Elevate Mental Health And Wellness LLC

09/22/2023

✨ Practice Update ✨

We are no longer accepting clients under age 14.

Thank you!

08/28/2022

We’ve expanded our hours!! Now offering appointments on Sundays between 4-8 pm. ✨

Hello! My name is Morgan Halton. I am so glad you are here! I am a double alum of Florida State University, and have been working professionally in the mental health field for the past 4 years. I began my career as a school social worker, and then transitioned into mental health counseling in 2019.....

06/24/2022

✨ Therapist Thought Dump ✨

Q: I want to implement positive and/or “gentle” parenting, but am afraid my child(ren) won’t respect me. What does this look like?

A: Using positive/gentle parenting can actually help your children respect you more!! This style allows your child a voice. Implementing consequences that follow the behavior, allowing your child to express their point of view, and explaining reasoning behind decisions can help foster that respect. It can also help model how respect looks so your child will then expect this style of communication in their own relationships.

Examples of how this might look in practice:

Your child is playing at the pool with neighborhood friends. A disagreement ensues over a toy. Your child gets frustrated over not getting a turn with the toy, and hits the other child.

Step 1: Allow your child to explain what happened without interrupting or making passive aggressive noises/faces.
Step 2: Your child walks over with you to the other child (preferably in front of the other parent) and apologizes for hitting the other child.
Step 3: you say to your child in front of the other child- “We do not put our hands on others. It is not a nice way to play and is unsafe. Please show me how you should have handled this if (other child) was playing with a toy you wanted.” Your child demonstrates asking nicely to share, getting a parent, playing with another toy, etc.
Step 4: Begin walking back, and tell your child “Thank you for apologizing and showing me the correct behavior. If I see you hit another child again, you will not be allowed to play with the other children for the rest of the day, as it makes the environment not safe for the other children”.

Other tidbits to remember:

1. “Because I said so” is not an appropriate response. As an adult, you should be able to explain to your child the reasoning behind a rule and a consequence, as your child should be able to explain why they chose to break a rule. Don’t lead with emotion.

2. Consequences should always logically follow the rule break. For example, if your child hits another child as above, you shouldn’t take away their iPad. That has nothing to do with the rule they broke, and it won’t make sense to them.

3. Your children should not be scared of you, they should respect you. There is a big difference. Helicopter and/or fear-based parenting can foster resentment, anxiety, and encourage risky behavior. Your teenager especially is going to rebel even harder if you allow them no autonomy.

4. Consequences should be consistent every time, and should not be differing between siblings (ex. One sibling should not be able to say “that’s not fair, when sibling did this they did not receive the same consequence”).

A great way to increase buy in is by sitting down as a family and collaboratively creating a “house rules” sheet that everyone signs. Each member is allowed a voice. This should be amended or gone over again at the start and end of every school year. This is also a great time to introduce later bedtimes, increased freedoms with age, etc.

Hope this helps!! ✨


06/18/2022

✨ Therapist Thought Dump of the Day ✨

Topic: when you sit with someone through a hard time

What is the “right” thing to do or say when someone close to you comes to you to share a trial they are facing or a tough time they are experiencing?

The most important thing you can do is simply be present. Stay off your phone and limit distractions. Keep eye contact. Someone chose you as a safe person to discuss something challenging with. That is a privilege!

Things that are helpful: Listen without interrupting, offer your time, thank them for sharing, tell them you love them, and are here for them. Validate their feelings and emotions. Bring a warm meal or their favorite treat without prompting. Offer to take a responsibility off their plate.

Things that are not helpful: giving unsolicited advice/opinions, sharing your own experiences with something “similar” (no two people experience even the same exact thing the same way), saying you understand, any variety of “God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soliders” or “everything happens for a reason”. While you might believe that, it doesn’t make someone going through a hard time feel better.

With a partner: before you dive into speaking about a tough day/situation/experience with a partner, begin by asking the other person what they hope to gain from the conversation. An easy thing to say is: do you want advice or for me to just listen while you vent? About 80% of the time, your partner just wants you to listen because you are their safe person.

Something I have often heard from people in my personal life is “being around someone who is having a strong emotional reaction to a situation makes me uncomfortable”. Well friend, that is a you problem!! Emotions are healthy, normal, and deserve to be felt. Discouraging someone from being emotionally expressive is damaging and hurtful. If you are a parent, PLEASE do not tell your child “stop crying” “boys don’t cry” or anything like that when they are having these reactions.

The good news is, you can choose to change that learned behavior/attitude!! Developing active listening skills and sitting with your own discomfort of not knowing what to say or do is an ongoing process. Getting better at these skills can be a game changer in your relationships.

Have a topic you would like a therapist’s perspective on? Let us know!! We will be making weekly thought dumps ✨

06/16/2022

Hello! We are a new private practice located on CR 210 in Saint Augustine, FL.

Currently accepting new clients ages 9-22 beginning Monday, 6/20/22. At this time, sessions are available on Mondays between 1-5 pm in person or via Telehealth. We are not able to accept insurance at this time, self pay only.

Specialities include: anxiety, depression, school issues, anger management, coping skills, and athlete mental health

Specific specialty programs are available for athlete performance anxiety and academic/test anxiety

Visit our website elevatementalhealthandwellnessllc.com for more information and to book ❤️

Hello! My name is Morgan Halton. I am so glad you are here! I am a double alum of Florida State University, and have been working professionally in the mental health field for the past 4 years. I began my career as a school social worker, and then transitioned into mental health counseling in 2019.....