HOPE Counseling of Texas

07/26/2025

✨Your Healing Journey Starts Here✨
At Hope Counseling of Texas, we believe that Healing is possible one step, one session, one breakthrough at a time. Our licensed professionals are here to support you with compassion and care. Give us a call today! 325-356-0075

07/07/2025

Cynthia discussing how to cope in light of the recent tragedy in central Texas.

05/27/2025

Seven daily essential mental activities to optimize brain matter and create well-being

Focus Time
When we closely focus on tasks in a goal-oriented way, we take on challenges that make deep connections in the brain.

Playtime
When we allow ourselves to be spontaneous or creative, playfully enjoying novel experiences, we help make new connections in the brain.

Connecting Time
When we connect with other people, ideally in person, and when we take time to appreciate our connection to the natural world around us, we activate and reinforce the brain’s relational circuitry.

Physical Time
When we move our bodies, aerobically if medically possible, we strengthen the brain in many ways.

Time In
When we quietly reflect internally, focusing on sensations, images, feelings and thoughts, we help to better integrate the brain.

Downtime
When we are non-focused, without any specific goal, and let our mind wander or simply relax, we help the brain recharge.

Sleep Time
When we give the brain the rest it needs, we consolidate learning and recover from the experiences of the day.

From: https://drdansiegel.com/healthy-mind-platter/

05/24/2025

05/15/2025

On this International Day of Families, Hope Counseling of Texas wishes you a day filled with the warmth of family bonds and a home filled with love and laughter.

05/11/2025

For many people, Mother's Day celebrates special relationships, reinforces family bonds or evokes fond, poignant memories.

But not for everyone. In some circumstances, the day of flowers and hugs and tributes to Mom can spark sadness, stress or even resentment.

"Lots of people might struggle with the holiday," said Dr. Angela Hiefner, a family therapy specialist at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. "They can really feel lost in the celebrations."

Dr. Erin Hunter, director of the Mary A. Rackham Mental Health Clinics at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said there are many reasons why Mother's Day can be a difficult time.

People can be grieving for a mother or mother figure who has died, or enduring a difficult mother-child relationship that's still ongoing, she said. Someone who wants to be a mother may be battling fertility issues and dealing with the anguish of unfulfilled hopes.

"You feel like you're missing out on this special time that other people get to have," Hunter said. "If you want to avoid psychological triggers, it can be really hard."

As Mother's Day approaches, the two mental health professionals suggest strategies to cope with the holiday if it's not likely to generate the joy that its founders intended.

The first step, Hiefner said, is communication – "both from the person's perspective who is struggling with the holiday, but also for their family members who are wanting to celebrate around them but feel like they are walking on eggshells and aren't sure how to do that in the best or most sensitive way."

That may sound simplistic, she said, "but we often overlook asking the question: 'I know this is a hard time for you, but what would be easiest for you? Or do you want to not celebrate the day, because that's an option, too.'"

People who think they'll have a hard time coping on Mother's Day, Hunter said, need to prepare in advance.

"Pause and reflect ahead of time so you can plan for what you need to do as it approaches," she said. "Think about what you might need and how to spend the day."

Here are some options to consider:

Connect with other loved ones. "That could be family, friends or a community you're part of," Hunter said. "Mothering gets associated with nurturing, and there are many ways to nurture outside of mother relationships. Think about who are the nurturing people in our lives and honor them."

Take care of yourself. "Plan to have some down time or write in a journal," Hunter said. "Maybe it's a day to take a break from social media or any kind of news. Spend some time in nature, and celebrate who you are and the good things you have done."

Keep it simple. For those who recently lost a mother, "sometimes people get caught up in that it has to be a big thing," Hunter said. "Focus on what's easy and achievable. I know people who light a candle next to their (late) mother's picture, or share stories about her, just to pause and think about her."

If nothing works perfectly, both experts said, don't feel bad about being sad.

"Sometimes we think if we don't touch the sadness we can scoot right by it," Hiefner said. "People need to recognize it's OK for there to be mixed feelings about the day, to have joyfulness and sadness. We need to acknowledge the emotions, show support and avoid the tendency to ignore it. That can make the holiday easier for everybody to move through and enjoy."

There's nothing wrong with shedding a few tears, Hunter said. "That can be a great emotional release as well. It lets you move forward and not get stuck in the space of loss and missing out."

Above all, Hiefner said, be flexible in a situation where there are no absolute rights or wrongs.

"Every person responds to stress and grief and other emotions differently," she said. "We can come together and talk about what the holiday means to us."

from: www.heart.org

04/30/2025

Su***de grief
A loved one's su***de can be emotionally devastating. Use healthy coping strategies — such as seeking support — to begin the journey to healing and acceptance.

By Mayo Clinic Staff
When a loved one dies by su***de, emotions can overwhelm you. Your grief might be heart wrenching. At the same time, you might be consumed by guilt — wondering if you could have done something to prevent your loved one's death.

As you face life after a loved one's su***de, remember that you don't have to go through it alone.

Brace for powerful emotions
A loved one's su***de can trigger intense emotions. For example:

Shock. Disbelief and emotional numbness might set in. You might think that your loved one's su***de couldn't possibly be real.
Anger. You might be angry with your loved one for abandoning you or leaving you with a legacy of grief — or angry with yourself or others for missing clues about suicidal intentions.
Guilt. You might replay "what if" and "if only" scenarios in your mind, blaming yourself for your loved one's death.
Despair. You might be gripped by sadness, loneliness or helplessness. You might have a physical collapse or even consider su***de yourself.
Confusion. Many people try to make some sense out of the death, or try to understand why their loved one took his or her life. But, you'll likely always have some unanswered questions.
Feelings of rejection. You might wonder why your relationship wasn't enough to keep your loved one from dying by su***de.
You might continue to experience intense reactions during the weeks and months after your loved one's su***de — including nightmares, flashbacks, difficulty concentrating, social withdrawal and loss of interest in usual activities — especially if you witnessed or discovered the su***de.

Dealing with stigma
Many people have trouble discussing su***de, and might not reach out to you. This could leave you feeling isolated or abandoned if the support you expected to receive just isn't there.

Additionally, some religions limit the rituals available to people who've died by su***de, which could also leave you feeling alone. You might also feel deprived of some of the usual tools you depended on in the past to help you cope.

Adopt healthy coping strategies
The aftermath of a loved one's su***de can be physically and emotionally exhausting. As you work through your grief, be careful to protect your own well-being.

Keep in touch. Reach out to loved ones, friends and spiritual leaders for comfort, understanding and healing. Surround yourself with people who are willing to listen when you need to talk, as well as those who'll simply offer a shoulder to lean on when you'd rather be silent.
Grieve in your own way. Do what's right for you, not necessarily someone else. There is no single "right" way to grieve. If you find it too painful to visit your loved one's gravesite or share the details of your loved one's death, wait until you're ready.
Be prepared for painful reminders. Anniversaries, holidays and other special occasions can be painful reminders of your loved one's su***de. Don't chide yourself for being sad or mournful. Instead, consider changing or suspending family traditions that are too painful to continue.
Don't rush yourself. Losing someone to su***de is a tremendous blow, and healing must occur at its own pace. Don't be hurried by anyone else's expectations that it's been "long enough."
Expect setbacks. Some days will be better than others, even years after the su***de — and that's OK. Healing doesn't often happen in a straight line.
Consider a support group for families affected by su***de. Sharing your story with others who are experiencing the same type of grief might help you find a sense of purpose or strength. However, if you find going to these groups keeps you ruminating on your loved one's death, seek out other methods of support.
Know when to seek professional help
If you experience intense or unrelenting anguish or physical problems, ask your doctor or mental health provider for help. Seeking professional help is especially important if you think you might be depressed or you have recurring thoughts of su***de. Unresolved grief can turn into complicated grief, where painful emotions are so long lasting and severe that you have trouble resuming your own life.

If you think you may hurt yourself or attempt su***de, get help right away. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline, or use the Lifeline Chat. Veterans or service members can call 988 and then press "1," or text 838355, or chat online. The Su***de & Crisis Lifeline has a Spanish language phone line at 1-888-628-9454 (toll-free).

Depending on the circumstances, you might benefit from individual or family therapy — either to get you through the worst of the crisis or to help you adjust to life after su***de. Short-term medication can be helpful in some cases, too.

Face the future with a sense of peace
In the aftermath of a loved one's su***de, you might feel like you can't go on or that you'll never enjoy life again.

In truth, you might always wonder why it happened — and reminders might trigger painful feelings even years later. Eventually, however, the raw intensity of your grief will fade.

Understanding the complicated legacy of su***de and how to cope with palpable grief can help you heal, while still honoring the memory of your loved one.