Taylor Wellness Counseling Services, LLC

03/02/2023

GAD-7 Anxiety Self Assessment Scale

It’s increasingly harder for medical professionals to accurately diagnose anxiety. There are many conditions which can cause anxiety symptoms. Some of these include Thyroid disease, Lyme Disease, Endometriosis, ADHD, and a number of different neurological disorders.

According to the National Institutes of Health, misdiagnosis rates are 65.9% for major depressive disorder, 92.7% for bipolar disorder, 85.8% for panic disorder, 71.0% for generalized anxiety disorder, and 97.8% for social anxiety disorder.

A simple test for patients and practitioners to use to identify if what they are experiencing is true anxiety or symptoms pointing to another issue is the GAD-7. It’s attached below. Answer these questions then make a virtual appointment today by calling 231-287-3015.

Taylor Wellness Counseling, LLC
Complete Wellness
https://www.taylorwellnesscounseling.com/
Info@taylorwellnesscounseling.com

https://www.uofmhealth.org/sites/default/files/healthwise/media/pdf/hw/form_abn2339.pdf

03/01/2023

My Mirror Hates Me - How CBT therapy can help

Have you ever found yourself standing in front of the mirror crying uncontrollably, not even sure how you got to that point? You’re not alone.

Nearly everyone has intrusive thoughts that cause some level of emotional discomfort at one time or another. However intrusive thoughts that lead to anxiety and depression are thought to plague around 6 million people in the United States alone.

The leading physiotherapy model used to treat this condition is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. CBT helps clients take back control of their thought life by practicing mindfulness and redirection techniques.

I have been using cognitive behavioral therapy to treat clients with anxiety and depression issues for 25 years. Let’s set up a time together, in my office or by phone, to talk about your symptoms and customize a goal oriented treatment plan to get control of your thought life and ease your emotional turmoil.

Contact Jerilyn Taylor at 231-287-3015 or
Taylor Wellness Counseling, LLC
Complete Wellness
https://www.taylorwellnesscounseling.com/
Info@taylorwellnesscounseling.com

Behavioral health therapy in Paris, MI offering Telehealth appointments. Paperwork can be filled out online. Online payments are accepted. Contact us at (231) 287-3015.

02/28/2023

Still Stuck? Break Old Thinking Patterns

A therapeutic tool we use to break old thinking patterns is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Also known as CBT.

CBT helps us recognize unproductive thinking patterns and replace them with productive ones that are followed by an action to reinforce it.

For example, many people struggling with depression think, “Nobody loves me.” While this is highly unlikely to be true it can feel true. We will work on recognizing these negative thoughts and replacing them with thoughts like, “other people have busy lives but they still love me.” Or, “I am a good person who is loved and loves others”.

Then we work on behavior patterns. So instead of running to a substance to numb the pain of feeling unloved. We change our thinking then call someone and tell them we love them.

CBT helps patients with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, among many other mental health issues. It also helps to build confidence as you become able to consistently practice new healthy skills.

If you’re tired of being stuck then give me a call right now so we come up with a plan to set your mind and soul free to live a self assured consistent life.

Contact Jerilyn Taylor at 231-287-3015 or
Taylor Wellness Counseling, LLC
Complete Wellness
https://www.taylorwellnesscounseling.com/
Info@taylorwellnesscounseling.com

02/27/2023

Mental Health is a Family Issue

Do you have a family member who is suffering from mental health issues? I understand. It’s so hard to watch a loved one struggle with depression, anxiety, or mood disorders. Not only to watch but to try and help to no avail.

First, know that it’s not your fault. Life stressors and traumas add up. Eventually it can be too much for one person to sift through and make sense of. Even though you may be offering as much love and support as you can, your family member might need professional help.

One thing you can do is find healthcare professionals qualified to meet with them and assess their needs. I can help with that. We will work together to make sure the person you care about is in good hands so you can focus on taking care of yourself.

Please pass on my information to anyone you know who is suffering with mental health problems. I may be able to help. If not I can refer them to someone who can. Together we can achieve complete wellness.

Jerilyn Taylor 231-287-3015 or email at info@taylorwellnesscounseling.com

To see a full list of services please visit

Behavioral health therapy in Paris, MI offering Telehealth appointments. Paperwork can be filled out online. Online payments are accepted. Contact us at (231) 287-3015.

02/23/2023

The 5 best ways to stop an anxiety attack in its tracks

Everyone experiences stressors in life at one time or another. From those stressors it’s easy to let our thoughts wander into the land of what if’s and should haves causing us more stress. But when your anxiety is getting in the way of your daily life routine it’s time to take action.

Here are some tips to help reduce your anxiety at the moment.

Deep breathing exercises stimulate the calming part of our nervous system and help feel more present in our body and the moment.

Grounding exercises like rubbing the palm of your hands on your thighs or taking two fingers together and tapping three times lightly on the top of your head, then your temples, then the middle of your forehead, under your eyes, and just above your collarbone will bring you back to the moment and give your mind something else to focus on.

Practice the 3-3-3 rule. Look around you. Identify 3 things you see. Close your eyes and name 3 things you hear. Now move 3 parts of your body.

Practice positive self talk. Tell yourself, “this will pass”, “I’m safe right here right now”, “I have everything I need in this moment”, “I am in control of my emotions. I am the leader of my mind”

By redirecting our mind to focus on a different part of our body we can stop the panic attack in its tracks. This can be done by running your inner wrists under cold water. Putting ice cubes in a washcloth then pressing it to your forehead or back of the neck. Put something sour or hot in your mouth.

For additional skill building call me today for an assessment at 231-287-3015

Taylor Wellness Counseling, LLC
Complete Wellness
https://www.taylorwellnesscounseling.com/
Info@taylorwellnesscounseling.com

02/22/2023

Help! I need some emotional regulation!
A trauma focused DBT model for PTSD

I don’t know about you but I certainly have days that get crazy and my emotions get a bit out of whack. Daily stressors are usually the villain when it comes to intermittent emotional dysregulation. But what about constant ups and downs and all over the place every day issues? What about when those emotions take a person so far down they want to hurt themselves?

Often, chronic emotional dysregulation, or the ability to control one’s emotions and by extension behavior, can be a sign of a mood disorder. ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, and PTSD are just a few that experience extreme emotional turbulence and can benefit from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

Dialectical behavior therapy or DBT is a psychotherapy model we use to help clients feel safe, accept themselves, manage their emotions, and lower incidence of self harm.

I use a version of this through a trauma model to help clients with PTSD feel empowered and take back their identity. They learn to breath, communicate, and love through this powerful tool. It is such an honor to walk this path of self reconciliation with hurting clients and be a part of their transformation.

If you or someone you know is struggling with emotional dysregulation give me a call. I’ll help
you learn how to manage your emotions and walk in the freedom of healing.

Contact Jerilyn Taylor at 231-287-3015 or
Taylor Wellness Counseling, LLC
Complete Wellness
https://www.taylorwellnesscounseling.com/
Info@taylorwellnesscounseling.com

02/21/2023

Digital Healthcare Tools

It has become increasingly harder to get clients in the doors of physical locations. We were forced to be at home for a long period of time. Now we’ve become accustomed to it. Many people like being able to complete work, grocery shop, and even get therapy from the comfort of their home.

The pandemic blew the roof off the digital healthcare tools marketplace. There are over 10,000 listed apps between the Apple Store and Google Play that claim to help treat psychological issues. There is some debate about the legitimacy of some of these apps but still, they are out there and worth noting.

It doesn’t stop with apps. Now that we have had a lifestyle tracker (e.i. phone) attached to us for years there are huge databases being used to predict depression and even suicidal trends on a global scale. Cyber security has become a huge factor in healthcare treatment. The online space has been made more secure with electronic health records and practice management systems. In addition to information and security we see online appointments and community peer support groups have rounded out the convenience factor and help clients stay out of isolation mode.

At Taylor Wellness Counseling Services I have included many of these digital healthcare tools to offer my clients the latest and most useful technological advancements in the field.

Email me today at info@taylorwellnesscounseling or send me a text to 231-287-3015 to schedule your online appointment.

02/20/2023

Daily Self Monitoring

Most of us go through our lives getting by without really knowing how we are actually feeling. We don’t worry until we are at the breaking point and suddenly have a bunch of damage control to manage. Which is an ineffective and unmanageable way to live.

Monitoring our daily mental health helps ease of the pain of stress and keeps us further from that state of chaos. Once we are informed about how we are actually doing then we can do something about it.

Here are a couple of easy daily monitoring assessments for you to use. I suggest picking one and using it for about two months before picking a new one. One step at a time!

After using these for a couple of weeks it’s time for a professional assessment to create an appropriate treatment plan. Don’t try to go through it alone. Call me today! 231-287-3015

Taylor Wellness Counseling, LLC
Complete Wellness
https://www.taylorwellnesscounseling.com/
Info@taylorwellnesscounseling.com

Anxiety
https://www.sadag.org/images/pdf/Anxiety_Self_Rating_Scale.pdf

Depression
https://ummentalhealth.info/toolkit-download/pdf/PatientHealthQuestionnairePHQ9.pdf

Insomnia
https://ummentalhealth.info/toolkit-download/pdf/SleepAssessmentQuestionnaire.pdf

Substance Abuse
https://ummentalhealth.info/toolkit-download/pdf/EvaluatingTheSignsOfSubstanceAbuse.pdf

Behavioral health therapy in Paris, MI offering Telehealth appointments. Paperwork can be filled out online. Online payments are accepted. Contact us at (231) 287-3015.

02/16/2023

Sleep Improves Mental Health

It’s no secret that sleep is necessary for physical health but most people don’t realize how important it is to mental health as well.

Poor sleep patterns increase anxiety, promote mania, worsens PTSD symptoms, and affects nearly every psychological disorder. Much of the time insomnia creates a negative cycle of poor sleep promotes worse symptoms and worsening symptoms promote worse insomnia.

There are a number of things you can do on your own to improve your sleeping patterns:

Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
Exercise and get fresh air during the day
Lay off caffeine, food, and ci******es in the evening hours
Turn all devices off for at least one hour before bedtime
Employ a nightly routine (brush teeth, read for an hour, take a hot shower, etc)

If you still can’t regulate your sleep then it is time to seek professional help. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Insomnia (CBT-I) helps identify patterns and find new ways to treat the issue. Medical treatment such as sleep aids and additional testing for obstructive sleep apnea might also become necessary.

Call me today to set up an assessment and create a successful sleep plan at
231-287-3015.

Taylor Wellness Counseling, LLC
Complete Wellness
https://www.taylorwellnesscounseling.com/
Info@taylorwellnesscounseling.com

02/15/2023

Trauma Informed Care vs. Trauma Treatment

It is scary to even think about dredging up traumatic events.

I understand and have found education about what we’re actually going to do helps clients embrace the process.

The two terms Trauma Informed Care and Trauma Treatment are often used interchangeably but they are different.

At Taylor Wellness Counseling I offer Trauma Informed Care…meaning no matter what treatment model we are using I am sensitive to the environment and culture I expose my clients to in the office. I know a large percentage of people seeking mental health and substance abuse treatment have experienced trauma, so I take great care to treat the whole person and let my clients feel in control of their treatment plan. I never insist you revisit an event or memory you are not ready to. I created a safe space that minimizes re-traumatization.

I also offer specific trauma treatment which is designed to treat the symptoms of trauma. Most people think they are deficient in character when they are really exhibiting symptoms of something that happened beyond their control. The model I use guides clients through a process of learning what the symptoms are, how to manage those symptoms to live successfully each day, and how to engage in the world around them in a new way that sets them free at last.

I care about your whole being and helping you find balance emotionally, physically, and spiritually to live a self directed life.

Give me a call today at 231-287-3015 so we can discuss what treatment model fits your recovery as we work in a trauma informed environment.

Taylor Wellness Counseling, LLC
Complete Wellness
https://www.taylorwellnesscounseling.com/
Info@taylorwellnesscounseling.com

Behavioral health therapy in Paris, MI offering Telehealth appointments. Paperwork can be filled out online. Online payments are accepted. Contact us at (231) 287-3015.

02/14/2023

I’ve Been There Too
I understand how hard it is to find that inner peace while dealing with the commotion of life. I've been there too. That place where my anxiety and worries were taking over my life and preventing me from living in the moment.

Once I gained more control over my own thoughts I saw how many people surrounding me struggled with anxiety, depression, self-esteem or anger issues. I wanted to help others find what I had found. That dream started a 25 year journey that brings me to you.

At Taylor Wellness Counseling Services, I will help you find balance through physical, emotional and spiritual health.

I can't wait to meet you! Call me TODAY at 231-287-3015

Taylor Wellness Counseling, LLC
Complete Wellness
https://www.taylorwellnesscounseling.com/
Info@taylorwellnesscounseling.com

Behavioral health therapy in Paris, MI offering Telehealth appointments. Paperwork can be filled out online. Online payments are accepted. Contact us at (231) 287-3015.

02/13/2023

Anxiety 54321 Method

Anxiety attacks come at the worst possible times.

Sometimes our environment can trigger a traumatic memory without us even knowing it.

Other times it builds slowly as we allow our minds to wander into danger zones.

However you get there it usually comes at the most inopportune time, I know. I used to have anxiety attacks too.

Then I learned an easy to use trick to bring me back to my present moment and bring the attack under control.

It’s called the 54321 method.

Focus on five things you can see. Really take them in and recognize their place in the world around you.
Touch four things around you. Try to touch four different textures if possible.
Now listen and identify three things you can hear. The wind, the birds, cars, tv, etc.
Move your attention now to two things you can smell.
Last, find something to taste. Try keeping gum or mints with you.

Now get to the heart of what is causing the anxiety by setting up an appointment with me today. Visit in the office or online by calling 231-287-3015 or go to https://www.taylorwellnesscounseling.com/ right now!