Mended Soul Counseling Services

06/16/2025

We are so excited to begin our upcoming group therapy series, which focuses on anxiety coping skills! This is an open group for ages 8 to 14. Group sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 7pm to 7:50pm and Thursdays from 6pm to 6:50pm starting Wednesday 6/18/25 and Thursday 6/19/25. This group is designed to help children develop healthy anxiety coping strategies, build emotional awareness, and connect with others in a safe, supportive environment.

Each session includes:

A fun and gentle check-in activity

A kid-friendly discussion about the week’s topic

Hands-on practice of each coping skill

A creative or calming coping skill activity your child can take home to use whenever they need support

By the end of the 10-week program, your child will have their own personalized Coping Skills Toolbox—a collection of creative tools and techniques they can use to manage big feelings, calm their minds, and feel more in control in everyday life.

Here’s a look at our weekly topics and the tools your child will bring home...

Week 1: Positive Self-Talk & Affirmations

We will explore how to recognize negative self-talk and reframe it into encouraging, helpful statements.

🛠 Coping Tool: Self-Affirmation Fortune Teller with empowering messages.

Week 2: Deep Breathing

We’ll teach different deep breathing techniques to reduce stress in the moment.

🛠 Coping Tool: Breathing Bracelet to guide slow, mindful breathing.

Week 3: Sensory Grounding Techniques

We’ll explore how our senses can bring us back to the present moment during anxious times.

🛠 Coping Tool: Essential Oil Scented Dough for calming, sensory-based grounding.

Week 4: Gratitude

We will learn how gratitude helps calm the mind and build resilience.

🛠 Coping Tool: Personalized Gratitude Jar filled with positive reminders.

Week 5: Guided Imagery

We will engage in guided visual relaxation and learn how to create a mental “calm place.”

🛠 Coping Tool: Personalized Calm Scene Card Deck for peaceful visualization.

Week 6: Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

We’ll guide participants in using muscle tension and release to reduce anxiety.

🛠 Coping Tool: DIY Stress Ball to help release physical tension.

Week 7: Humor as a Coping Skill

Laughter is a powerful stress reliever! This week we’ll use humor to lighten anxiety.

🛠 Coping Tool: Personalized Humor list to serve as a go-to mood booster when they need a smile

Week 8: Fidget Toys

We’ll explore how tactile tools can help increase focus and manage anxious thoughts.

🛠 Coping Tool: Handmade tactile fidget for self-regulation.

Week 9: Expressive Arts

We will learn about the power of expressing feelings through art.

🛠 Coping Tool: Painted Calming Stone with personal meaning

Week 10: Yoga & Stretching

We’ll move through simple yoga poses in a storytelling format to relieve tension and promote body awareness.

🛠 Coping Tool: Yoga Pose Keychain featuring several of the poses that we practiced together

Please feel free to reach out to Alexis at alexis@mendedsoulcounselingservices.com with any questions. We’re looking forward to supporting your child on this journey of growth and self-discovery!

06/15/2025

🌿 Self-Care Challenge: You Deserve It! 💫
This month, we’re challenging YOU to show up for yourself every single day—with small, meaningful acts of self-care.

Use the image below as your guide, and commit to doing one thing each day that nurtures your mind, body, or soul. 🧘‍♀️💬🧼

💚 You don’t have to do it perfectly—just consistently. Show yourself some love this month. You’re worth it.

Tag us as you go—we’d love to cheer you on! 📲✨

06/14/2025

💙 How to Support Someone with Anxiety 💙
Anxiety isn't always visible—and it’s not something someone can “just get over.” If someone you care about is struggling with anxiety, your support can make a world of difference.

Here are a few simple, powerful ways to help:
✨ Listen without judgment
✨ Offer reassurance, not pressure
✨ Ask how you can help
✨ Be patient—some days are harder than others
✨ Encourage professional help, but don’t force it

Your presence, understanding, and kindness can be a lifeline. 💬🫶
Let’s break the stigma and support one another—because mental health matters.

06/13/2025

🧠 Men's Mental Health Matters 👥
Did you know that millions of men struggle in silence every year due to the stigma around mental health?

It’s time to break the silence.💬 Read the image below to learn some important facts about men’s mental health—and why awareness is so important.

💙 Let’s keep the conversation going. Share this to help others feel seen and supported.

06/12/2025

✨ What is EMDR — and Why Should You Consider It? ✨

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — a powerful, evidence-based therapy that helps people heal from trauma and emotional wounds.

Whether your pain comes from a major event or years of smaller hurts that added up, EMDR can help your brain reprocess those memories so they don’t keep triggering the same emotional response. 🧠💥

Why choose EMDR?
✔️ It works fast — many people experience relief in fewer sessions
✔️ It doesn’t require talking in detail about the trauma
✔️ It helps your brain process and release what’s been stuck
✔️ It’s proven to reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression

Your past doesn't have to control your present. Healing is possible. 🕊️

If you’re curious about EMDR or want help finding a therapist who offers it, feel free to comment or message — you’re not alone. 💛

06/11/2025

💛 Self-Care Check-In Time 💛

Hey friends — how are you really doing today?

Drop an emoji in the comments that matches how you're feeling (see the pic 👇), and let’s check in with ourselves and each other. 💬✨

Feeling ✨great?
Barely holding on? 😞
Somewhere in between? 😐
Wherever you're at — it's okay. You don't have to go through it alone.

💬 If you'd like someone to reach out with info about counseling or just need a little extra support, comment or DM me — no pressure, no judgment. You deserve care too. 🫶

06/10/2025

Abuse isn’t always physical.

Sometimes, it’s the words that cut deeper than any bruise.
It’s the manipulation, the gaslighting, the silent treatment.
It’s the constant walking on eggshells.
It’s being made to feel like you’re the problem when you’re just trying to survive.

Just because you can’t see the scars doesn’t mean the trauma isn’t real.
Emotional and psychological abuse can leave deep wounds — ones that affect self-worth, trust, and the ability to feel safe in the world.

If this is your experience, you’re not being too sensitive. You’re not overreacting.
You deserve to be heard, believed, and supported.
Healing is possible. And you are not alone. 💛

06/09/2025

🌟 New Workshop for Kids Ages 8–14! 🌟
Is your child struggling with anxiety or stress? Join our 10-week Anxiety Skills Workshop — a supportive, closed group designed to help kids build confidence and calm.

🧠 What: Weekly skills-based sessions to reduce stress and manage anxiety
👧👦 Who: Ages 8–14
🗓️ When:
• Wednesdays @ 7:00–7:50 PM
• Thursdays @ 6:00–6:50 PM
📅 Starting: June 18 & 19
💰 Cost: Insurance accepted or $75/session self-pay
👩‍🏫 Hosted by: Alexis (Ally) Nowakowski, Master’s Intern

🔗 Click the link below to register or request a call for more info!

Let’s give kids the tools they need to feel calm, confident, and in control. 💬💛

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfANJ_pXNpGqvEXF23BoEIeJvwWMk47yAyOTQ4ESM0sRX2jGQ/viewform

06/09/2025

🧠 June is Men's Mental Health Awareness Month 💙
It’s time to end the silence.

Far too often, men are told to "tough it out"—to stay quiet, stay strong, and not ask for help. But the truth is: strength is speaking up, not suffering in silence.

Let's break the stigma around men's mental health. Whether it's therapy, talking to a friend, or just admitting you're struggling—it’s okay to not be okay.

💬 Check in with the men in your life.
🛑 Stop the stigma.
📣 Start the conversation.

06/08/2025

Sometimes self-care looks like taking the medication you need—for your mental health, your physical health, or both. And that’s not just okay—it’s brave, responsible, and necessary.

You don’t have to justify it.
You don’t have to feel ashamed.
Taking care of yourself in whatever way you need is still self-care.

✨ Let’s normalize healing in all its forms.

06/08/2025

https://bestofdentoncounty.com/medical-health/

🌟 We Need Your Help! 🌟

Nominations are OPEN for Denton County’s Best of 2025, and we’d be honored to have your support!

If our team here at Mended Soul Counseling Services has made a positive impact in your life or community, please take a moment to nominate us for Best Mental Health Clinic. 💚

Your nomination helps us continue doing what we love: supporting mental wellness with compassion, care, and heart.

🖊️ Nominate us at the link posted here!
🗓️ Don’t wait — nominations close soon!

Thank you for trusting us with your journey.

Medical / Health Nominate your favorite Denton County Medical & Health Service companies for 2025! Nominations close July 2nd at midnight! Note: Please scroll within the box to view the full content. How to get started Whether you’re a business owner or a resident, learn the steps on how you can p...

06/07/2025

🏡 A Safe Space Isn’t Just a Place — It’s a Feeling.

We all need somewhere (or someone) that feels like safety.
💬 A space where you can breathe.
🌱 Be vulnerable.
❤️ Be yourself without fear of judgment.

If you’ve never had that — it’s okay to create it.
✨ In your home.
✨ In your mind.
✨ With the people you choose to keep around.

🔑 Safe spaces are essential for healing, growth, and mental well-being.
They remind us: We deserve peace. We deserve respect. We deserve to feel seen.

If you can’t find one, build one. And if you have one, protect it. 🧡