Ann Becker-Schutte, Ph.D. | Licensed Psychologist

05/21/2021

There are a lot of good resources here—and it’s free!

Free 3-Day Online Summit on Life After COVID: Preparing Ourselves for a Post-Pandemic World, with Forrest Hanson and 11 world-class experts.

04/29/2021

Just a few quick thoughts.

It rained all day yesterday. Blustery loud rain. Soft drizzly rain. Rattling thunderstorm rain. All kinds of rain, all day long. The air was heavy. It felt wet, even when the rain trailed off. But today. Today feels crisp, and bright and sunny. This weather isn’t unusual for April in the Midwest, ...

11/20/2020

This is brilliant therapeutic advice. Especially this year. What arbitrary rules are you following? Can you run the dishwasher twice, and let yourself off the hook?

A friend shared this and I really liked the lesson! *original poster (Kate Scott 2020)*:

RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE.

When I was at one of my lowest (mental) points in life, I couldn’t get out of bed some days. I had no energy or motivation and was barely getting by.
I had therapy once per week, and on this particular week I didn’t have much to ‘bring’ to the session. He asked how my week was and I really had nothing to say.
“What are you struggling with?” he asked.
I gestured around me and said “I dunno man. Life.”
Not satisfied with my answer, he said “No, what exactly are you worried about right now? What feels overwhelming? When you go home after this session, what issue will be staring at you?”
I knew the answer, but it was so ridiculous that I didn’t want to say it.
I wanted to have something more substantial.
Something more profound.
But I didn’t.
So I told him, “Honestly? The dishes. It’s stupid, I know, but the more I look at them the more I CAN’T do them because I’ll have to scrub them before I put them in the dishwasher, because the dishwasher sucks, and I just can’t stand and scrub the dishes.”
I felt like an idiot even saying it.
What kind of grown ass woman is undone by a stack of dishes? There are people out there with *actual* problems, and I’m whining to my therapist about dishes?
But my therapist nodded in understanding and then said:

“RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE.”

I began to tell him that you’re not supposed to, but he stopped me.
“Why the hell aren’t you supposed to? If you don’t want to scrub the dishes and your dishwasher sucks, run it twice. Run it three times, who cares?! Rules do not exist, so stop giving yourself rules.”
It blew my mind in a way that I don’t think I can properly express.
That day, I went home and tossed my smelly dishes haphazardly into the dishwasher and ran it three times.
I felt like I had conquered a dragon.
The next day, I took a shower lying down.
A few days later. I folded my laundry and put them wherever the f**k they fit.
There were no longer arbitrary rules I had to follow, and it gave me the freedom to make accomplishments again.
Now that I’m in a healthier place, I rinse off my dishes and put them in the dishwasher properly. I shower standing up. I sort my laundry.

But at a time when living was a struggle instead of a blessing, I learned an incredibly important lesson:

THERE ARE NO RULES.
RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE!!!

09/16/2020

Because of the COVID-19 crisis, most insurance companies are covering telehealth sessions for therapy. I am currently offering telehealth sessions in a secure, HIPAA compliant setting. Please let me know if you have questions about how to access telehealth.

07/31/2020

One of my favorite tools to use in therapy is reframing--the act of taking one perspective and offering a new way to look at it. A wise mom that I know shared these reframes of mental health labels, and I loved them. I'm passing them along in hopes that they help someone think about themselves or a person that they love in a new way.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

07/16/2020

Oh yes--Elizabeth Gilbert nails it. My clients and I talk about this concept in therapy _all_ the time.

Damn. My dear friend Elizabeth Gilbert sees me. Her journal pages may need to come with warning labels.

I had the same gut-punch-bear-hug feeling when my therapist told me that I needed to work on my "Let go and let Brené" approach to life.

"Ouch and thank you" at the exact same time. ❤️

05/08/2020

Last installment in this blog series: *Feelings Aren't Always Truth

aka: You Should Trust Your Feelings--Except When You Shouldn't Last week, I wrote about the  critical issue of trusting yourself . And in the title, I included an asterisk. Here's what I said after the asterisk: Trusting yourself is important. At the same time, it is important to under

05/04/2020

So, this Twitter thread starts with a heartwarming story about a kiddo and her mail. But keep reading, and there is a deeper message about and our need for connection:

“ Halo! the unroll you asked for: : Emerson, my 11 year old, is on a bit of a wild ride with the and our local mail carrier, Doug. And, I… https://t.co/AVD4LlGD2r Talk to you soon. 🤖”

05/04/2020

*Thoughts Aren't Always True:

aka: Sometimes Our Brains are Lying Liars Earlier this week, I wrote about how important it is for us to learn how to  trust ourselves  as we move through our lives. Many clients struggle with this. Maybe you do too. You'll notice that today's post title starts with an asterisk.

05/01/2020

Dedicated to all my clients who are brave enough to work towards repair.

04/30/2020

Why it is Important to Trust Yourself*

Therapy is an opportunity to get to know yourself better. I view my clients as partners in the therapy experience--they bring expertise on their own lives, and I bring expertise on coping and personal growth.

04/30/2020

Helpful information.

COVID-19 has abruptly ended the school year and teens are mourning missed milestones like prom and graduation. Here's how you can help your teen cope.