Begin Again Counseling

Begin Again Counseling Laura Bartek, LIMHP, LSCSW Clinical Social Work and EMDR therapist

Had a moment of pause to capitalize and jot my thoughts down, a few-and-far between luxury these days. Over the course o...
04/13/2026

Had a moment of pause to capitalize and jot my thoughts down, a few-and-far between luxury these days.

Over the course of the past year, my dear preschool-aged son started his first year of school which has been full of new experiences and opportunities. It has been such a joy watching him delve into the world head first. One of the many things he’s enjoyed has been his weekly trip with his class to the library 📚 to check out a book. You can ask his teacher to confirm (😉 Mrs. Fischer) but he has picked the same Elbow Grease book by John Cena approximately 20 times. He adores it!

His preference for this gem of a book has provided me ample opportunities to read it to him. You know how sometimes you have seen something hundreds of times and yet there’s something that strikes you differently and hits a nerve in a way you hadn’t really thought about previously? Well, that’s where this week’s words come from.

There is a part in the book where one of the characters wants to participate in a race, an activity they see their siblings and friends doing easily, but it is hard for them. This character’s talents are different and not as well-suited for the event. Initially they feel discouraged and defeated. However, they end up fighting through and finishing the race, but by the time they cross the finish line the end-of-race celebration is over and everyone is leaving. As you probably guessed, the lesson of the book circles around gumption and sticking to something despite difficulties.

There is a line towards the end of the story that says “If you only practice what you are good at you’ll never learn anything.” For whatever reason, this week that really hit. Naturally, we enjoy doing things that come easy for us. That is human. But, oftentimes we want more. We want to be better at something else, something new. In order to get something different, embracing the fact that struggle is part of it can help immensely. I think we get ourselves in hot water when we think we ‘should’ have something figured out on any other timeline than the one we are on. Changing our relationship with practice and learning from one of frustration to one of acceptance helps us stay engaged and on task longer so that we can develop new skills. If we only practice things that we are already skilled out growth halts. No thanks.

Here’s to embracing getting uncomfortable, practicing new things, and exerting a bit of elbow grease to overcome and expand our lives and ourselves! 💪👏

As always, I’m learning way more from my kids than I’m teaching them!

In a world that can easily feel overwhelming and disheartening with the inundation of negative news and difficulties, I’...
10/20/2025

In a world that can easily feel overwhelming and disheartening with the inundation of negative news and difficulties, I’m reminded to seek the small actions in front of me to enact changes I wish to see.

We are far more powerful than we realize; not only to create changes within ourselves, but also in the world around us.

Start now, begin today, it makes a difference. 🫶

Whether we like it or not, this fact about progress is true. We aren’t promised change is inevitably going to come our w...
09/30/2024

Whether we like it or not, this fact about progress is true. We aren’t promised change is inevitably going to come our way. We must show up, do something, and put the work in to make it happen.

One of the hardest things is that even when we are making effort, we don’t always see the results we hope for unfold right away. However, patience, consistency, grit, and fortitude lend themselves well to eventually budging that needle in the direction we are aiming for.

So, what is it that you’re aspiring to see? Are you putting in the work? Are you taking steps towards the life and goals you seek, or are you complacent and simply hoping it will magically land in your lap?

I get it, it’s hard. It can be downright exhausting. But, I believe in you. You deserve to find out what happens if you keep going.

Rooting you on, always.

Hello again 👋🏽👋🏽👋🏽!!! It’s been awhile, friends. I’m glad to be back with you. Life did what life does and got a little ...
07/12/2024

Hello again 👋🏽👋🏽👋🏽!!! It’s been awhile, friends. I’m glad to be back with you.

Life did what life does and got a little wild. My Weekly Wisdom posts got put on the back burner for a bit. That happens sometimes. But with some rest, recalibration, and recharge - here we are again❤️!

This week’s words are a good reminder about how change and growth are inextricably linked. If we want to learn new things, we must try untested strategies. It’s hard! We like predictable. We like comfort. We like mastery. We like success. But if we want to keep building our skills and lives, that comfort and predictability can turn into chains around our ankles and ceilings blocking us in.

Reminding myself that old ways won’t open new doors 🚪 gives me a bit more incentive to get out there and open up to the unknown. I hope it does for you, too.

Cheering you on. Always ❤️

05/03/2024

Follow along my colleagues challenge for daily practices all month!! ☀️

What is at the essence of your life driving your decisions, actions, and habits?Is it the purpose you want there providi...
04/07/2024

What is at the essence of your life driving your decisions, actions, and habits?

Is it the purpose you want there providing the structure and foundation to build higher scaffolding?

If not, recalibrate, Find that true purpose that fuels your life, invigorates your soul, and brings that sense of fulfillment alive.

Life isn’t a race, an accumulation of accolades, a building of a bank account, a series of wins or losses, or an esthetically pleasing social media feed. It isn’t titles, trophies, or GPAs. Those things are nice, worth praise and recognition - absolutely, but that isn’t what this is all about.

Life is relationships. Life is love. Life is now. Life is here.

What are you going to do with yours?

Live with purpose, on purpose, and of purpose.

Rooting you on!

So what will it be for you? Which side of the coin do you choose?What would it be like to look through the ‘miracle’ gla...
03/24/2024

So what will it be for you?

Which side of the coin do you choose?

What would it be like to look through the ‘miracle’ glasses?

For me, it helps. It doesn’t mean things look pristine and perfect or that we aren’t permitted thoughts and experiences of struggle. But, it drastically shifts how those moments feel. I hope the same for you.

In your corner, always.

“What you practice grows stronger”It is commonly understood that as we practice skills and tasks we gain efficacy and ef...
03/18/2024

“What you practice grows stronger”

It is commonly understood that as we practice skills and tasks we gain efficacy and efficiency. Simply stated, we get better at what we do the more we do it.

I think we typically do an excellent job connecting how practice leads to improvement. We spend many days reviewing the alphabet and letters’ accompanying sounds in kindergarten to build the foundational reading skills needed for success. We drill dribbling, shooting, and defensive strategies in basketball practice to ensure peak performance come game time. We draw blueprints, build models, trial recipes, and complete algebra homework all with the understanding these efforts will guide us to optimal outcomes when it really matters.

How often, though, do we think about practicing and strengthening habits of thought, or even thinking of thoughts in that way?

That’s my focus for the week. Just like these observable skill-based efforts of repetition, routine lines of thought can be practiced and strengthened. I often hear self-critical, shaming, judgmental, and self-deprecating dialogues of self-talk. Is that what we want to keep practicing? Do we want to get stronger at that?

I don’t find it to be helpful for me or anyone else. In fact, I find it to be harmful and fuel for whatever was hard and challenging in the first place. We’d never respond that way to a toddler learning to walk who fell down, a young student struggling to keep pace with coursework, or a friend trying to learn a new skill at work. We wouldn’t respond that way because it doesn’t help and frankly, it’s cruel.

Instead, what shifts when we practice thoughts of kindness, compassion, love, and understanding? I’d like to find out. Would you?

I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but without a doubt if you asked me if I wanted to get better at shame and criticism or kindness and compassion, it would be an easy question to answer. The latter far outweighs the former. I don’t want to get better at hate, shame, judgment, anger, etc. The world has enough of that already.

This week, I am making an effort to double down on practicing patterns and skills or thought which are aligned with my ultimate goals. I hope you join along.

In your corner, always.

This week is a doozy, folx. So why not throw it back to some good ole 80’s cinematic gold?! Well, the long and short of ...
03/11/2024

This week is a doozy, folx. So why not throw it back to some good ole 80’s cinematic gold?!

Well, the long and short of it is that time does go FAST and yet it moves at the same pace every day for us all. Every single one of us have the same 24 hours to do with what we need and desire to do. (Except for on that lovely gift of daylight savings time we are all navigating again, but that’s not the point. However, best of luck with that my fellow humans.) None of us know how many more days we will have the luxury of living. And while I certainly don’t propose we live in fear of this being our last, I ponder - what if it was? What would you do differently?

Would you take your kids to the park? Call a friend? Give a hug? Get ice cream? Skip the laundry? Let the thought go? Apologize?

Would you slow down? Would you hear and really soak up the sounds around you: birds, wind, chatter, music? Would you feel the warmth of the sun on your skin pe*****te a bit deeper? Delight more thoroughly in the magic of children playing and using their imaginations? Connect with awe and amazement in the wrinkles and lines on aging faces as it shows the life that’s been lived? Appreciate the simple pleasures we often overlook like the warmth of a blanket and aroma of coffee? I think I would. In fact, I know I would. I would want to capture it all, intentionally, and to the fullest potential possible.

My eldest child turns 9 this week. NINE! That’s halfway to 18. How in the world did that happen? I tend to get a smidge weepy around their birthdays. It is such a time of reflection. That first half of her time here at home with us seems to have happened in the blink of an eye. I want to make sure I am tuned in to the next 9 years. I know this life of ours won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

Here’s to my public intention of being present, soaking it up, looking around, and making sure I am not missing out on my one and only very precious shot at life.

Rooting you on, always ❤️

Along the course of my lifetime I have gotten intimately familiar with two of my strengths: tenacity and stubbornness. T...
03/04/2024

Along the course of my lifetime I have gotten intimately familiar with two of my strengths: tenacity and stubbornness. These traits serve me well when trying to achieve or accomplish an identified goal. They help me push through setbacks, show up day after day, and persevere.

However, sometimes these ‘skills’ of mine get in the way of what is ultimately in my best interest. See, I am well-equipped when it comes to sticking to a task, seeing something through, and remaining focused. But, what happens when over time you realize what you began pursuing isn’t what is ultimately best for you?

For me, that pivot can be difficult. Adjusting the plan is far, and I mean miles and miles, from my favorite thing. Yet, I think it takes way more strength and power to let go than to push through. Allowing my grasp on what I thought was meant to be to ease up and instead adjusting to ‘Plan B’ takes a strength much greater than keeping my blinders on and barreling towards my initial target.

This is nuanced, certainly. Sometimes we want to stay committed. That is important. However, there are also other times where we benefit from surrender and adjusting course. For example, last night it meant going to bed early instead of staying up and getting my Weekly Wisdom written ‘on time.’ This isn’t as clear cut as any Type A personality would like it to be. Such is life!!

Looking at this ability as a sign of strength helps me allow the much needed option in my life. I hope it does for you, too.

In your corner, always.

Keeping it simple this week. What are you holding onto that has hit its expiration date? Maybe it’s…. ……a habit of...
02/26/2024

Keeping it simple this week.

What are you holding onto that has hit its expiration date?

Maybe it’s….
……a habit of action or inaction,
……a thought about yourself or those around you,
……a belief system,
……a relationship,
……a job,
……an identity.


Whatever it is, if it isn’t working for you anymore we can always let go and begin again.

Rooting you on this week and always ❤️

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Falls City, NE
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Tuesday 9am - 4pm
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