Charmed Counseling

Charmed Counseling Charmed Counseling creates a relaxed, supportive, non-judgmental environment where you can discuss anything that may be on your mind. No walk-ins.

Schedule by appointment only! Vancouver Office Information:

108 SE 124th Avenue
Vancouver, WA 98684

360-217-9050

Feeling the "winter blues?" Shorter days and colder weather can sometimes leave us feeling down, lacking energy, and les...
02/04/2026

Feeling the "winter blues?" Shorter days and colder weather can sometimes leave us feeling down, lacking energy, and less motivated. You aren't alone—this is a real struggle for many.

Whether it's through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to shift negative thought patterns, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), or simply having a safe space to talk, we are here to help. Let’s find strategies together to find your light and make this season a little brighter. 💙

Social anxiety can feel like you’re walking onto a stage every time you leave your house, with a spotlight following you...
01/28/2026

Social anxiety can feel like you’re walking onto a stage every time you leave your house, with a spotlight following your every move. It’s incredibly draining, but it’s also one of the most common and treatable experiences people face.

​Here is a breakdown of strategies and perspectives to help you navigate it.

​1. Shift Your "Internal Spotlight"
​One of the hallmarks of social anxiety is hyper-vigilance—you are hyper-aware of your own hands, your voice, and your thoughts.

​The Spotlight Effect: Remind yourself that most people are far more concerned with their own insecurities than they are with yours. They aren’t grading your performance; they’re wondering if they have food in their teeth.

​Externalize Your Focus: When you feel the panic rising, try to find three things in the room you can see and two sounds you can hear. Shifting your attention to the environment takes the pressure off your internal state.

​2. Practical "In-the-Moment" Tools
​When the physical symptoms (racing heart, sweating, shaky voice) hit, your body is in "fight or flight" mode. You need to signal to your nervous system that you are safe.

​Box Breathing: Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and hold for 4. This physically slows your heart rate.

​The "Safety Behavior" Audit: We often use "safety behaviors" like looking at our phones or avoiding eye contact to feel safe. Try dropping one small safety behavior at a time. It proves to your brain that you can survive the interaction without the "shield."

​3. Reframe Your Thoughts
​Social anxiety often relies on "mind reading"—assuming you know exactly what others are thinking (and assuming it’s bad).

Amy Manley, LICSWA

One common and important topic that comes up in counseling sessions is boundaries and how hard they can be to set when w...
01/28/2026

One common and important topic that comes up in counseling sessions is boundaries and how hard they can be to set when we weren’t taught how. Setting healthy boundaries isn’t about being distant, rude, or “difficult.” It’s about recognizing your limits, protecting your energy, and honoring your emotional well-being.

Many people feel guilt when they begin to set boundaries - that’s normal. But guilt doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It often means you’re doing something new. They’re about clearly stating what you will do to protect your peace, your values, and your well-being.

A boundary isn’t:
❌ “You’re not allowed to talk to me like that.”
It is:
✅ “If the conversation becomes disrespectful, I will leave the room or end the call.”

One tries to control someone else’s behavior. The other sets a clear limit on your own response.

🌿 Healthy boundaries are rooted in self-awareness and self-responsibility. They’re not rigid walls or wide-open doors — they’re more like flexible gates. You decide what comes in and what stays out, based on what’s healthy for you.

Examples:
🧱 Rigid boundary: “I don’t trust anyone, so I won’t let anyone in.”
🌬️ Porous boundary: “I’ll keep giving even though I’m burned out.”
🧘 Flexible boundary: “I’m open to connecting, but I’ll step back when I feel emotionally drained.”

Boundaries aren’t about punishment — they’re about clarity and self-respect. And they’re a skill, not a personality trait. Which means they can be learned, practiced, and strengthened.

- Jenica Jett, LMHCA

Frequent social media use is especially common these days. And while not inherently bad, it can often expose us to conte...
01/23/2026

Frequent social media use is especially common these days. And while not inherently bad, it can often expose us to content and information our brains (and hearts) can struggle to process. Anxiety, overwhelmed, comparison, and more can all come from increased social media time.
Setting clear limits and boundaries with social media use can help you develop a healthier relationship with it, which may result in less anxiety and doom scrolling! -Makayla Wilson, LICSWA

Interrupting a rumination loop is about shifting from abstract, repetitive "why" thinking to concrete, present-moment "h...
01/22/2026

Interrupting a rumination loop is about shifting from abstract, repetitive "why" thinking to concrete, present-moment "how" or "what" thinking.When you ruminate, your brain is like a car spinning its tires in the mud; the following techniques are designed to help you shift gears.

​1. Immediate "Pattern Interrupts"
​These techniques work by forcing your brain to process intense sensory input, which makes it harder to maintain a complex internal monologue.
​The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Method: Identify 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you can taste.

​Temperature Shock: Splash ice-cold water on your face or hold an ice cube in your hand. The sudden physical sensation can "reset" the nervous system.
​Name It to Tame It: Verbally say, "I am ruminating right now" or "I am having the thought that I failed." This creates a small gap between you and the thought.

​2. Cognitive Reframing
​Once the initial "spin" slows down, use these mental shifts to prevent the loop from restarting:
​"Why" to "What": Instead of asking "Why did I say that?" (which leads to self-blame), ask "What is one small thing I can do differently next time?" This shifts you from rumination to problem-solving.
​
Set a "Worry Window": If the thoughts won't go away, give them a scheduled appointment. Tell yourself, "I’ll think about this for 10 minutes at 5:00 PM." When 5:00 PM comes, set a timer. When it goes off, you're done.

​The Best Friend Test: Ask yourself, "If my best friend were saying these things to themselves, what would I tell them?" We are often far more compassionate to others than ourselves.
​
~Amy Manley, LICSWA

Anger often isn’t the first feeling to show up.It’s a protective response, layered over something more vulnerable undern...
01/20/2026

Anger often isn’t the first feeling to show up.
It’s a protective response, layered over something more vulnerable underneath.

When anger feels loud or overwhelming, pause and check in with what might be beneath it.
Hurt, fear, grief, shame, or disappointment are often part of the story.

Naming the deeper emotion doesn’t make it disappear—but it can soften the intensity.
With understanding comes space, and with space, the grip of anger begins to loosen.

‌- Jenica Jett, LMHCA

Why To Name Your Emotions ​When you experience a strong emotion, your amygdala (the brain's "alarm system") becomes high...
01/15/2026

Why To Name Your Emotions
​When you experience a strong emotion, your amygdala (the brain's "alarm system") becomes highly active. Research using fMRI scans shows that when you attach a label to that feeling (e.g., "I am feeling anxious"), the activity in the amygdala decreases, and the prefrontal cortex (the rational part of the brain) activates.
​The Result: You dial down the physiological intensity of the emotion, making it feel more manageable.
​2. Developing "Emotional Granularity"
​Many people stick to "umbrella terms" like bad, stressed, or fine. Naming emotions helps you move toward Emotional Granularity—the ability to distinguish between similar but different feelings.

~Amy Manley, LICSWAl

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a unique form of therapy designed to help your brain resume its ...
01/09/2026

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a unique form of therapy designed to help your brain resume its natural healing process after a traumatic event. When you experience something distressing, those memories can sometimes get "stuck" in your nervous system, causing you to feel the same intense emotions and physical sensations long after the event has passed.
​How the Process Works
​During a session, a therapist guides you through bilateral stimulation—usually through side-to-side eye movements, taps, or tones. This mimics the brain's activity during REM sleep, allowing the "stuck" memory to be reprocessed and moved from an emotional, reactive part of the brain to a more logical, long-term storage area.

~Amy Manley, LICSWA

Starting mental health counseling can come with a lot of mixed feelings.You might feel hopeful and nervous at the same t...
01/06/2026

Starting mental health counseling can come with a lot of mixed feelings.
You might feel hopeful and nervous at the same time.
You might not know what to say, or feel like you’re saying too much.
You might leave a session feeling relieved… or emotionally worn out.
All of that is normal.
Counseling isn’t about having the “right” thoughts or saying things perfectly. It’s about learning to notice what comes up when you slow down and talk honestly with another person.
Some sessions feel grounding and affirming.
Others stir things up before they settle.
Both are part of the process.
Progress in therapy often looks quiet and gradual:
showing up even when it’s uncomfortable
building trust over time
learning new ways to understand yourself
practicing self-compassion instead of self-judgment
You don’t need to perform, impress, or have it all figured out to benefit from counseling.
The work is simply showing up as you are and allowing space for growth to happen, one session at a time.
‌
- Jenica Jett, LMHCA

Shadow work is the psychological practice of exploring the "shadow self." The unconscious parts of your personality that...
01/01/2026

Shadow work is the psychological practice of exploring the "shadow self." The unconscious parts of your personality that you have repressed, denied, or hidden away from yourself. To do it, you begin by practicing radical self awareness, specifically noticing, when you feel "triggered" by others; often the traits that irritate you in someone else are mirrors of qualities you haven't accepted in yourself.

~Amy Manley, LICSWA

✨ Happy New Year from all of us at Charmed Counseling ✨As we step into a new year, we want to thank you for trusting us ...
01/01/2026

✨ Happy New Year from all of us at Charmed Counseling ✨

As we step into a new year, we want to thank you for trusting us with your care. Whether you’re continuing work you’ve already started or simply finding your footing, we’re honored to support you.

A new year doesn’t have to mean big resolutions or pressure to change overnight. Sometimes it’s about small steps, increased self-compassion, or giving yourself permission to move at your own pace.

We’re here to walk alongside you in 2025—through growth, challenges, and everything in between.

Wishing you a year filled with moments of clarity, connection, and care. 💙

— The Charmed Counseling Team

The Circle of Control is a simple way to understand where your energy is most helpful.At the center is what you can cont...
12/23/2025

The Circle of Control is a simple way to understand where your energy is most helpful.

At the center is what you can control or influence:
your choices, your effort, your boundaries, how you respond, or asking for support.

Outside of that is what you cannot control:
other people’s thoughts, feelings, behavior, the past, or outcomes.

When things feel overwhelming, try asking:
“What is one small thing I can control right now?”

That small shift can create steadiness, even when life feels uncertain.

- Jenica Jett, LMHCA

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400 S. Jefferson Suite 200
Spokane, WA
99204

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Tuesday 7:30am - 4pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 4pm
Thursday 7:30am - 4pm
Friday 7:30am - 4pm

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Charmed counseling creates a relaxed, supportive, non-judgmental environment where you can discuss any areas in your life that may be causing you distress.