Second Chance Counseling, LLC

Home
United States
Grand Rapids, MI
Second Chance Counseling, LLC

Professional Outpatient Counseling services provided to clients of all ages. Additional services inc

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Michigan. I obtained a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling with a Specialty in Marriage and Family Therapy through Western Michigan University. I completed my Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from Grand Valley State University. I have 22 years of counseling experience working within the social service field with young children, adolescents, adults, couples, families, and groups. I have significant knowledge and experience in prevention services, the foster care system, and court-related work. I have been trained as a Trauma and Loss Clinical Specialist from The National Institute of Trauma and Loss in Children. I am trained in the use of a Prepare/Enrich Inventory for Pre-marital and Marriage Enrichment Counseling.

05/28/2020

Spring/Summer view of new office

05/07/2020

Second Chance Counseling, LLC has moved to a new location with a gorgeous view of Eastbrook Lake!!! Feeling blessed and so thankful!!! I can't wait for everyone to see it!!!

08/11/2018

FINDING FREEDOM BY LETTING GO:
I don’t know about you, but most people find it difficult to let go of something in their life: like a fear of dying, past hurt from a failed relationship, comparison with close friends or family, or a need to do things perfectly. What have you been unable to let go of? Is holding on to this keeping you from finding freedom and true joy in your life? Imagine with me for a moment that you woke up tomorrow and you were able to let go of everything that had a hold on you. You found yourself able to fully rest. You had a quiet mind, without the constant, nagging thoughts and questions that typically fill your mind.

Areas to LET GO:
1. Busyness 2. Comparison 3. Pleasing People 4. Fear/Anxiety 5. Perfectionism
6. Duty/Obligation 7. Prolonged Grief and Loss 8. Hurt/Resentment 9. Spending
10. Controlling/Fixing People or Situations

How to LET GO:
1. Reduce time with people who gossip, who are critical, who control, and who compare. Focus on your purpose in life, and on your strengths and talents which are unique from everyone else. Find ways to use your strengths for some good. Don’t compare yourself with others. There is no one quite like you! Remember, it would be a boring world if we all looked and acted the same….like robots.
2. Remind yourself that without mistakes we can’t learn. “Own” your mistakes and work to be vulnerable and authentic in your weaknesses. People are drawn to people who can admit their faults.
3. Schedule vacations without phones or the internet. Don’t take calls. Spend lots of time outdoors and be mindful of all the things you enjoy.
4. Don’t overschedule kids sports or other activities. Limit 1 extra-curricular event per child at a time. Take turns with other parents who live near you to carpool.
5. Spend regular dates with your spouse and 1:1 time with your kids, and talk about fun, non-stressful things during these dates/activities.
6. Ask yourself if you are doing something out of obligation or duty or to please someone else. If you don’t want to do it anymore, take a break and rest, or stop for good. Focus on pleasing God. He doesn’t expect us or even want us to do everything for everybody. Just spend time resting with Him.
7. Make a list of purchases and stick to your limit. Limit your frequency of spending/shopping.
8. Focus on forgiving people that have hurt or abused you, not because the person deserves it, but because you need to heal. Ask God to help you forgive them. Find something good that has come from the hurt and abuse and focus on this good and/or use it for more good.
9. Accept the things that you can’t control or fix and trust that you might not be the person to control or fix this person or situation. Trust that the person will get help from others. Learn to be in a situation that isn’t ideal by finding positive ways to cope.
10. Make a safety/action plan for each fearful situation. Let go of a fear of death/dying/suffering by learning about the afterlife, finding contentment and purpose in suffering, and taking time with the people you love most.
11. Allow yourself to fully grieve the loss of a loved one and move to the “acceptance” stage of grief and loss, where you accept they are gone and allow yourself to be happy in your life, as your loved one would want you to be. Do something or create something in memory of your loved one.

05/03/2018

CULTURAL INFLUENCE: Whether we realize it or not, we are being influenced daily by the culture in which we live. Share this, like that, post this, eat this, watch that, buy this, look like that, charge this, play that…..the list goes on. Before we know it, we have become what society has encouraged us to be.

Now some of us may be thinking, “What’s the problem? I’m doing what makes me happy.” Or you may tell yourself, “It feels good.” or “It’s fun.” However, a majority of people who adopt the values of the dominant culture often aren’t truly happy. These “habits” only provide temporary happiness, which makes them that much more addicting. Additionally, they are also a distraction from the real problems or from real life, which many people want to avoid dealing with. There are also many physical, psychological, or social ramifications to indoctrinating ourselves in American culture. For example, if I eat a lot of fast food, I might have long-term health problems like developing diabetes. Or, if I buy things I don’t have the money for with the plan to pay the debt off later, I might have relationship and financial problems because of this choice. How about this one, if I spend a majority of my time on social media, I may have lost who I am in the process of waiting for everyone to approve of and to like who I am.

In summary, the problem is not us enjoying some of these pleasures. The issue is, are we doing it moderately, or has it become obsessive or addicting. Have we lost ourselves and who we want to be in the process?

Questions to ask yourself to help you discern if you’re being overly influenced by your culture?
1. What do you value…..a youthful appearance, having money, social status, power? Why do you value these? Will these things last?
2. Are there negative effects to what you value and spend your time doing? In what ways?
3. Sometimes do you tell yourself you’re going to stop and you just can’t seem to stop?
4. Is what you are listening to, viewing, and taking in your mind and head something you would want your child to know about? If not, why not.
5. Have your values and habits slowly changed over time away from the values you wanted to have? What values do you truly want to possess?
6. Who are you trying to please….society, family, friends, yourself, or God?
7. What lens are you looking at the world through?

How to find true happiness:
1. Ask yourself if there was a time you ever felt truly happy as a child or a young adult. What were you doing?
2. Which of your current tasks that you spend your time doing are worthwhile and will last, or make a lasting effect? How often do you do them?
3. Ask yourself what characteristics make up a person of true integrity, and live out that type of person (e.g. loving, kind, generous, forgiving, self-controlled, peaceful, dependable, faithful, thankful, etc.).
4. Reduce and eliminate addiction and overindulgence by taking time to rest your mind and body or to mediate or pray at regular intervals throughout the day, thinking of ways to change for the better.
5. Find contentment and thankfulness in what you have and who you are as a unique and gifted individual.
6. Focus on the beauty from within your heart, mind, and soul, which has lasting effects.

02/01/2018

DREAM BIG!!!
What if I told you that I believe we were designed to have BIG dreams and to live them out! What if I told you that your nagging, reoccurring feeling, or sense of wanting more in your life is because you haven’t fulfilled your dream yet? What if you were called or made for that very purpose, to fulfill your dream? I’m not talking about a dream of making the most money in the world or having the most successful job. I’m talking about a dream where you likely have certain skills and abilities but you doubt their worth and your ability to meet your dreams. I believe that we were made for a unique and special purpose. I believe this is true for everyone. What do you believe you were made for? I want to inspire you today, “Don’t give up on your dream!” Believe that you will achieve it! Trust me, when you reach your dreams you will get to experience the joy of finding the purpose you were created for!

Habits in thinking that prevent you from living out your dream:
1. Focus on what you don’t have or on what’s been taken from you.
2. Remind yourself that your life is going nowhere or that you are “stuck.”
3. Believe that it’s “too late” to reach your dream or that it’s unattainable.
4. A fear of failure which prevents you from pursuing your dream.
5. A fear of rejection from someone opposed to you living out your dream.
6. Believing what other people have told you that your dream is not practical.
7. Comparing yourself with others, seeing others as better, or more capable than you are.

Steps towards living out your dream:
1. Believe you were created for a special purpose with unique skills and talents that others do not possess.
2. Imagine what your dream might look like if you had the means to accomplish it and you lived it out.
3. Identify what has held you back from pursuing your dream.
4. Actively taking steps to overcome your barriers to pursuing your dream.
5. Find purpose in everything you do with every person you meet.
6. Have and maintain a sense of HOPE in each new day which brings new opportunities.

11/02/2017

P**n Addiction
You may be surprised by the staggering statistic reports of po*******hy use among teens, single men and women, as well as among married men and women in America. P**n addiction does not discriminate. It effects children, elderly, all races and ethnicities, all genders, different religions, and varied socio-economic backgrounds. The use of p**n has become a more wide-spread problem based on its ease of access and mobility. The po*******hy industry makes around $10 to $14 billion annually according to recent statistics. [https://www.forbes.com/2001/05/25/ 0524p**n.html] 40 million adults in the U.S. visit internet po*******hy sites on a regular basis. [https://www.psychguides.com/guides/p**n-addiction/]

Children and teens report frequent requests to s*xt or provide naked photos of themselves to children and teens their own age or a few years older. Parents often are unaware of what their children and teens are viewing on their mobile devices. Sexting is now the 6th top ranked issue in the list of health concerns for U.S. children from a University of Michigan 2015 poll, while internet safety for children was ranked the 4th top ranked issue, in addition to the problems of obesity, bullying, drug abuse, and child abuse and neglect. [http://www.mottchildren.org/new/archive/201508/s*xting]

It is important to know that the use of p**n, ma********on, and s*x affect the same pleasure area of the brain that drugs and food do. When you continually view p**n, ma******te, or have s*x, your brain remembers the pleasure it feels, making it that more enticing the next time. And once you continue a pattern of p**n use, it can be very addictive and hard to stop. People assume it’s not doing any harm to their relationship when they use p**n. However, research on the use of po*******hy was correlated with: (1) decreased relationship satisfaction, (2) decreased intimacy and emotional connection with a partner, (3) increased positive attitudes towards affairs, (4) increased divorce, (5) higher narcissism, and (6) increased aggression within s*xual relationships. [http://enough.org/stats_internet_safety] [https://www.psychguides.com/guides/p**n-addiction/]

Tips to follow if you believe you have an addiction to p**n:
(1) Seek professional help and support from a counselor. Counseling may help you understand the nature to your problem. You might learn about mental health factors that contribute to your addiction, personality and social deficits, circumstantial factors in your childhood or history, or other triggers. You may learn about your pattern of use and about ways to effectively cope and exit your cycle of addiction.
(2) Find ways to block and remove any and all p**n material.
(3) Establish someone who will help hold you accountable whenever you get an urge to use p**n.
(4) Practice effective ways to manage your cravings/impulses to use.
(5) Focus on the pros of quitting and the cons of not quitting.
(6) Make and follow a relapse plan.

08/03/2017

RESEARCH SHOWS THAT TECHNOLOGY MIGHT NEGATIVELY IMPACT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Let’s talk about the “constant checker.” These are people who can’t stop checking their phone and/or social media accounts. According to a recent survey approximately 43% of Americans are constant checkers. Additionally, 50% percent of teens have reported feeling “addicted” to their phones. Research reported by the American Counseling Association states that 42% of constant checkers have anxiety about the effect of social media on their mental health, compared to 27% of non-constant checkers. Constant checkers also report feeling more disconnected from immediate family members due to spending time on electronic devices in the same room. Studies report increased risk of loneliness and depression with increased time spent on social media. Constant checkers were found to be 2.7 times more likely to develop depression. In addition, results show that a person’s level of happiness is affected by popularity within social media networks. Marathon binge-watching of a favorite TV show was correlated to having fatigue, obesity, loneliness, and depression.

Nighttime use of a cellphone is found to disrupt sleep based on the following factors: (1) phone time replaces sleep, (2) screen light represses melatonin, (3) content stimulates brain, (4) depressed teens use social media more.

SO HOW DO WE IMPROVE OUR MENTAL HEALTH WITH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY?

(1) Research has shown that spending time around trees, shrubs, and birds has shown improvement in mental health with reduced depression and anxiety. So, spend more time outdoors individually and/or as a family and try to make it a daily habit.
(2) Put the technology away 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime to improve sleep habits.
(3) Limit the use of technology and “constant checking” to a couple of times a day for no more than a 20 to 30 minute time spans to create balance.
(4) Make a conscious effort to put the phone down or to mute the TV and listen and talk with your family members in the home. Remember that your interaction time in person is much more important for bonding and building self-esteem.
(5) Parents, remember you are modeling for your children and teens so be conscious of setting a good example.
(6) Take up a new hobby, sport, or activity that gets you involved with people face to face.
(7) Be observant of how you feel on social media networks and if you don’t feel better after 5 minutes of using these media sites, then log off and don’t return until another day.
(8) If you continue to have negative feelings/thoughts while using technology, give yourself permission to close your Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram accounts for good. For some people these sites might be doing more harm than good.

04/22/2017

I'm excited to announce that Second Chance Counseling, LLC has been awarded, for the third consecutive year, with the Grand Rapids Award for being the best small business, in the category of counseling. It is given for exceptional marketing in the local and business community. The award states that these companies "enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community." It states that "these exceptional companies help make Grand Rapids a great place to live, work, and play." The Grand Rapids Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in the Grand Rapids community. What an honor!

02/20/2017

According to surveys completed by Prepare-Enrich on the top stressors for dating, engaged, and married couples: financial concerns, inadequate income and/or job stress were listed in every couple category as one of the highest stressors. In other surveys, financial problems have been noted by over 40% of divorced couples as a contributing factor to the couple’s divorce. Answering the following questions may help you to recognize whether or not you are doing well in the area of financial security in your relationship or marriage:

1. Are you honest with your partner about your spending or do you hide it?
2. Have you both agreed to a budget or do you spend money whenever you want without limit?
3. Is there a shared agreement in the financial planning/spending or does one partner carry the entire burden?
4. Are you saving for emergencies, retirement, medical expenses, and/or children’s education?
5. Are you keeping score of how much your partner spends to justify or defend your own spending?
6. Do you tell your partner how you appreciate his/her efforts to save money or reduce spending?
7. Do you talk about or obsess about money/spending to the point that your partner can’t enjoy spending hardly any money?
8. Are you often focused on what you don’t have, rather than on what you do have, struggling to find contentment?
9. Do you discuss ways you can be generous with your money on occasion, encouraging the joy that comes from giving?

Address

3501 Lake Eastbrook Boulevard SE, Ste 146
Grand Rapids, MI
49546

Website

http://www.secondchancecounseling.net/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Second Chance Counseling, LLC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Second Chance Counseling, LLC:

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Grand Rapids?

Our Story

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Michigan. I obtained a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling with a Specialty in Marriage and Family Therapy through Western Michigan University. I completed my Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from Grand Valley State University. I have over 17 years of clinical experience working within the social service field with young children, adolescents, adults, couples, families, and groups. I have significant knowledge and experience in outpatient services, prevention services, the foster care system, residential/crisis, and court-related work. I have been trained as a Trauma and Loss Clinical Specialist from The National Institute of Trauma and Loss in Children. I am trained in the use of a Prepare/Enrich Inventory for Pre-marital and Marriage Enrichment Counseling. I have been married for over 20 years and have been a mother for over 19 years.