New Hope Counseling, LLC

04/21/2026

Triggers can catch us off guard and leave us feeling overwhelmed or out of control, and that's a really hard place to be. If you've been working through them without much success, you're not alone, and we're here to help. 👋

Check out the accompanying graphics for a step-by-step guide walking you through how to navigate a trigger from start to finish. We've broken it down into clear, manageable steps to make the process feel a little less daunting.

👉 A few important things to keep in mind: this guide is meant as a general starting point and may not address triggers that are more intense or debilitating in nature. If that resonates with you, please consider reaching out to a mental health professional. A clinician like one of us here at New Hope Counseling can work with you to build a personalized plan, explore what might be keeping you stuck, and provide the deeper support you deserve. 🤝

You don't have to figure this out alone. 😊

04/17/2026

Spring is here! Take a minute to enjoy the sights and sounds behind our office.

04/16/2026

Thanks for being here.

Today is World Semicolon Day—a reminder that a pause isn’t the end of the story.

“You are loved and we like having you around.”

If you needed that today, we’re really glad you’re here.
And if it doesn’t feel true right now, you’re not alone in that either.

Connection, care, and community can make a difference—one moment at a time.

If you’d like someone to talk to, the NAMI HelpLine is here:
- 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
- Text “NAMI” to 62640

If you or someone you know is in need of immediate crisis support, contact the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or chatting online at chat.988lifeline.org

04/16/2026

Passive aggression= "Fine. Whatever. No, I'm not upset." 🙃

Passive aggressiveness is an example of Poe-ly expressing frustration indirectly— through the silent treatment, sarcasm, or doing things "wrong" on purpose. Spoiler: it doesn't fix anything, it just turns small problems into big ones.

Instead of being a pit-and-the-pendulum situation where resentment slowly swings closer, try naming the feeling directly without blaming. Say "I felt left out when plans changed" instead of "Oh sure, don't worry about me." It's harder in the moment, but way more effective (and way less exhausting). 🐦‍⬛

Nevermore the silent treatment; your relationships will thank you✨

Artwork by Jim Benton

04/14/2026

What if your hardest emotions were actually guiding you?

Harvard psychologist Susan David developed the Pyramid of Emotional Needs to demonstrate how we can move through difficult feelings in a healthy, realistic way. From acceptance at the base to wisdom at the top, each layer builds on the last.

The radical acceptance of all our emotions, even the messy ones, is the cornerstone of authentic happiness. You don't have to fix how you feel, you just have to meet it with courage.

Which layer do you need most right now? 🔺

Graphic by Susan David

Further information about the Pyramid of Emotional Needs and how you can work on each layer can be found here [https://www.susandavid.com/resource/emotional-pyramid-of-needs/]

04/09/2026

When working through trauma or anxiety, it's common to find yourself thinking, "How would my life be different if 'X' hadn't happened?" This is actually called counterfactual thinking, and it's worth understanding when it helps us, and when it doesn't. 💭

Counterfactual thinking can be helpful when:
✅ It leads to gratitude for how things turned out
✅ It helps you learn from mistakes and make better decisions going forward

It can become harmful when:
⚠️ It turns into rumination, fueling depression or anxiety
⚠️ It pulls you out of the present and your daily life
⚠️ It becomes a way of beating yourself up over the past

The key is knowing the difference between reflection (helpful) and rumination (not helpful), and learning to stay grounded in the present while still honoring your past experiences.
If you find yourself stuck in the "what ifs," that's something we can work through together. Reach out if you want help with getting started.

📖 For more on this topic, check out the Verywell Mind article that inspired this post: https://www.verywellmind.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-counterfactual-thinking-7371316

Graphic by Emm Roy

04/07/2026

Reminder: you haven't missed your window. 🌅

The life you want? It's still possible, and you don't have to figure it out alone. If obstacles are keeping you stuck, our door is open. Reach out and let's take that first step together. 💛

Artwork by Titsay

04/02/2026

Chronic illness comes with a lot of thoughts that rarely make it out loud. (Spoiler: you’re not the only one thinking them.)

Whether it's fears with no easy answers, hopes you're afraid to say out loud, or feelings others just don't quite get, those thoughts are valid and you don't have to carry them alone.

If any of these hit close to home, we'd love to be a safe place to say the things you've been holding onto. Reach out to us at New Hope Counseling; we're here for it, all of it. 💙

Graphic by Rare Visibility

03/31/2026

🫛 One slightly salty comment can ruin 47 perfectly good ones. Sound familiar?

Sometimes we can get all the positive comments in the world and they mean nothing the moment one negative one sneaks in. (Looking at you, pea under the mattress!)

When you've experienced trauma or are ✨neurospicy✨, your brain is wired to perceive neutral or even mildly negative cues as way more threatening than they actually are. It's not a character flaw, it's your nervous system doing its (overprotective, slightly dramatic) job.

The good news? Awareness is your superpower. 🦸

Start here: Recognize that your perception of the comment may not be the reality. That "rude" reply might just be someone having a bad day, or autocorrect doing its worst.

You are not the princess. You are someone learning to feel the pea 🫛 and choose how you respond to it.

Artwork by Gemma Correll

03/26/2026

Hot take: the point of therapy isn't to feel calm all the time.

It's to stop being afraid of your own emotions.

Real healing means building the capacity to:
✦ Feel hard things without being destroyed by them
✦ Navigate challenges without reverting to old patterns
✦ Stay present, even when present is painful

Calm is a side effect. Capacity is the goal.

Graphic credit to Primal Trust Academy & Community with Dr. Cathleen King

03/24/2026

Small actions. Big impact. 🌟
Science says that simple, intentional habits can genuinely change how happy you feel; it doesn't have to be complicated!

Things like:
✉️ Writing a gratitude letter
🤝 Doing something kind for someone
💪 Using your personal strengths
🌅 Picturing your best future self

These little practices work by boosting positive emotions, shifting your mindset, encouraging kindness, and fulfilling your basic human needs.

The catch? It has to feel right for YOU. The same activity won't work the same way for everyone; the magic is in finding what fits your personality and actually showing up for it consistently.

Happiness isn't just something that happens to you. It's a skill, and something you can practice. 🌻

This post was a summary of Lyubomirsky and Layous’ work in creating the Positive Activity Model (PAM). You can find more info here https://sonjalyubomirsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Lyubomirsky-Layous-20132.pdf.

03/23/2026

As we begin this week, I ask you to think of ways that you may be doing more than you think. 🌿

Sometimes the quiet effort, the small acts of care, the simple act of showing up— it all counts more than we realize. Give yourself credit for how far you've come.

Poetry and photo courtesy of Zanna Keithley, from her book "This is How You Find Your Way." 📖