Becky Russell Counseling, LLC

03/14/2026

I absolutely LOVE this quote and love reminding people that we are ALL unique. We each bring our own gifts and talents into the world. And yes, I believe that we ALL have gifts and talents. Sometimes it's just a matter of figuring out our own unique gifts and talents. Wouldn't the world be a boring place if we were all the same??

I think this is something so many people in the world forget, and tend to measure others by their own standards. Of course, I try really hard NOT to judge others, but when in situations where there are measures--school for example--I think it is important to allow some flexibility on approaches (when possible) because I realize we don't all have the same perspective or "cookie cutter" thoughts. In teaching my college classes I attempt to recognize students' different strengths and learning styles. This, of course, can be applied to so many areas of life.

True intelligence is best measured by tasks relevant to one's natural abilities, not by narrow, inappropriate metrics. "Judging" someone by what they can't do, rather than what they can, damages their confidence and self-perception. We should find roles that utilize our specific talents rather than forcing ourselves to be "square pegs into round holes".

Please don't compare your weaknesses to others' strengths; focus on developing your own potential. If you don't already know, figure out what your talents/skills/gifts are; then develop them and utilize them to the best of your ability. THAT is true intelligence!

Instead of judging someone--or even yourself, for not being able to do well in certain things, let's encourage and empower ourselves and others to find our gifts and achieve our goals in our own way.

And should you become discouraged with something, ask yourself "Is this in my wheelhouse? Is this meant for me?"

What is YOUR gift/talent/skill that you can bring into the world? 💖

_______________________________________________________

***This goes for parents as well. How often do parents have a preconceived notion of what they want from their children; what they want their children to like and to be?

What a difference could we make in children's lives if we embrace who they are with their unique gifts and talents and support and nurture them in that, rather than trying to fit them into a mold of what we want?💖

02/15/2026

1000%!!!!

01/14/2026

I once had a young client give me what I consider to be one of the best compliments ever…she said, “Ms. Becky, you know what I love about coming here (to therapy)? I love how you listen to me, because you dont just listen with your ears. You listen with your eyes and your whole body.”

Nothing builds connection/attachment quite like being FULLY present with another. Not just listening with your ears, but sitting in FULL attunement with every ounce of your being. This creates safety…this creates a feeling of “I matter”. This creates true connection.
And it’s not even always about being able to solve the issue. It’s really about the full on attunement. Just being heard. Just knowing someone cares enough to give themselves fully into the moment of caring enough to be there and be interested. 💖

01/09/2026

*Warning* Long Post…☺️💖

I realize it has been quite a long time since I have posted consistently on this page. I would like to take a moment to share why.
For quite some time I have been torn about social media (for many reasons). I won’t get into all of those reasons in this post. For now I’ll just focus on the reason that specifically relates here.

I began this page several years ago with the idea that putting some positive thoughts into the world via social media could be helpful. And I still believe that—especially given how divided our society is these days and all of the negativity out there. I want to bring as much positivity into the world as I can.
What I began to doubt and wonder about, however, is when posting therapeutic thoughts, how can I possibly offer something that could be beneficial for all?
It’s really a difficult task given how diverse and complex society is; and also given that each therapeutic issue is nuanced and often complex. When I see clients I treat each person as the individual that tgey are and know that whike they may share a common issue, their particular situation and response to that situation is uniquely theirs. I would never want to offer information as blanket statements, when I can’t possibly know how it might affect the person reading it.

Some might say to go ahead and post things; that if I have good intentions and if someone takes it the wrong way, that’s on them. Maybe…but here’s the thing. As a therapist, I sit in rooms with people who are on social media regularly. They often aren’t trained therapists so they aren’t as adept at parsing through what is accurate and what is not; what is good for some but not for all; what actually could be harmful…you get the idea. And I am often surprised by the amount of misinformation that is being put out there. (It does offer me the opportunity for good, clear psycheducation with my clients. But I am concerned for those out there who take this information in and aren’t in therapy or they dont bring it up with their therapist and have the opportunity to learn truth.)

And the thing is, I have noticed for a long time now that social media is inundated with people (some who are trained/educated therapists and some who are not) who are creating posts with information on “how to cure anxiety” (or depression or eating disorders, or a plethora of other diagnoses; or those who are “experts” on dissociation and parts work because they read an article or a book on Internal Family Systems model).
They are putting quick information out there without full context. And often they’re doing it because it worked for them in their own therapy; or because they’ve had a little bit of healing and now believe they know how to “heal” others. I believe they have good intentions but may not be aware that these posts could cause issues.
Or sometimes I see “celebrity therapists” putting out regular posts with hints of information with the idea that people might reach out to them for sessions, or perhaps it is an ego boost to continue to create a constant presence on social media.

The truth is true healing is nuanced and often requires a trained professional to guide and assist. While there may be blanket truths in a lot of these posts, they arent one-size-fits-all, nor are they a substitute for true therapy.
I have struggled because, again, I don’t want to be guilty of misguiding anyone. And I hope this post doesn’t come across as critical or “judgy”. I just think this is a growing issue that no one is talking about. One that I don’t want to contribute to.

So please know that I think I have found my balance with all of this and I intend to begin to post more regularly.
But know this, when I offer a post, it is out of a pure heart and a true wish to see more positivity in the world.
And should I EVER offer a post that is confusing to anyone or inconsistent with anything I just said, please contact me and call me out on it! ☺️

Also, I will add that when you see posts about mental health and wellness “techniques” or advice on which type of therapy is best, etc, please do your homework. Healing is NOT a one-size-fits-all and cannot be broken down into a daily blanketed 3-line post with a picture or meme.
Your mental and emotional wellbeing is precious and uniquely yours—and should be treated as such.
Don’t blindly take someone’s social media post as the end-all be-all. Not even mine. 😁

I welcome any of your thoughts and open discussions in the comments below.

Wishing you all well on your path. Have a fantastic day! 💖

01/09/2026

💫💖💫

11/12/2025

Calling all therapists who see adults: do yourself and your clients a favor and sign up for this training!

Elisa Elkin-Cleary has spent many years successfully helping people step into themselves and begin to live with clarity and intention.

This training is foundational for any work you are doing…and for some clients, it IS the work.

This work has transformed how I view my work, my clients, and even myself.

I truly don’t think you will regret attending this amazing training with this incredible teacher.

Here’s the link to sign up:

Cultivating an Embodied Adult Self for Stability & Wholeness in Clinical Practice, professional training with Elisa Elkin-Cleary, a 2.5 day online group seminar.

05/10/2025

With Mother's Day approaching, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge a few things. While Mother's Day is a happy day for many, it can also be a sad and/or complicated day for so many.

There are the "Motherless Children"...some who mourn the loss of one of the greatest loves they have ever known because their Mother is no longer here on earth; and others who mourn the fact that they will never know that amazing type of love because, while their Mother may still be here in the physical form--she was never fully present, nor was she capable of giving the love, connection, and safety that goes with that...all so desperately needed. And yet there are others who fall into this second category and are mourning because their Mother has now passed and they will never in this lifetime have the opportunity to receive that love from their Mother.

And then there’s the child who was given up for adoption. While they may have been adopted into a very nurturing, loving home and have a caring Mother who would do anything for them, there’s still grief and pain from the separation and loss of their Birth Mother.

And then there are the "Childless Mothers"... some who were never able to experience Motherhood at all even though they yearned for children; some who made a choice to give their child up for adoption; and some who lost children to death far too soon in life and mourn the opportunity to get to raise and mother/nurture their child into adulthood and beyond ;
There are also Mothers who mourn the loss of the child they once had, as their child has had a physical trauma that has forever altered/changed the course of the child's life. While these Mothers still have their child here on earth and are extremely grateful, they mourn life as it once was--the hopes and dreams they once had for their child have been forever altered.
And then there are others who have lost their children to other things--perhaps addiction, mental health issues--these Mothers have also "lost" their child and hold onto hope that their child will one day return to them. Every day that is lost to addiction, mental health issues, and/or other such situations is a day a mother will never get back. These days often become lost years with added pain due to negative choices made in the throws of illness, and the Mother is left feeling helpless and powerless.
ALL of these Childless Mothers grieve missed opportunities to be able to nurture their child and experience milestones in their lives.

And then there are Mothers for whom this day is both happy and sad--for they may have one or more living child who is present and active in the Mother’s life AND also have one or more child who is now passed or has issues and is no longer active and present in the Mother's life. While the living, present child(ren) may be the light of the Mother's life, make no mistake, there is a void and devastating pain and sadness in missing and mourning the loss of the one(s) who is (are) no longer present.

Finally, there are those for whom this is a joyful day of celebration of your nurturing, loving, mothering self; a day without complication. If this is you, please consider yourself fortunate and practice gratitude for the life you have.

For those who have any complications around Mother's Day--great or small--may you know that you are not alone and that you are loved. Please take a moment and embrace both the joys and sadness this day brings, and then do something special for yourself.
💖🌸💗🌸💖🌸💗🌸💖🌸💗🌸💖🌸

04/02/2025

Here’s to you, Brave Mama!!💖

To the Mom Who Is the First in Her Family to Heal

No one taught you how to do this.
How to regulate your emotions.
How to discipline with love instead of fear.
How to communicate without yelling, punishing, or shutting down.

You weren’t raised with tenderness.
You were raised with compliance.
You were taught not to cry, not to question, not to feel too much or need too much.

So now, you’re the one standing in the middle of the storm and choosing to end it.

To break the chain that’s been passed down for generations.

That’s not light work.
That’s sacred work.

You’re the first to go to therapy.
The first to say, “This ends with me.”
The first to speak your truth, even when your voice shakes.
The first to choose softness over silence.
The first to teach your child, “You are allowed to feel, and I will still love you.”

And yes—it’s isolating.
There are moments where you feel misunderstood.
When your own family says you’re “too sensitive,” “too soft,” “too much.”
But that’s because they don’t know what it’s like to raise a child with intention instead of fear.

Let them talk.

You are doing what they didn’t have the courage—or the tools—to do.

You are showing your child that love doesn’t have to hurt.
That connection doesn’t have to come at the cost of safety.
That they don’t have to lose themselves to be loved.

You are the turning point in your bloodline.
The root of the new tree.

And one day, your child will say,
“I grew up with peace, because my mom chose healing over history.”

01/26/2025

This!!🩵🩵🩵

01/24/2025

A process group tomorrow (Friday) for anyone who would like to attend.

01/23/2025

It has taken me a bit to compose myself this evening…another school shooting happened today in Nashville. I’m heartbroken and sad and angry—-all the feelings.
I’m also grateful. (Bear with me…)
I’ve been doing a “Year of Gratitude Thread” with my immediate family since 1/1/25. Every day I text a blurb about something I’m grateful for. I REALLY had to sit and gather myself today.

Here’s what I wrote:

1/22/25:
Today has been difficult. There was a school shooting here in Nashville and I feel so very heavy and sad. NO child should ever have to be subjected to such violence simply by going to school. And no adult who is there to teach and help mold children should have to put their life on the line to do the good that they are doing in these kids’ lives. Again, I am in tears and heartbroken. 💔
What I AM grateful for is the small acts of kindness in the midst of such devastation. There’s a news video of a school security officer hugging and consoling a parent. The officer, himself, is devastated but he took the time to comfort a visibly shaken parent. I’m grateful for even the nuggets of kindness in the aftermath of such a senseless act.
Mr. Rogers’ mom taught him that when he is in the midst of such a tragedy, to look for the helpers. The helpers offer light in the darkness.
The “helpers” aren’t just the first responders, the doctors and nurses, the counselors, or even the spiritual leaders. The “helpers” consist of any person who can shine even a small light in the darkness by offering a smile, a hug, a kind word, a thoughtful gesture—anything that offers someone a glimpse of hope. Sometimes we can be a “helper” without even knowing it. 💖

01/09/2024

Yes…💖💖💖