Hill Country Family Therapy

03/26/2026

03/26/2026

One of the weirdest trauma survivor experiences is that quasi-dissociative thing where sometimes we're not quite sure we even EXIST.

It can come from decades of invalidation— the
important people in our lives literally behaving like we DON'T exist.

(You do exist, btw.)

03/25/2026

If you’re always “on edge,” there’s a reason.
After trauma, we can become hyper aware of our environment and the people in it because this is what it takes to feel safe.
Our brains and our bodies are trying to protect us from experiencing more trauma.
Hypervigilance isn’t anxiety without cause. It’s your body saying, “We’ve seen this before.”
It’s instinct, not imagination, and definitely not overthinking.
The first step in PTSD recovery is understanding our symptoms and giving ourselves grace.
Be patient with yourself.

03/25/2026

03/25/2026

New business cards

03/14/2026

NEWS OVERLOAD

Do you find yourself checking the news on-line multiple times a day? Do you feel increased stress every time you see a report of a new crisis? Do you “doomscroll” through pages and pages of bad news?

These are common problems, especially when there are many global events occurring. It's easy to get overloaded and become overwhelmed, exhausted, and paralyzed. It can be terribly stressful when the media floods them with conflicting headlines and violent images. We feel that we can't control any of these problems and it leads us to feel helpless.

Our brains are not really designed to sustain continuous exposure to excessive violence. We simply can't handle all the news of everything happening in the world.

One approach is to just disengage completely and refuse to pay any attention to the rest of the world, but that is not very healthy either.

Working to reach a balance can be important. Set boundaries on yourself as to how much time you spend on the media reports. Try to avoid distressing news before bed as it can have a negative effect on your sleep and cause problems with your daytime functioning.

If you want to be engaged, try identifying just one or two key issues that are important to you to read. If there is something you can DO, try to find an action to help decrease the feeling of loss of control. If you have strong feelings about an issue, donate to a cause, volunteer to help, or share information. Make sure that you have accurate information about the situation by reviewing different sources so you don't end up spreading incorrect info.

Definitely work on your own self-care. Get rest, eat health foods, stay hydrated, exercise, practice mindfulness, and stay involved with your own friends and family. Taking care of yourself can lessen the stress of media overload as well.

Send a message to learn more

02/16/2026

Wise words

Healthy relationships are shaped by everyday choices: those small, consistent actions that build trust, connection, and mutual respect over time.

Our February Psychology for a Better You newsletter explores research-backed ways to keep relationships strong, communicate better, and stay connected with the people who matter most.

Learn more: https://at.apa.org/lt2

02/12/2026

Martin Noel, LMFT, is a Marriage and Family Therapist in Marble Falls. He sees couples, families and individuals. When one person in a family is having problems, it affects everyone in the family. Martin is very experienced in helping people who have experienced trauma.

For more information about Marriage and Family Therapy, call Martin Noel, LMFT at 512-553-5141 or email him at Martinnoel@HillCountryFamilyTherapy.org.

01/28/2026

The Five Senses Exercise is a good way to help calm yourself when upset. It allows you (or your child) to focus on those and decrease anxiety.

How to Perform the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
Before starting, take a few slow, deep breaths to calm your nervous system.

5 - Sight: Look around and identify five things you can see (e.g., a chair, a pen, a cloud, a spot on the wall).
4 - Touch: Identify four things you can feel, such as your hair, the chair under you, or your feet on the floor.
3 - Hear: Listen for three distinct sounds, such as birds chirping, traffic, or a refrigerator humming.
2 - Smell: Identify two things you can smell, such as air, coffee, or clothing.
1 - Taste: Identify one thing you can taste, or your favorite taste.

01/05/2026

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

Do you make New Year's resolutions? Have you decided to stop smoking, or lose weight, or drink less soda?? Many of these resolutions, while well-intended, rarely last even past the end of January. It doesn't mean we don't try, it's just hard to make immediate changes that last.

Instead of these types of resolutions, maybe we could try to make a different type. What if you vowed to look for JOY around you? What if you made a promise to PRACTICE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS? What if you decided to interact with others with more EMPATHY? Could you work on those? What would be the benefit to you?

As we move forward in a new year, we can find that looking for joy, finding something good, and identifying things that make us happy becomes easier. When you focus on that concept, even when you are frustrated in traffic, or discouraged about your job, you can still take that moment to think about it for a moment. When you are in traffic, can you turn on some music that you enjoy? Can you look around and notice when the spring flowers start showing up? Can you take some slow, deep breaths to decrease your anxiety and frustration?

If you see someone having a bad day, are you able to take a moment to empathize? Could you tell them that you care, right then? If a mom is having trouble managing with a bag of groceries and a 2-year old, could you offer to help for a minute? It may take a tiny bit of your time, but it may mean all the difference to that mom!

What does it take for you to say “Good Morning” (or afternoon, or whatever) when you step into an elevator with other people? It seems like nothing, but you would be surprised at the effect it might have on a person who wasn't sure how they would get through the day.

And take care of yourself! Breathe. Try to eat healthy food when you can. Get enough sleep. Be kind to yourself as well as others.

You may actually find that these resolutions help YOU feel better. You may smile more, feel more relaxed, and things get easier to deal with.

I wish you all a Happy New Year!

Send a message to learn more

12/15/2025

HOLIDAYS

Holidays can be a time of joyfulness, enjoying time with family or friends, and taking a break from our usual routines. They can also be stressful, especially when you feel there is so much to be done and you are carrying the weight of it. Cooking, cleaning, decorating, buying and wrapping gifts, and trips to the post office to mail them can all start to feel like way too much work.

For some people, the holidays can present an extra stress. It may be their first holiday season after a divorce or break up, so spending time alone has an added pressure. It may be their first holiday without their children, if the kids are going to the other parent's home. It may be a time where they more acutely mourn the loss of a loved one, whether they died recently or many years ago. Our emotions can be very complex at these times.

There is a lot of pressure to be happy during the holidays. It seems that everyone is singing holiday songs, wishing us a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah or Happy Holidays. You may not actually feel happy! You may be going through stress at work, or a relationship problem, and just have no feelings of joy at all. That's okay. You feel whatever you feel and those feelings are valid.

Our brains may be telling us that everything must be perfect in order for it to be a good holiday celebration. But that's not reality. It's more important to take time for self-care, mindfulness, and stress reduction. Take time to decide what is most important to you and your loved ones for the special day. You can't do everything.(no matter how much you'd like to) You have limitations on your time, your energy, your finances, and other resources.

Finding a way to connect with others is important. Do you have a particular tradition for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or any other holiday you celebrate? Are there rituals for your holiday (such as lighting the candles on an Advent wreath or a Menorah) that are meaningful to you? If you aren't able to be with your family, a group of friends in the same situation may be able to join together to celebrate. If finances are tight, homemade gifts can be special as well as spending quality time with someone. Get together to cook a meal or plan a cookie recipe swap (everyone makes their favorite cookies and brings them to the gathering to share, along with a copy of their recipe). Spend some time helping others- serving a meal at a shelter, donating to a person in need, or participating in a toy drive for children.

It's helpful to be present in whatever experience you are having. Be in the moment no matter which type of holiday it is, who you might be with, where you are, and what you are doing. That may be easier said than done. It's a normal human impulse to compare real events to our dream of what we think they “should” be. Find a way to enjoy the current time just as it is. Enjoy the simple pleasures of that time by focusing on who we are spending the holiday with, or the flavors of the special foods, or the magical effect of holiday decorations. And don't forget to BREATHE!!

If you need a Marriage and Family Therapist for help with your stress and concerns, contact Martin Noel LMFT at 512-553-5141.

Send a message to learn more

12/11/2025

Grief looks and feels different for everyone and can be present for various amounts of time. There is no right or wrong way to feel while grieving, but it’s important to know that support and resources are available: samhsa.gov/communities/coping-bereavement-grief