Crossroads Counseling Center

12/23/2024

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and A Happy Holiday! May you find peace, rest and joy during this time of year! 🎄💕🎁

11/26/2024

💕❤️💕

10/24/2024

Neural Pathways Link Dopamine to Movement and Motivation

Researchers have identified two new pathways in the brain’s striatum that regulate movement and emotional decisions by controlling dopamine release.

These pathways connect to dopamine-producing neurons, either stimulating or inhibiting dopamine, which influences the brain’s go (initiate movement) and no-go (suppress movement) pathways.

By managing dopamine levels, these new pathways may play a critical role in decisions that involve strong emotions, such as those that provoke anxiety.

09/23/2024

✨MENOPAUSE MONDAY✨

There is such a lack of information on women’s health, especially for menopause and perimenopause. I’m so excited I stumbled across this account over the weekend, and I’m thrilled for Menopause Monday’s!

Follow Greer Therapy Services if you’d like to learn along with me!

❤️❤️❤️

-Val

09/21/2024

Good Morning, Friends!

The sun is beautiful!

And so are you! 🫶

❤❤❤

-Val

09/12/2024

✨CARING FOR YOURSELF✨

Social media has influenced our perception of self-care. Bubble baths, long walks, mani/pedis, lengthy (and expensive ‼️) skin care routines etc. etc. These are great if they work for you! In the season of life I'm in, they don't fit the best right now which has caused me to see self-care a little differently.

To me, self-care is the act of caring for myself; moments in my day that I remind myself that I am worthy; that I choose me. Doing things such as changing the background display on my computer to something new and fresh because the new picture brings me joy. Taking a moment to notice and appreciate the FIVE turkeys running around in my backyard when I got home last night; allowing myself the time to soak in the moment instead of guilting myself for not getting supper started right that minute. It's prioritizing taking a shower in the morning because I know I feel my best throughout the day when I've showered first.

These are very basic things and people push back on me about not having the time, or too many other things are demanding our attention, and showering is a basic human need, not self-care. LOL! All of this is true, AND each time we chose an act of love for ourselves it boosts our self-worth, our self-esteem, and reinforces the notion that we are lovable, because we are choosing to love ourselves. This isn't selfish; this is treating yourself as the worthy and deserving human being that you are.

Can you find micro moments in your day to *care* for yourself?

❤❤❤

-Val

09/10/2024

This is how I’ve come to understand grief; always feeling it loudly inside but outside it’s so quiet. No noise, no fanfare; just quiet; absence.

♥️♥️♥️

I missed you quietly today. So quietly that no one noticed.
I missed you as I climbed out of bed and as I brushed my teeth; when I waited at the lights on the drive into work and as I heard the rain outside my window.

I missed you as I ordered lunch and as I kicked off my shoes when I got home; as I switched off the lights and climbed into bed for the night.
I missed you without tears or noise or fanfare.

But oh how I felt it.

I felt it in the morning, at lunchtime, in the evening and at night. I felt it as I woke, as I waited, as I worked. I felt it at home, on the road, in the light, in the dark, in the rain.

I felt it in every one of those moments, each one sitting heavier and heavier as the weight of me missing you kept growing and growing.

Yes, I missed you so quietly today.

But I felt it so loudly.

🖊️Becky Hemsley Poetry

🩵🦋🩵

09/04/2024

Thought this was very cute to do with your child.

https://www.facebook.com/share/3a42rmmYYnNSJu7M/?mibextid=QwDbR1

HOCUS POCUS FOOTPRINTS- this is so fun!
via Denise Fisher
https://www.facebook.com/groups/bestideasforkids/posts/1139444326664380/

08/23/2024

✨THIS SPACE✨

Sometimes I get to work early in the morning; before downtown is bustling, before the building comes to life.

Every time I walk into this space in the stillness of the morning, I'm in awe of it.

I can feel the courage and vulnerability it can take to walk through the doors to therapy. I can feel the nervousness; the fear, the wonder. I can also feel the love, the connectedness, and the hope.

Even though I'm alone in the calm of the morning, I never really feel alone in this space. That's my hope for everyone who comes through our doors, to never feel alone here either.

This space is here for you now, or when you're ready; and know, I'm always sending you love and cheering for you, from this space!

❤❤❤

-Val

08/22/2024

A lot of schools in the area start tomorrow (on a Friday?!) and I wanted to send some friendly reminders:

▪Change is hard, no matter how necessary or exciting the change is; it still feels hard

▪ It's ok to give yourself grace in the next few weeks as you adjust to new schedules and routines

▪ It's ok to give your kids grace too

▪As big feelings arise (for us or our kids), remember we deserve more love and empathy, not less

▪Lastly, trust that you have the skills and ability to handle all that comes with change. I believe in you! ❤

See you in the morning! I'll be the one with all the big feelings spewing all over the place! 🥹🥲☺️🥰

❤❤❤

-Val

08/20/2024

Sometimes we get a lot of judgement for parenting our kids in a neurodiversity-affirming way. To others it can look like we're just being endlessly permissive. 'Letting them get away with everything.' And not being strict enough.

Nah.

If you are parenting in a way that is respectful of your kid's sensory needs, emotional needs, fluctuating capacity, and neurodivergent learning style- you're doing an amazing job.

If you are helping them listen to their body, learn how to ask for accommodations, and set boundaries- you're doing brilliantly.

You are the expert on your kid.

Yes?

Em 🌈

07/05/2024

We are honored to be the featured non-profit organization in the July issue of the Neighbors of South Dubuque magazine! We're so thankful for all of the support we've had on this journey and could absolutely not be doing this without our incredible volunteer team ❤️