if you take the most important step first:
You have to recognize that you no longer want to be sick.

Like this tip, check out more at my website at www.iclightstone.com.

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11/24/2025

We need to stop treating mental health struggles as a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for poor behavior.
Here is the reality:
• Your diagnosis explains why you might struggle with emotional regulation.
• Your responsibility is to do the work to manage it.
It’s like having a stomach flu. You don’t walk around getting sick on people’s shoes and say, "Well, I have a virus, deal with it." You get help. You take medicine. You protect the people around you.
Trauma is valid. Fear is real. But projecting that onto others without trying to heal? That’s a choice.
Take ownership of your healing. Go to therapy. Do the work. Don’t let your history become everyone else’s problem.

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11/17/2025

My mom asked me, "Why counseling?" several times after I quit my day job. But I’m asking you the real question: Why NOT counseling?

You know you aren’t feeling like yourself. You know those negative thought habits are there, and you wish you could figure out how to stop them.

You know you want help—help you can trust that won't worry someone, offend anyone, or put your business on blast. That help exists.

Think about this: If the pain caused by your thoughts created half as much pain in your chest, you would have seen a doctor immediately. Your mind deserves that same urgency.

A Word for My Community:
For my Christians: Christ healed in many ways—a word spoken, laying on hands, and using people. Professional health providers are a resource gifted to us. 🙏

For everyone feeling the mental mess: Get rest and relief from an unbiased health provider whose only focus is YOU.

Your mind is a battlefield. If the coping weapons you've developed are dull, or if you need new ones, get the help you need. Whether it’s a quick bootcamp or a long-term program, the time for relief is NOW.

Don't wait for the pain to become physical.

11/14/2025

Is the idea of "I should be" making you mentally sicker than your actual life? 🤯

We spend so much time battling reality in our minds because we are obsessed with an imaginary standard.

It goes like this: ❌ The Lie: I should have more money, a perfect job, and be... more. ➡️ The Internal Tantrum: "I am not!" 🔥 The Result: Shame, isolation, anxiety, and depression.

When we focus on what we don't have, we deny ourselves credit for what we are and what we possess. That pressure is the true destroyer.

The shift? Embracing reality is not settling, it's sanity. It gives you purpose and a place to start planning, rather than hiding in shame.

Stop focusing on where the Joneses or Kardashians are. Focus on where it is best for you to be. That’s where hope, possibility, and control live.

➡️ Read the full blog: https://iclightstone.com/weekly-dose-of-clarity

11/10/2025

Let's challenge a common myth: Medicine for mental health is not designed to remove or numb your "bad" feelings.
In fact, our feelings—even those we label "negative" like anger, sadness, grief, or anxiety—are essential guides and powerful indicators. They're meant to help us pause, process, and respond thoughtfully.
• Anger can fuel you to address injustice.
• Grief is profound evidence of love and care.
• These emotions signal whether we feel safe, valued, or if life has simply changed.
Medicine's true goal isn't to solve your problems or make you numb. It's a tool to give you the clarity and capacity to engage with your emotions effectively. It helps turn down the overwhelming volume so you can look at the emotion, determine a thoughtful course of action, and act in a way that truly represents your best self and values.
Embrace your full spectrum of emotions, and understand medicine as a tool for management, not eradication.

Read the full blog post for deeper insights:
https://iclightstone.com/weekly-dose-of-clarity

11/05/2025

It's not the whole solution, but it is the foundation for wellness. Simple, but not simply done.

For more, see https://iclightstone.com/weekly-dose-of-clarity

11/02/2025

The Truth About Medicine: When Diet & Exercise Aren't Enough

I was in shape and eating well, but at 19, I got a high cholesterol diagnosis. I tried harder—exercise, no eggs, oatmeal daily. After months? A disappointing 1-point change. For 20 years, I tried to fix a genetic problem with a lifestyle solution. I was managing it, but never getting truly healthy.
Your wellness journey is similar, whether it is physical (like cholesterol) or mental (like anxiety or depression). You can't always out-run your DNA or complex life experiences. It took seeing a specialist to finally get the right medication and a normal result.
Sometimes your Primary Care Physician or Counselor is your first step, but the Lipidologist or Psychiatrist is the one who diagnoses and treats the root cause.
The takeaway: Don't let frustration stop you. You never know how good you can feel until you get the right, specialized help that's tailored to your unique condition.

Read my full story: https://iclightstone.com/weekly-dose-of-clarity/f/the-truth-about-medicine-how-diet-and-exercise-dont-always-work

10/27/2025

We all have a picture in our heads of who we wish would show up for us. Maybe it’s a parent who was never stable, a sibling who is distant, or a friend who just doesn’t get it. You may find yourself spending endless energy trying to get your needs met by people who simply can’t or won’t meet them. It's an exhausting cycle that can leave you feeling lonely and disappointed.
A powerful shift happens when you stop focusing on the people you wish would meet your needs and start leaning into the people who actually want to. You may have friends who are ready to listen, a partner who offers comfort, or a community that provides a sense of belonging. They are the people who consistently show up, and they are your real-life resources.
It’s easy to feel like a burden, but true friends want to be there for you. It's a reminder that you don't have to carry your burdens alone.
Focus your energy on the people who show up, not the people you wish would.

10/20/2025

BREAKING THE ANXIETY TIME LOOP

Anxiety is essentially mental time travel. Your brain is constantly locked into one of two impossible modes:

1. Excessive Worry about the Future: Trying to control endless potential scenarios that haven't happened yet.
Relentless Pondering of the Past: Replaying things that you know, logically, you cannot change.

This creates an endless loop of mental time travel. The problem? Since we can't actually time travel, being anywhere but the present puts you in a place of total lack of control. You can't control the past, and you can't manage the endless, potential scenarios of tomorrow. It’s a losing battle your brain keeps fighting.

This is precisely why grounding techniques are your superpower. They are the fastest, most effective tool for snapping your focus back to the here and now, the one place where things are manageable and controllable.

The present is the only reality you have to deal with—not a dozen hypotheticals. If you are struggling with anxiety, make a commitment today to practice coming back to the present by using breath, physical senses or meditation.

10/13/2025

When "Just Stressed" Becomes... A Little Too Much 🤯

We all get stressed—it's part of life! That feeling can actually be helpful; it keeps you sharp and reminds you that something you care about is on the line. But have you ever felt like that stress just took over? Like it stopped being a tool and became a roadblock?
That's the point where stress might be evolving into something bigger: anxiety.
Here's the quick difference:
• Stress is focused. You're worried about a test, so you study. It pushes you to act.
• Anxiety spills over. You're not just worried about the test; you're thinking, "I'm going to fail the class, drop out of school, and then what?!" It gets fueled by that never-ending cycle of "What if?" thoughts—we call that rumination.
The goal isn't to be 100% stress-free (that's impossible!), but to stop those anxiety feelings from messing with your sleep, your eating, and your daily life.
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3 Quick & Easy Tools to Bring You Back Down
When you feel that worry starting to spiral, here are three things you can try right now:
1. The Classic Box Breath 🧘 If you've heard it, it's because it works! It resets your nervous system in just seconds.
• Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4.
• Hold for a count of 4.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 4.
• Hold again for a count of 4.
• Repeat this for a few minutes.
2. The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique This pulls you out of your head and into the moment by activating your senses.
• Name 5 things you can see (e.g., the pen on your desk).
• Name 4 things you can feel (e.g., your shirt fabric, your feet on the floor).
• Name 3 things you can hear (e.g., the clock ticking, a car outside).
• Name 2 things you can smell.
• Name 1 thing you can taste.
3. Focus on Your Circle of Control (The MVP) 👑 Anxiety loves making you feel powerless. Fight back by focusing only on what you can do.
Instead of: Thinking about all the "what ifs" you can't control (like getting a job offer).
Focus on: Your behavior and response. You can control how many applications you send, how you prepare for the interview, and the effort you put in.
Focusing on these small, controllable actions can be incredibly soothing. It gives you a feeling of purpose and chips away at that fear.

10/07/2025

My grandson and I were playing a video game where we built a mansion with just a click. He said, "I wish life was this easy!" And it got me thinking... 🤔

In our world, surrounded by instant gadgets and devices, there's this subtle expectation that everything should be instant. We want the party without the process, the win without the work.
But what happens when the win comes too easily? There's a hollowness to it, isn't there? What is there really to celebrate when you never "stuck a toe in the game"? Social media, with its endless scroll, often gives us that instant hit without the true satisfaction. It's a high for a minute, but a high without substance.
The key to dealing with the anxiety and disappointment of this LAH-LAH world? Live. Work. Invest. Feel the struggle, the fear, the hope, the exhaustion. And most of all, feel the deep satisfaction of a win fought for.

Simple doesn't mean simply done. Peace doesn't mean without problem. Strength and resilience come through struggle, and struggle brings empathy and grace. Let's reclaim the joy and fulfillment of the journey.

Address

11949 Bricksome Avenue Suite C
Baton Rouge, LA
70816

Telephone

+12252065742

Website

https://iclightstone.com/

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