Smithson Counseling, Andy Smithson, LCSW

04/09/2026

Stop Rumination: The Difference Between Thinking & Spiraling

https://youtube.com/shorts/1Uujyb6X4yk

"Stop Rumination: The Difference Between Thinking & Spiraling"
Real reflection moves you forward. Rumination keeps you stuck in the same thoughts and same feelings—leaving you more exhausted than before. If you’ve thought about the same thing 50 times and you’re still in the same place, you aren't processing; you're in a loop.
In this video, I share a simple tool to name the loop and physically interrupt it so you can get back to real, productive reflection.
Watch the full breakdown in the link below to see what real emotional processing looks like.


Welcome to Principled Therapy: Your trusted guide to actionable psychology for emotional wellness and self-mastery.

Overwhelmed by anxiety, struggling with daily stress, or seeking depression relief? I simplify complex mental health and self-help concepts into clear, practical, and evidence-based strategies you can use. My therapeutic principles are transformed into tangible tools for emotional regulation, resilience, and personal growth.

"Stop Rumination: The Difference Between Thinking & Spiraling"Real reflection moves you forward. Rumination keeps you stuck in the same thoughts and same fee...

04/09/2026

Mark Your Calendars! Ask a Therapist with Andy Smithson, LCSW
Smithson Counseling is launching a brand‑new community event — Ask a Therapist with Andy Smithson, LCSW — a welcoming space where you can bring your questions, curiosities, and real‑life challenges to a trusted local therapist.

**ONLY $5**

🗓 Date: Tuesday, May 14th
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Conference Room at Urgent Care of Idaho
382 N Overland Ave, Burley, Idaho

This evening is all about open conversation and practical insight. Andy will answer questions about anxiety, relationships, parenting, boundaries, stress, trauma, and more — helping you understand yourself and your loved ones with compassion and clarity.

MORE INFORMATION COMING!

✨ Everyone is welcome — come ready to learn, connect, and grow.
📞 RSVP required: Call 208‑679‑9912 to reserve your spot.

Let’s make mental health a community conversation.
Mark your calendars and join us for Ask a Therapist with Andy Smithson!

04/08/2026

You Aren’t Actually Processing Emotions (Do THIS Instead)

https://youtube.com/shorts/imJm_fzdx7c

Most people think they’re processing emotions, but they’re actually just staying busy and pushing them down. In this video, we explore why avoided emotions don't disappear—they go "underground" and come back sideways as irritability, tension, and overreaction.
Learn the simple shift from avoiding to naming your feelings precisely so you can finally take back control.
Watch the full video linked below for the complete 4-step system to process your emotions effectively.



Welcome to Principled Therapy: Your trusted guide to actionable psychology for emotional wellness and self-mastery.

Overwhelmed by anxiety, struggling with daily stress, or seeking depression relief? I simplify complex mental health and self-help concepts into clear, practical, and evidence-based strategies you can use. My therapeutic principles are transformed into tangible tools for emotional regulation, resilience, and personal growth.

Most people think they’re processing emotions, but they’re actually just staying busy and pushing them down. In this video, we explore why avoided emotions d...

04/06/2026

Check out Andy on the LatterDailySaints podcast!

And Subscribe to Andy's channel! ‪‬

Subscribe to Andy's channel! "Wretched but Redeemed:" https://music.apple.com/us/album/wretched-but-redeemed/1866532195?i=1866532380Brando...

04/06/2026

Why You CAN'T Process Emotions (Avoid These 2 Traps)

https://youtu.be/AqqdUnj6NK8

How to ACTUALLY Process Your Emotions (4 REAL Steps)
"You need to process your emotions." We’ve all heard it—from friends, influencers, even therapists. But rarely does anyone explain what that actually means or how to do it.
In this video, I’m breaking down why common advice like "just sit with your feelings" or "just breathe" often feels like it isn't working. We’ll explore the two major traps that keep you stuck—Avoidance and Rumination—and I’ll introduce the ACTT Framework: a 4-step, evidence-based roadmap to move through difficult emotions and find real resolution.
Whether you’re dealing with workplace stress, relationship hurt, or long-standing grief, these tools are designed to help you stop managing your symptoms and start processing your life.
📘 Download the ACTT Framework Printout here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PLoRGFQy8wx-1eGulr8WNa4M9TIMk4WW/view?usp=drive_link ]
In this video, you will learn:
• Why "staying busy" actually makes feelings louder.
• The difference between healthy reflection and unproductive rumination.
• How to change your body’s nervous system state before you try to "think positive."
• Why behavior is the final lever for emotional change.
If this video helps you, please Subscribe to join our community and share this with someone who needs these tools today.

04/02/2026

The Real Alternative to 'Acceptance': STOP Feeling Stuck!

https://youtube.com/shorts/v30wDzAMEqY

Are you feeling stuck in a storm you didn't ask for? Most people tell you to either "change it" or "just accept it," but when you're in the middle of a panic, neither feels right. In this video, I’m revealing the "3rd Option" that stops the cycle of anxiety and puts you back in the captain's seat of your own life.
Stop being a victim of circumstance. Learn how to stop fighting the weather and start navigating it with a mental shift that is far more powerful than simple acceptance. If you want to reclaim control when life feels uncontrollable, this is for you.

________________________________________

Are you feeling stuck in a storm you didn't ask for? Most people tell you to either "change it" or "just accept it," but when you're in the middle of a panic...

04/01/2026

Why You Break Under Pressure. Is Your Mind Too Rigid?

https://youtube.com/shorts/XHElnrHXHaQ

Do you look strong but collapse the moment plans change? 🧩 Resilience isn't about staying "calm"—it’s about being flexible.
In this video, I break down why a "rigid mind" locks up when reality shifts, and how psychological flexibility allows you to stay steady without losing your values. Stop breaking under pressure and start adjusting your approach.

Watch the full breakdown of the 3 tools for resilience here: STOP Being Mentally Fragile: 3 Tools for Resilience
________________________________________

Do you look strong but collapse the moment plans change? 🧩 Resilience isn't about staying "calm"—it’s about being flexible.In this video, I break down why a...

03/30/2026

Your Brain is NOT Wired for Happiness (How to Rewire It!)

https://youtube.com/shorts/Xxii3WSDxG0

Ever wonder why one negative comment sticks with you longer than ten compliments? It’s because your brain isn’t actually wired for happiness—it’s wired for survival. 🧠
In this video, we dive into the "negativity bias" and why our brains are constantly scanning for what could go wrong. If you’ve ever felt stuck "marinating" in negative thoughts until 2 AM, you aren't alone. It’s an evolutionary glitch, but there is a way to flip the script.
Learn how a consistent gratitude practice can actually rewire your brain, shift your emotional state, and break the cycle of negativity. It’s more than just a nice idea—it’s science-backed brain training.
Subscribe to Principled Therapy for more tools to help you understand your mind and improve your mental health.

Ever wonder why one negative comment sticks with you longer than ten compliments? It’s because your brain isn’t actually wired for happiness—it’s wired for s...

03/30/2026

The #1 Marriage KILLER (94% Accuracy)

https://youtu.be/Obtx02xVJBM

A researcher spent forty years watching thousands of couples have regular, everyday conversations. From those observations, he could predict which couples would end up divorced with a staggering 94% accuracy.

The most unsettling part? It wasn't about how much they fought, their finances, or even infidelity. It was one specific behavior that most couples don’t even realize they’re practicing until it’s too late.
In this video, licensed therapist Andy (Principled Therapy) deep-dives into the work of Dr. John Gottman and the "Four Horsemen" of relationship failure. We explore why Contempt is the single greatest predictor of divorce and, more importantly, the exact neurological and psychological pathway that leads a loving couple toward it.

Inside this deep-dive, you’ll learn:

• The critical difference between Anger and Contempt (one is a behavior, the other is a verdict).
• How the "Mason Jar" metaphor explains the buildup of unresolved resentment.
• The biological impact of contempt on your physical health and immune system.
• 5 Research-backed "Inoculations" to protect your marriage from hardening into contempt.
• How to use "Love Maps" and "Bids for Connection" to repair your relationship daily.

If you feel like you and your partner are "building a case" against each other rather than working together, this video offers a practical, hopeful way back to connection.

03/26/2026

✨ Now Available to PURCHASE: Andy Smithson’s ACTT Journal! ✨

We’re excited to announce that the ACTT Journal, created by Andy Smithson, LCSW, is now available for purchase!

This guided journal is built around Andy’s powerful ACTT Framework, a simple, effective model that helps you:

💛 Acknowledge & Accept
Understand your emotions with compassion instead of fighting them.

💙 Change Body
Use breathwork, grounding, posture, and nervous‑system tools to restore calm and clarity.

💛 Think Well
Reshape unhelpful thoughts using CBT, ACT, mindfulness, and modern brain science.

💙 Take Action
Build small, meaningful steps that support long‑term emotional well‑being.

Whether you’re working with a therapist or doing personal growth on your own, this journal gives you structure, insight, and space to grow.

📘 Price: $30
📞 To purchase: Call 208‑679‑9912
📧 Or email andy@smithsoncounseling.com

Invest in your healing. Invest in your clarity.
You deserve tools that help you feel better and do better.

03/26/2026

The 10 Second Habit to Stop Your Mind from Spiraling

https://youtube.com/shorts/_6c5mq36OSc

When stress feels urgent, it’s usually because your mind has "tunnel vision." 🌪️ Try this 10-second reframe to stop the panic spiral and regain control.
By asking "How will I see this in 10 years?" you aren't minimizing the problem—you are expanding your perspective. Tunnel vision creates panic, but perspective creates options. And options create power. 🧠✨
Stop the spiral and build real resilience here: STOP Being Mentally Fragile: 3 Tools for Resilience
________________________________________

When stress feels urgent, it’s usually because your mind has "tunnel vision." 🌪️ Try this 10-second reframe to stop the panic spiral and regain control.By a...

03/26/2026

STOP Being Mentally Fragile: 3 Tools for Resilience
https://youtu.be/8xNrAsbPKS8

If your mental health is dependent upon life cooperating with your best expectations, your peace will be extremely fragile. We often live with the illusion that we control everything that happens to us, but when that illusion shatters, it can feel like all is lost. In this video, I’m giving you three specific, actionable tools to build unshakeable resilience and psychological flexibility.
Your mental well-being does not have to be dependent upon your circumstances. While the Serenity Prayer suggests we either change things or accept them, there is a third option: Adaptation.
Learn how to use the "Law of Adaptation" to shift your perspective and behavioral responses when life gets hard. I’ll walk you through three professional psychological tools:

1. Dialectics (The Rule of "And"): How to replace "but" with "and" to allow contradictory truths to exist without causing stress.
2. Thought Defusion: Creating psychological distance from difficult thoughts by changing how you label your internal experiences.
3. Perspective Taking: Four specific exercises to break rigid thinking patterns and open up new possibilities for response.

If you want more tools that build real resilience and help you grow stronger, make sure to subscribe and share this with someone who needs more flexibility in their life.