Healing & Growth Counseling

03/02/2026

Bipolar II disorder is often misunderstood.

Unlike Bipolar I, Bipolar II does not involve full manic episodes. Instead, it includes recurring depressive episodes and periods of hypomania.

Hypomania is a milder elevation in mood and energy that may look like:
• Increased productivity ⚡
• Elevated or expansive mood
• Decreased need for sleep
• Racing thoughts 🧠
• Increased talkativeness 🗣️
• Heightened confidence

While hypomania may not cause the same level of disruption as mania, depressive episodes in Bipolar II are often frequent and distressing.

Depressive symptoms may include:
• Persistent sadness 💭
• Low energy 💤
• Loss of interest
• Sleep or appetite changes
• Feelings of hopelessness

With structured care and support, long-term stability is achievable 🌿

Sarah Mohan, MS, CRC, MHC-LP, CVE, WIP-C specializes in working with individuals navigating Bipolar II disorder and other mood disorders. She provides thoughtful, individualized care to help clients better understand mood patterns and build sustainable coping strategies.

If you are navigating recurring depression along with periods of increased energy or mood changes, professional guidance can provide clarity.

www.healinggrowthcounseling.com

02/27/2026

Bipolar I disorder is a mood disorder characterized by manic episodes and often periods of depression.

It is more than mood swings.

A manic episode involves a noticeable and sustained shift in mood and energy that is different from a person’s usual baseline and severe enough to impact daily functioning.

During a manic episode, someone may experience:
• Decreased need for sleep ⚡
• Racing thoughts 🧠
• Rapid or pressured speech 🗣️
• Heightened confidence or grandiosity 📈
• Impulsivity or risky decisions 🎢
• Increased irritability 🔄

Many individuals with Bipolar I also experience depressive episodes, which may include:
• Persistent sadness 💭
• Fatigue 💤
• Loss of interest in activities
• Changes in sleep or appetite
• Difficulty concentrating

Mania can significantly affect relationships, work, and decision-making. Early recognition and structured support are important.

With proper treatment, including therapy and when appropriate medication management, stability is possible 🌿

Sarah Mohan, MS, CRC, MHC-LP, CVE, WIP-C specializes in working with individuals navigating Bipolar I disorder and other mood disorders. She provides structured, compassionate care focused on mood stabilization, insight building, and long-term support.

If you or someone you care about is experiencing significant mood shifts, professional support can help.

www.healinggrowthcounseling.com

Check availability and request an initial appointment: https://www.therapyportal.com/p/healinggrowth/

02/25/2026

🧠 Divergent Path: A therapeutic group for neurodivergent young men (ages 18–25) navigating the challenges of early adulthood.

This group is for men who identify as neurodivergent—including those with autism, ADHD, different learning styles, or other brain-based differences. Participants may experience:

▪️ Executive functioning challenges (planning, organization, time management)
▪️ Sensory sensitivities (sound, light, texture)
▪️ Social communication differences
▪️ Difficulties with motivation, structure, or managing expectations

The transition into adulthood can feel overwhelming—especially when you're expected to thrive in systems not built for your brain. This group offers guidance, support, and community, without the pressure to have it all figured out.

🔹 Who it’s for: Neurodivergent men ages 18–25
🔹 Where: In-person
🔹 When: Sundays 11:00–12:15, starting March 22, 2026
🔹 Group size: 6–8 participants
🔹 Format: Ongoing, open group
🔹 Screening required

🔍 Topics include:

Executive functioning skills

Academic, vocational, and personal goal setting

Building friendships and navigating social situations

Emotional development and regulation

Identity, independence, and self-advocacy

👥 Facilitated by Marisa Higgins, MSEd, CRC, NCC, MHC-LP

📩 Contact us to learn more or begin the screening process.

02/24/2026

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 💙
February 23 through March 1 📅

Eating disorders are serious and complex mental health conditions 🧠
They are not choices, phases, or simply about food.

They can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, body size, background, or profession.

You might not always see the struggle 🤍

It can look like
• Obsessive thoughts about food, weight, or exercise
• Restriction or rigid food rules
• Bingeing or purging behaviors
• Shame, secrecy, or anxiety around meals
• A constant inner critic

Recovery is possible 🌿
Support matters 🤝
Conversations reduce stigma 🗣️

This week is about awareness, education, and compassion for those who are struggling, those in recovery, and the families who care deeply about them 💛

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, support is available. Reaching out can be a meaningful first step ✨

02/23/2026

the outside, everything looks fine.
You show up. You get things done. You handle responsibilities. ✔️

But inside, your mind rarely slows down. 🧠

High-functioning anxiety often hides behind productivity and achievement. It can look like overthinking, constant mental to-do lists, difficulty relaxing, and feeling guilty for resting.

Just because you’re managing doesn’t mean you’re not overwhelmed.

We’re sharing a new blog on high-functioning anxiety — what it looks like, why it’s hard to recognize, and how to begin shifting. 🌿

Read more on our website. 🔗 www.healinggrowthcounseling.com

02/19/2026

Travel anxiety is more common than people realize ✈️🧠

For some, the idea of packing, navigating airports, flying, or being away from home can bring up worry, tension, or a sense of unease. Even trips meant to be relaxing can feel overwhelming when anxiety is involved 🌿

Travel anxiety can show up as:
• Racing thoughts or “what if” worries
• Trouble sleeping before a trip
• Feeling on edge, irritable, or overwhelmed
• Physical symptoms like tightness, nausea, or restlessness

These responses don’t mean anything is “wrong.”
They’re often the nervous system reacting to change, uncertainty, or loss of control 🤍

Support, preparation, and coping strategies can help make travel feel more manageable over time ✨

👉 Read our newest blog article to learn more about travel anxiety and ways to cope: https://www.healinggrowthcounseling.com/blog/travel-anxiety-when-the-desire-to-go-meets-the-fear-to-leave

If travel anxiety is impacting your well-being, support is available.
Contact us through our website or by calling our office 📞💻

02/11/2026

Ever notice how your thoughts can sometimes make situations feel heavier than they need to be? 🧠💭

Our minds often fall into unhelpful thinking patterns, especially during stress or overwhelm. These patterns are sometimes called thinking traps, and they can shape how we feel, react, and see ourselves.

Common thinking traps include:
• All-or-nothing thinking ⚖️
• Expecting the worst before it happens 🔮
• Ignoring the positives 🌥️
• Labeling yourself with harsh words 🏷️
• Taking things personally 💔
• Assuming you know what others are thinking 🧠

Becoming aware of these patterns creates space for more balanced and compassionate thinking 🌿

You don’t have to believe every thought you have.

👉 Check out our latest blog to learn more about thinking traps and how to work through them: https://www.healinggrowthcounseling.com/blog/understanding-unhelpful-thought-patterns-and-how-they-shape-our-mindset

Support is available when you need it 🤍

Contact us through our website or by calling our office 📞💻

www.healinggrowthcounseling.com

02/07/2026

Becoming an empty nester is more than just having a quieter house 🕊️

It can bring a mix of emotions that many women don’t expect 💭🤍

For years, so much time, identity, and purpose are centered around caring for your children 👩‍👧‍👦

When that chapter shifts, it can leave space that feels unfamiliar and sometimes lonely, disorienting, or emotionally heavy 🌿

You might notice:

• A sense of grief or loss 💔

• Changes in identity or purpose 🔄

• Feeling disconnected or unsure of what’s next ❓

• Guilt for missing your children and wanting more for yourself 🤍

• A desire to rediscover joy, meaning, and fulfillment ✨

Our upcoming Empty Nester Support Group for Women offers a supportive space to talk openly about this transition, connect with others who truly understand, and gently explore what this next chapter can look like 🌸

🗓 Group begins 2/28

🕐 Saturdays at 1 PM

💻 Virtual open group

👩‍⚕️ Facilitated by Candyce Young, MS, MHC-LP

You don’t have to navigate this season alone 🤍 For more info, contact us via phone, email, or through our website: www.healinggrowthcounseling.com

Do you have a grown child who will be going away to college in the fall? A grown child who will be moving out soon? Do you fear how quiet it will be at home? Do you worry about the changes this...

02/06/2026

Life can be so busy that we forget to rest. Rest is often perceived as a negative in present-day society. Read our latest blog to learn more about the benefits of rest, how rest can look different for different people, and how therapy can support rest and wellness. Let rest be a part of your wellness practice, in whatever way rest works well for you.

In a culture that values productivity and constant movement, rest is often overlooked or misunderstood. Many people push through exhaustion, believing that slowing down means falling behind. However,...

02/04/2026

Today is World Cancer Day 🎗️🤍

Cancer impacts more than the body.
It can affect emotions, relationships, identity, and mental well-being 🧠💭

Whether someone is navigating a diagnosis, supporting a loved one, grieving a loss, or adjusting after treatment, the emotional experience can feel heavy and overwhelming 🌿

Feelings like fear, sadness, anger, uncertainty, and exhaustion are valid.
No one should have to carry them alone 🤍🤲

Mental health support can help individuals and families process these experiences, build coping skills, and feel supported through every stage of the journey 💬🧩

Today, we honor strength, resilience, remembrance, and hope ✨🎗️

Support is available. You are not alone 🤍

02/03/2026

Wellness is not all-or-nothing 🤍
Give yourself grace.

Some days you have the energy to do more.
Other days, just getting through is enough — and that still counts 🌿

Mental wellness isn’t built on perfection or doing everything “right.”
It’s built on showing up in the ways you can, when you can 🧠✨

Doing less doesn’t mean you’re failing.
It means you’re listening to what your mind and body need 🤍

Progress looks different every day.
Small steps, pauses, and rest all matter.

If perfectionism or pressure is weighing on you, support is available.
Contact us through our website or by calling our office 📞💻

www.healinggrowthcounseling.com

02/02/2026

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the most common theoretical models utilized in the mental health field.

Focusing on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, working with a therapist using a CBT model can help you to reframe, refocus, and challenge thoughts in a way that improves mood and emotional regulation, and promotes healthy change in behaviors.

See the link below for the most recent blog on our website, diving further into the theory and benefits of CBT.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, commonly known as CBT, is an evidence-based form of therapy that focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is built on the idea that the...