McCarthy Counseling, LLC

10/06/2025

DETAILS: https://www.25newsnow.com/2025/10/06/mental-health-resources-available-central-illinois-farmers/

04/24/2025

https://www.instagram.com/p/DI1xAoMTpCO/?igsh=ZDl0OTUyNnM0cnk2

04/18/2025

It was fun to be a part of a motivating afternoon today with the 13u Militia team & Billy Mote with Focus Forge. What an awesome opportunity to connect and set the foundation for establishing a healthy mindset in sports: potential-action-outcomes-belief. The team walked away with excellent tools to use on and off the field through learning about the belief cycle. Thank you Billy, your program is incredible!

Thank you Billy Mote with The Focus Forge for a great experience today! We all learned a lot and we are energized to put it to use!

And thank you McCarthy Counseling, LLC for sponsoring the event!



https://thefocusforge.org/

https://www.instagram.com/findingbelief?igsh=MW1jbG1ya251djF2Zg==

04/02/2025

If you’re looking for resources for mental health or substance use challenges, help is available.

Help yourself & share to help others: samhsa.gov/find-help

02/08/2025

💕

10/13/2024

“May we all practice the pause.”

Every day, countless acts of violence take place in our world.

And yet we never talk about the root cause: an inability to regulate our emotional state.

Every day, countless people die of substance use.

And yet we never talk about the root cause: an inability to regulate our emotional state.

Every day, relationships fall apart. Differences of opinions cause people to become enemies.

And yet we never talk about the root cause: an inability to regulate our emotional state.

Every day, people make impulsive decisions that alter their lives and the lives of those they love in heartbreaking ways.

And yet we never talk about the root cause: an inability to regulate our emotional state.

Every day, children experience unspeakable things in their homes.

And yet we never talk about the root cause: an inability to regulate our emotional state.

May we all practice the pause. May we all learn to breathe deep to create space between the stimulus and the response. May we all learn we are the creator of our external experience once we master the internal. May we forgive ourselves for what we did in survival mode, and start to build the skills to thrive. May we stop looking for bandaid solutions, and start to do the work. May we stop pointing the finger and look at the mirror at ourselves and the energy we bring to every situation.

May we realize that we are all so much more alike than we are different. That we all want the same things.

That once we learn how to cope with the intense thoughts, and body sensations that come with intense emotions— we become free.

May we make it our priority to teach the next generation to become the calm, sturdy, responders— then watch our world change

07/12/2024

Great resource!

11/10/2023

Depression has been marketed as a chemical imbalance of the brain.

But there is much more going on in the body.

Our vagus nerve goes into dorsal vagal shutdown when we’re too over stimulated, overwhelmed, or in a threat state. You can picture a deer in headlights that freezes or an animal that freezes and plays dead to escape a predator.

Humans do this too.

In extreme cases of fear/overwhelm we can literally freeze for hours. In lesser cases, we can be in functional freeze. Functional freeze is a blended nervous system state where we’re not in full shut down. But, the body still has limited blood flow, energy, and mobility. And our mind is dissociated— we’re spaced out, numb, and even our vocal tone can change. In functional people tend to be monotone.

A lot of people think of depression as chronic sadness. Sadness is a natural part of life. People who say they have depression actually are experiencing apathy, numbness, and the complete “I’m checked out of life” feeling. Many depressed people *can’t* even feel sad. Or cry if they wanted to.

This is why sometimes people come out of the functional and have high moments. Moments of joy and happiness. Or they can mask well. Then people struggle to understand how they could be depressed. They don’t understand this is actually: body immobilization. Not something just in the mind like we’ve been told.

Tomorrow I’ll have a mini masterclass on getting out of functional freeze. Notifications on if you want a reminder

10/26/2023

08/13/2023

Back-to-school season can be stressful. Here's how parents can help kids cope with the end of summer vacation and get ready for a new school year. 📚✏️

Learn more: https://at.apa.org/2aw

08/13/2023

US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles returned to the sport after a two-year mental health break. Clinical psychologist Dr. Chloe Carmichael explains what a break can do for you.

08/13/2023

Jill, 32, has found herself in a history of toxic relationships.

She’s drawn to men who challenge her, give mixed messages, and who can’t emotionally regulate. In her last relationship with Dan, she cried herself to sleep many nights. At the end of their relationship, she was having gut issues and dizziness.

He was bad for her health.

The breakup hit Jill hard. As unhealthy as they were together, she missed everything about him. She loved his charm and the feeling she had around him. But she chose herself.

After reading and learning all about emotional patterns, attachment, and generational trauma, Jill was gaining self awareness. Instead of shaming herself for always picking the wrong men, she started to have empathy for herself.

These men were a lot like her father. The dynamics in her relationships were all similar to the dynamics she witnessed between her parents. She always wondered why her mom stayed. Now, she understood.

Jill spends 6 months creating a sleep routine, walking every day, drinking plenty of water, and getting to know who she actually is from reading .

She’s healing.

Ready to date, she connects with Jordan. Jordan is calm, open, expressive, and in touch with his true nature. He lacks the false bravado she’s typically attracted to. He’s also direct and clear. His words align with his actions.

Jill is noticing she sees him as boring. Her body craves the excitement and feelings of fireworks. Educated and aware, she knows that is actually dysregulation from her nervous system. She gives Jordan a chance. She knows that her physical responses have led her wrong in the past.

A year later, her and Jordan are in a relationship. Jordan is caring, has integrity, and just being around him calms her down. Jill loves him deeply, and she still feels bored from time to time. Jealousy and explosive fights have turned into nights in, planting a guarded, and going hiking.

One night they’re sitting out back. They’re laughing and listening to music. Jordan looks at her and says “want me to turn on the grill for dinner?” Jill smiles.

She chose herself. She gave herself the peace she never knew and always wanted