Miki Johnston, Lcsw-S

As human beings we all have a full range of emotions. There are no such thing as good feelings and bad feelings.

Approachable parent tip: Learn to tolerate what your children. Teach them how to express their emotions in a healthy way and accept whatever emotion shows up.

When we admonish or shame our kids for showing certain emotions they will learn to hide those feelings.
This can manifest in anxiety, people pleasing, unhealthy attachment with their friends and future partners and a quest for perfectionism.

Be an approachable parent. let them know you love them as they are. You’re their greatest role model.

You don’t want to miss this!We’re going to have a great conversation about our parenting styles and how they can help and hinder success and resilience in our children at every age! @castlehillselementarypta

Even for confident extroverts there are times when it’s hard to find the courage to say what’s on our mind.

Maybe it has to do with the person we’re talking to, the issues being addressed, the situation or circumstances we’re in or simply our fear of the outcome. Maybe we are avoiding the inevitable…

Try to calm the anxious part of your brain that is anticipating the outcome before the conversation has even happened.

We need to remember that we can control the words and tone we choose but we can’t control the reaction or response that another will have to those words.

Dalai Lama says, “silence is sometimes the best answer.”

In a healthy relationship or friendship that is meant to endure, the time will present itself for having difficult conversations in a compassionate and honest way.

There were so many students that approached me after the presentation to let me know how much they appreciated the message about toxic relationships. Love these students! One of the takeaways is that just because some of the red flags are common in our relationships doesn’t mean they’re ok. Ditch the jealousy and possessiveness for acceptance, mutual consent, and respect.

Loved speaking to the NCL Park Cities chapter yesterday on friends and frenemies! Great group of 8th and 10th grade girls.

I paired up the 10th grade girls to mentor the 8th graders. They had so much wisdom to share.

🚩

Walking away is easier said than done. It’s a process. It takes courage to leave and even more courage to look at why are you stay. Take all the time you need. Try and keep your dignity intact.

I hope you’ll join me for this free community wide event!! It’s free and open to the public. What could be better?

Thank you @graceloncarfoundation for your sponsorship and support.

Registration link is in my bio.

This can be hard to accept but your friend’s response to their anxiety is not about you. Their struggle is real.

Anxiety can be hard to understand and recognize even in our closest friends.

Whether it’s during the holiday season or anytime, social events can be very overwhelming to people struggling with anxiety. It can look like last minute cancellations, not returning calls or texts, arriving late or leaving early, or having a hard time following or remembering conversations. They’re not doing these things on purpose or to be selfish.

The best thing to do when you see these patterns in a friend is to show them patience and grace. Remind them that you’re there for them, that you understand that they are doing what’s best for them and give them space and don’t pressure them to keep “plans“. And…don’t judge!

What might help you most is to shift your expectations around their ability to reciprocate.

Most importantly, show compassion and don’t take it personally.

This quote comes from a NYT article published on December 7th.

One of the things I hear most often from parents with teens struggling with depression or anxiety, is that they didn’t see it coming. They didn’t know the signs.

This isn’t about blame or shame. We only know what we know. I am grateful to all the parents who show up in my office at any point during their child’s mental health crisis to say “we need help”.

Learning the signs of anxiety, depression and suicidality can save a life. Maybe even the life of our own child.

Join me on February 1 at the YMCA on Preston Rd. Dallas for an honest communitywide conversation about knowing the signs and how to help teens struggling with mental health issues.

Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/science/pandemic-adolescents-depression-anxiety.html

We all have expectations. When we adjust them that doesn’t mean that we lower them it means that we try and be more realistic.

Our expectations of ourselves and others, especially during the holiday season are usually at an all time high!

Our families, ourselves and society put apply pressure to be jolly, get it all done, give the perfect gift, make the perfect meal create the perfect craft and expect everyone can get along. But we are only human.

Go easy on yourself and others. When we try and control every situation and every interaction he can feel all anxiety, disappointment and even resentment.

When her expectations are realistic we are more likely to enjoy each moment and the people around us.

Establishing and enforcing boundaries are some of the most challenging things we need to do in our relationships.

What’s harder for you, drawing the boundary or keeping it?

You can’t change their behavior but you can change your response.

Practice not perfection.

Change is a process. But you can ONLY change yourself. Notice what you want to change and just take the first step. Be patient with yourself. You’ll get there. *tgo

Yes, we’re all busy. Yet sometimes our busyness is a tactic to avoid what we feel. What is your busyness about?

Are you sure you’re sharing some thing with someone that they want to know or that you want them to know? Be compassionate and constructive with your criticism.

Conflict is a natural part of all relationships.

How we choose to handle our disagreements can deeply affect the health and stability of our relationships.

Communication styles are learned at an early age and typically develop from what is modeled to us.

The irony of conflict avoidance, is that it creates more conflict and leaves us feeling anxious and unsettled.

Do you Gunnysack? Holding in your thoughts and feelings will only lead to an explosion later.

When we finally explode these bottled up frustrations often get projected onto somebody other than the person you originally had the disagreement with.

No fun.

Mothers naturally dream about who their daughters will become, but the greatest gift we can give our girls is to accept them for who they are. That’s unconditional love.

The signs of someone who is considering suicide are:

*Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself
*Looking for a way to kill oneself (access to weapons and medications)
*Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose
*Talking about feeling trapped or being in unbearable pain
*Talking about being a burden to others
*Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
*Acting anxious, agitated, or reckless
*Sleeping too little or too much
*Withdrawing or feeling isolated
*Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
*Displaying extreme mood swings

If you’re concerned or see any of these signs, please speak up and SAVE A LIFE

Pretending that everything is ok when it’s not breeds anxiety. Being able to notice and admit when you’re struggling is the first step to feeling better.